A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(4)

That’s probably the most likely explanation… Feeling pretty dumb for even trying to talk to them in the first place, I turned and walked toward the courtyard. I’d have to find another way into Luceria.

The sound of hooves, followed by neighing and hissing, stopped me in my tracks. I looked over my shoulder, and stilled. There were no longer shifters on the steps, but two pairs of Destroyers and flying horses, waiting patiently for me to choose. The Destroyers were large in size, significantly taller than me, with thick black serpent tails for lower bodies and long brown hair loosely combed down the back. They looked slightly different from each other and reminded me of two of the beasts we’d taken down when we rescued Aida and the others.

I couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “You guys never cease to amaze me, you know that?”

I moved closer, pointed at one Destroyer, and patted the stallion next to him on the neck. I had no criteria for my selection whatsoever. The flying horse shuddered under my touch, then nuzzled my face, while the Destroyer nodded, its violet eyes fixed on me… The creatures still had Viola’s glow in their eyes, and I feared that might be a giveaway if the real Destroyers got too close.

“Think you can dim the light show?” I asked, pointing at their eyes.

They both nodded, blinking rapidly and shaking their heads until the glow was gone, and a dull shade of purple remained.

“And to think a few weeks back I looked at your kind and saw nothing but death,” I said, then looked at the other two. “You two should go feed in the meantime. There are plenty of creatures in the woods for you. We need you at full strength tomorrow.”

The two shifters that hadn’t made the cut reverted to their original form and rushed down the stone steps, visibly excited and eager to hunt, while the other two gazed longingly after them. I patted the flying horse on the neck again.

“Bring something for your mates, too!” I shouted after the shifters heading into the trees.

“Bring something for your mates, too!”

I heard my own voice echo back from the shifters below. It sounded creepy as heck. I couldn’t be sure whether they were mimicking my words to tell me they’d understood, or whether they were just repeating phrases like parrots.

“Okay then, let’s go inside,” I told my new teammates. “We’ve got some rehearsals to do…”

We had a long night ahead, although I had faith the shifters would be able to pull it off now. I just needed to make sure they had the right expressions in their vocabulary in order for us to seem inconspicuous and not arouse any suspicion once we reached the castle.

As long as I was a convincing captive, and they knew how to act, they could get me into Luceria. All we needed was an accurate location, which I hoped we could get from Aida once she was awake and able to respond via Telluris. My stomach tightened as we crossed the courtyard and the thought of my sister once more bit into my soul.





Aida





I felt cold and wet. My eyes peeled open—and the panic immediately hit me, like a giant hammer. I was submerged in water. The fear of drowning instantly set in, but it only lasted for a few seconds, until I realized I was breathing.

How the hell am I still breathing?

This wasn’t just any water. It felt like liquid air, and my body seemed to have adjusted to it, somehow. I turned back and saw Abrille in a glass bubble behind me, unconscious and floating, as runes flickered across her skin.

I reached out and felt the glass of my own prison capsule. I looked to my right and saw Vita in her bubble, her hands splayed against the transparent surface as she stared at me with a pained expression. Phoenix was in a separate sphere on my left, rubbing his face and frowning as the reality of our situation kicked in. Obsidian cuffs had been mounted on his wrists, most likely to stop him from using his sentry abilities.

Dread took over, freezing my blood as I remembered what had happened—the Sluaghs’ siege on Stonewall and the Destroyers plucking Phoenix and me from the middle of the fight, Field trying to come after me, two of our mutated shifters following us. Had they made it all the way here?

“Aida, can you hear me?” Vita’s voice wafted over, muffled but still audible enough for me to make out her words.

I nodded, fighting back tears as I understood where we were at this stage in our war against Azazel—at his mercy, suspended in weird waters and unable to get out.

“How did they get you?” Vita asked, her lower lip trembling.

“How’d they get me? How’d they get you?! You and Bijarki were the ones with the invisibility spell! What happened?” I burst out, anger quickly replacing my fear. It was easier to manage, given the circumstances.

“Azazel found the invisible spell pouch that Draven and Serena lost during their first mission here,” Vita replied, looking away. “He was able to track us using our body heat. He saw Bijarki coming in. We only made it to Nova’s room before they caught us…”

“And Bijarki? Where is he now?” Phoenix asked while punching the glass, to no effect.

“I don’t know,” Vita cried, her tears dissolving into the water. “I blacked out…”

“How do we get out of here?” I growled, kicking at the glass as I allowed the rage to take over.

“You don’t.” Azazel’s voice thundered from across the black marble platform.