Crown of Feathers (Book 2 of the Crown Trilogy)

Seven

I sit up as soon as the worst of the falling rubble clears, and I pound my fist against Kyron's chest. Not like this—he doesn't get to leave me with unanswered questions. He doesn't get to slip into the ether, leaving me to wade through the mess he made. My knuckles hit him over the heart again. Not. Fucking. Like. This.

Kyron bolts upright with his eyes wide and gasps for air. His hand darts to the wood protruding from his shoulder. He wraps his fingers around it and winces.

Every tense muscle in my body goes slack, but before I fall back into the rubble, a meaty arm wraps around my waist, yanking me off the ground. I twist in the hold of a mammoth Lucent guard, trying to wiggle free until the frantic exchanges ringing out bring me to a halt.

"Allaji troops are raiding the city."

"How did they get past the wall without us stopping them?"

"They're shifters, you idiot. They could have entered as animals."

"You're saying we just let a tiger and bear through the gate?"

"Get the prince to the sanctuary safe room."

I whip my head to the side at the sound of Micah's order. He stares down at Kyron's guard. The massive man ignores him as he pulls out the wood lodged into the prince's shoulder and throws it to the ground.

My father rips the hem of his red tunic and presses it to the gaping wound. "It's not life threatening, but he will need a healer."

My heart constricts at the compassion in my father's eyes for the man he raised. Kyron could betray him a hundred times and burn down each of the five kingdoms, and my father's love for him would not waver.

"Get your prince to safety; your queen cannot afford to lose her new heir," Micah spits.

"I'm fine. We need to find who did this," Kyron hisses while his guard helps him to his feet. He stands by himself for only a moment before his knees buckle.

"I'm not saying it again, man. Get the prince inside and take Raelle with you."

"What? No!" I kick and slap the Lucent guard's arm. "Micah, I want to—"

The roar of a large cat rings out from the far side of the sanctuary, followed by several cries for help. Flapping wings beat against the twilight sky and dozens of human sized birds crow from above us. Horrific screams pierce my ears, and stomping feet rumble the ground. Dread like I've never felt before grips me.

The king shoots me a steely gaze. "Use your gift to zap her if you have to, but she will go to the safe room."

"Yes, Your Majesty," says the guard, and follows Kyron and his warrior.

"At least put me down," I demand, squirming out of the guard's hold.

My feet hit the ground and I march up the stairs with him on my heels.

We enter the sanctuary and make a sharp turn, keeping to the back wall and avoiding Esmeray's court huddled inside. The cowards know it doesn't matter what kingdom one comes from. If they harm this holy place or the people inside, they will lose favor with the Statera. But that doesn't mean the Allaji won't force their way in and pull the Stigians out one by one.

Kyron's warrior leads us down the dark corridors, the same ones my father and I took when we escaped this place months ago. He stops in the middle of the walkway and presses a small button hidden behind a sconce on the wall. A thick panel slides open to a small furnished room, and the warrior helps Kyron to the bed.

"Thank you, Lance."

"It is my privilege and duty, Your Grace," the warrior replies. "It looks as if the bleeding is slowing. I will send a medic to you shortly."