Circle of Shadows (Circle of Shadows, #1)(53)

Sora staggered at the anger in her sister’s eyes, as savage as a tempest. This was not the Hana she’d known.

“What do you mean, let them take you? Who is ‘they’? I thought you died. The nursery burned down that night. I . . .” Sora could hardly choke out the words. “I saw all the little bodies.”

Her sister scowled. “Some tenderfoots died, but Prince Gin’s warriors took others.”

“Why?” The question came out as a whisper.

“Because we were small and they could hoist us over their shoulders as they retreated. Why would Prince Gin leave an entire generation of talent for the Society, when he could have them for the day when he returned to Kichona?”

If not for the mist snake holding her up, Sora would have collapsed onto the ship floor.

“I’m so sorry, Hana. I didn’t know.” The memory of that night came rushing back, as well as all the heavyhearted nights thereafter when Sora would relive the decision to go with her friends on the dirigible instead of getting Hana for their sleepover. Sora would wake with tears soaking her pillowcase, only able to calm down after Daemon soothed her through their bond.

“But I’m here now,” Sora said. “And so are you—”

“Just because I wanted you to be with me ten years ago doesn’t mean I want you now,” Hana said flatly. Her features were pinched, as if saying this cost her something. “Prince Gin raised me. The ryuu are my family. And stop calling me Hana. I go by ‘Virtuoso’ now.”

If it were possible for Sora’s heart to sink, it was happening now. Straight out of her chest, through the bottom of the ship, to the ocean floor.

She slumped against the mist snake’s coils, looking at her sister and trying to reconcile the strong-willed sixteen-year-old before her with the eager-to-please, clingy little girl she’d been a decade ago.

“Enough talk,” Hana said. “I can’t deal with this right now. And Prince Gin will want to see you. He can be very . . . charming.”

But Sora already knew that. She wriggled in the snake’s grasp, to no avail.

She was about to lose her mind to the Dragon Prince. Again.





Chapter Thirty-Three


Daemon dove into the sea just as the alarm was sounded on the ship. He wanted to stay on the surface, to look back at where he’d left Sora, but he couldn’t. The future of the kingdom was at stake, and he’d promised Sora he would do his part, even if it meant leaving her alone.

But if anyone can take care of herself, he told himself, it’s Sora. Daemon tried to take comfort in the fact that Prince Gin probably wouldn’t kill her. He wanted to recruit more taigas, and he would bewitch Sora to join him.

Maybe I can do whatever it was that I did last time to jerk her out of his spell, Daemon thought. Even though he wasn’t quite sure what it was he’d done.

Daemon kicked his legs and swam as hard as he could in the frigid water. For once, his pathetic magical ability had cooperated, and he’d successfully cast a sailfish spell on himself, which would allow him to hold his breath longer. He pushed and pulled with his arms, diving deeper, putting more space between him and the ship.

Suddenly, a shock wave rattled his gemina bond and colored it black, like ink injected into water.

Sora! Daemon gasped and swallowed seawater. He choked and his lungs burned. His legs instinctively kicked upward.

When he broke through the surface, he coughed and gulped for air.

Ryuu swarmed the ship’s deck. Some were up in the rigging. One was in the crow’s nest with a spyglass pointed at the ocean. All were searching for him.

At the same time, his gemina bond prickled with pins and needles, as if Sora had been emotionally stung by a jellyfish. What had just happened?

Daemon’s limbs went heavy with dread.

But he couldn’t stay here for long. If he didn’t move, he’d either drown or be caught by the ryuu.

Either way, he’d be no good to Sora.

His mission was to get to the Society outpost at Tiger’s Belly to send a dragonfly and let the Citadel know what was happening. But after that, he had another mission—he would come back to save Sora, no matter what it cost.

Daemon took one last look at Prince Gin’s ship. Then he took a breath, dove deep, and swam.





Chapter Thirty-Four


Sora knelt on the main deck. Hana stood behind her, flanked by a half dozen ryuu. There was no need for the mist snake anymore, for she was more than adequately guarded.

Prince Gin approached. The ryuu bowed.

Sora cringed. But it wasn’t just his immense presence. It was every little detail—the way he walked with his arms folded behind his back, as if he had nothing to fear and therefore didn’t need his hands at the ready. His smile, surprisingly warm and disarming, despite the fact that it tugged awkwardly at the scarred ridges on his face. And the adoration radiating off his warriors, which wasn’t servile but, rather, seemed of mutual respect.

Before the prince reached Sora, another ryuu ran up to him. “We found no evidence of any other stowaways on board, Your Highness.”

For a moment, Sora forgot the fear of being in the Dragon Prince’s presence, and she heaved a sigh of relief. She’d been pretty sure Daemon was safe—she felt his adrenaline through their gemina bond, and it was a determined kind of drive, not a panicked one—but hearing the ryuu verify he’d escaped was even better confirmation.