Her mind racing, she prayed that Lina was still alive as she heard the rest of the horses clomping toward her. The whizz of rushing air sounded beside her right ear and the masked soldier went down. The crimson fletching of an arrow protruded from his throat, the arrow having shot almost straight through him.

“Gods,” Bri cursed, glancing over at Remy. “How did you make that shot through the grate in the rain?”

Remy shrugged as Hale smirked at her. “Practice.”

“Now how are we going to get in?” Talhan called from behind them.

Rua led her horse to the sandstone wall. She lifted her feet out of the stirrups and crouched atop the saddle.

“Rua!” Renwick warned her, but it was too late.

She leapt, clinging to the craggy sandstone. Her boot slipped and they all flinched, but her fingers clung to the rocky outcropping. She scuttled like a spider up to the parapets, unsheathing the Immortal Blade as her boots landed on the solid stone. There was not a single cry, only the muted thump of bodies hitting the ground.

Renwick dismounted his horse, hustling to the gate and waiting there with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He blinked back the rain, his eyes scanning wildly for Rua. With a creaking groan, the iron gate lifted, higher and higher. It halted halfway to the towering arch above, and Rua stepped out from behind the wall, wiping strands of wet hair off her face. When she rounded the corner, her smile faltered as she met Renwick’s furious gaze. Bri braced for the lecture Rua was about to receive, but instead Renwick grabbed her and pulled her into a fierce kiss.

Talhan snorted, looking at Hale. “I don’t know which of the two of you is worse.”

Breaking their kiss, Renwick held Rua against him, his voice a low rumble of relief as he said, “Stop. Doing. That.”

Remy shook her head, and, reaching out with her red witch magic, she lifted the gate the rest of the way. Her eyes flickered a brilliant red as her flaming hand lifted into the air.

Rua grinned wickedly at her sister, the look telling them all she knew she could have used her red witch magic too, but instead chose to scale the wall. Hale had a witty retort ready but it died on the wind. Bri was already moving, navigating her horse under the gap. They could laugh about their victory once they’d claimed it.

Bri raced her tired horse forward, and the rest followed, skirting the outer edges of the city and onto the narrow road to the castle.

As the group neared the stables, Bri’s gasp caught in her throat. Dozens of saddled horses sheltered under the awnings as masked soldiers guarded the stable door.

Shit. They were already here.

“We will battle our way in through the front,” Carys called to Bri. “You and Tal go around and find Lina.”