The three of us whipped around. Hatred ignited within my chest as I saw Gabby looming across from us. Despite the battle, her face was clean, dress untorn. She hadn’t lifted a finger to help her soldiers. Like I was surprised. A dark battle orb hovered in her palm, and it was clear by the mean look in her eyes she was intent on using it.
“Where is your child?” I snarled.
“I already took her to a safe place. She’s far away from here,” Gabby promised. “But you won’t escape this fortress alive.”
I had enough of these games. The longer she spoke, the more chance she had to trick us in some way. It was time to take her life.
I changed into a wolven immediately. Gabby tossed the battle orb at me, but I dodged it, and it flew out the open window. She cast up a shield to defend herself, but Arthur’s magic shattered it as he flung out a spell.
Finlay rushed forward to stab her with his sword, but she ducked, and her magic blasted him backward. He slammed against the wardrobe, which fell over. He grunted as he forced himself to get up.
I charged forward on my paws, teeth bared. “This will be your last fight!I am here to end you!”
I pounced. I extended my paws so they landed on Gabby’s shoulders, and I slammed her to the ground. She let out a cry of pain, face pale and gaunt with terror as I lunged my jaws forward to take her life.
Gabby let out an agonizing screech as my teeth crushed her spine. I was nearly shocked as my jaws latched onto her jugular and ripped out her throat. My body went still, blood cold with the realization that I’d done it… Gabby was dead, and we’d defeated her army. The war was over. After months of brother fighting brother, the fae could get back to living in peace again.
But instead of the warm taste of blood, something rotten entered my mouth— mud.
I gagged, and immediately stepped backward. I changed and wiped the dirt from my mouth as Gabby’s body deteriorated underneath me into nothing more than a great pile of muck on the carpet.
“A golem,” I snarled in revulsion. That wasn’t the real Gabby! This golem had been placed here to trick us!
“If that’s not her, then she must have fled the fortress already,” Finlay said quickly, clutching his side and wincing.
I let out a great cry of rage. I thought this was done— that the war had finally ended, and Gabby was defeated at my hand. But this was just another trap!
My rage turned to panic as I considered our next move. We’d already overtaken the fortress, and yet, we hadn’t managed to find her.
“If Gabby isn’t here... then where could she be?” Finlay asked.
I ceased to breathe as I understood the obvious. We’d been set up. The golem was a cruel player in another one of Gabby’s schemes to get what she wanted, and we’d taken the bait.
Thiscouldn’tbe all there was to her plan. She was out there somewhere, waiting for us to walk into her next trap. Our top priority was discovering where she was hiding, and bringing an end to the carnage.
Before she lured us to our doom.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emma
With the wolven necklace around my neck, I felt prepared. That feeling of preparation only got stronger as I stepped out of the portal and onto the battlefield.
War had begun, and with a quick analysis of the fight, I was thrilled to see that we were holding out. Our sides looked equal, and if we kept pressing Gabby’s forces, we’d defeat them completely. We could actuallywinthis thing.
I had no idea where Ethan was in all this mess, but I was determined to find him. I called out through our mating bond, searching for him through our connection, but I didn’t get a response.
He was either too distracted to hear me, or he was too far away. The battlefield spanned miles. I’d have to find him the old fashioned way. I went to walk forward, but a surge of pain raked up my spine, and I winced.
I could hardly walk, let alone run. I needed a mount if I was to locate him.
I cast my thoughts out through the forest. I mentally searched the area, until my magic latched on to a monster nearby, one that was roaming the woods alone. I used my magic to enter its mind, overpowering the creature’s senses.Come to me.
I heard the trot of hoofbeats through the snow. I was surprised to see a pooka, the dark fae horse that all were terrified of. Its red eyes pierced through me as its black mane hovered in the wind. There was an unexpected familiarity about it as the creature ventured near.
Breaking into its mind had been far too easy for me. Could this monster possibly be the same one Lady Magdalina summoned during my first practice?
I grabbed the monster’s mane and pulled myself onto its back. I steered the horse toward the battlefield and shouted, “Hiyah!”
