Page 57 of Treasured

She grinned, her cheeks reddening further. I drew shadows around us both, hiding us from sight.

The sunfire owl’s eyes were wide as it looked out from its perch in the icy nest. The reason for its name was evident: the bird’s feathers were like iridescent flames, and its eyes were brilliant burning orbs of fire. Larger than a regular owl, this one was easily half my size. Between its pointed beak and sharp talons, it wasn’t difficult to understand why sunfire owls were natural predators.

And we required one of its feathers.

A tiny cry filled the air as I studied the owl, planning my approach. My eyes widened as a small owl, barely the size of my hand, popped its head out of the nest.

Damn it all.

The youngling’s presence complicated matters. Sunfire owls were fiercely territorial, willing to do anything to protect their young. I understood where they were coming from. Luna wasn’t my child, but I would do anything for her.

Assuming the sunfire owl felt the same way, I would have to be extremely careful.

Flying back a bit, I kept the shadows wrapped around us both. Speaking through our bond so as not to spook the owls, I said, Take out your wings, Princess.

Luna did as I asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. What’s wrong?

I explained my plan, and Luna’s eyes grew incrementally larger. That doesn’t sound safe, Sebastian.

She was right. But the fact remained that this was our only hope, and we needed this feather. Safety mattered little right now. This was my best option for getting it and keeping Luna safe, so I would do it.

My wife didn’t see it like that, though. She opened her mouth to protest, but I shook my head, hoping she could read the seriousness in my expression.

Stay here, I ordered her through our bond. I’ll get the feather.

Before Luna could say anything else, I let her go. Her wings flapped, keeping her in the air, and I flew towards the owl. Stopping a few feet from the nest, I wrapped my shadows tightly around me and studied my prey. The bird was tense, its eyes as wide as they could go as it searched the night sky.

I was sure the owl sensed my presence, but it could not see me through the veil of my shadows. Reaching out slowly, I kept my movements calm and steady. Luna’s worry came through the Binding Mark, but I couldn’t focus on that right now.

One feather.

That was all we needed.

In the space of a heartbeat, my fingers closed around a silken feather. Saying a quick prayer to the moon goddess, I pulled out my prize in one quick motion.

The sunfire owl screeched. The sound was shrill and sliced through the silence. One would’ve thought I’d cut off its wing and not just stolen a single feather. The baby squawked, and I tightened my grip around my prize. I turned to fly away, but before I could escape, the owl flew towards me in a fury, attacking the night blindly.

Shit.

“Sebastian!” Luna cried out, her wings flapping.

I drew on my shadows to disappear into the Void, but I wasn’t fast enough. The owl’s blind attack landed, and a talon pierced my shoulder. Pain rippled through my body, and I yelled. Blood poured from the wound. I shook the owl loose.

The moment its claws were out of me, I shadowed over to Luna.

“Take my hand,” I yelled, the need for secrecy gone. My arm hurt as though the talons were still in there, and I could barely breathe through the pain.

The moment her fingers landed in mine, I pulled us through the Void.

The Red Moon Will Rise

LUNA

We were barely in the Void long enough for the world to turn dark, let alone for the voices to return. The shadows spit us out on a mountaintop not far from the sunfire owl’s nest.

My bag slammed against my hip. I stumbled, flaring my wings behind me in an effort to regain my balance. Faint, angry calls from the owl filled the air, but it hadn’t found us. Yet.

Snow fell in a thick curtain all around, and the air was so cold I couldn’t feel my fingers. To make matters worse—as if they weren’t already bad enough—dawn was coming. We didn’t have long before Sebastian needed to be out of the sun.

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