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  He lurched the chains upward and I cried out as the metal cut into my wrists for a brutal instant before it relaxed entirely. The metal chains disintegrated into a cloud of rust and he chuckled softly under his breath.

  “The Cult thinks they can hold anyone down here in these forgotten dungeons, but they never think to check how much water and metal don’t mix. It’s strong enough to keep a malnourished omega at bay, but these chains aren’t designed to hold an alpha in his peak form,” he explained.

  “What are we going to do now?” Dyna asked quietly.

  “I’m going to show you the way out. I’ve been down here in the darkness for a long time. There aren’t any guards posted down here, only at the entrance, because they are overconfident and never think to check on what occurs in the dark depths of their very own dungeons,” he continued.

  “How are we going to get by them?” Dyna responded.

  “We aren’t. We’re going to escape in a way they would never expect. Before Luna was captured, I spent weeks exploring the depths of these dungeons.” He paused and captured a droplet of water on his fingertip, bringing it in front of me so that I had no choice but to focus on it. “You see, the moisture that’s been dripping from above you has to find a way out. Water has a way of carving through stone and there is nothing that will stop it. The passage of time reveals just how true that is. Beneath Ravenrath and all through the bedrock surrounding us, there are rivers that have been cutting through stone for centuries and in some of the long-abandoned cells even deeper in this dungeon, there are tunnels leading into underground caves that they don’t even know exist,” he explained.

  “Why didn’t you let me out sooner?” I asked impatiently, rubbing the skin around my wrists. He knelt down and picked up a rock off the floor. Before I had time to react, he smacked it against the clasp of the cuff and it snapped open, releasing my wrist from captivity. He did the same with the other and I couldn’t hide my sigh of relief at finally being free.

  “I had to make sure you were the right omega and that you have nothing to hide,” he responded coldly. “I know enough now. You have nothing to do with the Cult. You’re a victim of their cruelty and to know your own father sold you into it is most disgusting of all. I also wanted to ensure that they wouldn’t come back for you and since they’ve sent Dyna in your father’s place, it means that they have no intention of dealing with you any time soon. Something else more important has likely taken precedence. That, or they had already decided to let you die.”

  Dyna cleared her throat, as if she knew exactly what he was talking about.

  “There’s whispers of war,” she said softly. Her fingers trembled and she tightened them into fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. Ivar stared at her for a long moment in silence and an anxious feeling arose in the pit of my belly. Something was happening. Something grand and so incredibly dangerous that it would change the world we live in forever.

  “So, the time has finally come,” Ivar replied, fear and excitement twinging at the edge of his voice.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “The Brotherhood and the Cult are going to war,” he answered.

  Chapter Ten

  Luna

  “Come. We have to get moving,” Ivar said gruffly, cutting off any further questions I wanted to ask about what he meant by war. I bit my lip, swallowing my concerns and focusing on the all-important task of getting out of this dark pit so that I could get back to Vikar and my daughter.

  “Can you walk, Luna?” Dyna asked gently, offering me a hand and I took it gratefully.

  “I have a small stash of food stocked a short distance away. I have enough to make sure that you get a decent meal so that you have enough energy to make it out of here. The journey is going to be a hard one and you’re going to need all the nourishment you can get,” Ivar added.

  I nodded. Even though it was risky, I needed to trust these two. They were my best chance at getting out of here and I was going to take it.

  I didn’t have anything to lose. If I stayed, I would die. I had no doubts about that. Even if either one of them betrayed me, the result would still be the same. The Cult would capture me again, torture me for information, and then they would kill me in cold blood. At least this way I had a chance.

  I rubbed my wrists, trying to massage away the feeling of the cuffs that had bound me so tightly for so long. I couldn’t see what they looked like, but they were tender enough that I knew they were bruised. They were going to hurt for some time as a constant reminder of the Cult’s and my father’s cruelty.

  I had to run. I had to get out.

  “Lead the way,” I answered, letting go of Dyna’s hand. I took one shaky step and then another. She offered her arm, although this time I didn’t take it. Instead, I stood tall all on my own and put everything that was left inside me into walking out of the door of my cell.

  I would escape for Vikar and for my daughter. I would survive for the two of them

  Ivar nodded with satisfaction and turned, his dark cloak whirling around his large form. I followed him and Dyna fell in behind me. The three of us left that dank cell and I didn’t look back.

  * * *

  Ivar had been right. The journey out of the caves was long, and far more arduous than I expected. I slipped a number of times and almost fell, but the two of them were there to catch me every time. I scraped my palms on the rock while trying to climb over the hard terrain, but I never complained, not even once. Neither did Dyna or Ivar. We just did what we had to do to get out. Our lives and the life of my child counted on it.

  It took several hours to escape the dark tunnels beneath Ravenrath, but when we finally emerged it was dark outside. The underground rivers connected with the much larger Suna Kava, the soft trickling sounds of the water soothing as the small rivers joined with the much heavier current. After being in the dark for so long, the stars and the crescent moon were so bright that I had blink my eyes several times to adjust to their light. I was grateful for their glittering beauty though and for a long moment I reveled in it.

  I took a deep breath, taking in the fresh air of the wilds and enjoying the freedom that came with it. There was a soft rustling on the wind, and I looked up to the sky. A dark form flew up high above us and I drew in an anxious breath. Its enormous body blocked out the light of the stars and I narrowed my eyes, trying to determine what it was. It took me several moments, but eventually I figured out what creature was flying over the three of us.

  A very large bird glided gracefully on the wind, lower and lower with its massive wings outstretched until it landed in the sand on the riverbank a short distance away from us. Two more landed beside the first after that and I took a step back.

  The largest bird trilled softly.

  He was magnificent.

  It was an albatross. I had thought they had gone extinct a long time ago during the Great War, their ranks decimated in the fallout.

  “Thornclaw,” Ivar murmured in greeting. “Razorbeak. Stormwing,” he added, nodding to the other two. I glanced from him and back at the albatrosses, recognizing that they were likely allies rather than our foes at that point.

  I studied them more closely as I struggled to push away my disbelief at their presence. The one in the center was nearly eight feet tall and when he spread his wings, I was quite sure they nearly doubled that size. The silver-gray feathers that adorned his head and torso sparkled in the moonlight and gradually darkened to a shade of black at the tips of his wings, giving him a distinct otherworldly and ethereal appearance. The enormous bird jostled its feathers, revealing an even brighter shade of white beneath. Light gray feet and black claws dugs into the dirt. The albatross cocked his head to the side and opened his gray beak. A musical trilling sound echoed around me and I looked on in wonder. The other large males chirped and the one at the center took a step forward.

  “Luna, Thornclaw would like you to approach him. Touch him. He wishes to speak with you,” Ivar guided, and
I narrowed my brow in confusion. Cautiously, I moved forward and the albatross stayed entirely still, as if he could read my nervousness about coming near such a stunning creature. I took one step and then another. He lowered his head toward me and chirped quietly in encouragement. I lifted my hand, gently pressing it against the soft feathers on his throat. My entire body vibrated with what could only be the powerful rumble of magic and I drew in a breath in surprise. It passed after several seconds and then I heard Thornclaw speak for the first time.

  “Luna of Ravenrath. It is nice to meet you. My name is Thornclaw and these are my sons, Stormwing and Razorbeak,” he said, but his voice reverberated inside my head. The albatross hadn’t opened his beak. He hadn’t uttered a single sound. His words had simply resounded within my mind. I’d never experienced anything like it before, but when I met his inquisitive black beady eyes, I was left in a state of awe rather than fear.

  “The honor is mine, Thornclaw,” I whispered in response.

  “There is someone that’s looking for you,” he replied gently, cocking his head as his gaze met mine.

  “Vikar,” I answered with hope.

  “I’ve been tasked with bringing the three of you to Vikar and one other. Time is of the essence, however, so we should get on our way,” Thornclaw spoke, looking from me and then to Ivar. The other two waited behind him expectantly.

  “Thank you. It would be an honor to fly with you,” Ivar replied respectfully, dipping his head in deference. Thornclaw lowered his head toward the ground, meeting my gaze as he did so.

  “Luna, you will fly with me,” he instructed. I nodded with understanding. I swallowed my nerves and carefully climbed on the enormous bird’s neck. After that, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my cheek against his downy feathers. Behind us, Dyna and Ivar climbed onto Thornclaw’s sons.

  Thornclaw spread his wings and swung them down hard, flapping them only a few times before his claws lifted from the sand underneath. Within seconds, we were airborne, and his strong muscles flexed hard beneath my body. We soared upward, the ground quickly grew smaller and smaller beneath us until much of it was lost in darkness.

  The forest was steeped in shadow, and I lifted my head, looking for Ravenrath. I expected to see the usual glow of the urban center in the distance, but that wasn’t what I saw at all.

  The city was on fire. Great plumes of smoke were billowing up from far below. We were so far away, yet it didn’t take me long at all to determine the cause.

  A giant creature was circling high above the city and a cry of fear escaped my throat. I couldn’t see the massive beast in the night, but from the way it breathed fire down on the unfortunate masses down below, it could only be one thing.

  It was a dragon.

  And the three of us were flying straight toward it.

  Ravenrath was in the throes of chaos and the smell of smoke, fire, and blood was stark even though we soared through the sky so high above it all.

  In the silence of the night, I heard the screams of battle far below as we drew closer.

  “The Brotherhood has come for Ravenrath,” Thornclaw murmured softly.

  It was clear that the Brotherhood hadn’t spared a single expense in order to prepare for this battle. Volleys of fire arrows lit up the sky, revealing tens of thousands of human warriors on foot, giant elephants with massive tusks, enormous wild dogs, cats, and warhorses that carried men and women toward the battlefield, and other magnificent creatures that I didn’t recognize. There was a giant three-headed wolf ripping into a large group of Ravenrath soldiers and my eyes tore across the battlefield. It was raw carnage. It appeared that both sides had brought everything to the table, making a clear winner impossible to decipher at this point. Deep in the forest surrounding the city to the south, I saw the telltale glow of skotaurs on the move and when Thornclaw dipped in the direction of a group of them, I bit my lip nervously.

  “Where is Vikar?” I asked, the sound of my voice difficult for even me to hear in the wind that whipped all around us as he flew on.

  “He’s on the north side of the city. He’s waiting for us in a clearing a distance away in the forest. It should be safe there as much of the Brotherhood’s forces are attacking from the south,” Thornclaw answered solemnly.

  I hoped that it would be secure. I was scared that it wouldn’t.

  I was silent as we cut through the night sky. I coughed and tried to breathe in a lungful of air, but it became more difficult the closer we drew toward the city. I pressed my nose against Thornclaw’s feathers, using him to block as much of the smoke that whipped around us as possible. When he finally started to circle in preparation to land, he swooped down hard and my stomach almost flew into my throat. His wings flapped powerfully, slowing us down as we lowered to the ground. For a long moment, I saw nothing in the darkness and then the soft glow of a torch and the familiar form of my alpha emerged from the trees.

  My mark pulsed heavily, and I cried out with relief. Almost as if he knew, Thornclaw dipped his head, allowing me to climb down off of him almost immediately. My legs jolted as I jumped down to the ground. I kept moving anyway. I sprinted in his direction and Vikar ran toward me, capturing me in his arms and lifting me off the ground as he swung me around as if I was light as a feather. He squeezed me so tightly that I thought I might burst, but I didn’t care.

  His fingers grasped the back of my scalp, holding me possessively as he pressed his lips against my forehead in a kiss of ownership that left me gasping with need. My entire body shuddered, and a smoldering warmth burst forth from my core. This time, I welcomed it.

  “My little omega, I thought I had lost you,” he whispered. “But I came back for you and I brought the Brotherhood with me. Now that I have you, we can rescue your daughter. Together,” he added.

  There wasn’t a single ounce of doubt in his tone. He meant every word and I could feel his fervent vow both in the way his body shook against mine and in the powerful flash of emotion through our bond. I trusted his oath and now that we were together once again, there was no holding us back.

  “We will return for you. Send the signal and we will come,” Thornclaw said firmly and I turned back to him.

  “Thank you,” I replied. I would be forever grateful to him for bringing my alpha and me together once again. Every ounce of my gratitude showed in the way my voice quivered and he bowed his head in acknowledgement.

  “It brings me great pleasure to serve the Brotherhood,” he responded before he spread his wings wide. He flapped them once and then twice before he was airborne. I watched him fly away with his sons until I couldn’t see them anymore as they disappeared into the night. Dyna and Ivar hung back and that’s when I noticed that Vikar wasn’t alone. There was another woman hanging back at the edge of the clearing. She was small and when the breeze carried her scent to me, I realized that she was another omega.

  A surge of jealousy boiled forth so quickly it caught me off guard and I snarled softly in warning. I bared my teeth and Vikar’s grip closed into a fist within the hair at the back of my scalp. He wrenched my head back firmly, forcing my focus from her to him almost instantly. The pain burned and I whimpered before he cleared his throat.

  “Stand down, my little omega. You’re mine. Ariana is only here to help us,” he warned. His other hand dropped to cup my bottom over top of my clothing, a deliberate warning as I struggled to obey him. The urge to defend and keep my mate was strong and it was difficult to push it back. He reached down and slipped his hand beneath the cloth covering my backside, touching my bare flesh underneath. His skin on mine was like a bolt of lightning.

  It was his shirt I was wearing, his belt cinching it close around my waist and when his fingers touched my bare bottom in warning, I stilled.

  “I won’t hesitate to put you over my knee in front of everyone here, my little omega. You will obey me, or you will be punished,” he threatened.

  I blushed and felt a rush of heat gather between my thighs. My body answere
d to my alpha’s call however and as several long moments passed, the jealous fury within me subsided. With an anxious sigh, I pressed my forehead against his chest, welcoming the safety of his massive form all around me.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” I whispered, thoroughly embarrassed. He removed his palm from my bare flesh, and I took a moment to close my eyes, gathering myself once again.

  “Don’t be, little omega. It is natural for an omega to be possessive of her mate, just as I am possessive of you,” he answered.

  I pulled away and smiled in the other omega’s direction. Now that my protective urges had begun to fade, I realized that I recognized her. Her pale blonde hair glowed in the moonlight and her icy blue eyes turned up as she smiled in welcome.

  “Hey there, Luna,” she said quietly.

  “Ariana.” I was still a little cowed by my initial reaction to her presence. “It’s nice to see you again,” I offered. She nodded, beaming as she did so, and I felt a sense of instant relief.

  “I know where the Cult is keeping Esme. I’m going to take you to her,” she responded. There was such genuine honesty in her tone that when Vikar squeezed me even more tightly against him, I knew what he was telling me. He trusted her so that meant that I could too. “We have to sneak into the castle. There’s a hidden passage that leads into a highly guarded wing where they keep omegas that are being prepared for sale,” she continued, and I nodded with understanding. The layout of the castle raced through my mind and I tried to imagine where they could be keeping her. I knew that castle like the back of my hand and even I had no idea where she was hidden. It was quite jarring to know that she had been right under my nose all these years. At the same time, it was also incredibly infuriating.

  “How do you know this?” I asked her while doing my best to keep my emotions at bay.

  “The Brotherhood has people everywhere. The information network of our organization is vast and when we need to find someone, we use every resource at our disposal,” she answered.