The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,160

would have to use them in real life. "Do you have a belt on?"

"I do."

"Can I borrow it?"

The man nodded, a bit of fear seeping into his dark brown eyes. He gritted his teeth as Xander slid the leather strap free.

"I'm going to tie this around your thigh, all right? Don't touch it and don't try to remove it. As soon as you can slide your legs out, I want you to take to the sky. Fly as fast as you can for the House of Song. Don't wait for me. Don't wait for anyone. Just go. On the count of three."

The man swallowed.

Xander tried to hide his gulp as he used his teeth to secure the belt in place, tying it as tightly as possible to stop the bleeding. The leg was lost, but the man's life didn’t need to be. Upon rising to his feet, he pressed his shoulder into the boulder and prepared to push.

"One. Two. Three!"

He shoved with every ounce of muscle he possessed, heaving as his heels dug into the ground. His feet slid on the damp rock. A grunt escaped his lips and he pushed harder. Come on. Come on. The stone gave, just a little, just enough. The man scrambled, dragging his arms and wings across the street as he screamed. A little more. A little more. Xander refused to give up. His legs and arms shook. His body burned. Go. Go.

The man was free.

"Go!" Xander shouted.

Onyx wings disappeared into the mist, and he dropped the boulder back to the ground with a thud. Xander rested his forehead upon it, breathing heavily for a few spared moments. With a sigh, he stood again.

"Hello! Can anyone hear me? Do you need help?"

On and on it went. Sometimes he stumbled upon nothing but bodies. Sometimes there were people he could help. Other times, the worst times, all he could do was provide a merciful end to the pain. He had no idea how much time passed, as the ground dropped and swayed beneath him. A few of the shifts were so great he took to the sky to keep from careening over, but the island always seemed to right itself before dipping the other way, as though two opposing sides were fighting for control. Eventually one would win, he knew, and then he'd have no choice but to abandon the people still left.

"Help!" a voice shouted, high-pitched with youth. "Please, help!"

"I'm coming!"

"Help!"

He followed her cries until he found her, a young girl of no more than twelve, still growing into her wings. But that wasn't what made him freeze. It was the tears streaming down her pale cheeks, the pain in her eyes, and mostly, the bloodied end of a metal shard sticking through her stomach.

"Prince Lysander," she cried. "Oh, please help me. Please!"

"Shh," he whispered, putting his palm to her brow to wipe off the sweat. She trembled beneath him. A knot formed in his throat, but he swallowed it and forced the soothing lie to his lips. "I'm here. I'll help you."

"I told my mother I was right behind her." The girl wept as she spoke. "She had my baby brother in her arms, and I told her I was right behind her. But I wanted the necklace my father gave me. I went back for it even though she told me not to. Am I going to die?"

"No, of course not," he murmured as he wiped her hair from her cheeks, trying to calm her. "Just close your eyes for a moment, and it'll all be over. You'll meet your mother with everyone else in the House of Song. Just close your eyes."

She nodded, believing him.

He wasn't sure if it was cruelty or kindness, but he didn't have time to decide. Xander slipped his hand to his waist and grabbed his dagger, already stained with the blood of the other lives he'd ended so they could soar in peace to Taetanos's realm rather than lie in pain for hours. The end, either way, would be the same. With a wound such as this, the girl would bleed out before she even reached the sky. Her wings weren't broken, but she'd never survive the flight. This was the true work of kings—bloody and gruesome, full of choices that would stay in his mind like a brand, images and people and deeds he would never be able to forget. But he would rather she die with her eyes closed, dreaming of her family, with