BooksBarbecue
Back The Endless Skies
Chapters (57)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  55. Also by Shannon Price
  56. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  57. Newsletter Sign-up

“Its powers may already be spent,” he had said sullenly. “We have to keep looking.”

Back in the present, I take in the silhouettes of Ox, Callen, and Seth searching in their own sections a few hundred feet from me. We divided the area around the house into four, and I’m in the most inland section near the cypress trees.

The human had a horse. That expands the area we should be searching tenfold. What’s more, he could have bought it in Ramsgate and we are wasting time out here.

At least the rain has let up. The sky is now a patchy gray and blue, which makes spending all this time searching a little more bearable.

Then the earth beneath me begins to tremble. I scan the horizon, my fellow fighters doing the same. Swearing under my breath, I get up from my exposed position on the ground and dart for the nearest patch of cypress trees, keeping low. Their gentle scent engulfs me, and I turn, waving for the others to join me.

Seth is shouting, but I can’t make out the words. He draws his longsword just as a group of six riders rises from the sloped beach, their mounts headed for Seth, Ox, and Callen. Even from here, I can make out a black and silver insignia on their clothes. Their regalia and sleek-coated horses tell me whoever they serve is no beggar.

Responding to commands, Ox and Callen turn their backs to me, and the three of them form a circle. Very quickly, I realize what’s happening. The humans have spotted them, but they haven’t seen me.

My heart drops as I realize what is about to unfold. If I run to them, I will only give myself away. A desperate, frustrated groan fights its way out of my throat. If Seth were beside me, he would tell me to stay, to hide and give myself the chance to escape while the others fought—but it still feels so wrong.

In the distance, the three of them raise their weapons.

26

CALLEN

“To me, now!” Sethran bellows.

I ready my axe, its grip as familiar to me as my wings are to my lion form. There’s a resounding snap as Ox notches an arrow.

“Fire the moment they are in range,” Sethran says, lifting his shield. “We won’t get a second chance at this.”

“What about Rowan?” I ask.

“If she has any sense, she’ll run.” He turns. “We fight.”

Battle-born excitement floods my veins. Heart quick, muscles ready. The humans ride closer. Ox sends his blue-fletched arrows flying, quick as lightning striking the ground. The humans break their formation. Two of them change course abruptly to ride northwest … straight for the cypress trees.

“Ro,” I gasp, but then the thunder of hooves is at my side, and I raise my shield high as a bullet skims off its thick metal.