Garden of Serpents (The Demon Queen Trials #3)(40)

My wings burst from my back, and I shot upward, ripping through the oak leaves on my way.

My bond with Alaric compelled me northwest toward the Sathanas Ward, where the gates marked the boundary with Osborne.

Orion raced behind me. Even as I flew, I could feel his hot magic floating on the night air, skimming around me. Beneath us, torches dotted the dark landscape, pricks of orange light that moved toward the bridge. Beneath us, a crowd of onlookers was trying to follow our path.

One way or another, I had to slow Orion down, or he’d just follow me to Alaric. He could steal victory from me at the last moment—again.

So when I reached the outer boundaries of the Sathanas Ward, I angled my wings to touch down a quarter mile from him. I landed fast and hard on a crooked little lane in the old part of the city, my feet slamming onto the cobbles. My wings retracted, and I whirled to see Orion land just behind me. His enormous body was silhouetted against the amber windows of a restaurant.

“You never quite do what I expect, Rowan.”

Under my breath, I began chanting the words for the binding spell.

Only Orion’s pale, icy eyes pierced the darkness. “You—”

With the final word of the spell, ribbons of darkness spun around Orion, binding him in place. It wouldn’t last forever, but it would give me enough of a head start.

With a smile, I turned to stalk through the darkened streets. The invisible thread felt a little weaker now—moving? I took off on foot, sprinting through the sinuous alleys, past a bakery, past a magic shop crammed with skulls and stuffed birds.

The thread pulled me around the corner to an old, abandoned temple.

And there he was, Alaric himself, a giant of a mortal. He shouted something that sounded like zookooboos, which I was guessing was the old Gothic word for “succubus.”

Alaric wore a brilliant red cape and gold-plated armor, and he towered high over the cobblestone road. But most importantly, the crown of blackthorns rested on his head.

I summoned my magic again from between my ribs.

As the Gothic king turned to run, I started to rattle off the words of the binding spell. But before I could get to the final word, a flash of vibrating magic burst from the king’s enormous body.

From the skies, a horde of ravens swooped down, aiming for me. Some of their beaks dug into the flesh of my forearms, and I gritted my teeth. Their pecking was vicious, down to the bone.

As I shielded myself with my arms, I managed to finish the last words of the spell. I fell to my knees, and the ravens seemed to lose focus. Their wings beat at me, and they started to careen away, veering wildly down the narrow stone lanes. My ravaged arms were healing already.

I glanced at Alaric, finding him frozen in place. Ropes of my golden magic snaked around him. I rushed closer, whispering the only German phrase I knew, “Tut mir leid,” hoping the apology bore some similarity to ancient Gothic.

I just needed a little help reaching that crown on top of his towering body.

As my wings burst from my back, I lifted off the stones and reached for it. My fingers grazed the thorns. But as they did, a powerful hand wrapped around my forearm, wrenching my hand away.





22





ROWAN





Orion gripped my arm, his pale eyes gleaming. “You have been practicing.”

Fast as lightning, I shifted my arm out of his grip and grabbed his wrist. Snarling, I started to twist his arm behind his back—

Behind me, the sound of snapping bindings echoed off the stone as the Gothic king broke free.

Orion twisted out of my grasp, and I grunted with frustration. When I whirled to look for Alaric, the king was already gone.

Without another word or wasted breath, Orion and I lifted into the air, searching for the king. But clever Alaric had cloaked himself in darkness for now.

I turned my attention to the feel of the bond again as I soared over stone spires, over steep-peaked buildings that glowed with warm light. The sea-kissed breeze rushed over me, exhilarating. Gods, I loved flying.

At last, I felt it again—a strong tug between my ribs. The bond was luring me east, toward the sea. I glanced behind me, but I couldn’t see Orion. Either he’d cloaked himself as well or he was finding his own way to the Visigoth king.

No matter. Without the bond, all Orion could do was follow. I angled my wings to soar toward the water.

Alaric was hurtling through the streets like a meteor, using magic to give himself speed. At least he wasn’t sending the birds after me anymore.

With the marine wind whipping at my head, I soared after him—past the Abaddon Ward, the Luciferian Ward, the Tower of Baal. If he made it into the sea itself, I’d never catch him. A skilled witch like him would know spells for breathing underwater, and I didn’t have the first clue there.

Licking the salt off my lips, I angled my wings to land, hoping to head him off before he made it to the ocean. Here, on the city’s eastern shore, a few narrow alleys led to the sea. Once Alaric reached them, he could race down the ancient stone stairs, hiding in the depths.

My heart slammed against my chest as I glided downward.

I touched down hard in a little lane crowded with Tudor-style buildings, and I felt his momentum stop.

I turned to scan the little street, but I couldn’t pick him out. I could feel him nearby, though, and I stared at the space before me as I caught my breath.