Page 71 of Blood So Brutal

“Take her home,” I said.

His face remained blank. “What?”

“Huntyr asked you to take her back home to Midgrave. I want you to take her.”

“Are you kidding?” he asked. “You seriously want me to fly her all the way there with her new wings?”

“You can teach her to fly tomorrow. She’s a fast learner, she’ll be fine.” My throat tightened, but I clenched my fists at my sides.

Jessiah ran a hand down his face. “You don’t think that’s dangerous?”

“I’ll make sure you’re not caught. The day after tomorrow, after you teach her how to use her wings. Wait until the sun is set.”

I was ready for him to argue, to tell me how insane this plan was. But he just blinked at me before nodding. “What’s with the sudden change of heart?”

“She’s losing hope,” I answered, turning my back on Jessiah so I didn’t have to look at his face when I said, “It might be the only thing she has left to hold onto.”

Chapter 22

Huntyr

Icrept through the dark halls of the wretched castle, making sure I didn’t run into a single soul as I made my way back to Wolf’s bedroom.

It took me hours to train until I was exhausted, hours to realize I was never going to be as strong as I needed to be.

A fucking queen. A leader. A vampyre. I couldn’t be those things. I couldn’t lead people to freedom, couldn’t raise a dead kingdom from the ashes.

That wasn’t me.

Those people—everyone who counted on me—they were wrong. They were wrong to put their faith in me.

My magic rattled my bones, clattered inside me, but I could never control it. Not in the way I wanted to.

I wanted to be better. I really fucking did. But I felt so weak. So powerless. So incompetent.

I was no queen. I was no savior.

The sooner everyone realized that, the better.

Wolf slept with his back to me as I entered the bedroom, and I was grateful for it. I didn’t need him inspecting every emotion on my face, didn’t need him questioning my sweaty body or my flushed skin.

I just wanted some peace.

I kicked my boots off and made my way to the bathroom door before Wolf said, “Jessiah is teaching you to fly tomorrow first thing. Don’t be late.”

“What?” I asked. “I thought you?—”

“I changed my mind,” he said. “You deserve to know how to fly. He’s the one who will teach you.” He didn’t turn around, didn’t face me, just let me walk to the bathroom without another word.

If I hadn’t felt so damn empty, I might have actually been excited.

Jessiah and I stood awkwardly on the roof of an abandoned building on the edge of The Golden City. The sun had fully risen, but the place still felt grim and shadowed.

“This doesn’t feel safe,” I said.

A cool breeze tickled my skin.

“That’s because it isn’t, and that’s even more reason for you to learn how to fly.”

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