Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall #2)(50)

“Vane—”

“No, really, Audra. Raiden’s been messing with my head these last few weeks, giving me nightmares, making me imagine that he had you and he was . . .” He shudders. “I never want that to be real. So I need you to promise me that if you can get away, you will. Even if it means leaving me behind. And try to take Gus if you can.”

I glance at Gus, who’s clearly in shock—not moving or blinking. I can barely tell if he’s breathing. The thought of saving him instead of Vane makes me want to scream. But I can tell Vane needs this, so I nod. “Hopefully I won’t have to.”

“But if you do?”

“Then I promise.”

He grabs me and kisses me. Still electric and hungry and addictive. But there’s a sadness this time and I realize he’s saying goodbye.

I won’t let him give up hope like that.

I press closer, trying to let him feel my confidence, trying to show him he can believe in me again, trying to—

“So these are the warriors who think they can defeat me? Two lovesick teenagers and a guardian who looks ready to soil himself?”

Vane and I break away and find a circle of Stormers surrounding us. Raiden stands in the center, so close that I can see the slate blue of his eyes. The angles of his jaw. The loose strands of hair that flop across his forehead.

There’s something almost charming about his smile as he says, “The two of you will get to be my very special guests. Especially you.” He points to me, and I feel Vane’s grip tighten on my hand. “As for you”—he turns to Gus—“you will get the honor of replacing the Living Storm you destroyed. And I’ll make sure the process is especially painful this time.”

The taunt snaps Gus out of his daze, and in one blur of motion he dives for Raiden and—

Crashes into the wall of our shield and slams back to the dirt.

“Fascinating,” Raiden says as he steps forward, running his hands along the edge of the Westerly.

I see Vane holding his breath and realize I’m doing the same. But no matter how hard Raiden presses, his hand cannot pass through the shield’s barrier.

“Once again, your abilities are very impressive. And yet, your carelessness betrays you.” He reaches behind him and pulls out the wind spike Gus attacked him with. “I suspect I could use this to blast right through your little shelter—much the way you used it to shred my Living Storm. But I’d hate to risk wrecking my new toy.”

He runs his palm along the precise edge and I have to stop myself from lunging for him.

“Come!” Vane shouts in Westerly, and the spike launches out of Raiden’s grip and slips straight through the shield.

Before Vane even catches it, the Stormers draw their windslicers and charge—but they’re knocked back by the shield, which is still miraculously holding strong.

Raiden laughs, tossing his head back so far I can see down his throat. “Bravo. But what’s your move now? Are you going to run me through? The winds told me how well it went for you the last time you got violent. But maybe you think you’re stronger now.” He steps forward, holding out his arms and baring his chest. “Go ahead then.”

“Do it,” Gus begs him.

“Don’t,” I whisper.

There’s no way Raiden would take such a risk—even if he thinks Vane is too peaceful. He must have a defense we can’t see, and if Vane attacks, it’ll backfire against us.

Vane looks at Gus. Then at me.

His grip loosens on the spike.

Gus shakes his head as Raiden laughs again. “That’s what I thought.”

“I’m not going to kill you,” Vane says, his voice darker than I’ve ever heard it. “Because death would be too easy.”

“Really? Is that what it was for your parents?” Raiden asks. “Easy?”

“No. They had something to live for. But you?” He whispers the command to uncoil the wind spike and smiles when Raiden’s jaw falls. “All you have is power. And I’m going to take it away. Make you live out the rest of your days knowing you came so close and still managed to fail. And then you can die, alone and useless.”

“If I don’t kill him first,” Gus growls.

Raiden leans down to Vane’s eye level. “I know what you have to live for too”—he glances at me—“and I’m looking forward to making you watch as I break her apart piece by piece.”

Vane’s shaking as he reaches for my other hand. I start to twine our fingers together, but he resists, coiling the Westerly he unraveled from the wind spike around my wrist.

Our eyes meet and I feel a shiver in my core when I realize what he’s telling me.

It’s time.

I soak up one last rush of warmth from Vane’s touch to steel my courage as I concentrate on the four Westerlies we now have. I’m tempted to keep our shield and use only the three from the wind spikes—but the drafts are so timid and weary, I know they won’t be enough.

Even with the shield working with them, they still might not be enough.

But we have to risk it.

One deep breath calms my racing heart. Then I shout the Westerly command and the shield unravels, tangling with the other winds as they streak into the sky.

The Stormers raise their windslicers and jump back, bracing for the winds to attack. But when the drafts crash to the ground, they don’t even kick up enough dust to make a cloud.