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The group around Claire broke quickly and began shouting orders to those standing around them. Within moments, the forces had split to stand along the barrier. Witches were paired with shifters to provide protection against the dark magic. Everyone was on pins and needles as the dark magic specks grew larger and larger, eating into the barrier and consuming it till there were multiple black swirling spheres in the barrier.
The swirling spheres exploded as the barrier fell sending shimmery dark magic particles streaking towards them. The witches on Claire’s side were ready though, throwing up shields and then fire runes to burn away the dark magic before it touched anyone. When the smoke drifted away, Claire got her first good look at the enemy side.
The black and gold uniforms of the Council soldiers mixed with shifters and dragons on the opposing side. All of the warriors shifted uneasily when they saw Claire’s side. It was clear they weren’t expecting the numbers that Claire and her friends had gathered. Even with the additional Elves and allies from the Academy, Claire’s side was outnumbered two to one.
Standing in the center, Councilmember Vanya and Roland stood with Maxios next to them. A few of Maxios’ shifted dragons stood behind him. Claire’s heart dropped a little bit when she saw that her old professor, Henry Storm, stood with them.
While Claire knew he was on the list of potential suspects, the knife in her heart still twisted as she saw him. This man had been her professor and had been a silent supporter despite Claire’s blindness, being one of the kinder professors at the Academy. He had taught so many students there, made them sympathize with him. Malcolm had called him a strong warrior to have survived losing his Fourth. But now she knew that was a lie. That he had done it all with the assistance of the Council and dark magic. That he had murdered her mother, caused her father to go into stasis, and tried to kill Claire multiple times.
He looked older than the last time Claire had seen him, just a few weeks ago at the Academy. His face was aged with wrinkles and his fingertips looked like they had been stained black from the dark magic. Clearly, it was draining him. As she watched though, he unhooked a vial from his belt and downed the contents. Whatever it was seemed to rejuvenate him and Claire realized it must be a Fortis plant mixture. While it was killing him it also seemed to be the only thing keeping him alive.
“Frederick,” Roland called across the small area between the groups, “it figures you would end up on the wrong side of this.”
“I don’t think I’m on the wrong side of this at all,” Frederick called back over. “It’s an honor to serve the Champion of the Realm. It is you that are on the wrong side of history like you were before as well.”
Claire’s eyebrows shot up. She was more than positive she had never told Frederick about the Champion of the Realm part. Frederick, as if reading her thoughts, turned to her and arched an eyebrow, giving her a smirk that reminded her of Desmond. “Desmond gets his brains from somewhere.”
Claire flashed him a quick smile and shook her head. She turned back to the group and decided to see if she could sway Maxios or maybe some of his dragons to their side.
“Desmond and Malcolm, two of my mates, are on their way to break the ward placed on Maxios’s hoard by Vanya,” she said, deliberately leaving off the Councilmember title for each of the men. Even if Maxios switched his allegiance, he lost the right to be on the Council a long time ago.
The dragon warriors in front of Maxios shifted and looked at each other. It was clear this information was new to them. “Vanya placed this ward on Maxios’s hoard as blackmail to ensure Maxios and his clan’s participation on their side in the Great War. A war that Vanya and Roland started to seize control of the Realm and keep its resources for themselves.”
“Rubbish,” Roland shrugged off the accusations. “It was your people the Elves and the Fae that wanted to hold the resources hostage. We were simply defending our right to access them.”
“But it wasn’t your right,” Sadara called over, stepping next to Claire. “And don’t bother with your lies. Your house of cards has come tumbling down. You must answer for your crimes against your people.”
Roland scoffed. “Still salty over that old history, aren’t you Sadara? Well if you had done your research, you would have known we have the advantage here. We spent years developing something that would give us the edge in case of another war. While you listen to a young lost princess who has no battle experience, we have plotted and planned. Surrender the princess to us and we will let you live.”
“Surrender her for what? For you to kill her in your delusional attempts to build a weapon that only the legends speak of?” Frederick’s voice was agitated.
“Is it delusion if we’ve done it?” Roland looked smug.
“If you truly have the weapon, you would have used it by now. You lie,” Frederick countered.
“There have been some… challenges I admit in development but l am no liar. Hand the princess over before your actions cause a second Great War.”
“Our actions?” Alpha Bryson roared. “It is you who commit treason. It is you who fail your people.”
“Our people fared well after the Great War, Alpha. But insisting in this folly will only lead to your deaths,” Roland countered, his voice calm and it sent chills down Claire’s spine. He was too calm. Too sure. Had they already created the weapon? Was it here already?
“Last chance,” Roland said. “Hand the princess over.”
“The Queen goes nowhere,” Toan stated, drawing an arrow from his quiver. Metal clanged against metal as Claire’s side readied their weapons.
“So be it.”
Roland through his head back and let out a battle roar that Claire imagined rivaled the one he made when he shifted. That seemed to be the cue to the warriors on his side as they charged towards them. Maxios’s dragons hesitated but ultimately joined the fray and Claire’s heart sank. She hoped she would have been able to sway them with the news that Maxios had lied about his reasons to join the Great War but clearly not. They were going to have to hold them off till Malcolm and Desmond returned with the rest of the dragons.
Next to her, Everett shifted into his gryphon form and launched into the air to meet the shifted dragons. A few other birds of prey joined him as they darted around the larger dragons trying to bring them down with sneak attacks to the dragons’ wings. Fae warriors launched fire balls and threw up air shields along with the witches.
Frederick and Toan stayed close to Claire. Whether that was predetermined or not, Claire was grateful when it seemed that the bulk of the Council guards came straight for her. She drew her daggers and engaged her first opponent. A second guard tried attacking her left side and Toan fired an arrow in his eye socket. Claire tried not to let her stomach turn as she felt the blood spray against her arms. She hated taking a life but the Council guards had no such qualms as they came at her. She couldn’t afford to be queasy about it now. She was a Queen in battle. She needed to act like it.
A lion soared past her on her right, grabbing another guard by his arm and swinging him around. A wolf followed on the lion’s heel, tearing out the throat of the guard. Bethany hissed at Cody, pissed her kill was taken from her. The wolf just ignored her, bounding off after another person that was closing in on Zack, the lion close on his heels.
Another wave of soldiers came charging at them and two in the front dropped to the ground. Claire turned her head to see Kieran, jaw clenched and palms outstretched. He stood beside Holly who secured the dropped men with vines, tripping a few others as she did. The soldiers cut their way free only to be met with Kallan and Synora who prevented them from reaching Kieran and Holly as they worked. The four worked as a seamless team despite the tension in the group.
