I dropped to the rough surface of the roof and held my breath.

Blaz lifted off, Will and Deanna on his back. He winged toward London, toward the mess we’d left. Doran watched them go from the edge of the roof, the tension in his shoulders slowly draining. “The demons are following them.”

I closed my eyes and drew in a slow breath, getting back to my feet. “Orion knows this is slowly killing me.”

Doran looked over his shoulder at me. “Go. You have a lead on them now.”

Eve gave a squawk and I looked up for her, tawny and gold feathers glistening in the morning sun. “Rylee.”

I went to her and wrapped my arms around her as best I could. “I missed you, Eve.”

“I’ve missed you too.” She ducked her head so her beak settled in the crook of my shoulder and neck.

I stepped back, grabbed the leather harness on her back and swung up. Her feathers fluffed around me. She took two hops and we were off the edge of the roof, her wings spread wide. She clutched Berget inside her blackout curtains in her claws. The flutter of feathers rippling in the wind filled my ears as we climbed high into the clouds. I looked over my shoulder to see Marco, the gray male Harpy behind us, a sack of vampire—Faris—clutched in his claws. Alex rode with Marco and howled into the wind like a maniac. Marco screeched alongside him, and the two sang together in a strange orchestra.

“Rylee, do you know where we’re going?” Eve tipped her head so I could see one large eye.

“Give me a second.”

With difficulty, I sent a question to Blaz. Can you still hear me?

Yes.

Tell me if the demons change direction. I’m going to Track the Great Wolf.

You got it. And Rylee?

Yes?

Try not to get into too much trouble without me there to pull your ass out of the fire.

A smile teased my lips. “I’ll try.” I cleared my mind, ready to Track.

“Eve, I’m going to Track the person we need. We might end up with demons on our tail feathers though. So be ready.”

She bobbed her head and let out a soft call to Marco who ceased his caterwauling. Alex tried to keep going on his own, but quickly petered out.

Fingers tight around the leather straps, I sent out a thread, Tracking the Great Wolf. I got nothing back, which wasn’t a surprise. It meant he was across a large body of water. During my time away, I’d learned how to get through that, but it wasn’t easy. I’d never tried to force my abilities before, I’d just let them happen. Not anymore.

I pushed the threads harder, it was like trying to scoot cooked spaghetti in a straight line, but I knew the result would be worth it. Sweat beaded along my hairline as I stretched my abilities to the max. A soft pop, and then the threads were quickly pinging through the whole world. I closed my eyes, feeling the power rushing gently through me, the ability to find anyone, anywhere was finally a reality.

Now I was a Tracker in truth.

“East coast of North America,” I said, letting the threads go. Eve angled her wings and we headed northwest in a matter of seconds, Marco with us.

I kept my eyes closed and reached for Blaz. The demons, do they follow you still?

Yes, they are with us. So it worked?

I opened my eyes and stared at the blue sky in front of us. “Yes, it worked.”

But for how long? That was the question I really wanted to ask. The one that had me on edge. How long before I had to swap blood with Faris again?

And how badly would it tie me to him after all this was said and done?

Exhaustion, grief for the children who’d died on the rooftop, blood loss, and lack of sleep from the night before slammed into me like a runaway ogre. I curled forward, wrapping my arms around Eve’s neck and fell into a deep sleep.

CHAPTER 10

Pamela

The dragon carrying us was not talkative. She was surly and miserable. I shivered in the cold air, wishing I’d brought a jacket with me. If I’d known we’d be flying, I would’ve grabbed my clothes I reserved for flying with Blaz. I clung to Peta’s tiny body as she slept against me.

Blaz is a worm of a dragon. A sniveling beast that should be cast out of the sky. Her voice snaked inside my head and I pinched my lips together. Peta lifted her head and snorted softly, a low growl on her lips.

“Blaz is none of those things,” Frank said, his voice low. The dragon below us rumbled, the fire in her belly stirring. That probably was not a good thing.

All of you should be cast out of the sky. Including that stupid cat that has far more opinions than one should with such a short life span.

“Peta, try not to aggravate her,” I whispered. Peta gave a shiver, her green eyes narrowing to mere slits. I felt the same; the dragon was disrespectful at best. Threatening at worst. But we were at her mercy, so we had to keep our peace.

Fear worked its way through me at a rather rapid pace. Riding with Blaz, I’d always felt safe, I knew he’d catch me if I fell. I wasn’t so sure that would be the case with this one. Unless we could make her like us. Make her one of our friends.

“Do you have a name?”

Yvette.

“Thank you, Yvette, for carrying us to Milly.” Maybe if I made an effort, she would see we weren’t all that bad.

A billow of smoke escaped her nostrils as she rolled in the air. I let out a scream and Frank grabbed me, squeezing me tightly. Sure, we were buckled into the leather straps but that didn’t mean Yvette couldn’t, with a single swipe of her claws, release us into open air.