AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They are going the other way,” Nava said.
Devon’s legs faltered, and he nearly stumbled to the ground as a Crow pulled him down the street, away from where they were hiding.
Nava let out a shaky breath. “We are going to have to fight them, aren’t we? To free him.”
The rest of the group remained close to the exit of the market, searching through the unconscious people who littered the street, prodding them with their booted feet to turn them around and get a better look at their faces.
“Yes.”
There wasn’t an argument he could come up with that would convince Nava to run and hide while he attempted to release his brother. What was more shocking was that he didn’t want to do this alone.
Nava was powerful and adept in battle. Her ability to heal would likely make the blinding spell dissipate from her blood faster than normal. Together, they were more powerful than alone.
“The Crows use this tactic when they are breaking up a group. Often, it’s magic-wielding families who are protecting their youths from the draft.”
“What tactic is that?”
“Staying out here in the open to make sure that I see they have Devon. They will start torturing him next,” Orion said and turned toward her. Shame weighed heavily on his heart. How could he have stood back and allowed them to do this before?
“Here, in the middle of the city?” she gasped. Her feelings were bitter as they poured into his gut from their bond. Panic and anger blended together, fueling his own dread.
“It sends a message to the rest of the city as well,” he said. “Do you have enough energy left to transfer one more time?”
Nava nodded, although she was frowning. Perhaps she thought he was about to ask her to leave him behind. Which, to her credit, would have been his first choice if he dreamed she would do it.
“There’s a possibility they don’t know you’re here with me, which could give us an edge.”
“You want to be the bait?”
“I will distract them long enough for you to transfer to the guy holding Devon. He has walked far from the rest. They won’t be able to get to you fast enough. Once you free him, there will be three of us, which gives us better odds.”
“Three of us without the full use of our magic,” she mumbled but shrugged. “I guess I don’t have a better plan.”
Orion grabbed her face with both hands and pressed his forehead to hers. Gods, he wished they had more time to heal what they had gone through before having to fight again. He wished he could love her without having to fear that this might be a goodbye.
The waves crashed hard against the rock wall that divided the street and the sea.
“I’d rather fight them alongside you, even with half of my magic, than without you with the full use of my powers,” he said, caressing her chin.
Her lips trembled into a sad smile. “Me too.”
Orion pressed his lips to hers, and then he stepped out of the cover of their hiding place, his wings shifting before settling on his back. He swept toward the Crows, who paused the moment they noticed him.
“Let him go,” he demanded, advancing on the group while tightening his grip around the pommel of his sword.
“Reaper.” The first cloaked figure laughed and inched forward. Waves of bright gray power swirled around his wrists as he readied himself for an attack.
The helmet he wore muffled his voice, and Orion didn’t recognize the tone or way he moved. He sounded too young to be someone he knew from his days in the Society.
“I’ve heard so much about you, the dead Dark One who disappeared a decade ago. Imagine our shock when we found you alive and assisting our traitor. Which makes you the same.” The Crow moved with the cockiness of a recent but powerful recruit. The rest of the group kept their distance from the reach of Orion’s powers. Smart.
“I’m the heir to this kingdom, and if you attack me or mine, you’ll be breaking the treaties between the Society and the Crown,” Orion said. It was a long shot, admittedly. He sincerely doubted the Crows cared about the treaties.
And if they got him out of here and back to the Iron Kingdom, they might use the same memory spell his father had employed to continue to use him as a weapon.
Or they might just try to kill him and be done with the whole thing, with no one being the wiser. There was no chance they understood how the kingdom spoke to his kin.
“What treaties?” The Crow barked another laugh and pointed to what remained of the market. “We discovered you in an illegal trading post just now, which King Oberon allows to exist in his land. I see broken treaties everywhere I look.”
