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When more than fifty guards tried to use the bridge in retreat, a burst of poisonous blue fire erupted from the ravine below.
The ground shook in a violent wave, taking the bridge down and the skyds with it. Bodies turned to ash. Screams faded into wet, gory thuds when those who’d dodged the fire fell over the edges of the shattered ground and broke over the stones of the bridge.
Tor and Sol would be able to blast their violent fire and blight at least four more times before losing their strength.
Valen could take out half the palace before he’d be forced to turn to his axes.
Folk screamed and cowered in the chaos. Elise, Eryka, and Tova met their marks, weaving in and out, binding people as prisoners.
“Kase!” Gunnar shouted from a watch tower. He pointed at a corner gate, practically bouncing on his toes. “The Southern fae! They’re here. The prince!”
A smile curled in the corner of my mouth. The gate flung open. Sofia ran in first; a fae with iridescent wings came next. The prince stepped into the courtyard. Hodag had described him as near death, but this prince nearly glowed under the moonlight. His body was strong and thick with corded muscles.
With the full moon, Bracken would be stronger than any of us. Part of me did not believe his skin could be as impenetrable as stone until a skyd took a wild swing and the blow landed on the crook of Bracken’s neck and shoulder.
By the hells, the prince hardly flinched. With a fierce glare, he turned on the skyd. Bracken had his sword impaling the same spot in the skydguard’s neck in the next breath.
“The Prince of the Court of Hearts claims his place as High King!” Bracken shouted. “Queen Astrid has been defeated and imprisoned. Cease your fighting or die.”
Bracken’s voice flowed over the courtyard. Fiske and Isak whooped nearby when the majority of the Southern Fae hesitated, but after a few moments began to drop their weapons, submitting to the victor of the game. To their new king.
The skydguard were not so willing. Niall was subdued, but still struggled and grunted.
Malin ran into a cluster of skydguard with Raum. A blade sliced through the air at my back. I spun around with just enough time to lift my blacksteel to block the strike.
A burly skyd sliced a second blade at my middle. I spun away, cutting at his knees. He dodged. I lunged. The damn guard earned a hit to my shoulder. To pull my mesmer was thwarted since this bleeding skyd was the sort who held little fear for battle. Instead, he thrived on it.
His sword jabbed. I danced away and swung at his spine. The tip of my sword sliced his ribs, dropping him to one knee.
The ground shook again. A fracture split beneath our boots and . . . there it was. A glimmer of fear.
I laughed out loud. The skyd was terrified of heights. He’d watched dozens of his fellow guards fall to a brutal death because of Valen.
Almost like the king knew I had need of his magic, another violent shudder widened the crevice beneath us. In the corner of my eye, Valen lowered again. He gave me a dark smile.
The guard gave a valiant effort to bury his fear of falling to the hells, but it was too late. I slammed my palm onto the cobblestones. Beneath my hand the gash in the courtyard widened and the skyd could not escape it.
He screamed as he fell into nothingness.
I looked to the king. Valen’s smile was wide, almost conniving, until it dropped.
“Kase!” The king lifted an axe as if he might throw it. “At your back!”
I spun around and a sharp burn filled my middle.
Sabain’s unfeeling eyes held mine. My body trembled. Slowly, I looked to the space between us. A short blade filled the center of my stomach. My head grew foggy, but I knew . . . I knew this wound was too deep, too violent.
Sabain snapped his teeth at me and ripped the sword from my middle. He laughed. He would’ve kept laughing if an axe did not slice deep into his shoulder.
“Gods!” Valen cursed his miss, but it was enough to wound Sabain. Enough to get him to back away to protect his own worthless life.
Fetid blood burned in the back of my throat. A scream rattled in my ears. The one capable of breaking my heart.
When I stumbled, slender arms were there to catch me. Malin’s bright eyes hovered over me. Blood heated my lips, but in truth the pain wasn’t even so bad anymore. I . . . I couldn’t feel anything.
“Don’t cry, Mallie,” I whispered. “Nothing hurts.”
“Kase.” She sobbed, brushing my hair off my face incessantly. “Kase, don’t you dare leave me. Don’t you dare. Kase.Kase!”
