Page 64 of Lana Pecherczyk

“We’re not going anywhere without you, Nikan.” Manfri planted his feet and folded his arms.

It was a stupid proclamation because they stood no chance against her electrifying aura. She might look like Lesser Fae with that permanent half-crow appearance, but she sure as the Well had the mana of High Fae. The stories of her power must be true.

Just as Manfri was ready to grab Nikan by the scruff and escape, Cielo put his dagger away and calmly made a proposal. “I have something precious to trade for Nikan.”

“What could a hatchling offer me that I don’t already have?”

“Forbidden treasure from the human city.” Cielo lifted his chin. “Something so valuable that it belonged to their leader. He will kill to get it back.”

“You would trade me?” Nikan gasped.

Her eyes darted between her son and Cielo. She licked her cracked lips and said, “I will simply steal it from you.”

“I’m not stupid enough to have it on me.” Cielo bluffed … Manfri hoped.

“Then I will gut you and force you to take me there.”

Manfri laughed. “How can you gut us and then force—” Her lethal glare shut his lips. Welldammit. His mouth kept getting him in trouble. But it wasn’t him she attacked.

She launched at Cielo, squawking and twirling, slashing her wings in a tornado of silk and talons. Cielo ducked and dancedaround her body, smiling smugly at her back while her wing sailed right over his head. His grin died as her other wing continued swiping, reaching behind her to plunge three talons into his shoulder.

His scream of pain was the jolt Manfri needed to act. He released a war cry, leaped, and stabbed toward her unguarded side. But she seemed to sense him coming and darted out of the way … right into Nikan’s orbit. He wrapped his manacles around his mother’s throat and yanked hard enough to choke.

This is it,Manfri thought.We have her.

But she bucked her son from her body and watched him clash with the treasure mountain. He coughed, eyes watering, and tried to catch his breath. Stalking toward him, her upper lip curled in a snarl that sent shivers down Manfri’s spine. He couldn’t let Nikan go down for them. None of this would have happened if Manfri hadn’t challenged Cielo in a fit of bitter jealousy.

Twirling his dagger, he steeled himself for another attack.

“Wait!” Cielo shouted, wincing as he staunched the blood flow at his shoulder with a hand. “I can get the treasure and be back before sun-up!”

The Collector paused but didn’t face Cielo. She kept her gaze locked on her wild-eyed son.

“You don’t want me.” Nikan’s lips twisted with disgust. “I see it in your eyes. I’m a burden. You said so yourself. Treasure doesn’t take. It only gives. So just let me go.”

“No one leaves this place, ever.”

“We will take an oath of silence,” Manfri promised.

“Forget it,” Cielo snarled. “If she’s not interested in the most forbidden treasure a fae could ever own, she’s probably too weak even to hold it.”

Her gaze snapped to Cielo and narrowed, but he continued with his ruse, nonchalantly looking down his nose at the mighty creature.

“She’s too old,” he continued with derision. “She hibernates to heal. All we do to heal is shift.”

Manfri added, “Even if she kills us, our murder will come. They’ll call a Vendetta against her. Even if it takes every crow decades to fulfill, they won’t stop until she’s dead and buried in the ground.”

She squawked and prowled toward Cielo, forgetting her son.

“I’m right,” Cielo pressed, holding his ground and spreading his wings to make himself look more imposing. “Think about it. You’re better off taking my trade, letting Nikan go, and accepting our oath of silence.”

She gnashed her stained teeth in Cielo’s face, but he stood firm.

“He’s a drain on your resources,” Cielo said. “Let us take that burden from you.”

“If you’re not back by sunrise, I will eat them,” she announced.

The burning orb of the sun had sunk beneath the horizon, but enough light shone to see the worry in Cielo’s eyes as he glanced Manfri’s way.