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The ground was littered with black-suited bodies, far more than the silver and blue of Caladrius, and I ducked as a spear flew overhead, the bone crunching thud behind me telling me the weapon had found its mark.
“Over here. The general.The general,” someone shouted, and twenty Caladrian soldiers rushed me, more than I could ever hope to fight off, while all around me my men fought for their lives.
I waited until they closed around me, a tightening circle of swords and spears, each of them grinning in anticipation of being the lucky fucker to drag me in front of the Fae King and collect their bounty.
“I heard I’m worth a small fortune to your master. I suppose you mean to collect, you fuckers.” I grinned, tasting blood. “Let’s go.”
As one, they sprang forward, a sea of swords and knives and teeth, ready to rip and devour.
My magic bubbled up, cold and deadly, but tinged with something dark and foul. For the first time in my life, my power tasted different, felt different, in ways I couldn’t take the time to examine.
I went to disappear as the soldiers lunged, but instead, sent out a wave of darkness so powerful the air seemed to bow before it, warping and bending as the surge ripped through the enemy like they were matchsticks.
Through the black, vaporous magic, every soldier lay dead, nothing but ruined flesh and shredded fabric, their weapons lying beside them.
My mouth tasted of ash, like I’d swallowed a bonfire.
What the fuck was that? I’d never had magic like that before.
Then a Caladrian soldier surged out of the black cloud, skin in tatters, his sword aiming for my throat. I parried just in time, and then every breath was dedicated to trying to fucking stay alive.
29
ANARIA
The Citadelle was chaos.
I hoped the Oracle was happy, at least.
I’d denied her blood, but she’d gotten exactly what she wanted.
Prisoners tore priceless paintings off the walls and shattered crystal vases. Shards crunched beneath our feet as we headed for the street, dragging a shimmer of starry magic behind us. I’d expended a lot of magic today, more than I’d intended, and we weren’t out of the palace yet.
Tavion carried Adele and I kept my arm looped around Raz’s waist, his balance getting steadier with every step. All around us, Tempeste soldiers lay dead on the blood-smeared marble floors, embers floating past carried along by the heavy smell of smoke.
“Perhaps you don’t have to burn this place down after all, princess,” Tavion muttered as we picked our way through the melee. “Someone’s doing your job for you.”
“Fine, I didn’t want to—”
A wall of steel and armor swept in to block our escape, then the Fae King scuttled in front of us, his long hair swinging loose, his dark eyes wild with rage.
“You didn’t think I’d sense my magic being used inmy own home?” he roared, advancing toward us on creeping, spiderlike legs. “I sensed something earlier out on that field—I fucking knew it.”
“Tavion.” Magic pooled around me, slipping across the floor like fog. “Get my mother out of here.Now.”
Adele had no way to defend herself, no means to even run, if this went badly.Please, Tavion, for once in your life, listen to me.
The king’s eyes—faceted, like the Oracle’s—flew over to Adele then narrowed, as if he was finally putting two and two together. “I should have killed you when you were still in her belly.” His face twisted in fury. “Then none of this would be…”
My blast of magic blew Carex backwards into his own guards, sending them scattering across the marble floor, one of them screaming for help as he was dragged off by a horde of prisoners.
“Get my mother out of here. Raz, go with them.” I kept my eyes on the king pushing up, glimpses of his black-veined skin visible through his torn clothing. His guards climbed to their feet, weapons drawn, their ravening gazes fixed on me. “Now. I’m not going to ask again.”
I felt Tavion and Raz fade back while power dripped from my fingers. No hate in my heart, no hate in my…fuck it.
I had nothingbuthate in my heart as I faced this bastard. All I had to do was envision my mother’s hands, the hopelessness in her eyes, and that hate transformed into pure power.
I lifted my glowing hand, praying I never became anything like this monster in front of me.
