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Her eyes snapped open. Large wings spread wide from Shelby’s back. The black feathers ruffled in the breeze and the streak of orange in his now wild eyes burned a startling neon pink. He was several steps closer now than he had been when Ace had closed her eyes. His full lips trembled with rage as he bared his teeth at Rehan.
The sword at her throat had already disappeared. One arm looped around Ace’s waist, holding her up when her legs threatened to give out. With each inhale and exhale, life returned to her, and Rehan’s hold loosened.
“Interesting.” Whatever wicked thing had come from him moments ago was gone. His tone was light and playful once more.
Ace stared, not yet ready to move as the last of her memories began to fade while she peered upon Shelby’s wings. Slightly damped with sweat, Rehan’s shirt was handed to her. He pointed to her neck. What little he’d done was mended, the skin didn’t even feel as if it’d been pierced when she rubbed the blood away.
“Want to spar again?” Shelby seethed. His wings ruffled, rising a fraction behind him.
“No, thank you.” Rehan answered with a bold smile.
“You good?”
Ace had lost herself in the beauty of what Shelby had become. He was magic. He was part god. He was utterly and unfathomably perfect. Shelby had to repeat the question before Ace finally realized he was speaking to her.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Look.” She dropped her hands away from the wound. “All gone.”
He moved closer. His eyes became two thin slits as he glared daggers at Rehan who’d begun to circle Shelby, looking him over from top to bottom. Ace looked up, then up some more, as she brought her gaze up to his face.
“I don’t care who or what he is. Next time he tries that, I will cut him into a thousand little pieces and if his body magically comes back together, I’ll slice him up over and over again for the rest of eternity,” Shelby said rather calmly, a promise in his words.
Ace laughed nervously but Rehan chuckled with immense amusement at the sentiment.
“I’m truly sorry but the element of surprise is important and I needed you both to believe that I might truly do something for it to work. And by the gods, it did. How magnificent!”
Shelby shifted his weight from one foot to the other. The way Rehan watched him gave Ace the odd feeling that he thought Shelby was his own personal experiment. Did that make Rehan some sort of evil scientist?
Ace cast a quick glance over her shoulder at Margo where she was curled up in the sun like a cat, sleeping. She was glad Margo didn’t have to see all this. The poor witch could use all the rest she could get now; who knew if she would get it later. Ace would arrange for Margo to remain somewhere safe while they marched to Idalia with the Fae. Having a girl so young amongst all this war and death…well, Ace knew exactly what that felt like and she didn’t wish it on anyone else.
A soft brush of smooth skin skimmed over her scar. Between the wind and the way Ace turned back around her hair blew across her face, catching in the corners of her mouth as her lips parted. Shelby’s eyes never made it farther than her lips.
“Do you think you could fly?” Rehan squinted, reaching to touch Shelby’s wings. Before his hands could brush the delicate feathers Shelby moved them just out of reach.
“Don’t touch.”
“I want to touch them,” Ace said.
“Why?” His head cocked, eyes searching for Rehan from his peripheral vision.
For the experience. To know. For a chance to touch you.Instead of all the reasons she knew she wanted to touch his wings, she just shrugged.
“No,” he said it slowly, like he wasn’t sure if he meant it or not.
She had half a mind to reach out and touch them anyway, but a startled gasp had her turning. Margo sat up, her braids frizzy at the back of her head. Margo’s eyes were trained on the forest beyond. “They’re here.”
Ace
Fire licked through her, followed by ice a second later. Shelby shifted past, his wingsgone. With his long legs, he was at his sister’s side, hands holding her shoulders. Margo never moved.
She just stared. And stared some more.
“Who? Who’s here?” He examined the forest, nostrils flaring as he sniffed at the air.
Slow steps led Rehan to Ace’s side. He closed his eyes. Perhaps in concentration?
Who? Who? Who?Ace questioned the gods.Someone from Marlux? Fae? Who is Margo seeing?
Rehan opened his eyes. He hummed with a nod, turning toward Ace. His hand ran down her arm. No doubt it was meant as a comforting gesture. “King Osiris.” Before the name had even fully left Rehan’s mouth, Shelby’s entire body tightened.
