Chapter 16 If This Goes Wrong
If This Goes Wrong
Cedar
Raiden and I waited in the snow, the shadowy night sky beginning to appear light gray in color. He’d done a great deal of grumbling beneath his breath, only ceasing to complain when Cora finally emerged from the castle.
My brow furrowed as I watched her leave alone, nothing in hand, still in the same court gown she wore before. Her stare blank, no emotions thrumming through her now.
“I only brought two horses, Cedar, so she’s going to have to share with you,” Raiden said, interrupting my internal breakdown of the female approaching us.
“I don’t foresee Keres being kind enough to gift us an extra for his lovely mistress to exit the city on.
” I swallowed down the protective growl trying to emit itself from my chest as I watched her flinch at the nickname.
“She can have my horse, Raiden. I’ll fly if you don’t mind. My raven is feeling a bit suffocated as of late.”
He nodded and I glanced over at Cora in time to notice her eyes were still trained on the ground.
We walked to the stables and Raiden navigated the horses out of their stalls.
Both were pure white mares who fit into the climate here perfectly.
Normally, traveling on foot for a vampire was an easy task, but given that some of the patches of snow were so deep it stopped at my hips, we’d take any extra height we could manage.
Especially with Cora dressed the way she was.
Rusor got onto his own horse as Raiden hopped onto one of ours, but Cora approached the second mare slowly, the uncertainty clear in her eyes.
I walked up behind her, reaching around her small form to run my hand through the mare’s mane. “The color of her hair reminds me of your sister. That’s the only reason I’m getting you out of this hell. Don’t question it, just get on the horse and let’s go. And, Princess?”
She didn’t speak, but I knew she was listening.
“Eyes up. Your days as a meek female are over.”
She didn’t acknowledge me, but her eyes rose from the ground as she placed her foot in the stirrup and climbed into the saddle. I cleared my throat, doing my best to ignore how exposed she was to the elements. Before I could think better of it, I stripped my shirt off and handed it to her.
“It doesn’t smell the best, but it’ll keep you somewhat more…
covered until we get out of the city and can get you a change of clothes.
” She looked down at me, her eyes showing a million different emotions, all too quickly to process or comprehend even through our bond, but she took the shirt from my hand and shrugged into it.
The material came down easily to cover everything that mattered, leaving only her legs to be seen.
I was grateful the cold didn’t affect us, but I knew her well enough to know she didn’t want to ride through these streets in what amounted to nothing.
“Are we ready?” Raiden asked. He was already a few paces away, not-so-patiently waiting.
“Absolutely, oh mighty Shadow Lord. Lead the way.” I smiled as he rolled his eyes and fought the grin trying to overtake his face. Fuck, I missed him.
“Shift, Feathers, and let’s go,” he replied as he guided his horse after Rusor’s and on the road out of Whitbourne.
“Don’t worry about trying to navigate her, Princess. She’ll follow Raiden.” I didn’t wait for a reply as I grabbed a hold of the magic that helped make me, me, and my raven took over, bursting from beneath my skin and soaring into the sky like a bolt of lightning.
The icy wind beneath my wings that I once detested felt like freedom. I stretched them as far as they would go. Swooping, diving, twirling in the air, the feeling of freedom shot through me like never before.
I was out.
Time felt meaningless as I flew above our small convoy—Rusor leading us throughout the city of Whitbourne and up the path towards where the mountains that surrounded all of the Court of Ice parted, making way for The Broken Ruins Pass.
Halfway up the mountain, Rusor stopped, looking back at Raiden, his expression grim.
“This is where I leave you.” His gaze turned towards Cora and then up towards me.
“Be careful with your thoughts, bird. Even when you slumber, someone is always watching.” He tipped his head and then directed his horse around Raiden and Cora, heading back down the path towards the castle.
I landed gracefully on Raiden’s shoulder, releasing a small squawk.
“Agreed, Cedar,” he muttered as he watched Rusor descend.
Another beat of pause and he jolted his horse forward, continuing up the path.
“We’ll have to stop at an inn for the day, possibly another before we can make it back.
I had no intention of it taking that long to get you out of the Fates-forsaken place, but I want as much distance as possible between us and him. ”
I dipped my head in agreement and glanced over my shoulder at the female behind us. She was staring around at the scenery, but I could see her pale clenched knuckles hanging onto the reins from here.
“I know what you’re thinking, and no, I don’t agree with anything you did back there.
I’m sure my queen will be thrilled by your little plan.
However, I’ve been around too long to trust anyone in situations like this.
With that being said, you’re in charge of her, Cedar, and I say this as your ruler—if this goes wrong, it’s you that’ll clean it up. ”
I let out another squawk of acknowledgement and then dropped off his shoulder, pushing myself back into the night sky as we rode along the narrow path of snow and ice.
The stubborn independent part of me wanted to be angry with what Raiden had said.
Didn’t he know that I wanted the bloody ice princess out of that place for his mate?
My best friend? Silvana had spent years thinking of her sister, the few small details of her life that had slipped back into her subconscious.
Cora was the only person she never truly forgot about.
She wanted—no, needed—her sister by her side.
However, the other part of me understood what he was saying.
I was bringing an enemy into our home, with our family. Someone who had spent almost the entirety of her life being kept under the thumb of a madman.
I knew there was more to Cora than what met the eye. She had demons beneath that creamy skin of hers—I just wasn’t sure what those demons were capable of or to whom they were loyal.