Page 87 of Trial of Thorns
“You’reamazing.” Her eyes glisten, and my stomach twists. “That was way more than luck.”
I shrug. I don’t bother to tell her that if one of several things had happened differently, I wouldn’t have been able to win that fight.
“I’m glad I didn’t lose you,” I admit. I’d been ready to sacrifice everything for this. Maybe she was right and I should have run away with her. But then Rev would be dead...
Part of me feels like fate was on my side yesterday. That I was supposed to be here, and I was supposed to defend him.
That’s a stupid thought but comforting nonetheless.
“Me too,” she whispers and wraps her hand around mine, our fingers intertwining. She giggles. “You should have seen their faces when they woke up.”
I whip my head around. “What?”
“Those assholes who tried to get you to kill your hotty friend.”
I roll my eyes but ignore her comment about Rev. “You watched them wake? What the hell is wrong with you? Don’t you know how much danger you put yourself in by getting that close?”
“I’m just a bird. Come on, no one cares.”
I step forward and grip her upper arm. “They do, Raven. Rev made a comment about you just an hour ago. He thinks you’re someone’s spy.”
She shrugs. “I am. I’m your spy.” She smiles proudly.
“Yes, but that’s the problem. If he suspects, they will too. And they won’t hesitate to shoot you from the damn sky to stop you once they even begin to suspect you’re with me.”
Her face falls slightly. “I’ll be more careful.”
I scrunch my nose. “Fine, but one more close call, and I’m sending you back home.” I flop down on a stone. “So what did their faces look like?” I ask begrudgingly.Okay, I’m curious.
Her eyes light up. “They were soooo mad. It was hilarious. Drake started throwing shit. And that snobby girl?”
“Kari?”
“No, the one with Rev before. Red hair?”
“Brielle.”
“Yes! Brielle, her whole head caught on fire when she came to and realized what happened. I mean, her hair was perfect when it was over, which was annoying, but it was still funny at the time.”
I can’t help a small smile.
“They had this whole conversation about how you could have done that. That you must be stronger than they thought. Drake didn’t want to believe it—pompous fool. But Kari was the smart one and convinced him you must have been hiding your power all along.”
I purse my lips. Guess my secret is out.
“Where are they now?”
“They barely made it to the mountain ranges by sunset, so they picked a mountain near the desert. They’re almost a mile east of you now.”
I nod. “Thank you for the information, but I mean it.” I point my finger at her. “Don’t get that close again. And stop chirping and squawking while you fly. Stay low in the trees. Stay silent. Stay far away. Got it?”
She swallows.
“I mean it,” I say. “I’ll turn you into a damn tree frog and come back for you when the trials are done if I need to.”
“Ew!”
“Then follow my rules. Stay safe. Or I’ll do what I have to.”
