Page 77 of Rage of Her Ravens

Why? What had happened to them? Did this mean Pappo and Yaya were gone, too? Ember looked for her friends and saw three shadows at the edge of the forest. Why wouldn’t they come closer? She didn’t like it here anymore. It didn’t feel safe. She went to Uncle Nikkos and knelt beside him. He was still sleeping. “Uncle Nikkos,” she said, shaking his shoulder. “Wake up.”

Ember didn’t like the way the animals in the trees blinked down at them, their wide eyes watching, waiting. She shook their uncle again, but he refused to wake. She tried lifting him up, but he was too heavy. She heaved a frustrated groan. “Take us in the house,” she said to her sister. “He’s too heavy to lift.”

Aurora grabbed them, and they tumbled from the yard into the loft bed they shared. Nikkos’s wings took up the entire bed, his feathers draped off the side like a curtain.

She grabbed Aurora’s hand and together they pushed aside Nikkos’s wings and slid down the ladder.

It was so dark inside that they had to fumble around for a lantern. If Ember’s friends hadn’t been blinking in and out beside the lantern on the top shelf, she never would have found it. She climbed on top of the table and grabbed it off the shelf, handing it to her sister. Then she climbed down and asked her friends what to do. They showed her the dying embers in the fire. Their Yaya and Auntie had told them never to light lanterns by themselves, but Ember and Aurora weren’t alone. They had help from Ember’s friends. She used Yaya’s big wooden spoon to scoop up a few sparks from the fire and lit the wick, producing a soft glowing light, smiling to herself that she’d figured it out, just like a big girl.

Her tummy growled, and she looked around the kitchen. “I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make you some porridge,” Aurora said, taking the lead and stirring the cooking kettle above the fire. “We’re in luck! It’s already got porridge inside,” she said with a smile.

Ember scowled at her sister’s backside. Why did her sister take them here? Why didn’t she take them to the top of their uncles’ castle? She crossed her arms with a pout. “I want tarts.”

“Stop being a baby, Em.” Rora rolled her eyes as she pumped water into a jug and poured it into the kettle. She nodded toward the table. “Sit down.”

Ember sat on a wobbly bench and rested her head on her arms. There were barely any sparks in the hearth. How was Rora supposed to cook porridge? She missed Auntie. She didn’t want to be here when her auntie and Blaze were probably at the castle eating tarts without them.

Nikkos groaned, his wings shifting, but he didn’t come down the ladder. He just laid there. Was he sick? Ember nervously twisted the hem of her dress, thinking more and more they should bring Uncle Nikkos to their auntie, not play at their scary old house. As soon as Rora finished making the porridge, she would tell her they needed to go.

* * *

Shirina

Acool wind blew myhair back from my face and sent a chill cascading down my spine. My bones were sore, my throat was raw, and my eyes burned from the tears I desperately fought back.

Behind me, Draevyn cleared his throat. “You must be famished. Would you like to come inside? I can have Cook prepare you some food.”

Spine stiffening, I refused to turn around. I swiped hot tears from my eyes. “I want to watch the skies.”

Soldiers flew around me, their nervous gazes darting to me as they landed on the castle wall taking orders from an older silver-winged Fae.

Silence stretched between us, and I didn’t care. He could stare holes through the back of my skull all night. All that mattered was having my nieces and my mates back with me.

He stepped up beside me, his gaze turned to the forest, the tips of his feathers tickling my arm. He let out a low whistle. “They’ve flattened so many trees. It will take years for our forest to recover, but I’m glad they’re finally gone.”

Was he expecting me to converse with him? In no mood to talk, I took a wide step away from him and wrapped my arms around myself. How long would it take for Blaze to find them? Hours? Days?

“You have their scent on you.” He chewed on his lip while continuing to stare into the forest. “Are you bonded?”

I stiffened at the question. Why was he asking when it wasn’t any of his business? He’d already made it clear he didn’t want to mate with me. I worked hard to unclench my teeth. “We are,” I finally answered, refusing to look at him.

“Congratulations.”

I cut him a sideways glare. “You don’t mean it.”

“I do.” He pressed a hand to his heart and bowed ever so slightly. “I’m happy for you and my brothers.”

I snorted at that. He was happy for no one.

“My brothers are better Fae than I. They deserve to be happy. So do you.”

I forced myself to look away from his piercing gaze. Was he sincere? Or was he only being kind because I sent the giants away from his land and he finally respected my power? I didn’t know how to answer him, so I simply stared at the sky while wondering if he had some ulterior motive.

He cleared his throat. “I meant what I said, Shirina.”

Was this his version of an apology? If so, why didn’t he just come out and apologize? Or was he too proud to admit he’d been behaving like a spoiled dragon’s ass?