House of Vultures by Maggie Claire (read my book TXT) 📕

hypocrite, Iris!A self-righteous hypocrite!” Cyrus matches me step for step, theboth of us leaving a trail of empty footprints in our wake. “I knoweverything that occurred in the House of Vultures left scars onyou, literally and figuratively. But dammit, haven’t you donethings that you wish you could take back?” Cyrus stops me with hishands on my shoulders, as if he intends to shake the life out ofme.

Tears prick in my eyes as the faces ofthe lost ones dance before me. “I hate myself for killing Hawk!Even Creeper! Their faces never leave me! They are constantlyappearing to me, like ghosts. I am haunted, Cyrus! I regreteverything—”

“As much as I regret whatwas done to you, no doubt.” Cyrus runs a hand along the nape of hisneck, the strength of his argument leaving him with his admission.“Can’t you find some shred of pity for me in all of this? Call itgrace or mercy…call it whatever the hell you want, but can’t you atleast try? It’s not like I am able go back and rewrite the past,Iris. But I swear to you that I will make it my life’s mission toprotect you. No one will ever scar you again, if we can find a wayto move forward.”

I hustle toward the cave’s entrance.“You keep apologizing, like it’s going to magically fix everythingthat’s broken between us. But they are just words, Cyrus! They areas brittle and fragile as glass. All it takes is one mistake, andthey are broken beyond repair. You ask for grace and mercy; whereis yours? You’re only trying to make yourself feel better, but youare smothering me!”

Before I can get out of reach, Cyrus’shand catches my wrist, securing me in my place without hurting me.“What’s it going to take to get you to at least try to bemy—?”

“If your next word is‘friend,’ I will kick you so hard, you’ll never havekids.”

The hand around my wrist slowly fallswith a deep sigh. “Iris.”

“No!” I shout as a rippleof power forces the sand up like a wave. It dances around us like ahost of flies swarming on a fresh kill. Laughter cackles throughthe breeze as its strength forces me to slide toward thecave.

“Move, Iris! Get insidethe cavern!” Cyrus bellows as he hurls himself toward my back,pushing me along to safety. He jumps into the cave first, a painfulsounding crunch and a yelp reaching my ears as he lands on thestones.

I dive into the hole without thinking.Cyrus already stands, and he manages to balance me before I faceplant into the rock. Pain causes sweat to form on his brow. “Getdeeper into the tunnels. Find someplace to hide!”

“You’re hurt.” I noticeblood blooming in the fabric around Cyrus’s right knee. He limps ashe pushes me deeper into the shadows.

“I’ll be fine; you get outof here! Just protect yourself!”

I hurry to do as hewishes, cramming my slight frame into a tight crevice along thewalls. Come on, Cyrus. Get out ofsight! I hold mybreath as I listen for the slaps of Cyrus’s footfalls, praying he’sright behind me. I may loathe the man, butI’d rather have him here than be forced to endure all of thisalone, I admit. However, no such soundechoes in the cave. The seconds settle around my feet like thegrains of sand I see there as I wait. My spine chills when afamiliar voice finally calls out to me.

“Mynah, where are youlittle girl?” The speaker’s tone is silky from years of neverhaving to shout. It strokes my ears as the realization of whospeaks twists a betrayer’s knife deep in my back. Antero, thatincessant little fly, drawn back to me once more. “You know, afterall those weeks of prying around in your mind, I never learned yourtrue name. Maybe you have stronger mental capabilities than Irealized.” Antero cackles at his backhanded compliment.

I hear a struggle, theecho of clenched fists connecting with soft flesh. It seems to goon for hours, and with every strike, fear grows in me.What if Cyrus loses? What if Antero gets away from himand makes it to the Ddraigs?What does he intend to do withus? Are theirmore Windwalkers this time?Are they circling outside, waiting for the signalto come inside and overtake us all?

A broken moan roars through theexpanse before Antero calls out once more. “I have your friend;found another pitiful weakling after your heart? Aren’t you just alittle wh—?” A crunch of boots and bone echoes through the cavesbefore Antero can finish his slur. “Call out for your Ddraig,Mynah! If she comes willingly, I will give you back thisboy.”

“Obviously you don’trealize how foolish you sound. She’d never in a thousand lives giveup even an hour of her existence to save me,” Cyrus exclaimsbitterly. “You’re wasting your time.”

“Oh, I don’t think so! Imean, Mynah helped me even after she learned that I was her enemy.She didn’t tell you who I am? I’m shocked! Still trying to protectme, little Mynah?” Antero teases me, throwing my good intentionsback in my face. I hear him beat on Cyrus a little more, using thesounds of the attack to torture my mind. “That girl may hate you,but she’ll still help you. Mynah won’t be able to handle thethought of you hurt by my hand, not if she had the opportunity tostop me. Her blind heart will be her doom.”

Eavesdropping on theirconversation, I soon understand how much Antero had gleaned just byobserving me. He is right. No matter howmuch I may dislike Cyrus, I’d never forgive myself if I left himalone under the threat of such an unscrupulous zealot.

I creep out of my hiding crevice,careful not to let my feet strike loudly on the stones. Slippingthrough the shadows, I slink closer to assess the situation. A cageof sand whirls dangerously around Cyrus. The granules twirl sorapidly that I see some leave bloody trails on Cyrus’s arms andcheeks. Anyone who tried to walk through the swirling sands wouldbe cut to ribbons immediately. Antero stands outside the sandstorm,one hand raised and pointing toward Cyrus. The priest’s nose, Inote with a shred of heartless satisfaction, pours blood from itsswollen shape. The skin around the bridge is already