Let the Sky Fall (Sky Fall #1)(75)

My eyes burn, but I nip that emotion in the bud before any tears form. “Go get Dad and head east. I’ll call you when the coast is clear.”

She walks to the house in a daze to grab her purse and keys. Just before she closes her car door, she turns to look at me. “I love you, Vane.”

“I love you, too. I’ll see you soon.”

“You’d better.” She glares at Audra as she says it.

Then she starts her car and backs down the driveway, never taking her eyes away from mine as she drives away.

It feels like a small part of me leaves with her.

I should call my friends—warn them to get out of town too. But what would I say?

I can’t tell them the truth.

I’ll just have to fight hard, make sure the storms don’t hit the valley floor.

Audra takes my hand.

It’s so unexpected, I can’t help turning toward her. She doesn’t say anything, but her eyes are asking me to trust her.

I squeeze her hand tight. Because I do.

Then I let go and race inside to change into my only pair of jeans. I find it hard to believe it’s really going to get cold enough to need a sweatshirt, but I grab one anyway. I look around, wondering if there’s anything else I should bring. We have knives in the kitchen, but I doubt they’ll do much good. We don’t have a gun or a sword. What else do soldiers bring into battle? A first-aid kit?

I dig the kit out from under the bathroom sink and check what’s inside. I’m pretty sure any injuries we get won’t be patched up with an antiseptic wipe and a Band-Aid, so that’s pointless. And there are plenty of painkillers, but it’s not like we can take them. Not unless we want to make ourselves sick.

My heart stops.

If I need to put Audra out of commission so she can’t sacrifice herself, human medicine would do it. I’m not sure how I’ll get her to take the pills—but I shove a packet in my pocket so I’ll have them if I need them. Then I race back to find Audra.

She looks ready for battle as she paces the grove. Her jacket’s tightly buttoned, hair smoothed, windslicer strapped to her waist. I’m usually not a fan of soldier-mode Audra, but right now it’s kind of awesome. She looks fierce. Brutal. And freaking sexy.

“Ready?” she asks, offering her hand.

I’m not. But I take her hand anyway, holding tight as she wraps the drafts around us.

Standing under the blue sky, it’s hard to believe a storm is bearing down on us. But I feel a change in the winds. They whip with more urgency, their songs clipped and rushed.

They know.

The Stormers are coming.





CHAPTER 46


AUDRA


I’ve never felt so overwhelmed in my life. None of my training taught me how to survive this. But I do the best I can.

I find the ideal defensive point among the windmills, on the second-highest peak, near the shorter, two-bladed turbines. They don’t draw attention to themselves, and they all face east, making it easy for Vane to find Easterlies to use. His skills are the strongest in my native tongue. Probably because I triggered his breakthrough personally.

At first light I’ll launch a wind flare to lead the Stormers straight to the wind farm. Hopefully, that will keep their storms from spreading to the valley floor before we defeat them.

If we defeat them.

I shake the doubt away. I will defeat them. Either with my skill or by my sacrifice.

I’m prepared for either.

I’ve reviewed everything I taught Vane, made sure he’s comfortable with his commands. He can’t do much, but he can call the wind, form pipelines, stop himself from falling, and make wind spikes. There’s nothing left to do except watch the sunset and listen for some sign the Stormers are near.

I listen to the wind but hear no trace of their trail. If my mother hadn’t sent her warning, I’d have been caught completely off guard.

I have no idea what she felt to know they’re coming—or how she stalled them what little she did. But clearly she’s right. She’s far more important to the Gales than I am. No matter how hard I train, how much I push myself, I will never rival her natural talents.

This is how it should be.

Her gift matters.

Vane matters.

I don’t.

Twilight settles over the valley, painting the thin clouds with purple and blue. Some would probably call it beautiful, but to me it feels ominous. I close my eyes and concentrate on the Easterlies, listening for some solution or advice. My heritage came through for me once. Maybe it will again.

All I hear is their traditional song of change.

We’re on our own.

Vane yelps. I open my eyes to find him flailing as another dove swoops around his head.

I can’t help grinning as I rescue the poor creature.

A Windwalker afraid of birds. It has to be a first.

“What’s with that stupid thing?” Vane grumbles.

“My mother sent her.”

I stroke the dove’s neck, calming her so she’ll let me pull out her wings to check for the message. It’s strange to have the dove respond to my touch—stranger still for my mother to send a dove instead of her bitter crow.

I’d figured the first message was carried on whichever bird was closest, since it was so urgent. But this time she could’ve used any of her birds, and still she sent a dove. Her favorite of all the birds because of their almost worshipful loyalty.