Page 95 of Crown of Betrayal and Blood

Kaida twists and turns midair, his powerful wings slicing through the tempest that threatens to throw us off course. Claws the size of my arm rake over the drachen as Kaida lashes out with his back legs.

But the drachen is relentless, a dark silhouette of fear that refuses to be shaken. Shadowy forelegs stretch toward Kaida’s tail.

“Come on, hold still!” Bastian grumbles, frustration lacing his voice.

“Good luck with that working,” I snip before yelping. “Watch out!”

The drachen folds in two before taking another pass, claws reaching for us with insidious intent from the middle of its back.

Kaida barrels to the side, a maneuver so abrupt it catches me off guard.

The roll isn’t fast enough to evade the tentacle that darts from the claw. The sinuous shadow pummels my side, knocking the air from my lungs.

My grip slips, and for a heart-stopping moment, I grapple with air as I try to grab hold of Bastian’s back. “Fuck!”

“Lark!” Bastian turns, and his flame-covered hands reach for me.

Too slow.

We’re both just too damned slow.

I’m knocked free, airborne in the worst way possible. Tumbling into the icy grasp of the storm below, the ground rushes up to meet me far too quickly. I anchor the heat bubble to Kaida, knowing he’s still not low enough to be safe from the encasing ice.

And if Kaida slows down from the cold, we’re all dead.

* * *

“No, Lark!” Bastian’s voice is a distant echo against the howling wind.

Kaida’s roar shakes the storm, fueled with rage and fear. Not for himself, but for me. It’s a sound that pierces through the disarray, grounding me despite the panic clawing at my insides.

This is bad. Really bad. Snow pelts my face as I plummet, each flake a tiny dagger reminding me of the unforgiving altitude.

I snap open my wings, the frigid air biting at the delicate bones and joints. They stiffen but obey, jerking my plunge into a clumsy glide. My breath comes out in ragged puffs, visible even amidst the swirling snow. I twist, trying to right myself, but every gust is a fresh challenge.

The wind wrenches tears from my eyes, the sting almost unbearable.

Undeterred, the drachen continues its relentless attacks, a shadow with willowy wings riding the storms’ fury. The creature abandons its pursuit of Kaida and zeroes in on me, drawn to my fear like it’s some kind of delicious perfume.

I can’t outrun it.

It’s too fast, too eager for the kill.

With a speed that defies nature, tendrils of living darkness reach for me from the main mass. One wraps around me, squeezing. My breath hitches as it crushes my wings to my sides and pounds against my emotional shield.

I feel my grasp on the barrier weakening and channel more power into shoring it up. If my shield crumbles, I’m a goner. The corruption will enter me and manipulate me like a puppet against my family and friends.

I tuck my wings closer to my body, and the slight break in pressure allows me to suck in a little more air.

The drachen’s cold, unyielding grip tightens like a vice.

Bastian screams my name into the chaos.

He’s searching for me.

Kaida’s rage echoes next, a guttural sound that vibrates through the very air.

I can’t make out his form in the white storm. Can’t tell if Bastian is still safely on his back. But I hear the anguish, the terror in their voices.

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