THE TIDE CHANGES QUICKLY
WREN
Ishould’ve known that things were going too well. I should’ve known that between learning how to wield my magic, falling in love with Gabriel, and my sisters coming back, too many good things were happening at once.
I should’ve been on the lookout, knowing that something bad might happen.
But even if I had been paying attention, even if I had assumed all the good things in my life would soon end, I don’t think I would’ve been prepared.
Not for this.
King Andreas Bloodthorn looks as evil as ever, and he’s standing next to a blond man I instantly know is the crown prince. He’s tall, like Gabriel, but that’s where the similarities between the half brothers end. The king and his son are made of hard, cruel edges. Even if I didn’t know that the king is responsible for Gabriel’s scars, I’d hate him for the way he looks at the world as if he owns it.
There isn’t much time for reflection, though. Not here in the middle of a battlefield. And that’s what this forest, with all its thick brown trunks, glistening green leaves, and lush springtime foliage, has become.
It’s so incredibly loud that all the noises mingle together into one cacophonous clamor.
Or maybe it’s just me. There is a roaring in my ears that echoes the hammering of my heart, and panic has been crashing through my veins since I first laid eyes on the king.
When Gabriel ordered me to stay by his side, I would’ve laughed if panic hadn’t been coursing so swiftly through my veins. As if I’d do anything else. I want to fight and use my magic for good, but I’m not fucking stupid.
Gabriel and Theon are standing on either side of me, their swords drawn and bloodied. Ten minutes have passed since we first arrived here, or maybe twenty? Time is a blur.
Mist is on Gabriel’s other side, and together, we’ve all joined in defending the barrier. Them with their weapons, and me with my magic.
The gap is wide enough that the king’s soldiers keep funneling through it, but the barrier remains in place. Soren and Jasper are here, along with other Marked Ones, but no one can get close enough to the net to repair it.
Myreth’s army has forced the rebels into a defensive position, and it’s hard to feel like this is anything but a losing battle.
Sweat beads on my brow as I reach into my well, drawing up magic and lobbing it at the king’s soldiers. For every one who falls, two more seem to take their place.
How are there so many soldiers? More so, how did they find us?
Questions for another time when the entire community isn’t at risk. We must hold the soldiers back and give the others a chance to flee. I know there’s an escape route from the camp—Skyler told me about it—but it’s not frequently used, and it will take time to get everyone to safety.
For a while, the rebels stand strong. Alaric arrives with more reinforcements. The fighting continues.
There is just so much going on. The raven has disappeared, but every so often, I think I catch sight of it in the sky high above me.
My heart thunders as I pull up more magic. More, more, more.
“Duck, Wren!” Gabriel’s shout grabs my attention, and I obey, moments before a sword slices through the air where my head had been.
My Hunter cuts my would-be killer down, then his hand finds my arm, drawing me to his side.
“Pay attention,” Gabriel grits out, worry flashing through his eyes. “I can’t lose you.”
I nod. “Sorry.”
He’s right; I need to focus.
There’s no more time to chat as the battle pulls us back into its fray.
There are injuries but not as many as I might’ve expected, which seems like a good thing. At the very least, it isn’tbad.
I listen to Gabriel, follow his directions, and while the soldiers keep coming, they don’t advance. My well is brimming with magic, and my Mark is warm. Gabriel is the picture of power beside me as he wields his sword with a strength I can only dream of one day possessing.
For a time, it seems as though we might be able to push the king’s soldiers back long enough to patch the net.
