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“Faster!” I ducked into the crowd, yanking Raven harder.
“Ash!” Her cry was muffled when her petite frame got sucked into the swarm, my arms stretching back painfully to keep her with me.
“Raven!” My hand slid from hers, letting her recede into the throng like they were quicksand. “No!” I shoved back, trying to reach her, her frame ping-ponging off the masses. “Get off her!” I smashed my elbow into a man’s side as I reached for her, pulling her up with me and rushing us through the gate.
Cries and more gunfire resounded like firecrackers, shoving people harder into my back. We spilled out of the fortress, the wider space giving us room to breathe.
The moment we exited, Nyx was right on me, squawking. Her claws dug into my scalp, her nails sinking in.
“Fuck!” I screamed, my hand rearing back, knocking the hawk hard. Her form tumbled into the mud and snow, which clung to her wings, taking her out for a moment. I didn’t hesitate, hooking my hand with Raven’s and taking off.
And like so many times since the day she walked into my life, we ran from danger, but this time, I never let go of her hand.
Trudging through the deep powder, our lungs fought to grasp the cold air. The threat of snow hung above us like a pendulum, ready to unleash its supremacy. A game of chance, and at any moment, our luck would run out.
A shrill, angry screech came from the distance, rushing me faster to the woods in a different direction than we came down, desperate for cover. We needed to get away from Nyx’s sharp eyes. We couldn’t let her follow us.
Raven didn’t say one word, seeming in sync with my thoughts—get as far away as we could. Slipping into the protection of the trees, my tension eased being among them, but we still didn’t stop. Along with the echoes of Iain’s men, the shrieks of Nyx searching for us, hunting overhead, pushed us faster.
We couldn’t go back to Iacob’s camp. We’d only put them in danger, and we were so close to the caves here.
The thump of my heavy pack drummed with my breaths as we trudged uphill through the deepening snow. Nyx’s cries grew further and further away until they bled into the noise of the forest, fading away. Still, I couldn’t slow, driving us relentlessly forward.
“Shit,” Raven hissed, tripping over a hidden log, her shorter legs struggling to keep up with mine, the snow inching up to our knees. Reaching back for her, I grabbed her arm, helping her up, brushing snow off her legs and jacket.
“I think we’re safe now.” Raking my gaze over the woods around us, the sounds of a living forest crackling softly in my ears. The trees felt like they were standing guard, protecting us. “We can rest for a moment.”
She sucked in full pulls of air, her cheeks flushed pink. “See?” She motioned to her wrist, out of breath. “It affects me.”
My gaze went down to the bracelet hidden under her jacket, my lips pinching. In a moment, I went from thinking she was a spy about to betray me to almost kissing her.Again.
“Not as much as it should.”
Her jaw tightened, tension weeding between us, wrapping around my chest.
“Well, we’re gonna get it off you soon. This trail takes us to the caves.”
She kept her attention to the side, her expression staying blank.
“Thought you’d be looking forward to getting it off?” I folded my arms, studying her features closer. “Aren’t you?”
“Of course.” She nodded, staring at me, but her tone prickled at me. I continued to watch her, trying to pry at her walls, peel all her responses back to the barest truth.
From a distance, a squawk pierced the skies, snapping me back into the protector role. Fear of being found, of her being captured, spurred me to move, the safety of the caves almost in reach.
Unrelentingly, I kept a steady pace for an hour, sweat dampening my back, my stomach rumbling for more food. The first sign of snowflakes floated down, scouts warning us of the militia coming behind, ready to dump on our heads.
My boots came to a flat area, the feel of pavement under my soles. Boarded-up stone huts with A-line roofs huddled near a snow path, blocked by a green gate. My attention went to the large marker indicating the location.
“Look.” I pointed to a sign covered in ice and fresh flakes.Valea Cetatiiwas printed across the top, with chipped writing below stating it was closed. We both stood there, as if actually arriving was never something we believed would happen. We were battle-worn, exhausted, and so different from the people who started this journey.
The night we spent with Vasile and Anca seemed forever ago… the night he told me about the caves. About the Vâlve, Talyssa.
“They’re spirits, so the metal has no real effect on them. And Vâlves have the power to take it away from you. Make all the gold and metals you acquired simply disappear.”
Apprehension thickened the back of my throat, winding down to my stomach. The thrill of getting here mixed with the fear this wouldn’t work.
“The caves are closed now. Been cleaned out for decades now. I don’t know if she is still there.”
