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I climbed another branch, focusing on maintaining a decent speed so we would reach the top before Curry and Mackenna could stop us.
Kieran groaned beside me, his own agony coming through. I looked at him to find that he was several branches below me, his face twisted in agony and his hands shaking on the canopy.
What in the world could I be saying to him to make him react that way?
“There they are!” Curry exclaimed. “We need to end them now!”
Not being as careful, I quickened my pace just as a ghostlike Beth appeared beside me. Even in her ghostly form, I could see a tear in her eye.
“Why didn’t you come home like you promised?” she whispered, her bottom lip trembling.
I froze. This wasn’t real. She was alive and on Earth. This was another trick. But no matter how many times I told myself that, my legs stiffened.
Something grabbed my ankles, and before I could kick, I was yanked from the canopy. I fell to the ground, and my back twinged as my wings tried to open. For the first time, I had to fight the urge to let them loose, not wanting to chance the High Court proclaiming I’d cheated.
Mackenna stood over me.
Commotion between Kieran and Curry rang in my ears, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Mackenna.
She raised her dagger to stab me in the chest, and I rolled to the left, away from Kieran and Curry. She swung down, and her dagger stabbed the grassy floor where I’d been a millisecond ago. I kicked her in the side and sent her stumbling into Curry.
Curry sidestepped and tried to regain his balance as Kieran swung his sword at the jackass. Curry raised his sword to block Kieran’s blow as he shoved Mackenna away from him and onto her knees.
Why she followed someone who disrespected her so much, I’d never understand, but I was tired of them threatening me. I aimed a kick at her face, but she grabbed my foot and lifted it. I crashed onto my back again, the wind knocked out of me. Luckily, I had my sword in hand, and when she charged, I swung.
She jumped back, my blade catching air, and stumbled five feet before catching her balance. I forced my lungs to fill and started to climb to my feet, but before I could stand, she dashed toward me again and threw her dagger. The blade and handle rotated one over the other, and I didn’t have time to think. I swung my sword like a bat. Somehow, I hit the dagger, and the blade flew to my left and hit Kieran’s armor.
He flinched, and Curry aimed a blow at his neck.
“No!” I shouted, and my magic thrummed within me.
Kieran ducked, escaping Curry’s attack. A vine snaked around the Winter King’s body and smashed into Curry’s chest. Curry flew back several feet and dropped his sword as Kieran’s eyes widened in fear.
I jerked my head around just as Mackenna swung her dagger at my throat.
No.
I twisted, but suddenly, Mackenna’s head dropped forward, and her dagger slammed into the armor on my shoulder as her body crashed into me.
“Alina!” Kieran shouted as I stumbled back into the canopy. Soft leaves brushed my head as Beth’s faint whispers called to me, but I couldn’t focus on them.
Not now.
Mackenna’s heavy body lay on me, and something warm trickled down my arm and chest. I pushed her away, expecting her to continue to fight. Then I noticed the arrow in her temple.
Someone had killed her.
“Thank Mother Terrea,” Kieran rasped as Curry’s face turned red as a tomato.
Curry attacked with more vehemence, and the clanging of their swords rang out as Rowan stepped out of the maze, holding her bow. She pointed at me and said, “My favor has been fulfilled. Next trial, I’ll kill you.”
When I nodded, she raced past me and began scaling the canopy wall.
“Go,” Kieran gritted out as he and Curry clashed swords. Kieran had strength on his side, but Curry had anger, and with the childhood I’d had, I understood that anger was a powerful motivator.
There was no way I was leaving Kieran behind after everything he’d done for me. I looked inward for the root of my magic. There had to be a way to connect with it after using it twice when I’d needed it.
I glanced at the top of the arena. The sun was nearing the horizon. We were running out of time, and we still had to climb the canopy.
