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“I’ll come back sooner than you know,” he promised.
She hissed and growled. He thought of other commands he needed to enforce to ensure the others didn’t trample each other in their haste to escape, then thought of how he was going to direct his army when the invasion came. His people first, he decided. Barrier next.
“Rick, I want the crown back.”
“You gave it back already.”
They reached the safe room, one of the few that hadn’t cracked in the explosion with how sturdy and foolproof it was. He ushered her in, relieved that the whole thing had been uneventful.
“I’m sorry,” he intoned.
“You’re not forgiven—”
The door slammed shut with enough force to almost clip Yu’s hovering wings.
“Finally. I knew this was your first destination.”
Heat pulsed in the air, melting the ice from the walls. Erin jumped inside Rick’s shield and clutched Yu, but that proved futile as the heat touched it too—and to his astonishment, his shield gave in and melted away soundlessly. In the ensuing confusion, the voice clicked and he spun to peer into a dark corner.
“Show yourself.”
Bronco glided forward, robes grand and expression not sharing everyone else’s bewilderment and panic from outside. A cold sensation wracked Rick’s belly even while the heat repeatedly melted away every shield he tried to put up.
“I should have just done this in the first place,” Bronco mused, one hand fisted on something sparkly. He waved it around and melted away Erin’s attempts to hit the man with her ice, then flicked it until she cried out in pain. “It’s hot, princess. I suggest not making me use it any further.”
Rick moved to shield her and became that heat’s target until he was sweating profusely. Pain riddled his body when that heat skimmed inside, invisible tendrils that seemed to wrap around his nerves, bones, and organs. His nature tried to fight it, the icy energy within him rebelling with everything it had. But whatever power Bronco held was stronger and darker, rendering him immobile.
“Bronco, what the hell?”
Refusing to give in, Rick threw up another shield. Bronco laughed. The stoic man disappeared and in its place was one brimming with purpose and disdain.
“It’s not going to hold,” Bronco advised casually. “Your shield needs ice and this is too hot to maintain that. It’s perfect, actually, and as I said, I should have done this sooner. You have no power over it and neither do the others. The weaker a Fae is, the more I can identify who needs to go.”
It didn’t make sense…and then it did, clicking into place and washing another wave of coldness within Rick. Disbelief and fear clashed while the pain chased them off to dominate him. He didn’t make a sound, but Erin did, her gasp echoing in the room.
“You’re the killer.”
Killer. Murderer. The enemy that Rick didn’t know he had. Erin’s certainty shone through and pride glinted in Bronco’s features. The plenty of times he had entrusted his loved ones—and his court—with Bronco felt like a sickening lie, even when everything made sense: Bronco being always around, the eyes and ears that hid behind his silence. Bronco having access to let a magic user in with no one the wiser. Bronco earning Emerald’s trust so she and Rick wouldn’t suspect him. Bronco poisoning minds to slowly, subtly go against him, with no one thinking the worst of it because the man had always been a reliable, loyal member of the court. As if agreeing with the last part, the man puffed out his chest.
“I’m not a killer, Your Majesty,” Bronco corrected, shaking his head at Erin. “I’m a savior.”
Rick waited until Bronco turned his way…looked his way. When their gazes met, fury roared inside him, but he kept it locked in.
“Merrell didn’t know, did he? There was no other court involved. It was all you.”
Bronco didn’t respond, but the triumphant look on his face was enough.
“Why?” Rick demanded. “Why would you do this? You had the position and the power here. You never expressed interest in the crown—”
“It’s not about the crown, or who was sitting on the throne,” Bronco interrupted, snapping it out. “Either of you would have been fine. It was the people and those of weak blood within us.”
Erin jerked back. “What?”
“Winter Fae should be ruthless and cold,” Bronco insisted. “They should have no weaknesses. It was my job to slowly eliminate those who showed soft hearts and weak minds to build a better kingdom. It wasmyway of helping you, Prince Rick, and Her Majesty, but you just had to investigate and ruin the flawless plan. In the end, I decided that you were weak, too, especially after you showered so much attention to that witch—”
Against the pain, Rick brutally forced himself forward, hands reaching out to strangle the man. The agony doubled and crumpled him to the ground while Erin’s voice echoed more dimly in his senses. His vision dimmed, too, and a crushing force pressed against his lungs. But Bronco’s words rang loud and clear, ironically sweet and swimming with cheer.
“Now I know Her Majesty deserves the crown, not you, and I can finally make that happen thanks to this gemstone. All of you weaklings will be eliminated, and the only way to achieve utopia and the perfect Winter Court is—”
