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Finn and Alaric consulted the map for about the hundredth time since they’d landed, trying to find the best place to enter the ruin—the best path through the trees. If they didn’t hurry the hell up, I’d burn them all to ground and lay out a clear path of charred earth for them to follow.
Even though we were twins, I always felt like the older brother. Rattling the heads of those who teased Finn for his love of books or how his wings didn’t fully develop until he was sixteen. It was my responsibility to stand up for Finn even if I didn’t truly understand my brother.
Just like it was my duty to protect Liana—no, not duty—it was my very purpose. I couldn’t imagine living on a land where she didn’t draw breath. Didn’t want to. I wanted her back—and I always got what I wanted.
“We’re getting close, brother,” Finn hollered from behind. Always trying to calm me. Always the level-headed one. A part of me admired him for it, but the other parthatedit. It must’ve been nice for him, growing up without a temper. Sometimes I thought our ancestors Graced me with fire just to teach me a lesson in self-control.
Little did they know it backfired.
“Closer isn’t good enough. The longer you waste looking at that godsforsaken map, the longer she’s alone.”
Finn was around me in an instant, giving me a stare that could curdle milk. “You don’t think I know that? You don’t think weallknow that, Kade?”
My hands balled to fists, “Well it doesn’t seem like it, brother. With all your daisy picking back there.”
Hurt flashed over his eyes before he traded in the emotion for anger and squared his jaw at me. Sometimes I hated how alike we could look. And right then, I could have been looking in a mirror. “None of us have ever been to the palace at Mount Noctis before,” he near shouted, “And seeing it from the sky is a lot different than finding it from the ground. So,forgive mefor not wanting to waste even more time by getting lost.”
So high and fucking mighty.
My skin pricked with heat and I saw the steam rise from my skin in the cool air.
“Kade.” It was Alaric, and I didn’t have time to move away before he set his hand on my arm. He jumped back and hunched over at the pain. His hand red and raw—still smoking.
The roaring flames at my core reduced to nothing but smoldering embers.
“Damnit,” I cursed, but didn’t move to console my captain, “Alaric, I’m sorry.”
My lungs hauled in air to smother the burning in my throat. “We just—we have to find her. Now. Before it’s too late.”
Alaric rose, shaking off the pain as though it was nothing more than a slight nuisance. “I know. And we will. But we’ve got to get there first.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
Tiernan, completely unaffected by the exchange between the three of us—as though it were completely normal, asked, “Do we have a plan for when we get there? Have any of you ever been inside?”
Alaric set to wrapping his hand in a swath of cloth torn form the tunic under his armor, his brows furrowed.
A piercing screech broke the silence, and Tiernan’s falcon fell from the sky, stopping mere inches from its master, hovering there in front of his face. Tiernan didn’t look surprised to see his pet, but his expression grew pensive, and then excited with each insistent caw of the creature.
The falcon darted away through the trees, and Tiernan turned to follow it, “Arrow knows where she is!”
Alaric and Finn shared a quizzical look, “So much for coming up with a plan,” Finn said before they sprinted after Tiernan.
“Oh,nowyou’ll run!” I growled after them, the heat flaring up again.
They wanted a plan. Well, I had one.
It was simple.
Find Liana. Kill anyone who gets in my way.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Liana
“It’s time,” he said from the doorway, “The king has returned. I hope you made your peace.”
Oh, I’d make my peace, alright. Once you’re dead.
