Let The Wind Rise (Sky Fall, #3)(25)

Nalani nods.

“What about that one?” She points to Gus’s cell. “He doesn’t have long left. And he’s starting to smell.”

Raiden’s nose crinkles as he sniffs the air. “Put her in there with him. Let her watch his life drain away. And when he’s gone, bring me his body.”

He leaves us then, and my new guard shoves me into Gus’s cell and tosses a gray uniform at me.

Gus seems to be unconscious, but I still move away from his eye line and slip out of my tattered dress. Warm wetness coats my hands as I pull the scratchy jacket off, but the wounds feel shallow. And my Westerly shield is doing all it can to soothe them.

When I’ve changed, I check on Gus. His skin feels sticky and feverish, his breaths a soggy wheeze.

I shred the remains of my dress and bind as many of his wounds as I can.

“He’s bleeding on the inside,” Nalani tells me. “Nothing can fix that.”

Sobs burn in my throat and I choke them back, reminding myself that there’s a reason our medics only know how to set bones and patch wounds.

The wind is our lifeline.

Fresh air will bring Gus’s strength back.

And in his rage, Raiden just made a fatal error.

I roll Gus toward the wall, pretending to be moving him to cleaner ground. The new position gives me a chance to view the guide.

Gus’s rendering was accurate. I try to do the same as I scratch the marks into my leg and let my new pants cover the evidence. The guide still doesn’t make much sense—and I have no idea how to get us to the Shredder. But I have a plan to get Gus the wind he needs.

I prop Gus up, pretending I’m checking his breathing, and when his eyes slit open, I whisper in his ear, “If you can hear me, I need you to act like you’re in as much pain as possible.”

I can’t tell if his grunt is a yes.

But the screams that follow are agonizing—horrible bloodcurdling screeches as Gus thrashes and writhes, smearing more red across the floor.

“He needs air,” I shout, letting my panic leak into my voice. “Please—you have to take him aboveground.”

“You heard Raiden’s orders,” Nalani tells me.

Gus vomits. His legs and arms thrash, and I honestly have no idea if he’s acting or finally admitting how much pain he’s in.

“Please—he’s dying!”

“I think that’s the point.”

“But you don’t understand.” I sweep the tears off my cheeks and new ones immediately replace them. “He’s the important one.”

“What’s going on down here?” a familiar voice shouts, and the Stormer with the scars runs to the bars of my cell.

I reach for his arm. “My friend is dying. Please—you have to get us to the tower. Raiden would want you to.”

“Then why did he order me to let you watch him die?” Nalani asks.

“Because he doesn’t realize how important Gus is!” I hesitate then, warring over my next words, debating if the risk is too great.

Gus heaves again, making the decision for me.

“Gus is the one who can teach Raiden Westerly,” I whisper. “I taught him a command before I broke my bond.”

Nalani snorts. “How convenient.”

“It’s also true,” I say, focusing on the scarred Stormer as he weighs my words. “I can’t teach Raiden anything,” I tell him. “All of my knowledge is gone. And Vane will die faithful like all the other Westerlies. So if Gus slips away now, he takes Raiden’s last chance at learning the language.”

“And you’ve just decided to tell us this now?” he asks. “Now that your friend’s taking his final breaths?”

“That’s why I’m telling you!” I turn to Gus, and a sob shakes my shoulders when I see the red oozing from his lips. “I thought I’d be strong enough. But I can’t let him die. Not like this—not for a language that’s not even mine. Or his. It’s not our job to protect it. I’d teach Raiden right now if I could. But I can’t. Only Gus can.”

I can practically hear their minds chewing the words, deciding whether or not to swallow them.

I focus on the scarred Stormer and push where I know he’s vulnerable.

“What do you think Raiden will do when he finds out that Gus knew Westerly? I’ll tell him after Gus is gone—and I’ll tell him I told you before it was too late. Do you think he’ll reward you for blindly following his orders—or make you face the Shredder?”

Nalani grabs my throat. “You dare to threaten us?”

“I’ll do whatever I have to do to save him,” I rasp.

The scarred Stormer pulls her hand away, letting me breathe.

“Raiden needs to know,” he mumbles. “If there’s even the slightest chance . . .”

Nalani sighs. “We better get him to the tower cell, then. The boy doesn’t have long without the wind.”

The scarred Stormer nods, and his eyes focus on me.

For the first time I can see him as one of Raiden’s trained killers. Especially when he says, “If this is a trick, I’ll end you myself.”





CHAPTER 13


VANE


The sky is dark by the time we reach the mountain that hides Raiden’s fortress—and I mean really dark.