Page 23 of Wrath Of Suns And Shadows (The Osparia #2)

Chapter Thirteen

Ace

I packed a rucksack quickly. My wind graced my heels, moving me silently and more efficiently around the small area of the tent I shared with Cyran.

I didn’t have to turn around to know he’d lifted the tent flap and was walking in whether or not I wanted him to.

I continued only grabbing the bare necessities.

No need to take more than I needed when I wasn’t sure I’d make it out of this alive.

My head knew how dangerous Valla was. I’d watched her lead soldiers to my people’s damnation, leaving very few of us behind, bloody and on the run for years.

I shook the thought from my mind and buried the hatred I had for that woman. Another day .

This was not the time to plan her death. My only concern was getting Emelyn out of her clutches—alive.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Cyran spoke up from where he stood in front of the opening to our tent.

“To rescue my sister, since no one here understands loyalty,” I signed one-handed as I shoved a few more things into the sack and threw it over my shoulder.

I started toward the door, but Cyran didn’t move.

I’d fight him if I needed to. His blue eyes watched me intently before he blew out a breath and ran a hand over his shaved head.

“You’re not going anywhere . . . ,” he started and my body tensed, ready for a fight.

“Until you pack me a bag too.” When he finished his statement, my eyes went wide.

“Oh, don’t look surprised. I will not have one of my closest friends questioning my loyalty.

Besides, if you die, someone with wings will have to bring you back.

” I started packing another rucksack, but I couldn’t hide the faintest smile curling up on my lips as I finished and handed it to him.

“Thank you,” I signed while still holding the bag, and then I released it, letting him throw it over his shoulders, sitting it comfortably between his wings.

“Don’t thank me until we survive, you dumb bastard,” he muttered, and I wagged my head as we both walked out of the tent.

I glanced around one last time before letting the flap fall behind me.

I turned, expecting Cyran, but Atreya was standing there.

She stood in a readied stance, and it made me wonder if the woman ever had her guard down.

“You won’t convince me not to go,” I signed, and she huffed a breath that almost sounded like a laugh.

“I know. I just came to give you something that might help, because if you’re going to be a fool, I’d rather you be a fool with information. Her ships are damaged. Valla will need to stop and have them repaired before making the long trip back to Ember.”

“But where would she go?” I asked, and Atreya didn’t miss a beat.

“The Islands of Ash. She proudly renamed them after she took them for herself all those years ago. Honestly, she might even rest there, given she already has what she wants.”

“Thank you,” I signed. Shifting on my feet, I readied myself for the skies, but Atreya continued.

“Ace, I do not take well to having someone put the lives of my family at risk, especially for something like this. If I lose someone, their blood is on your hands. Remember that the next time you want to play hero.” I gave her the slightest of nods before darting into the skies with Cyran on my heels.

The only positives I could think of were that the storm had lightened up, making it easier to navigate as we searched for the ships below, and that I only had to worry about keeping Cyran alive.

Atreya had mentioned her family, and I knew Cyran was considered that, but she made it seem as if there were more than just us taking on the task deemed to be impossible.

We glided through the clouds in silence, but my mind was the furthest thing from it.

I was worried about what horrid things could have already been happening to Emelyn.

If she was cold or hungry. They’d treated her like a caged animal the last time she’d been kept on a warship.

I couldn’t imagine how much worse it would be on Valla’s.

The only thing that brought me some semblance of peace was the faintest scent of Luana that would catch in my nose every so often.

I sniffed again, trying to smell it, but this time it was stronger than before.

My brow pinched as I shifted. Cyran did the same, our wings flapping as we both stayed in place.

I searched the surrounding skies, but Cyran looked unbothered.

A few beats of my wings later and I saw them.

Sedrin with Maeve.

Taryn with Luana.

My heart pounded. I couldn’t believe they were here. A weird emotion filled me, one of comradery and dread. I couldn’t deny how happy I was to see my friends not abandon me in my time of distress, but now their lives were at risk, and we did not know what we would walk into once we got there.

Taryn flew over to me. “I’m only her ride up to this point.

I must head back, Atreya’s orders,” he shouted over the winds as he began handing Luana over to me.

She clung to me for a moment during the switch, until she got more comfortable and settled better against my chest. “Here,” Taryn said as he began unbuckling the straps he had on and handing them to Cyran’s extended hand.

Cyran placed the straps on me carefully, even with my moving wings, before taking Luana from me so I could get the ones across my chest situated before he gave her back to me.

I attached her to me, placing the straps under her arms and around her torso. This trip would be a long one, and although I knew I could carry her the entire way, I needed to preserve my strength for whatever was ahead of us.

I glanced around to all of my friends—would it be too soon to consider them family?

Moving for so long, being in one place for even the couple of months that I had been with the rebellion was long enough to care for someone, especially in the world where most creatures had long lives, but within our war-torn world, tomorrow was never promised.

“Thank you,” I signed, and Cyran gripped my shoulder while Maeve did the same to the other and Sedrin held her against him.

“We couldn’t let you go alone,” Sedrin said as he straightened and began in the direction I was going before.

“Now, hurry before we change our minds,” Sedrin called out playfully from over his shoulder as I followed behind him.

I glanced down at Luana, hyperaware of every place our bodies were touching.

She was tense. We hadn’t gotten the opportunity to talk since the campfire.

“Are you okay?” I signed in front of her, and she spoke over her shoulder, loud enough for only us to hear.

“I’m fine.” Those words never meant what a woman truly felt.

“So that’s a no,” I signed, and she huffed. “Tell me, Luana, what’s wrong?” I tried again, and after a few more gentle flaps of my wings, she finally gave in.

“At the campfire . . . did anything happen with Maeve?” She whispered it as if she were scared the wind would carry the conversation to Maeve’s ears, although they were a decent distance away. Cyran flew next to me, while Maeve and Sedrin were next to him.

“Happen? What do you mean did anything—” My sign cut off. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think that you left the campfire because you got jealous, Lu.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“So are you.” There was a short, tense silence between us.

“But no, Luana, I told you I would wait, and I meant that. Maeve is my friend, just as she is yours, and nothing more,” I signed, and I felt her go a little more lax beneath me in the harness.

We flew with the wind whipping past us for multiple beats of my wings, and I thought she might not talk to me the rest of the trip.

Something was still upsetting her, maybe even more than Maeve.

“What else is bothering you?” I signed, breaking the silence.

“You,” she said, and I almost laughed.

“That wouldn’t be the first time,” I signed, and her voice grew more serious—more sad.

“You left. You left and you didn’t say a word to me.” Her voice faltered ever so slightly, but I noticed it and the small sound put a fracture in my heart.

“Can I?” I asked, reaching my hands around to hold hers. I waited for her permission until she grabbed for me. She nodded, and I wrapped both of my arms around her waist slowly, squeezing her and burying my head into the crook of her shoulder only enough so I could still look at where I was flying.

I released her only to sign, “The truth, Luana, is I couldn’t say goodbye to you, not because I didn’t want to see you, but because the thought of uttering those words to you is too painful.”

“And you think leaving me in the dark wasn’t?”

I couldn’t argue. She was right. The thought of Luana disappearing without saying a word to me struck me in the gut, and I knew I had fucked up.

“You’re right . . . I’m sorry. How about we make a promise to each other?”

“What promise is that?”

“Going forward, we promise to never leave the other in the dark. I promise, do you?”

She hesitated for a moment.

“I promise,” she said, and I felt her relax. I wrapped my arms back around her and let my chin rest on her shoulder as I flew the rest of the trip, reveling in her scent and warmth.