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One glance over my shoulder confirmed that my entire wing had burned. My beautiful white feathers were gone. Black, bloody flesh stared back at me as pain radiated along my appendage.
Regret spiraled through me, but I knew I didn’t have time to mourn my wing now.
Whipping my attention back to my surroundings, I searched for the warlock. Cold snow pressed against my fingertips as I stayed low to the ground. The entire forest floor was covered in white.
Where is he?
Agony hummed along my injury, but I did my best to ignore it. I knew the warlock had to be close. His curse that had hit my wing had come from directly below where I’d flown.
My gaze whipped around. Bare trees. Snow. A thick forest. Fresh air swirled around me when the breeze blew the burned stench of my flesh away.
But no warlock.
Mother Below. He’s here somewhere.
I’d caught a flash of him in the distance when he’d reappeared from whatever magic had made him disappear from the cabin. He’d been hovering over the trees. As though suspended in midair even though he had no wings. He’d been waiting. Watching. It was as if he’dwanted me to follow him. As though he was leading me into a trap, which I’d blindly fallen for.
Ock.
“I’m surprised that curse didn’t kill you.”
My head spun toward his voice.
Nothing.
Only trees and snow.
But his dark, gravelly voice came from the bare trees. It was rough and deep, and the sound of it reminded me of the bedtime stories my mother used to tell me. About the beasts of the snow and wood, the vicious creatures who roamed our land at night and preyed upon unsuspecting children who’d fled from their beds when their naughtiness had gotten the best of them.
“Most supernaturals would have died from that blast, but it seems you’re special, just as I sensed.”
I crouched lower and began to creep along the ground. “Is that why you lured me out here?”
“It is. I look forward to taking your blood, then your life. It shall be decadent.”
I slowly shifted on the balls of my feet before darting a small distance to the side as I searched for him. My wing dragged painfully behind me, and every touch on my scorched flesh felt as though someone was dragging a shredder down my spine.
“What are you?” he called. “All Solis fae have black wings, yet you don’t.”
“What an astute observation,” I replied dryly. It sounded as though the warlock’s voice came fromeverywhere and nowhere.How is he invisible?“But thanks to you, I now have one black wing.”
He chuckled. “Ah yes, I can smell its destruction. Such a pity, but I’m sure it won’t detract from the rest of your flavor. Did you know that Solis fae have the most delicious-tasting blood?” His voice came from the right. I whipped that way, but only air greeted me. “So much magic is in your system, and since I’ve enjoyed so many of you, it’s made me the most powerful warlock on Earth.” Another deep chuckle from him resonated around me. “I have no doubt your blood is going to make me invincible.”
A rush of air flew past my cheek, and I ducked at the last moment, avoiding the warlock’s curse. I swallowed a scream when it exploded against a tree trunk. A wolf’s howl rose in the distance, and then frantic yells came from my mate and his guards.
They were searching for me, but they wouldn’t know where I’d fallen. Nothing surrounded me but nameless forest, and I had no idea if Norivun’s sensory affinity would allow him to find me or not. Scents dissipated too quickly on the wind, and I’d flown here at a frantic pace. Most likely, he would have to use the bond to locate me.
But I didn’t call for them. Even though I was wounded, I also knew that if they all showed up now, the warlock would flee, and we’d possibly never find him again.
“Why are you hiding from me?” I positioned my back in front of a large trunk in case the warlock wasbehind me. I hissed in a breath when my wing scraped against the tree before it fell limply to the side. “If you’re so strong, why don’t you show yourself?”
The dark sorcerer laughed again. “But then this wouldn’t be so fun.”
I heard it before I felt it. The searing sound of another curse headed directly toward me. I closed my eyes, relying on my warrior senses to guide me in the correct direction. I spun at the last second, and the curse exploded into the tree, right where my shoulder had been. That hit wouldn’t have killed me, but it would have rendered me immobile.
“You’re fast. I’ll give you that.”
My lip curled. “Fast enough to beat you.”
