“I’ll lead the way,” Niall said.
It was then Cole saw that he’d found another horse and was already sitting on it.
Did I black out for a little bit?
If he had, he couldn’t let it happen again. He had to get Lexi safely back to the palace, and if he fell off the horse, she would stop for him. She was not going to leave him out here, and while it only made him love her more, he wouldn’t allow her to die because of him.
Chapter Ten
It tookeverything Cole had to stay on the horse as Niall led the way across the field. The rebels had scattered; all that remained were their bodies and the craz who feasted on them. More of the craz circled overhead, diving toward the remains and the allure of the fleeing fae.
Cole tried not to slump against Lexi, she would only worry if she realized how weak he was, but as the horse galloped across the earth, the sword shifted inside him each time it landed. It was getting more difficult to maintain an appearance of strength while his heart was shredding.
She took the reins from him and, leaning forward in the saddle, guided the horse with the expertise of one born to ride. She steered clear of the obstacles in their way while also managing to throw two more vials of melting potion at the craz.
Niall hacked his way through a few more craz as Lexi removed a throwing star from the pouch at her side. She whipped it side-armed at a craz diving toward them. The weapon shot into the craz’s open mouth and knocked the monster on its ass.
He’d known she was training with Brokk, but he hadn’t realized how much she learned while he was going through the trials. He’d fought with men who’d trained for years and weren’t as courageous as her on the battlefield.
He slid his arm around her waist and slipped another star from the pouch. He briefly admired the fae metal before flinging it at another craz. The movement pulled at his flesh and spilled more blood, but he reached into the bag and pulled out another one.
* * *
Though he triedto hide it, Lexi could tell Cole was growing increasingly weak as he slumped against her more and more. Still, he managed to throw another star that knocked the craz descending toward them off its target.
Blood bloomed across the front of the bird’s chest as it spiraled away from them and the closed gates they approached. They had to get through the door and into the bailey; she had to get Cole to safety.
She focused on those gates while Cole and Niall fought off the craz who weren’t occupied by eating the dead. As they neared them, the door also came into view, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it remained open.
Digging her heels into the horse’s side, she urged it faster as their safety loomed closer and closer. Twenty feet… Fifteen… At ten, she was certain a craz would crash into their back or the door would slam shut.
The palace wouldn’t shut them out, but some didn’t want Cole to rule. Would the palace open the door for them again if it was closed?
Five feet…
Come on. Come on….
And then they were flying through the open side door and into the courtyard. Many sought shelter when the craz arrived, but it was still crowded with dark fae seeking refuge from the battle and craz.
The injured lay on the ground, and survivors ran around as they tended to them. Her horse’s hooves dug up the earth when she pulled up on the reins. The animal skidded to a halt a few feet from the palace stairs.
When Cole shifted behind her, she grasped his forearm as he slid to the side and nearly went down. Kicking her feet free of the stirrups, she leapt off the horse and landed beside him. Cole kept his shoulders back as she wrapped her arm around his waist and led him toward the steps.
“Let me help,” Niall offered.
“No!” Lexi snapped. “Stay away.”
Her free hand found the last remaining star in her pouch. She didn’t care if Cole said she could trust Niall and that he’d helped get them off the battlefield. She didn’t trust anyone other than herself around Cole right now. He was far too vulnerable.
“Easy,” Cole whispered in her ear. Others might think it was a tender, loving gesture, but she knew it was because he couldn’t hold his head up anymore. “I told you, you can trust Niall.”
“Canyou?” she retorted.
His blue eyes swam with pain when he turned his head toward her. Staring into those eyes, etched with lines that weren’t there before and surrounded by dark shadows, she was more terrified now than when she was on the field.
“Yes,” Cole whispered.
Lexi eased her grip on the star and didn’t protest when Niall draped Cole’s other arm around his shoulders. The palace doors opened when they arrived at the top of the stairs.
