I woke to the sound of wings. Too many of them. Crows gathering on the walls at dawn, black bodies lined up like omens.

"They've been there for an hour," Darius said from the window. He hadn't slept. I could feel it through the bond. "Just watching."

"Crows don't gather like that unless something's dying." I pushed myself up, ignoring the protest from my ribs. The bond-burn marks still ached. "Or about to die."

"Comforting thought."

I joined him at the window. The courtyard below was busy ...