4. Athena

4

ATHENA

T he carriage lurches, and I press my bound hands against the plush velvet seat to keep from tumbling forward. Through the window, jagged mountain peaks pierce a brooding sky, their edges sharp enough to slice clouds into ribbons. We've been climbing higher for hours, the air growing thinner with each twist of the precarious path.

Uriel sits across from me, his perfect features drawn in concentration as he guides the zarryn - massive horned beasts with thick silver fur and two tails - through particularly treacherous switchbacks. His wings shift restlessly in the confined space, brushing against the carriage ceiling. I try not to be impressed as I watch his fingers twitch, steering the reins from inside the cabins.

My fingers brush against the small blade tucked into my sleeve. Three days of careful observation have led to this moment - watching how he channels magic through crystalline controls embedded in the carriage walls, studying the intricate spellwork that keeps my restraints secured. I can cut leather but magic, not so much.

The carriage hits another sharp turn. A string of curses spills from Uriel's lips as he leans forward, golden curls falling across his face while he adjusts the crystal configuration. His attention fixed entirely on preventing us from plummeting off the cliff edge.

My heart pounds against my ribs as I slide the blade free. I managed to swipe it off Uriel and I know that it is forged from something stronger than metal. The enchanted leather around my wrists tingles with magic, but I've noticed how the spells weaken at the seams. One clean cut is all I need and hopefully it can cleave magic, too. The blade's edge catches the leather's weak point and-

"Shit!" Uriel snarls as the carriage tilts precariously. He throws both hands up, channeling magic into stabilizing our path. The momentary chaos covers the sound of leather splitting apart.

Blood rushes to my fingertips as circulation returns. I keep my hands in my lap, maintaining the illusion of bondage while scanning the carriage interior. The door handle gleams like a beacon of freedom. If I time this right, one leap is all it will take. Better to risk the mountain path than remain his captive.

I gather my legs under me, muscles coiled tight as a spring. Uriel's still distracted, his perfect features twisted into a scowl as he wrestles with the controls. Just a few more seconds...

I launch myself at the door, driving my shoulder against the polished wood. The blade slices through layers of protective spellwork like silk, magic sparking and hissing as it unravels and releases me from my moving prison. Wind howls through the gap, whipping my honey-blonde curls across my face.

"What the-" Uriel's perfect features contort with fury. His massive wings unfurl, filling the carriage as he lunges for me.

Too late.

I throw myself through the opening, my stomach lurching as empty air rushes up to meet me. The mountain face blurs past - all jutting rock and patches of frost-killed vegetation. My hands shoot out, fingers scraping against stone until they catch a narrow ledge. The impact sends shockwaves through my arms, but I hold on, pressing my body flat against the cliff.

Above, Uriel's cursing echoes off the mountainside. The carriage screeches to a halt, metal grinding against stone. His wings cast massive shadows as he circles, searching.

I edge along the ledge, keeping my movements controlled despite my thundering pulse. Years of training floods back - how to distribute weight, where to place each foot, when to pause and assess. In the demon world, everyone needs to be at least a little skilled at fighting. The ledge narrows to barely a handspan, loose rocks skittering into the void below.

"Come out, little human." Uriel's voice carries on the wind, deceptively gentle. "You'll freeze up here after dark."

I press deeper into a crevice as he swoops past, his perfect features twisted into something predatory. The blade trembles in my grip, its magic still crackling from breaking his spells. One wrong move and I'll plummet into the abyss, becoming just another broken thing at the mountain's base.

The ledge ends in a sharp drop, but I spot another outcropping about ten feet below. I have to take the leap. There's no other option. I take a deep breath, gauging distance and angle. No room for doubt.

Uriel banks hard, wings spread wide as he spots me. "Don't-"

I push off, tucking into a controlled drop. The world spins, my stomach clenching as gravity takes hold. My feet hit the lower ledge hard enough to send jolts through my knees, but I roll with the impact, letting momentum carry me into a natural hollow in the rock face.

The overhang shields me from view just as Uriel's shadow passes overhead again. I press myself against the cold stone, willing my breathing to steady. His frustrated roar echoes across the mountains, but I don't move. Not yet. Patience was Father's first lesson - sometimes victory means simply outlasting your opponent's rage.

I edge deeper into the hollow, each breath measured and silent. Loose pebbles shift beneath my feet, threatening to give away my position. The mountain wind whips past, carrying the sound of massive wings - sometimes closer, sometimes distant, playing tricks with my senses.

"Clever girl." His voice bounces off the rock face, impossible to pinpoint. "Using the mountain's acoustics against me."

My fingers tighten around the blade. The enchanted metal pulses with residual magic from breaking his spells, its warmth the only comfort in this frigid height. A shadow passes overhead - too regular to be a cloud. I press myself flat against the rough stone.

"Most humans would have panicked by now." The words curl through the air like smoke. "Thrown themselves at the first escape route, regardless of survival."

The crunch of boots on gravel comes from my left. No - my right. I pivot, keeping my back to solid rock. A golden curl catches the light as he rounds the corner, wings mantled against the wind. His perfect features are arranged in an expression I can't quite read - not quite anger, not quite pleasure.

"But you-" He prowls forward, each step deliberate. "You mapped every ledge. Waited for the perfect moment. Used my own magic against me."

I shift my weight, calculating angles. The drop behind him is too far, the path to my left too exposed. He's left me one escape route, and something in his predatory smile says he knows exactly what he's doing.

"I always thought that humans were weak creatures, magic-less." He takes another step, golden eyes fixed on mine. "But you - you turned weakness into strategy."

"Stay back." The blade trembles slightly in my grip, more from cold than fear.

His laugh is dark honey, dangerous and sweet. "Or what? You'll jump again?" He gestures to the sheer cliff face. "I must admit, watching you navigate these heights has been... enlightening. You're making this far more interesting than I anticipated."

The purr in his voice sends an unwanted burst of pride through me. His wings sweep forward, cutting off my last escape route. He's close enough now that I can see the individual feathers stirring in the wind, their silvery-gray tips catching the light like polished steel.

My pulse quickens as he circles me, his movements liquid grace despite his imposing height. There's something different in his approach now - less dismissive, more... appreciative. Like a collector who's discovered his latest acquisition has unexpected value.

But that also means he isn't going to let me go.

I have no way out when he lunges for me, Uriel's grip around my waist tight as he pins me against him and flies back up to the main road. I can do nothing as he drags me back toward the carriage. My feet scramble for purchase on the rocky ground, but he lifts me as if I weigh nothing, his wings creating a cage of feathers around us.

"That little display cost us valuable time." His breath fans hot against my ear. "Though I'll admit, you've proven more... entertaining than expected."

I twist in his grasp, refusing to be handled like a doll. "I'm not here for your entertainment."

His perfect features crack into that cruel smile that warps his beauty into something darker. He shoves me through the carriage door, my shoulder hitting the soft seat. Before I can right myself, he's there, pulling new restraints from a hidden compartment.

"These are reinforced." He wraps the metal around my wrists, the magic within humming against my skin. "Specially crafted for clever little escapists."

I lift my chin, meeting his golden gaze. Astrid would spit in his face. Father would maintain that icy calm he's known for. I choose silence, letting my defiance speak through my eyes.

His fingers brush my skin as he secures the bonds, lingering longer than necessary. "Most humans would be begging by now. Crying. Breaking."

"I'm not most humans." The words come out steady despite the fear churning in my stomach. "Quite trying to compare me." I'm sick of hearing that now.

"No," he agrees, settling into his seat across from me. "You're not."

The carriage lurches forward again, magic crystals pulsing as Uriel guides us higher into the mountains. I focus on my breathing, on maintaining some control.

Fear is natural. Fear is useful. But fear cannot rule you.

He grins, and I'm surprised when he says, "You really are a little demon, through and through." I narrow my eyes at him, but his smirk only grows. I don't think it's an insult, shockingly.

My wrists ache where the new restraints bite into flesh, but I keep my face neutral. Each moment I deny him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble is a small victory. Each second I maintain composure is a tribute to my family's strength.

I turn toward the window, refusing to give him the engagement he seeks. The mountain peaks pierce the clouds like teeth, feeling as deadly as this trip is. But I'll bide my time. Wait for the right moment. And I'll find my freedom.

The magic in the restraints pulses stronger, almost like it's responding to my thoughts. I file that observation away, adding it to my mental catalog of everything I've learned about my captor and his methods. Knowledge is its own form of power.

Let Uriel think he's won. Let him believe the restraints have broken my spirit. Every assumption he makes is another crack in his armor, another potential weakness to exploit. I may be bound, but I am far from beaten.