Page 23 of Call of A Eagle

It didn’t stop my eagle from trying, though.

As we flew after him, racing through the sky, Xander’s raven suddenly shifted direction, and aimed straight for the ground. My eagle followed his lead, plummeting toward the earth in adizzying rush. At the last moment, Xander’s raven pulled up, and then launched himself over the treetops, skimming them enough to rustle the leaves. My eagle attempted to keep up, but collided with a branch, the impact jarring him and slowing us down.

Shit.

Xander’s raven used my eagle’s mishap to his advantage, gaining distance between us as he retreated farther into the woods. Rage blistered through my eagle and me, but the damage had been done.

Xander’s raven was disappearing, and we both knew that we wouldn’t be able to catch up to him before he was out of sight.

He’d won—for now.

Reluctantly, my eagle turned back. His pride was stung, and he was upset, but I reminded him that we’d successfully protected Lyra and Alma. His irritation eased because they were what mattered most.

Once we were closer to the cabin, Lyra’s owl flew to meet us. There was a sense of relief reflected in her eyes. I understood it, because I felt it too. The fight with Xander and his raven was over—for now—and her grandmother was safe. Lyra’s owl fluttered to the ground near where her grandmother lay, and she shifted back into her human form. Even my eagle noticed how shaken she looked, how dazed and confused, but she was unharmed.

That in itself was a small victory.

My eagle landed beside them and stepped aside for me. When I shifted, my body was battered from the blow with the branches and Xander’s raven’s incessant pecking. I was too focused on Lyra to care, though. She rushed toward me, pulling her clothes back on, her wide eyes focused on my injuries.

“You’re hurt,” she said.

“It’s nothing,” I assured her. “Are you okay? Is Alma all right?”

She nodded, her gaze still locked on my wounds. “We’re fine.” Her gaze lifted to meet mine. “Thanks to you,” she whispered.

I shook my head, not wanting her gratitude because I didn’t deserve it. “I should have been honest with you from the start. He was here because of me. This is all my fault. I’m sorry.”

“You did what you thought was best,” Alma said, her voice firmer than I’d expected. “We all have our secrets. What matters is that we’re safe, and that damn raven is gone.”

I cracked a grin. Old people cussing would never not be comical.

“He’ll be back. He won’t give up that easily,” I said, knowing it was true. I couldn’t sit around and wait for his return, though. “I need to know where Maribel is.”

Alma gave a slow, shaky nod. She attempted to stand but wasn’t strong enough. Lyra rushed to her side to help.

“I’m okay,” the old woman insisted, though her voice wavered.

“No, you’re not. You need to rest,” Lyra said, steadying her. “Here, let’s get you inside.”

“I just need some water, and to sit for a minute,” Alma argued.

I stepped in to help Alma inside the cabin, my body aching. The adrenaline from the confrontation with Xander had started to wear off, and the pain from my injuries was becoming more pronounced.

Once we had Alma inside, Lyra helped dress her and then settled her on the couch before making her way to the kitchen for a glass of water. I shifted my attention to the old woman, wanting to ask again for information on Maribel, but noticed she looked as though she was about to fall asleep.

The woman had been through it.

I could see the toll the ordeal with Xander had taken on her—the lines of exhaustion etched deep into her face, the heavy rise and fall of her breaths. I knew all too well the kind of exhaustion that came from battling Lucius’s mind control. It wasn’t just physical; it drained you on a much deeper level.

Alma had fought hard today, and it was clear she had nothing left to give.

Lyra made her way into the living room with a glass of water, but Alma had already closed her eyes. She set the glass on the coffee table and then turned her attention to me.

“Let her sleep. We need to clean those cuts,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I nodded, allowing her to lead me through the cabin. I wanted to say something, to apologize to her again, but any words I could muster seemed inadequate. While we might be all right for the moment, I’d seriously dropped the ball in this situation.

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