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Holly rolled her eyes. “Pretty sure I just saved your ass, so I would imagine she would prefer if I’m out here with you.”
“How did you know to come?” Desmond fired off a fireball at an approaching soldier. Holly opened the earth underneath him to swallow his screams. “We didn’t even have time to send out a distress signal.”
“Long story,” Holly said. “The short version is that Benedict is the right hand of Roland and Vanya.” The use of her papa’s given name instead of calling him papa felt freeing, in a way.
She ignored Desmond’s eyes boring into the side of her head as she took out another soldier. Synora sunk an arrow into the second’s chest before Holly had the chance to handle him, and she flashed her mate a quick smile.
“If you could stop flirting with your mate for just a moment, it almost sounded like you just said your dad is the traitor,” Desmond said, his tone teasing, although his face was serious as he scanned over Holly like he could see what she was feeling.
“I did. He is. Can you focus? We have a battle to win,” Holly snarked at him. Driving him crazy was helping ease her mood.
Desmond grumbled but turned to help another Fae warrior. Shouts came from the back of the enemy soldiers as a wolf howled. A tawny lion jumped on the back of one of the escaped prisoners, ripping out his throat. Bethany!
Cody’s wolf and… was that a panther? Holly shook her head. They flanked Bethany as Zack lit fire rings around groups of enemy soldiers, preventing their escapes.
With the arrival of Bethany and the others, the battle quickly turned as the tired Fae renewed their attacks. Finally, the last enemy soldiers were either throwing their weapons down or lying dead on the field. Holly made sure Desmond was fine before picking her way to where Kallan and Kieran stood, still guarding her papa. Her mama was there, too, still sobbing into Ilena’s shoulder.
Bethany met her in human form before she reached them. Holly arched an eyebrow and pointedly looked at the panther at Bethany’s side.
Bethany rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask,” she grumbled, and Holly laughed.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” She reached out and squeezed Bethany’s hand, ignoring the panther’s growl.
Bethany smacked it lightly on the back of the head. “Stop that. No growling at my best friend.”
The panther grumbled again but stayed silent. Bethany nodded over Holly’s shoulder. “Looks like Claire couldn’t stand not being in the action a second longer.”
Holly looked over her shoulder to see Claire, with Everett glued to her back like a shadow, making her way toward them.
“Holly, Bethany, you’re okay?” Claire was breathless by the time she reached them.
“We’re fine. Are you okay?” Holly asked.
“I’m fine.” Claire stepped closer and lowered her voice. “My vision is slowly coming back. I can see shadow shapes now!”
“That’s great,” Holly said, and Bethany agreed. Holly was relieved for her friend, as she knew that had been weighing on her.
“Um, Holly, why are your parents here?” Claire asked.
Bethany frowned in their direction. “And why is your papa in weird vine ropes?”
Holly let out a sigh and bit her cheek. “Um, so… It turns out my papa is—or was—Vanya and Roland’s right-hand man or maybe puppeteer? I’m not sure which. He confessed and told me about the attack just before we came. That’s how we knew to come.” She said this all quickly, looking down at the ground in case her friends were angry.
“Oh, Holly…” Claire’s voice was warm and sympathetic. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m the one that’s sorry,” Holly said, not wanting her friend to feel bad. “I should have seen it sooner. I could have prevented—”
“Nothing,” Bethany said. “You could have prevented nothing. People like that are great at hiding that part of themselves.” She had a far-off look in her eyes, like she spoke from personal experience.
“They are,” Holly agreed, looking over at her papa, who stared back at her with hatred in his eyes.
“I take it your mother didn’t know?” Claire asked, looking over at her mama, still sobbing on Ilena’s shoulder.
Holly shook her head. “No.”
“Poor thing. I’ll go over and see what I can do for her. Because I can’t do much else right now.” She shot a mock-angry look at Everett, who rolled his eyes. Clearly it was an argument they’d had before.
“Where’s Puck?” Bethany asked.
