The Raven and the Dove (The Raven and the Dove #1) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,134

was fighting. And for a brief moment, Xander wished Rafe were there—a desire so intense and so unwanted it burned across his thoughts with searing pain.

Rafe would have found a way to act.

He would have unleashed his raven cry.

He would have used his magic.

He would have done something.

But Xander wasn’t his brother. He had no god-gifted cry. No illicit magic. No battle-hardened instincts. And there was nothing he could do but freeze in horror, bound by invisible hands, as the man ripped the priestly robes from his shoulders, revealing a coarsely woven jacket and an array of blades along his belt. A shiver ran through Xander as a small dagger was pulled free.

The man walked forward, grim determination on his face.

Xander switched his gaze to Lyana. Her chest rose and fell. Her mouth parted. One of her legs twitched, then her eyelids fluttered open. Those emerald irises, dazed and confused, found him across the room. A wrinkle appeared on her forehead as she pushed her palm against the stone, sitting up.

I’m sorry, Xander thought.

I’m sorry I wasn’t enough.

The man drew back his arm, though Xander barely registered the way the sharp edge of the blade caught the light of the sun. Odd how the mind wandered in that last second of existence, stretching it into a whole lifetime of dreams. He and Lyana speaking their vows. The cheer of his people as they returned, a mated pair, the beginning of a new age for his house. The two of them at peace in their little haven of books and windows, a joining of two different sides. The sight of a smile finally returned to his mother’s lips as she held her first grandchild in her arms. Teaching his son how to read while Lyana trained their daughter how to fight. The laughter that would have returned to his quiet streets. The light and warmth that would have filled the dark halls of the castle. And lastly, the two of them, side by side on matching thrones as they watched their heirs fight for their own mates, small smiles on their lips as their eyes met, remembering the pain and confusion and heartache of the early days, and how it had all given way to a life of so much more.

He saw all of that.

Then just as quickly it was gone.

The blade plunged into his chest and Xander fell back. He stared through the bars at the top of the sacred nest, finding trees and sun and open sky, distantly hearing Lyana’s scream as his vision grew dim.

Then it faded.

He faded.

Entirely.

63

Rafe

As soon as the tremors stopped, Rafe jumped to his feet, heart in his throat.

Xander. Lyana.

Were they alive? Were they all right?

He had to go. He had to find them. He had to be sure.

Consumed by panic and fear, he didn’t hear the whistle until it was too late. The arrow sank deep, slicing through the wing joint in his back, eliciting a hiss through clenched teeth as he tried to fight the blinding flash of pain.

Rafe spun.

Beneath his skin his magic flared, racing to heal the wound. His eyes were sharp as they scanned the back corner of the room. Was it a guard sent by the queen? He couldn’t even articulate the idea that anyone had been sent by Xander.

When his gaze landed on his foe, he slackened, overcome.

“Cassi?” he asked, mouth falling open as the owl stepped from the shadows, bow already drawn with another arrow. All the warmth in his heart turned into a void. There was only one person who would have sent her to do this deed. One person, and he couldn’t even think her name for fear it would cut too deep—for fear he would never recover from that dark truth.

Cassi didn’t answer, anyway.

She just let another arrow fly free.

Rafe dove to one side, snapping his wings close to his back so he could roll across the floor, gritting his teeth as the wound hurt with the heat of molten iron. He stopped on his knees, crouching low, and reached to remove the arrow still lodged in his back. Again, Cassi stretched her arm, preparing another strike. Rafe whipped his twin blades from their scabbards and jumped to his feet. By the time the arrow was in the air, he was ready, using the edges of his swords to swat it from the sky.

He charged, focus acute and blades blazing.

But his heart wasn’t in it.

Rafe stopped before crashing into Cassi, sure he could have