Page 156 of Three Dark Kings and the Gilded Serpent

My feet fly, carrying me to him in seconds. “Azul.”

I bury my face in his feathers as he curves his neck around me, his head at my back, a low call rumbling through his throat.

A second later, soft, wolfish growls meet my ears, coming from behind me, ferocious enough for my sensitive hearing to understand how concerned Nara is for me.

Azul reacts by hunching his shoulders and sinking closer to the ground, tucking his wings tightly in a very uncharacteristic non-combative pose.

Nara’s growls take on a questioning tone.

“It’s okay, Nara,” I call softly. “This is Azul. He won’t hurt me. Or you.” I pull back to glare at Azul. “Correct, Azul?”

He cracks open his eyes, a sly gleam before he capitulates and bounces his head.

Nara gives a huffing growl and takes up position on my left, squeezing herself close to the rock face without coming closer to Azul. Her butt ends up squished against the stone and Azul chortles.

“I would keep my distance, too,” I admonish him.

His menacing red eyes gleam brightly again, but then his head lowers and the shine in his eyes fades.

“Azul, what is it?”

He lowers his beak and presses his head to my chest, crooning low and soft. Then, without warning, he shuffles backward, pulling himself out of my arms.

He leaps to the left, off the cliff, spreads his wings, and takes his place at the head of the flock.

The eagles pick up speed, their path carrying them up and overhead.

As Azul soars past, he tips his head at me.

A moment later, the birds sweep northward along the mountain range, this time dangerously close to passing the point where his flock will be visible from within Ember.

If they keep on that path, the warriors guarding the northern towers will soon spot them.

I sprint after him, racing back along the ridge, darting between outcrops, trying to keep him in my sights while Nara runs behind me.

Azul, what are you doing?

Without warning, he veers clear west, encroaching into Ember airspace at an angle that will make the entire flock visible to the Ember warriors at the border.

“No, Azul!”

The Ember Fae will think the eagles belong to Hadrian. They’ll burn the birds down.

Even with my new speed, I won’t be able to run fast enough to stop the Ember Fae from trying to kill the eagles, and I can’t yet fly like Antony can.

My heart leaps into my throat as the flock cuts across the northeastern corner of Ember and I strain my eyesight to follow their path straight toward the Ember Towers.

“No! Azul!”

When he crooned at me before…was he trying to say goodbye?

Horror grips me as the eagles reach the Ember Towers and the sky lights up in flames.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Maxim

Thyra is no longer safe in my kingdom.