AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Holy fuck.
Below us, nestled within a valley and bordered by a lake and mountain range, was the Summerlands. Except the colorful crystal city with its sparkling palace that thrust spires into the sky like unicorn horns was gone.
Darkness had leaked into and overtaken the glass and crystal castle, and they had walled off the city from the surrounding area. Fae soldiers patrolled atop the walls and positioned cannons at various strategic points. Everywhere I looked, angry storm clouds rolled overhead, and gusts of frigid wind battered against us.
A shimmering grey dome streaked with black lightning covered the whole city. Its looming menace emanated like an approaching hurricane, threatening anyone who dared to approach or failed to flee.
An intense sense of foreboding weighed me down like a bag of bricks thrown into the ocean’s darkest depths.
How the fuck would we get through that?
25
WEDNESDAY MORNING
If it were me watching the approaching army from a palace window, I would have been terrified. In fact, I might have even shit myself. I hoped that Colin experienced the same level of fear, no matter how strong his defensive magic might be.
We would be stronger.
We were stronger—we had to be.
As I stood atop the hill overlooking the gloom-filled city, Adam directed our people to prepare for the assault. Even though we hoped to avoid significant bloodshed by sending in a team to infiltrate the castle and free the queen, we had to keep up appearances out here until they succeeded.
Gnawing on my bottom lip, which was already raw and cracked from my constant worrying, I wished yet again that I could go with Thane and Angela. Colin was unlike any threat we’d faced before. He was the mastermind behind it all, which scared me to my core.
“Such a shame, isn’t it?” Xavier’s voice slithered down my back.
I shivered and rubbed my arm against the rising goosebumps. He better not plan on fighting beside me, or he might get an up-close and personal introduction to Lisa. “You being alive? Yeah, that’s a shame.”
Angela snort-laughed beside me and adjusted her grip on the staff.
He chuckled. “I love your sense of humor. Tell me, what will you do with your life after this?”
What a strange question coming from him. I had no idea what he was getting at, but it couldn’t be good. I glanced at him out of my periphery, but he fixed his gaze on the city, his face expressionless. “As if I would tell you.”
He angled his face toward me, and his dark brown eyes searched mine. “We may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I mean you no actual harm. I never did.”
Angela glared daggers at him. She knew as well as I did what a crock of shit his comment was, but for a human, this chick had balls of steel. The Master Vampire could rip her to shreds before I blinked.
It was my turn to chuckle, though mine was a darker sound than his. “You don’t think using someone as a broodmare is harmful?”
“I may have exaggerated my intentions a bit,” he said with a shrug, returning his piercing gaze to the palace. “I wanted to set you free.”
Before I could ask what the hell he meant by that, Thane and Edric joined us. My mate’s gaze shifted between Xavier and me, and his eyes narrowed.
Edric inspected Angela from head to foot before eyeing the staff. “It’s too bad your girlfriend isn’t the one wielding that. Her skin color would blend into the shadows easier. Unfortunately, glamours and camouflaging magics don’t work on other fae.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be sure to remember the face paint next time.”
“Or a ski mask.” I winked at her, then gestured to the dome. “Glamour or not, it won’t make much difference if we can’t bring down the bubble thingy.”
Edric shook his head. “The shield only keeps out non-fae. They’ll have no trouble walking through it with me. The plan is to get to the queen as fast as possible. We can sneak inside the palace through a hidden entrance, but it won’t be easy getting there without being seen.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Thane said. “I’m a realm walker.”
The prince raised his eyebrows. “Well, that certainly makes it easier, doesn’t it? I’d suggest realm walking right into my mother’s room, but the gods only know what state she’ll be in or who she might be entertaining.”
This plan nagged at a memory I couldn’t place. Furrowing my eyebrows, I put my hands on my hips. “I feel like I’ve been here, done this before.”
