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I swallowed back my emotions, trying to speak through a constricted throat. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to them.”
His voice dropped to a soothing whisper as he stepped closer. “You’re a good aunt.”
I snorted at that while taking a big step back. “If I was a good aunt, they’d be here with me.”
“They will be.” Draevyn’s wings snapped open, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides. “Shirina, I need to tell you something.”
My veins solidified to sludge. He was going to apologize, ask me to forgive him, and I wasn’t ready to think of anything beyond having the girls safe in my arms. And even then, I didn’t think I could, not after all he’d said and done. Why was he doing this now when I already had the weight of the world bearing down on my shoulders?
A loudthunkechoed somewhere above us, followed by two distinct, shrill screams. I practically flew up the walls while scanning the skies. “The girls!”
Draevyn jumped from the balcony, disappearing into the night sky like a shadow swathed in ink. I clutched a hand to my pounding heart, my head spinning with panic. What was happening?
* * *
Draevyn
Wings furiously pumping, I shot into the air, following the sounds of the girls’ screams. I flew in the direction of the highest turret towering above the battlements. Two of my aerial guards landed on the turret just before me in what could only be described as utter chaos. The girls were kicking and screaming while my men tried to pull them off Nikkos.
I landed hard on the turret, tiles sliding beneath my feet, and grabbed a girl from one of my men. “Calm down,” I soothed the child. “I’ve got you.”
Tears flowed down her grimy cheeks as she reached for her sister. I grabbed the other child and held them against my chest. They trembled in my arms like feathers in a windstorm.
“It’s okay,” I reassured them again. “You’re safe. I’ll bring you to your auntie.”
That seemed to calm them as they blinked up at me like frightened baby birds.
One of my men cried out, and my attention was drawn to Nikkos, who was completely unresponsive. My heart rate slowed and then took off at a race when I noticed Nikkos’s wings were bent and the side of his head was crusted with blood.
“Get my brother and follow me!” I called to the guards. I was barely aware of my actions as I soared back toward Shirina.
The girls were squirming to be released before I landed. They slipped out of my arms the moment I hit the tile floor and ran to their aunt. My heart caught in my throat when Shirina let out a strangled sob and collapsed onto the floor, holding the children to her chest.
I spun around when my men landed behind me. Nikkos was limp in their arms, and I feared my brother might be dead.
“Carry him to the bed,” I said to my men, my legs feeling like they were leaden weights as I followed them through the double doors. Why wasn’t Nikkos moving?
Nikkos let out a soft moan when they laid him on the bed, and I finally released the breath I’d been holding. I examined the wound on the side of Nikkos’s skull. It was deep, too deep. Part of his skull had been caved in, no doubt caused by the giants when they’d struck him with the weighted net. I feared the injury would be too severe for the local healers. I would have to send for the green witch in the next largest city, an entire day’s flight away.
“Fetch the castle nurses,” I said to my men. We had no green witches here, other than Nikkos, and he couldn’t very well heal himself.
“Yes, My Lord.” They both bowed and disappeared through the balcony doors.
The bed dipped beside me. “Is he okay?”
I turned to Shirina. She still held the girls in her lap, her brow creased with worry.
I swallowed back my fear, forcing out the words. “He will be. I’ll send for the best healer.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.” Shame flushed my face. “He’s my brother.” What else did she expect me to do? Leave him to die? I must’ve truly been a monster in her eyes.
Shirina pushed the hair out of the children’s eyes. “Where were you?”
I felt like an outsider as I watched Shirina’s tender display of affection for her nieces. She loved them as if she was their own mother, had sacrificed so much to keep them safe, and more shame flushed my skin at the horrible way I’d treated all of them when they needed my compassion the most.
“We went to Pappo and Yaya’s house,” the girl with the shorter hair answered. I should’ve remembered which was Ember and Aurora, but, no, I’d been so preoccupied with my own misery that I hadn’t paid much attention to the children.
