In response, Res ruffled his tail feathers and snatched another piece of scone from Caylus’s hand. His beak was almost as large as Caylus’s palm now, but he moved with a delicate grace that left me unconcerned for the safety of Caylus’s fingers.

I released an overdramatic sigh and handed Caylus the package of fresh chicken. “My sister said a friend of ours thinks he needs a push.”

“What sort of push?” he asked, returning the scones to a box along with the chicken.

I shrugged, glancing at Res, who was eyeing the box. Taking a deep breath, I focused on the cord between us. Pulses of contentment slid down from Res, intermixed with excitement and craving. Lady Kerova had said to use the bond between us to push Res into using his magic.

I sent a nudge down the cord. Res paused, silver gaze switching from the scones to me, but nothing more. No spark, no gust of wind. I looked helplessly at Caylus.

“Maybe you just didn’t push hard enough?” he suggested.

I focused on the link again. It hummed, pulling at the spot just below my rib cage, and I imagined myself traveling down it. I thought of reaching into Res, of finding the magic lying coiled deep inside him, and—

The floor rocked violently. The connection between us shuddered, and I stumbled back, gasping for breath. The room rocked again, and I nearly lost my footing when Caylus seized my arm, steadying me.

“What’s happening?” I asked. But even as I asked, I saw.

Out the window, the once cloudless sky had turned darker than dusk as heavy clouds materialized from thin air. A powerful gust of wind rattled the windowpanes, screaming as it whirled down the street. Thunder boomed, echoing like the march of an army.

And before me, Resyries crackled with lightning.

* * *

Res stood in the center of the room, his wings lifted, the tips pointed down. I gaped at him, unable to think, unable to move. The wind howled louder, coming alive in the room. It lifted plates and food and utensils off the island, swirling them about the room in a massive whirlwind. Outside, lightning crackled across the sky.

My hair ripped free from my braid, buffeting my face with sharp, tiny lashes. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

A warm hand found mine, and I felt Caylus beside me a moment later. “The opposite!” he yelled, and my shocked mind struggled to understand. “Do the opposite!”

The opposite of what I’d just done. I nodded, reaching out for the cord, and recoiled with a cry. The link vibrated viciously, the feel of it sharp and hot as the lightning erupting around Res’s body.

Despite the way the thought made my stomach turn, I seized the cord through the pain and pulled. Res let out a cry, sharp as the snap of bone, and the link shuddered.