Page 92 of Ashes of Betrayal

She launched herself from his back, dropping into a smooth roll across the dew-laden grass.

40: WHERE I BELONG

AN INSTANT AFTER she hit the ground, Bree was up and running, flitting left and right, just as Tiv had—darting from shadow to shadow as she’d learned during warrior training centuries earlier.

But The Ravens knew all her tricks.

An arrow brushed past her left ear, so close the feather fletching tickled her skin. Another grazed her shoulder, scoring the thick leather armor she wore.

She changed her pattern, ducking right and then left, and then left again, faster and faster, until her feet were flying over the ground.

The hill rose before her, and she raced up it. Arrows stung the air like vicious hornets.

Curses ripped through the stillness.

The Ravens knew she was close to escaping them.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Three more arrows sank into the damp earth right in front of her.

Bree leaped them and raced for the gap between the two largest stones.

She could feel the earth magic now, prickling her skin. However, there was no time to let it bother her. She had bigger problems right now.

Her time was up. Any moment, a bolt would bury itself between her shoulder blades.

Desperation exploded in her breast, along with a fierce determination. No, they wouldn’t stop her—Cailean was waiting on the other side, and she’d not disappoint him.

And so, she dove like a swallow, tumbling headfirst through the gap in front of her.

Just as an arrow cracked against ancient stone, and another whistled just above her head.

Bellows of rage followed before abruptly cutting off.

She’d left Sheehallion behind and stepped into the no man’s land between two realms.

A heartbeat later, Bree rolled to her feet in the midst of the circle. And just like when she’d passed through before, mist enshrouded her. The air was heavy, pushing at her on all sides, and moving forward was like wading through porridge.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed on, putting up her hands to shield her ears as the ringing began.

Iron, it hurt.

The veil between the two realms wasn’t easily breached, and it resisted every step.

Hissing curses, she fought it, leaning into the mist, head bowed, as she crossed the gap between the stones, step by step.

It was hard though, the hardest passing so far. As the book they’d found in the archive at Caisteal Gealaich had warned, the stone circle remembered her and was issuing a warning.

Just one last time!

The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and she realized she’d bitten her tongue. Her head swam as the air pressed in, as if it wished to crush her to a pulp.

Screaming a curse, she punched at the mist before her, battering her way through it.

Two steps more and then suddenly, the pressure gave way. An instant later, she was falling.

She landed hard on her face.

Icy cold embraced her, and she dragged in a lungful of dank air, sobbing as relief swept up her throat.

---