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Rune raises a brow. He doesn’t know Murph or what the beautiful beast sacrificed for us, but he lifts his head nonetheless, willing to join in our battle.
Moro finishes tossing the feed into the large bowls on the ground. “Well, we’d better make a plan then. I want no Hollow left behind.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I meet the Keeper’s silver gaze and he grins.
I’ve missed my family so fucking much.
27
Elodie
Time seems fickle when everything’s at stake.
I know we could easily lose one of us like in the past… but with the bond edging on breaking, I can feel my powers thrumming through me stronger than it ever has.
We didn’t waste time that morning in the grove. We make plans that evening about what’s in store for the Nesbrim raid. Rune and I know the city in and out so we have the perfect path to the Hollow’s Atrium lined up.
Wren makes Marley stay behind.“Someone needs to watch the Hollows,” he tells him. The boy is reluctant at first, but Moro assures him it’s a duty above all else, so the Moss Sparrow eventually becomes compliant and happy to stay behind.
The suns are already peeking above the mountains and the walls of Nesbrim cast long dark shadows across the plains on the west side.
“That guard was anasshole.”
Wren spits blood off to his side as he complains. The Dreadius that punched him in the face got torn to shreds by the thorns Wren summoned from the ground. I’m still impressed as fuck at his magic and how easily he commands it.
We push through the west gate and move toward the atrium. Town is still pretty quiet this early in the morning, but the shopkeepers are already setting up their signs and turning on lights for the day.
No one even bats an eye at us as we walk casually. I know many of them recognize me and Rune so they probably don’t see anything wrong with this picture.
“Did Violet not tell anyone about you peacing out?” Wren leans in and whispers in my ear.
I shrug. “I haven’t felt anything through the bond that would suggest Arulius being pissed or worried, but then again it’s been more difficult to feel—”
I stop, my feet freezing to the cobblestones beneath. A wave of hatred and anger washes through me. Not through the bond, it’s not Arulius… This is that feeling I got when I nearly tore my heart out over Rune.
North.
“Elodie, what the fuck?”
I turn and meet Wren’s horrified gaze.
My eyes dip down to my hands. It looks like I rolled in soot and ashes. My wings are growing longer and darker, like blood is dripping from their roots and straight into the feathers.
“S-something’s wrong!” I choke out, feeling my consciousness starting to slip.
Rune catches me as I slump to my knees and holds my face in his hands desperately. The flash of fear across his gaze has me curling inward.
But when I hear his eerie voice ring out, I’m more afraid for him than myself.
“Elodie!”
I watch helplessly as Wren and Moro’s eyes shift to black. The curse falls over them and I know they’re hearing that ghost-like voice that whispers for them to harm Rune.
My Rune.
“Get out of here, Rune!” I shove him away but he just scoops me up and charges toward the atrium. Kastian is hot on our heels.
“What the fuck is going on?!”
