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At first, I don’t think the prince is doing anything. Then I realize he’s simply moving too fast. At some point, he’s in the middle of a pack of darklings, the steel of his broadsword flashing the only thing I can make out, when a darkling sneaks up behind him.
No! Panic constricts my throat. I have an arrow in my hands and it’s flying toward the creature before I can blink. It sinks to the fletching in the darkling’s back. The moment the iron meets its flesh, the monster falls dead. The prince flips around just in time to see the darkling’s body erupt in red flames from the inside out.
His gaze flicks to me.
I grin.
But when I glance back to the forest, my smile fades. There’s just too many darklings. They spill from the trees like ants, a never-ending wave of death and destruction. And they’re smarter than I gave them credit for, seeming to work in tandem to outflank us.
In fact, one of the darklings seems to lead the others.
Which, from everything I know about the creatures, is impossible.
I aim my arrows at the darkling leader, but the creature is just too quick. My arm is tiring. The bow quivering inside my aching fingers.
Ruby drops to my shoulder. “This is the end, kid. It’s been fun. And by fun I mean screw this entire meadow and the Fae zombie humans who don’t die.”
I release another arrow, hitting a darkling a few feet away. “I’m not giving up yet, Ruby.”
Eclipsa and Mack press close. I share a look with my best friend, surprised by how fierce she looks. A fiery look gleams in her eyes, her nose scrunched and jaw clenched in determination.
She truly would die protecting her keeper.
Valerian joins us as we’re forced tightly together. “On the count of three, I’m going to run toward the woods.” He nods to his right. “The darklings will follow me.”
Eclipsa shoots him a savage scowl. “Hell, no. If you think for a moment I’m going to let you steal all this glory—”
“I’m ordering you,” Valerian says. His focus shifts to me. “I made a promise to keep someone safe from harm, and I won’t break that promise.”
My stomach clenches. I feel queasy. I shake my head as Eclipsa gives a dutiful nod.
Before I can protest, before I can tell Valerian that despite everything he’s done, I would never let him die alone, bright UV lights flood the field.
The darklings freeze. Then they begin wailing and tearing at their flesh. I follow the light to the group of shadow guardians rushing from the woods, and my body sags with relief.
Mr. Willis leads the guardians. They have guns and swords and weapons I’ve never seen before, all imbued with iron. A group of shadows hold a hose and a blast of silver liquid shoots onto the meadow, taking down scores of darklings. They make sure to direct the iron imbued liquid away from our group.
Mr. Willis runs over to us, a pistol held low and pointed at the ground. His wide-eyed gaze goes from Asher still in the sky, to Ruby, to Mack and Eclipsa, Valerian, and finally, the forbidden weapon in my hands.
“I thought for sure we would find you already dead.” His voice is gruff, but I can tell by his smile he’s impressed. He meets my eyes and holds out a gloved hand. “The weapon, Miss Solstice.”
A growl rumbles in my chest. My fingers tighten over the longbow. Voices whisper into my ear, begging me to keep it.
We belong to you. Only you.
Mr. Willis holds out his hand. “Hand it over now, Miss Solstice. That’s a very dangerous weapon, and you could hurt yourself or someone else.”
I can barely open my fingers, every cell in my body urging me to resist. But I do. Finally.
A strange smile twitches his lips. “We won’t tell Lepidonis about this, will we?”
I shake my head.
“Good. Now go before the iron cast off makes the Fae students sick. We have a portal close to this spot that will take you to safety.”
A group of fourth year guardians have come to help, and they escort us away from the battle. The guardians flinch as Asher lands to the left, knocking over dead trees with a crack, and transforms back into his Fae form.
I’d always read shifters shifted back naked, so I’m a little disappointed when he’s fully clothed.
