Chapter 23

Ras pads beside me on silent feet, his shaggy mane brushing against my shoulder. I tangle one hand in it.

My steps are light and sure. I look right, and Ali strides beside us. My little sister's teeth are bared, and her eyes glow with a creepy purple light.

Creepier still is the horribly huge serpent slithering in front of her, and the scorpion that's my brother-in-law on her other side. My lips quirk to the side. Well. I guess if we ever got married, he'd be my brother-in-law. I'm not sure if mated couples are considered in-laws here, and I certainly haven't had time to figure out the ins and outs.

"You look like a witch," I tell Ali. "All you need is a pointy hat."

She rolls her eyes at me. "We can't all make weapons out of thin air, weirdo."

"Freak."

"Loser."

"Poopyhead."

Ali grins at me, and I can tell our stupid bickering's helped relax her.

"I love you, you know?" I tell her, conversationally. Ahead, the gates to the city rise, and a cry goes up from the battlements. They've seen us.

"I know, you dumbass. And don't get sentimental now," Ali says. "Save it for when we get Mina back." She points, and the serpent slithers off, faster than would seem possible. A flock of ravens take wing above the battlements, and moments later, bodies fall from the walls.

"That's so creepy though, for real," I shiver.

"Right?" she says, turning her freaky eyes on me. "You should have seen it the first time I did it. They went right for the eyeballs." She makes a wet, sucking noise with her mouth.

"Sick."

"No kidding."

To my left, Ras lets out an ear-shattering roar, and we both wince. Lesath skitters off, in full scorpion battle-form, and Ras bounds after him.

"Ready?" I ask her.

My little sister nods once, and her horse jolts into action. I follow behind her, summoning a huge, sparkling bow from thin air. I fire rapidly, taking out the few remaining vampires on the walls. Ali ducks as an arrow whizzes past her, but a raven darts out of nowhere and takes the hit. His body hits the ground with a thud, and Ali screams a wordless threat, spurring her charger faster. The damn horse takes a chunk out of a vampire's neck, sending it sprawling.

I blow out a breath, racing into the bloody fray.

It's a damn good distraction.

We're coming, Mina. Hold on.

If anyone could, it would be our big sister.