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Stepping back, he motioned to one of the guards. The pale-haired man stepped forward, slamming his club into Holden's midsection.

Holden fell from the walkway with a grunt. Then Korym gestured to the guards, and they followed him onto the ship.

Within moments they were gone — the airship rising and disappearing into the blue skies above … without us.

Holy fuck …

My mind spun and my breath sped up as the reality of our situation sank in.

I needed to get back as soon as possible.

But to get back to the fortress, we'd have to survivehourstrekking through forests infested with wraiths and other monsters … hours Korym would be using to convince Frexin of my failure.

My heart urged me to just start running — to use whatever means I could to get back to Dragon's Peak before him.

But it was impossible.

They were far faster by air than we'd ever be on the ground.

Plus, Frexin would wait for me before doing anything — if for no other reason than to see my pain as she killed the people I loved.

I just needed to come up with something that would satisfy her …

Yes. What I needed to do was calm down andthink.And to do that, I needed to get rid of this damn collar!

"YOU." Holden spat, eyes bulging, cheeks a bright red as he strode towards me. "I'm going to —"

A low growl rumbled from Tye's chest and the bald man halted, his face twisting into a scowl as he lifted his hand.

"You want these?" He dangled the key to our collars just in front of my face. "Good luck, bitch."

Then he dropped it into his mouth … and swallowed.

"No!" I shouted, leaping forward.

If Liam and I weren't freed to use our abilities, the crossing would be a death sentence! Surely, he wouldn't be so stupid …

Holden moved out of my way, smile widening, and let out a victorious howl as his body turned first to smoke, then to a large brown wolf.

With one last snarl in our direction, he disappeared into the forest, and with him — our best chance at surviving the trek.

Fuck. That. Asshole!

We needed that key, and only one of us was fast enough to catch him in his wolf form …

"Tye!" I spun to face the wolf shifter. "Shift and catch him."

Tye just glared at me. "I can't."

"I know." I stepped towards him, heart pounding at what I was about to suggest. It had worked the last time we were on the Isle.Surelyit would work now, too!

"Kiss me. It'll wake up your wolf."

Tye's golden eyes widened at my words, and the bond flared to life inside me.

"No," he growled, stepping back. "It won't work. It can't break through. Not anymore."

I gritted my teeth and stepped closer — so close our chests almost touched. The ever-present flame in my belly burned hotter and brighter as I ignored all the alarm bells going off in my mind — rising onto my toes until my nose nearly brushed his chin.