“What the—” Sorin started. He turned to look up just as talons sank into her shoulders.

She couldn’t withhold a cry. Animal impulse took over now, and she felt herself change. Clawed paws reached toward the feathery beast above her, scratching, writhing, but also twisting the talons deeper into her shoulders.

The creature shrieked, releasing her as huge wings flapped into the air. She glanced back over her shoulder at it—an eagle! She had injured it, and it was struggling to gain altitude. Two others behind it were headed right for her.

Perhaps some of those creature mages had survived after all.

She dug in her heels and hugged herself to Kres’s neck. He did not really need the encouragement. She groped for Cora’s reins as the two horses hit a gallop. The east gate to Mage Hall was now easily in sight.

She risked a glance over her shoulder. Sorin had not been as lucky as she in fending off the eagle. His horse had stopped because he was on the ground, the eagle diving at him from above, dodging his wind blasts, riding them as if they were a normal part of the hunt. A second eagle joined. Served him right. Thick storm clouds gathered quick and low above him, preparing for his use in an attack.

She had no time for this. She had no time to analyze the situation. Sorin would have to fend for himself, and she knew he could. If not, she could send more help from inside.

Protecting Sorin was not her mission. Aven was. Much as she might like an excuse to fail.

She pressed herself down harder against Kres’s mane as a shadow swept overhead again. The eagle circled around and headed for Cora instead. Miara jerked both horses’ reins abruptly to the right as close to the last second as she dared, and the eagle missed. Cora was spooked, but it only made her run faster.

They were close now. Miara reached her mind toward the gate—were there mages there? Indeed there were.

We’re under attack—get ready! she cried to them. She could feel from their confusion that they had yet to spot her racing toward them or the eagles circling above.

She glanced back at Sorin. The air was whirling now, clouds thickening above him in the otherwise blue sky. She couldn’t see him, but she could see several eagles circling and diving.

More shadows dotted the ground between them. Four? Six? More than she’d be able to fight off on her own.

She glanced at Aven and found him watching her, also bent down on the horse, eyes wild but with what, she wasn’t sure.

She trained her eyes ahead on the gate. There wasn’t much more she could do now. Her abilities only went so far. There were no animals to call from the surrounding fields, no time to transform, and nowhere near enough energy. She didn’t want to kill them anyway—escape was the priority. Hers was not the best magic for defending oneself in this sort of situation, even against other creature mages.

The first shadow enveloped her. She winced and held tight to Kres’s reins in anticipation. Even if they attacked, if she could just stay on the horse until they were inside, endure the pain and hang on—

But instead of the pierce of talons, she heard a shriek from above. Her eyes darted around frantically—what was happening? To her left, an eagle careened off-balance into the fields.

She whipped her head around. Her eyes caught on Aven’s. They said everything she needed to know—the sadness, the love, it was all there.

He was defending her. Saving her, when he should be saving himself.

“What are you doing?” she shouted.

Another eagle was blown away from her. A third got through. Talons scratched through the leather on her back, and she felt a hot, sticky wetness on her right side. Before it could sink its talons in again, it, too, was batted out of the way by a powerful gust.

The horses reached the gate. The eagles did not follow, instead circling back toward Sorin.

Several mages came running. “We heard your call!” “Are you all right?” “Get a healer!”

She shook her head, dismounting quickly. “No, no, the danger’s over for me. Sorin is still out there—under attack from those eagles. Get a warrior, not a healer. Get someone to help him. But don’t go out of the gate if you can’t fight.”

“You need a healer, I insist!”

“Fine,” she relented. “Fetch a healer, but only after you fetch help for Sorin. I must see the Masters first before I can be helped.” They looked from one to another and seemed to believe her. None of them wanted to interfere with a mage on a Master’s orders.

Turning away from them, she found Aven had dismounted as well. He waited next to Cora, watching her.

She strode to him and stopped, running a hand through Cora’s mane as she spoke. “Well,” she said. “Here we are. This is where I’ve been taking you. At least you’ll get some answers now.”

He nodded grimly.

She turned back to one of the gate mages, a young boy. “Take these horses to the stable, and see that they get fed and brushed down.” The boy nodded and started off.

She took Aven’s arm, partly to keep up the pretense that he was in her charge and partly to be closer to him. She led him down the path and into the compound.

“This is where I live,” she whispered, as if only the two of them were listening and not her bond as well, eavesdropping and choosing what she could say and what she couldn’t. All constraints of the mission should be released at this point, given that she’d basically achieved it. She should be able to say more about herself. “In that building there, I sleep. And in that one there, I work—the stables.”

He followed her gestures with keen eyes. Was he sincerely interested? Plotting the landmarks for a potential escape? She could only hope.

“I mean, when I’m not out kidnapping innocent people and the like.”

He snorted. They were passing between two buildings and were about to head into the main open courtyard. She stopped abruptly and glanced around. No one was nearby. She pulled him off the side of the path, hoping that her bond did not torture her for delaying a few moments longer.

She felt nothing at all. Perhaps since she had succeeded, it did not mind a few stolen moments. Perhaps this served its purpose somehow? There was no reply from her shoulder.

“Well, Aven Lanuken. This is where we will reach our end. In a few moments more, I will take you to those that bind me. I do not know what they will do, but know this: if I could have my way, I would do nothing but take you back to Akaria.” Her bond was strangely silent at her words.