“But I feel good here. The doc says I need medicine every day. It makes my eyes water, but my legs don’t even ache anymore.”

Aria exchanged a worried look with Roar and Marron.

“You want to stay?” Perry said.

“Yeah, now that you’re here.”

“I’m still on the outside. I’m only here this once.”

“Oh . . .” Talon’s lower lip pushed out in disappointment. “It’s good for the tribe, I guess.”

“I’m not with the Tides.”

Talon frowned. “Then who’s Blood Lord?”

“Your father, Talon.”

“No, he isn’t. He’s here with me.”

Beside Aria, on the couch, Perry’s body jerked. Roar hissed nearby.

“Vale’s there?” Perry asked. “He was captured?”

“You didn’t know? He was trying to come rescue me and they got him. I’ve seen him a couple of times. We’ve gone hunting together. Clara’s here too.”

“They caught your father?” Perry asked again.

Marron sat up sharply. “They’ve found him! We need to shut off.”

Perry yanked Talon against him. “I love you, Talon. I love you.”

The drawing of a hawk flying against the Aether sky flickered out.

The screen went dark.

For a second, no one moved. Then the couch shook as Perry jolted back, cursing. “Get this thing off!”

“You have to do it, Perry. You need to be still—”

He was gone, across the room in a few strides. He stopped in front of the wallscreen and dropped to his knees. Aria didn’t think. She went to him, wrapping her arms around him. Perry cinched her into his own arms, uttering a strangled sound as he buried his head into her neck. His body was a tight coil of pain around her, his tears cool feathers on her skin.

Chapter 30 - Peregrine

Chapter 30

PEREGRINE

Aria guided him upstairs and pulled him into her room. Perry had a vague thought that maybe he shouldn’t be there, but his feet never slowed. He walked in and sat heavily on the bed. Aria turned on the lamp, keeping the light dim. Then she sat beside him and wove her fingers through his.

Perry flexed the fingers of his wounded hand. The surge of pain felt reassuring.

He was still there.

He could still feel.

“Talon didn’t look harmed,” he said after a while. “He looked all right.”

“He did.” She bit her lip, frowning in thought. “I knew they wouldn’t be hurting him. I knew my mother would never do that. We’re not cruel.”

“Taking innocent kids isn’t cruel? They have Talon, Aria! And my brother. They don’t belong there. They’re not Moles.”