Cloak of Night (Circle of Shadows #2) - Evelyn Skye Page 0,65
and had it tear the knife loose from Fairy’s grip. The blade flew into Hana’s hand instead.
Fairy gasped at her own empty palm.
“You’re a fool if you think you can defeat a ryuu with a knife like this,” Hana said.
“We’re not trying to defeat you, you idiot,” Fairy said, exasperated. “We’re trying to save you. That Dragon Prince of yours might have damned you.”
Hana shot her a nasty glare. “I know.”
“Wait, what? You know, and you’re still serving him?” Fairy winced as more blood poured from the knife wound Menagerie had inflicted.
“I was in the study when you and Wolf read ‘Kitari and the Curse,’” Hana said, closing the distance between them. “Emperor Gin confirmed that it’s true the ryuu are damned. But you and Wolf said there might be a way that the gods can forgive us. I need to know more.”
“Then why are you here instead of in a library, researching?” Fairy tried to inch farther from Hana, but it was hard to move with a knife in her side. She didn’t want to pull it out, though, because then she’d bleed so much she might pass out. Fairy very much needed to be conscious right now.
Hana’s breath seemed to speed up, as if she was working hard to keep her composure. Or maybe she was just getting madder. “I’m here because I thought you and Wolf might have more information than I have.”
“And you thought that attacking us was a good way to get us to share what we know? Prince Gin really did a poor job of teaching you social skills.”
“I’m getting impatient.” Hana twirled Fairy’s stiletto blade between her fingers.
“You know,” Fairy said, still scooting slowly away on the dirt, “Spirit still wants you to join us.”
Hana’s entire body visibly tensed. “I already told her no.”
“So you’re still loyal to the Dragon Prince?”
Hana hesitated. It was only half a breath, but Fairy caught it.
“I am a ryuu warrior,” Hana said, her face growing hard again. She took a stride forward and erased all the progress Fairy had made in inching away. “Tell me what you know about undoing the damnation.”
Fairy laughed without humor. “Why, so you can destroy Kichona but redeem your soul right before you die? No, thank you, I’ll pass.”
Hana darted around Fairy and pushed the tip of the blade against the nape of her neck. “Tell me, or I’ll kill you.”
“Lucky for me, then, I don’t have anything to tell,” Fairy said. She’d been close to death so many times in the recent past it was surprisingly easy to remain calm. “Wolf and I don’t know anything yet, but we’re going to figure it out, somehow. And when we do . . . we’ll tell you.”
“You will?” Hana let the knife point slip.
“Of course,” Fairy said. “If you join us.”
“You’re just as infuriating as my sister!” Hana slashed the back of Fairy’s neck.
Fairy inhaled sharply. She didn’t dare to slap her free hand over it with Hana right there behind her, but Fairy could feel the blood beginning to trickle down her neck and onto her collar.
“Hana—”
“My name is Virtuoso!”
“No, you’re always going to be that tenderfoot I knew before you were ever given a taiga name. You’re Hana, who loved her sister and loved the Society. I know who you are deep inside, and Spirit does, too.”
Hana was silent behind Fairy. Was she going to strike her again? Or was she considering it?
“Tell me we have a deal,” Fairy said, trying again. At the same time, she tucked herself into a ball and somersaulted between two pear trees, getting away from Hana.
But when Fairy rolled and sprang to her feet, there was no one there with her.
“Where did you—?”
The wind rustled through the orchard. A few seconds later, the giant buzzard from earlier swooped down, paused as if picking up a passenger, then flew away.
Hana was gone. Fairy wasn’t sure what that meant, but what she did know was that Hana could very easily have killed her, but she hadn’t. That was . . . something.
For now, though, Fairy needed to tend to these wounds. She had a powder made of dried thistledoon leaves that acted as a coagulant. But it wasn’t in the little satchel she kept on her belt; it was in one of the bags on Wolf’s harness. If she could find him, maybe she could stop both their bleeding.
Fairy held on to her side and the back of her neck and slowly rose to her knees.