Page 61 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

Nyx had gone over that edge. I was sure of it. Now, they were clawing themself back up.

But when another ranger stepped forward, the brightness in their eyes faded, and Nyx released a sharp snarl in warning. Not all the way back . . . but not completely lost to us either.

“Interesting,” Carmilla murmured. I tore my gaze from Nyx and glared at my aunt, who was staring at the young ranger in quiet contemplation. “It would be handy to be able to turn humanity on and off like a switch.”

Nyx swiveled their head towards my aunt. I couldn’t see their expression, but whatever was in it had Carmilla blanching. Carefully, Nyx settled Adrienne onto the ground and rose, black talons once again extending from their fingers.

“Stop,” Carmilla ordered, her horse shifting its hooves nervously beneath her. Nyx stopped and held still for a heartbeat . . . then they took another step. “Do not move.”

I held my breath as Nyx once again stopped, then took another step after a few seconds passed.

Well, isn’t that fascinating?the crown’s voice swept through my mind.

“How?” I choked as the word slipped from my lips. I felt Kieran’s and Alaric’s gazes on me but couldn’t look away from where Nyx was fighting to get to Carmilla.

I don’t know, the crown finally admitted after hesitating.

Several of the horses snorted in distress and pulled against their reins as the rangers tried to keep them under control. Carmilla glanced at them with a frown before looking around the woods. I did the same, scanning the darkness, looking for any sign of a threat.

For quite possibly the first time in my life, I wished for a monster attack. We needed a diversion, and I had faith in us to use the chaos to our advantage and slip away—with Nyx, because there was no chance I was leaving them behind.

Carmilla’s mount reared up, and the unease of the rest of the horses increased. Something had them seriously spooked, I just had no idea what. My aunt looked past me, the corners of her eyes and mouth pinched. “I have no quarrel with House Devereux, but I’ll be taking the members of my House. If you choose to fight me, know that we’ll hunt down your children.”

“You can try, bitch,” Celestina snarled.

I glanced quickly over my shoulder and saw her standing in front of her husband, a long, curved sword in her hands and eyes glowing with menace.

She would fight. And she would die.

My eyes went to Emil and Adrienne. No more deaths tonight. I’d escaped Carmilla’s grasp once. I could do it again.

I moved my hand behind me, where it would be visible to Roth’s parents, and made the signal forstand down. All rangers, regardless of which House they owed allegiance, used a system of gestures for communicating when speaking aloud was ill-advised. Technically, none of Roth’s family were rangers, but House Devereux was a warrior clan, so I had no doubt they knew the gestures.

“Nyx goes with them.” I jerked my head over my shoulder towards Roth. “You’ve caused them enough pain.”

“No. Nyx comes too. I want to—” Carmilla cursed as her horse reared again. As soon as its hooves hit the ground, it shied into the ranger’s horse next to it. “Grab Nyx and Samara and let’s go,” she said through gritted teeth as her mount tried to bolt and she barely kept it in check. All the horses looked on the verge of running. I could hear ours stamping their feet behind us as well.

Something was coming.

Half a dozen rangers stepped towards Nyx and another half a dozen towards us.

“Anyone have any bright ideas on how to get out of this?” Kieran asked tightly as he angled himself slightly in front of me.

“Nothing’s coming to mind,” Alaric replied in an equally strained voice. Both of them were looking at the rangers approaching us. Something, a vague feeling, had me looking to the sky, which meant I saw what no one else did—the dark streak flying through the air on silent wings made of night and shadow.

The rangers were halfway to us when she slammed into the earth between us, cutting off their approach. Leathery black wings spread out from the Furie’s back as shadows spun around her, like the night was thrilled by her presence.

Then, glowing golden eyes met mine as the Furie looked over her shoulder.

“Cali,” I breathed out.

Chapter Fifteen

Alaric

For a fraction of a second,relief hit me when Cali landed in front of us. The Furies were few in number compared to the Moroi and the Velesians, but they were ruthless in battle, and there was nobody as skilled—and terrifying—as Calypso Rayne.

But then those mesmerizing golden eyes slid from Samara’s tear-streaked face to the chaos erupting around us, and I realized we weren’t saved—we were fucked. Because something had driven Cali over the edge, and now she was nothing but wrath made flesh.

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