by J. L. Weil
“I owe your grandfather my life and swore him a debt that I plan to repay. Katsura has had no finer king. He has been greatly missed.”
My heart squeezed at the respect and grief in his voice. “I’m saddened that I never got the chance to meet him. Your loyalty and admiration for my grandfather makes me proud to be his granddaughter.”
Fyson nodded before taking us to where he had a map of the castle lined over a long table. Let the battle debriefing begin. “Talin will surround the castle from all sides, but the bulk of his army comes from here.” He dropped a finger onto the northwest point of the castle borders. “We will have our strongest guards posted at these towers.” Again, he lifted a finger and tapped three points on the map, indicating the towers’ locations. “Ideally, it would be best if you were to avoid this area at all costs.”
“Noted.” I tried to soak everything in, to remember the important sections on the map, but it was all so much, particularly with the roaring in my head. This was one of those things where I depended on Reilly and Kai to guide me. They knew the layout of the Halcyon better than I did.
“You need to be outside the ward to let your powers seep into the earth. Once the ward comes down, that is when you need to act. And fast. The sentinels I put in these two towers will buy you as much time as possible and I will also have some on the ground with you. This is your best exit point.”
“How long do we have?” Reilly asked in a cool, formal tone.
Fyson frowned. “Not long enough. He will send scouts ahead. They could be here as we speak.”
“And Ashland?” Kai inquired. His stepmother, Devyn’s mother and my mom’s shaman, was leading the kingdom’s troops this way. The question was, would she get here in time?
The army captain shook his head. “No sign of them yet.”
Shit.
“What of Willowland or Orangeoland?” Reilly prodded, listing off our other possible allies, his gaze darting between the two kingdoms on the map.
Fyson deadpanned, his mouth in a tight, hard line. “There has been no movement or word from Lady Awyn. Ryker and his men are behind Talin. Sources haven’t been able to confirm whose side the Lord of Orangeoland fights. Ryker could be joining his forces with that of his brother.”
It wasn’t a lot to go on, in fact, it was downright sad. Yet, we had no choice but to go out there and meet the threats head on.
I chose to fight. For Devyn. For Belle. For my mom. For Katsura and my grandfather. They deserved for me to keep going, to see this through until the very end, no matter the outcome.
Fyson crossed his wide arms over an expansive chest. “I won’t lie to you. Our odds aren’t good. The blight has gotten too strong and has consumed more ground than any of us imagined. It will take an exorbitant amount of power to destroy it.”
Taking in a deep breath, I steadied myself. No regrets. I will have no regrets.
Reilly glanced at me, a somber quietness capturing his features. “How much longer will the ward hold?” he asked, shifting his gaze back to Fyson.
“Not long, a few hours at best. The blight seems to have strengthened its efforts in anticipation of Talin’s approach. It is almost as if it had just been poking at the wards until today. Now the darkness is chipping away at our defenses.” Fyson's warrior gaze slid to me. “Battle will be upon us by dawn break. What are your orders regarding Talin?”
My orders?
This was to be my first act as heir, to decide the fate of the one who threatened us.
Fyson picked up on my hesitation, the chewing of my lower lip a telling sign of nerves. “This is normally a matter posed to the council,” he explained. “But time has run out. The Lord of Thornland has broken our fae laws. He must pay.”
I agreed. It wasn’t an easy decision to take someone’s life. Not for me. Not when pieces of my humanity remained. That part of me still believed all life had value, even for someone as despicable and corrupt as my uncle.
However, I was also fae, who had no such qualms about taking a life. After seeing Belle’s final vision, it became crystal clear to me that there was no saving Talin.
“He must die,” I heard myself declare.
It was my voice that echoed over the stone walls, but it was also a voice I hardly recognized. Harsh. Strong. Merciless.
Two female fae ushered me into a small room down the hall from Fyson’s office. The one with long silver hair, knotted and braided into a huntress’ fohawk, opened up one of the many wardrobes casing the walls. The other had jet-black hair with streaks of dark blue. That same hue of blue glimmered in her oval eyes, dark eyeliner giving them a slanted look. They were both stunningly beautiful and skilled fighters.
It wasn’t just the clothes they wore, or the intricate hairstyles meant to keep it out of the way that made them formidable, it was the way they carried themselves. The muscular slim arms, the hardness in their eyes, and the firm set of their lips.
“I’m Brylee,” the dark-haired fae introduced while she guided me into a chair. “And that is Aidene.” She indicated to the female shifting through an arrangement of clothes.
“Thank you for helping me.” I didn’t have the first clue on how to outfit for war.
“It is our pleasure,” Brylee assured with a friendly smile.
Aidene didn’t talk. Not at all I discovered as I let them undress me, pulling out pieces of clothing from the wardrobes and slipping them over my head. She had lost the ability two decades ago, in a fight that rendered her vocal cords unusable. A cut across the throat that would have killed a human. But she wasn’t human. I tried not to stare at the scar that was left behind from the tragic fight, and I did not dare ask why she had been fighting. Her business, not mine.
“They are imbued with magic,” Brylee informed when they stripped away one article of clothing and replaced it with another. “This,” she began, pulling the third buckle on the leather corset, “will shield you from flames.” She straightened the light blue, silky fabric that fitted underneath the corset, falling off each of my shoulders where a moonstone clasped the material together. “And this protects against any magic causing bodily harm.” She continued to explain each piece until I was completely outfitted. “None of the materials will interfere with your abilities. Nor will they hinder your gift to shift.”
Brylee took a step back, with Aidene beside her. The two fae eyed me from head to toe.
“You are ready,” Brylee proclaimed.
That was debatable. Was I dressed for war? Definitely, but it took more than the right clothes. I didn’t know if there was anything that could truly prepare me for what lay ahead.
Nodding, I took a step forward and caught a flash of my reflection in the mirror. Well, the fae version of a mirror. It was a magical frame with a liquid-like surface that rippled like a silver lake. Angling my body, I faced the shining reflection. Tapestries depicting important history of this realm hung on the walls behind me, but all I could see was the girl gawking back at me. Who was she?
I was about to find out just how strong I could be. This war would test me in unimaginable ways.
Kai waited for me in the next room, so I went to him. The Unseelie lifted his head when the door hinges squeaked open, his eyes landing immediately on me as if no one else in the room existed. Then again, the same could be said for me. My gaze went straight to Kai. He leaned against the wall, close to the hearth where his eternal flames burned.
His glowing eyes connected to mine and Kai shoved off the wall, sauntering toward me. He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. “You look beautiful, by the way. Like you were made to be a battle angel.”
My heart leaped with excitement, accompanying the trepidation reeling in my chest. “You’ll stay with me?”
His fingers laced with mine, shadows curling around our joined hands. “Until the end.”
* * *
The next few hours were a blur as the castle readied itself for war. Everyone—warrior, man, woman, and child—had a job, but none as imp
ortant as mine.
Inside, I quaked as Kai, Reilly, and I were escorted by more than a hundred guards to the eastern gate. My Kitsune was on edge, sensing the danger about to creep over the horizon. The ward remained intact, but every so often, my fae ears picked up faint crackling. It wouldn’t be long now until the whole thing crumbled.
Kai stiffened, coming to a halt. His gaze hardened, glancing off to the left, and I knew what he would say before the words left his mouth. For I felt it too. The sudden charge in the air and the icy drift that shifted in the winds.
“He is here,” I whispered, my fingers tightening around his. My body moved closer to Kai’s, needing to touch him, to remember I didn’t stand alone, for Talin and his army had finally arrived.
Kai’s face became tight and dark. “It’s time to move, little queen.”
Reilly cast his eyes at me. “Devyn is with him.”
Chapter Fourteen
KARINA
The moment Devyn’s name left Reilly’s lips, a jolt crashed into me. If he was here, then why didn’t I feel something? I sorted through the mayhem of emotions, searching for that thread of life and love that connected me to Devyn.
There was nothing of the Shaman. Just Kai’s fierce twilight and my own trembling fear.
“A-are you sure he is here?” I asked, my hand pressed to my heart where it pounded in my chest. My legs were frozen, knees wobbling, and a dizzy spell whipped through my head like an unbridled storm.
Kai’s arms were there to steady me, to ride through the wave until it passed.
“He is here, Karina. At the western—”
I took off before Reilly could finish, rushing in the opposite direction of where I was supposed to be, before neither Kai nor the dragon shifter could stop me. My braided hair flew behind me as I darted and weaved through the armed Katsura guards. I didn’t believe it, not until I saw Devyn with my own eyes. I had to see him.
“Karina!” Reilly called after me, his voice muffled by the ringing in my ears.
“Dammit,” Kai swore, and I knew they had given chase after me.
It was a long ass jog to the other side of the castle, particularly made difficult with the increase in traffic as last-minute guards scrambled to get to their station. My breath was a rasp in my throat by the time the western gate came into view. In the surrounding towers, fae were crouched, bows and lances readied, as well as those with fire, ice, and electric abilities.
I skidded to halt, stopping dead in my tracks, eyes frantically scanning through the shimmering ward. Terror knocked into my chest. In my head, I had an idea of what war would look like. I hadn’t even come close.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered. My stomach churned, and I gaped at the sea of fae gathered on the other side of the ward. From left to right, I could see nothing of the land. So many. Too damn many for my mind to comprehend. Together, the militia of Talin and the darkness of the blight joined like one daunting beast about to devour Halcyon with a single, giant bite. I’d never seen anything like it.
Never wanted to again.
“So much for our plan,” Kai mumbled, coming up behind me and laying a comforting hand on the small of my back.
My shoulders slumped and I leaned back into him, needing his strength. Where the hell was Devyn? I’d never be able to find him in a crowd of thousands.
His hands came to my arms, rubbing them up and down. “You’re okay, little queen. They’ll have to go through me first.”
A hysterical laugh bubbled out of my lips.
This was fucking insane. I’d be lying if I said the thought of voiding the hell out of here didn’t crossed my mind, but then, I saw him.
Kai’s body went rigid against mine as Devyn stepped forward from the front line of soldiers. Relief swelled at the sight of him, and my legs carried me to the edge of the ward.
“Careful,” Kai warned lowly, matching my steps. He wasn’t about to let me go alone.
It didn’t matter. This was Devyn. I had to stop him from making a stupid mistake. I had to make him see reason and get him on the right side of this war. If he got hurt... or worse?
I couldn’t even let myself think about it.
“Devyn,” I whispered.
He was so close, only a paper-thin veil of magic separating us, but it might as well have been a dozen solid brick walls between us.
I blinked, hardly recognizing him. Physically he was the same, but it was the rigidness in his body, the harshness in his features that made him look like a completely different man.
The blood drained from my face.
Lifting my hand, I placed my palm against the ward and whispered his name. His emerald eyes remained straight ahead, hard, and unyielding. Except, I knew Devyn. He was a part of me, and I a part of him. “What has he done to you?” I murmured.
No answer.
No response at all. Not even an eye twitch. Devyn continued to stare past me, a deep scowl marring his tight lips.
“Devyn!” I tried again, but it made no difference. He was utterly fixed on Kai.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell if that was a bad or a good thing. Could he see what Kai and I had done, despite me not being able to sense my mating bond with Devyn? I hadn’t wanted him to find out like this.
“Don’t do this,” I pleaded, tears burning in my eyes. “Please don’t do this. Devyn!” I shrieked, trying to entice a reaction out of him.
For a millisecond, a flash so fast I wondered if I had imagined it, his bright eyes flicked to mine, and a warm brush of wind kissed my cheeks, gentle like a lover’s touch.
The tension in my shoulders fell away. A simple indication that he was still in there. Still, he chose to stay with the enemy, and he wanted me to respect that decision. I wasn't sure I could give him that.
Although, he didn’t really give me a choice.
Devyn stepped away, slinking back into the horde of fae, disappearing from sight.
I rammed my open hand against the ward, unleashing the fury, the pain, the heartache that spiraled inside of me. The darkness laughed, wicked and cruel, as if it had witnessed my little outburst.
“Karina,” Kai hissed, his arm looping around my waist just as the western gate tremored. He yanked me back against his chest, shielding me in his shadows while I gawked at the visible crack splintering down the shimmering ward, the only thing separating us from thousands of fae and the darkness.
Holy. Fuck.
Kai pulled me back a step and then another. “We need to go, little queen.”
Sparks of magic flared into the air like fireworks on the Fourth of July. The taste of true fear hit the back of my throat, and I felt the sting of my claws, cutting into my palms. Turning my back on Devyn and walking away with him on the other side of enemy lines, broke my heart into a million fucking pieces, but I had no other choice.
I nodded. “It’s time.”
Flanked by Kai and Reilly, I ventured into the courtyard, walking by the towers on my way to the eastern gate. Fear tainted the faces of the warriors we passed; they didn't expect to survive this battle. How could I blame them? We were outnumbered, out skilled, and out of time.
Dawn broke, but it was impossible to tell. The sun never came out, never bust through the gloomy clouds.
“Ryker’s men are among them,” Reilly informed. “But…”
My head whipped toward him, my legs still moving with purpose. “But what?”
A muscle feathered along Kai’s jaw. “It looks as if they’ve been possessed,” he revealed, his eyes narrowed.
Was it possible? Had the blight somehow been able to control them, use them? I didn’t have time to think about it—to process the idea.
We were still a few hundred feet from the western gate when the ground under our feet shook. Kai’s arms wrapped around me, steadying us both, and we watched in horror as the ward shattered.
Time had run out.
Darkness fell over Halcyon in one swoop, like a massive crow flew over the castle and its shadow hung overhea
d. The first cry of battle rang through the air, a sound I’d never forget.
I blinked and the war began. Kai kept me in his arms as Katsura sentinels slammed down their spears, readied their bows, raised their swords, and summoned their magic. I prayed for the fae who fought for their lives, and for those who wouldn't survive. Their deaths would weigh heavily upon me. I couldn’t help feeling responsible.
Swords clanged. Shields rose. The ground continued to rumble with the pounding of feet. Arrows whizzed past me with precise accuracy, hitting the first line of Talin’s army. Our enemy pressed on, bringing more than just flaming balls and spears of lighting. They brought the blight, an insatiable, starved beast.
My mouth turned dry.
Orders were called out behind me.
“The archers are out,” Reilly informed Kai, and he nodded.
“Try not to get yourself killed.”
Reilly grinned at him, right before he shifted into his dragon. A shriek boomed from the skies, a call of war, and Reilly took off to join the other dragons circling the castle among the dark clouds, which worked to their advantage, providing concealment from the militia below.
Talin’s soldiers clawed and ripped their way into the castle grounds.
I froze, my stomach pitching. The frigid darkness pressed in around me, so if I didn’t find a way to stop it, we would all be devoured.
Arrows flew, disappearing into the darkness. Streams of fire swept down from the skies. Grunts and moans filled the air from all sides. It was utter chaos, and I didn’t know what to do. My brain had just stopped working.
Kai covered us in shadows as he guided me across what had now become a battlefield.
My boots clamored over the stone, the gate appearing closer with each step. We needed to get through that gate to the plain, but now that particular area, like all others, was covered with soldiers.
“There is no way we can fight them all,” I realized, my voice overshadowed by the magic hissing, the arrows whooshing, the clashing of metal on metal, and the thumping of bodies, yet Kai still heard the despondency of my words.
