"Burn, you bastards!" Maev shouted, and her eyes were red when she pulled her head back. "Burn in the Abyss, you goat-shagging clumps of shite." Tears gleamed on her scaly cheeks, and she blasted more fire. "I will burn you all."

Tanin pulled himself through the makeshift opening, emerging onto the mountainside. Rain fell and wind beat his hair and tunic. When lightning struck, he saw the rocs farther below upon the mountain. Riderless, they did not yet see him.

"Maev!" he shouted down into the hole.

She sent another blast into the tunnel, beat her wings, and rose toward the opening. She too grabbed the rim, shifted back into her human form, and crawled out onto the mountainside. They stood side by side in the rain.

"There are more in the caves." Maev balled her fists and her legs trembled. "We'll get them from the other side. We'll burn them all. We'll—"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, hushing her. He spoke softly. "They still have rocs down there. We can't fight them all tonight. We hurt them. We killed many. Now it's time to fly south." When she opened her mouth to object, he hushed her again. "Prince Sena needs us. Another Vir Requis. We can't save him if we die here."

Maev spat and cursed, and her tears mingled with the rain. "They killed Mother. They poisoned Requiem. I hate them. I hate all of them."

Tanin closed his eyes, seeing that old memory.

Kill the creature!

Father, kill him!

Forever would his old beloved fill his mind, he knew. Forever would Ciana's words wound him.

He spoke in a soft voice, more to himself than to his sister. "The best revenge isn't killing your enemy. The best revenge is living well. We must live. We must build our tribe. And tonight we must fly south."

She nodded, finally silent. They shifted together and flew into the storm. By the time they heard the rocs pursuing again, they were deep into the clouds and rain, flying south in darkness, flying to that hint of light, that shred of hope, that dream of another—another like them, hunted and hurt, needing that revenge, needing that new life.

They flew through the night, silent, leaving the Goldtusk tribe to lick its wounds far behind them. They flew until they saw it in the dawn, gleaming white and gold—the southern coast.

"The sea," Tanin said. He glided upon the wind, his wounds still aching.

"Beyond it lies Eteer." Maev flew with him, blood still staining her scales.

They were both hurt, weary, consumed with pain and memory. They wobbled as they descended. They landed in the sand, shifted back into human forms, and huddled together, watching the waves.

ISSARI

 
ISSARI

Issari walked through the city of demons.