Chapter 2
Their heads whipped right, their ears burning.
Rook stepped out from behind a large evergreen, and Soren inhaled audibly.
“What is he doing here?” Baz whispered.
Soren couldn’t respond. She hated the way her heart lurched at the sight of the man who had broken it to pieces.
“Hold your tongue, boy. We have our orders,” General Corvus said.
“And you have mine,” Rook replied, the gravel in his tone relaying that he would not back down. He took a step forward, placing himself in front of Baz and Soren.
“You insignificant boy. Your orders are of no consequence to me when they do not exemplify your father’s,” Corvus said, scowling.
Rook grimaced. He understood the chain of command and had the internal scars to prove it.
“I don’t give a fuck what his orders are. If you make a move toward her, I will not hesitate to kill you,” he said, lifting his curved sword. The black metal seemed to absorb all light.
“I trained you your whole life; do you really think you could beat me?” Corvus glowered. “Don’t be stupid, boy. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will.”
Rook barked out a laugh. “You have tortured me my entire life. That ends now.” He slashed out at Corvus, meeting him blow for blow as the other kestrels descended on Baz and Soren. The pair weren’t as well versed in each other’s combat skills, but they managed.
Soren dug her blade into one of their wings, sending feathers flying all around them, and took it down with three quick jabs to the chest. Baz had lost his sword and tackled the second one to the ground, knees pinning its arms at the wrist to immobilize its hands. Its wings flapped helplessly, unable to lift Baz’s weight as he laid into its face with his fists. Soren finished it off with her blade as Enara struggled to get her legs under her. She touched her head, her fingers coming back red.
“Hey, are you okay?” Baz asked, grabbing her face and making her wince. “Shit, sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she replied, leaning into his palm before they broke away to join Soren, who was helping Jai to his feet. He was clutching his ribs and looked a little worse for wear.
“You okay, man?” Baz asked.
“Never better,” Jai replied.
“If it helps, you still look as handsome as ever.” Baz winked.
“Thanks, brother,” Jai said, smiling weakly.
A crash from the trees had them turning as Corvus and Rook came back into view.
They fought immaculately. They knew each other’s fighting styles down to each footstep and were well-matched. Soren considered throwing a knife but didn’t want to risk hitting Rook, though Maker knew he deserved it.
Corvus’s sword caught on a low-hanging branch, throwing him off balance, and Rook took the opportunity to land a blow to his leg, just missing the artery. The bird man swore and spun in the opposite direction, taking Rook by surprise, slashing his talons deep into Rook’s flesh. Rook yelled and doubled over momentarily, dropping his weapon.
“I told you this wouldn’t end well. Now look at what you made me do,” Corvus chided. The creature limped in a slow circle around him, taunting, “Your father will do much worse. You will answer to him now.”
Not able to watch any longer, Soren let her knife fly. The general predicted her attack, however, and batted it away with his wings. He looked back at the group of them, contemplating whether or not if he could take them all on at once and decided against it. He spat at the ground where Rook kneeled and spewed venom with his words.
“He’s your problem now.”
The comment had been directed at Soren, who glared at him, her eyes burning into the back of his skull as he flew out of sight.
She rushed over to Rook to inspect his injuries. Corvus might as well have subjected him to death by a thousand cuts because his entire body was covered with tiny slices. He hadn’t been trying to kill him, Soren realized. He had wanted to teach him a lesson.
“Little bird,” Rook rasped. His voice was a tiny stream of air that flitted into her ears.
“I’m here,” she responded automatically, moving to his side.
“Soren, come on,” Enara said, waving toward the path. “We have to get out of here before he comes back with reinforcements. Leave pretty boy and let’s go.” She made to pull Soren to her feet, but Soren drew away from her outstretched arm.
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean, you can’t?” Enara asked, her tone matching the cold weather that surrounded them. “He killed your father. He kidnapped you. His creatures almost killed us … twice.” Enara grabbed her arm firmly, but Soren wrenched it away, refusing to leave Rook’s side.
“It’s not that simple, and you know we won’t make it far. The kestrels’ poison will take effect soon, and I only have one anti-venom.”
Enara looked as though she were about to start yelling, but before she could, Baz interjected.
“She’s right; we need to be smart about this.” He reached forward to touch Enara’s shoulder, the simple act seeming to calm her slightly. “Let’s hear Soren out,” he said, softer this time.
Enara loosened her clenched fists and nodded. “Make it quick,” she said, gesturing to Soren.
“The house is practically an apothecary,” she replied matter-of-factly. “We can regroup there, but I will need your help to carry him.” Without waiting for confirmation, she unrolled a bandage and wrapped it tightly around his torso to stop the bleeding.
“I’ll second that motion,” Jai said, hobbling toward them.
“All in favor?” Baz asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Everyone but Enara put up their hand, and she sighed.
“Fine,” Enara replied but made no move to assist Rook.
Soren tried not to panic as the bandage changed color, and she willed her friends to move faster. They were only a kilometer away from the manor, yet it felt like a marathon. Even with their combined strength, the four of them struggled to get his body down the snow-covered path. Behind them was a trail of crimson that seemed to be following them like a shadow.
The adrenaline had worn off, and they were all feeling the results of their brush with the kestrels. Enara’s head had stopped bleeding, and she had stuffed snow into her sock, using it as an icepack. Jai tucked one of Rook’s legs under his arm and held his ribs with the other, fairly certain that at least two of them were broken from his fall through the trees. Baz had miraculously come out pretty unscathed, all things considered, with a few scrapes here and there. Soren’s arms closely resembled the rest of Rook’s body, some of the defensive wounds deep enough to require a stitch or two.
She looked at Rook’s broken body, and tears welled in her eyes. Somehow, this man had struck a chord in her heart, and she sent up everything she had to the universe in the hopes that he would survive this. All their best moments from the last couple of weeks seemed to erase the bad ones. He had known pain and suffering beyond imagination, and she understood why he would do the things he had done to save himself, no matter how temporary the reprieve was. The things he had gone through—she shuddered—anyone else would have broke.
The group stumbled over some buried branches and almost dropped him, but they regained their composure and continued. The blood was dripping from the bandage now, and they were breathing heavily, the puffs of white a continuous cloud around their heads.
“He better be worth it,” Enara grumbled half-heartedly as they came within sight of the manor.
“He is.” The response was automatic, and Soren mentally kicked herself before adding, “I think.”
They burst through the front door, blood streaking the floor of the foyer as they carried Rook’s limp body through the house to the dining room. They laid him on the table, and then Soren ran out, promising to return with help
She sprinted to the servant’s quarters in search of Meena and Evelyn, startling them with the state of her appearance.
“Rook … he’s hurt … Come quick!” she shouted, darting back out toward the hall, knowing they would follow.
Soren sobbed internally as they patched him up. His chest was barely rising, and she could hear the steady drip, drip, drip of his blood pooling on the floor.
Enara held her hand, and Baz put his head on her shoulder. Jai stood to the side, unsure of his place in all this. They might not have understood Soren’s compassion for this man but they respected it, nonetheless.
After a few minutes, Enara gave Soren a once-over, dealing with the worst of her cuts, and then she took the boys to retire to the next room to nurse their wounds.
“We will be right next door if you need us,” Enara said gently. “We love you.”
Soren stayed with Rook all night, dozing on and off, sleeping fitfully. Multiple times, she woke up with tears on her face, having dreamed he hadn’t made it out alive.
“You should get some rest,” Evelyn said when she came in to check on her as the first day’s light started to enter the room. “He’s settled now.”
“I couldn’t leave. I needed to know he was okay. I mean … I don’t even know what this is … but I just couldn’t go … I care … I mean, I don’t want to … but I do. I told them we’d go after sunrise.” Her eyes were red, and the dark circles were extensive.
“He cares for you,” Evie said softly. “You know … in his own way.”
“I know,” she said, squeezing his hand. She swore she thought she felt him squeeze back but dismissed it due to the lack of sleep. “Can you give this to him for me?” She held out a piece of parchment. “And … could you … could you tell him that I’m sorry?”
“Yes, hon, of course.”
“Thank you.” Soren wiped her face and stood from the dining chair that she’d spent the night in.
“Soren?” Evie called as she reached the door.
“Yes?”
“We enjoyed having you here. You will be missed.”
“I’ll miss you guys, too,” Soren replied as a sad smile whispered across her face.
As Evelyn departed, Soren looked at Rook one last time, thinking, A few more weeks, and I could have tamed you.