Page 160 of Fall of Ruin and Wrath

What in the world washedoing here? I didn’t know, but I didn’t believe in coincidences. Or fate. My fingers pressed into the windowsill.

“We really need to get out of here,” Grady urged.

I started to move when the Hyhborn who rode beside Samriel turned their cloaked head to the window. Their horse drew to a sudden halt.

“Shit,” I gasped, ducking. My wide gaze met Grady’s as my grip tightened on the dagger. “He couldn’t have seen us. There’s no way— ”

Ani’mereshrieked, sending a bolt of raw fear straight through me.

“Go!” Grady yelled to the others as we half scrambled, half ran along the wall.

Quickly catching up with Milton and Allyson, we raced for the door to the underground chambers, but while my intuition had been quiet seconds earlier, it no longer was. Wings beat against the window.I knew . . .

“We’re not going to make it,” I gasped.

“We will,” Grady argued. “We— ”

“No.” I grabbed ahold of the back of his tunic. “We won’t.”

Understanding flashed across his features. He cursed, yelling for the others while I racked my brain for where we could go. I looked around—

“The library!” I shouted.

Allyson nodded, and darted across the hall, heading for the door I knew led to another part of the manor. There’d be chambers there; they weren’t as safe as those underground, but they were places to hide, and that was the best we could do.

She pushed open the door, holding it open as the feeling of pressure continued to settle between my shoulders. There was no way Lord Samriel had seen us, but something had alerted him to our presence.

Glass exploded as we hit the other hall. Allyson’s sharp scream spun me around. Ani’merecame at us, its wings skimming the walls on both sides. I froze, just for a heartbeat as I stared at the creature’s fragile, doll-like features smeared with blood— the smooth flesh that gave way to small, layered feathers and breasts. Actual breasts. Theni’merewas a female.

And I was never going to unsee this.

“Get down!” Grady shouted.

Allyson grabbed my arm, tugging me to my knees. Theni’meretwisted in the air, about to turn as Milton grabbed the creature by the legs. With a yell, he threw it against the wall.

Plaster cracked from the impact. Milton jumped back, breathing heavy as theni’merefell forward. It rose onto its hind legs inches from me, shrieking.

I moved without thought, lurching to my feet. I didn’t think about what I was doing. I didn’t hesitate. It was almost like I was someone else as theni’mereswung at me with sharp, bloodied talons. I dipped under its arm and spun. Snapping upright, I thrust the dagger deep into theni’mere’s chest. The creature’s stunned gaze met mine as I jerked the blade free. Theni’merestumbled back, its legs folding. The creature went down, dead before it hit the floor. I looked up.

Grady stared at me, eyes wide. “What the fuck?”

I glanced at my blade. “Holy shit.”

A shriek cut through the air as anotherni’mereentered the hall.

“Shit,” Grady cursed.

I scrambled past Allyson, catching the door and slamming it shut. I threw the lock, knowing it would only slow the others down, as Grady shot forward. He didn’t thrust the sword into theni’mere.The steel would do very little. He twisted at the waist, sweeping up with the sword. The blade sliced through theni’mere’s neck. Blood sprayed as Grady severed its head. He stepped back, blood splattered across the side of his face. I really hoped theni’mereswere one of the Hyhborn that couldn’t regenerate.

“You okay?” I whispered, coming to Grady’s side.

“Yeah.” He glanced down at himself, swallowing. “Yeah.” He turned to me, eyeing the dagger. “You?”

I nodded.

“How the hell did you do that?” He took ahold of my arm.

“I don’t know.” I swallowed, heart thumping.