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I do the same. When I see what he’s staring at, the Summer Princess suspended midair, a puzzled frown finds my face. “Did you . . . know her?”

His eyebrows gather as something dark shifts inside his eyes. “I loved her.”

Oh—oh. I stare at the Summer Princess with renewed interest, a pang of jealousy worming into my heart.

“But you and Princess Hyacinth fought each other in the Nocturus.” I remember now the story of how the princess bested him with the whip and then spared his life.

A wry smile quirks his lips. “Yes. I knew I loved her way before she ever felt the same about me.” He drags his eyes away from the floating Fae girl and settles his gaze on me. “Did you really think a whip with snowdrops would best me?”

“So the story about your father having you whipped isn’t true?”

“Oh, it’s true. But I let her win.”

“Why?” e explosion of flame bursts across the meadow, illuminating the hundreds of darklings on the field.

Asher! A quick glance and . . . holy freaking crap. He’s shifted into his dragon form.

Gasping, I barely rip my gaze from the sight of the enormous gray and green scaled dragon, his black-tipped gray wings outspread as they flap once, twice, propelling him into the sky. The gusts from his wings send darklings flying.

I watch, both petrified and in awe, as roiling swathes of fire surge from his mouth, the gray smoke choking the air.

Countless darklings catch on fire. They screech in pain. But even as living torches, they keep coming.

Only iron can kill them. Only I can kill them.

A group of darklings rush toward the prince. With a wild yell, Eclipsa and her twin blades fall on the writhing mass of creatures. Bright stars of magic bloom between the fray as she hits them with her powers, sending the wave receding.

At first, I don’t think the prince is doing anything. Then I realize he’s simply moving too fast. At some point, he’s in the middle of a pack of darklings, the steel of his broadsword flashing the only thing I can make out, when a darkling sneaks up behind him.

No! Panic constricts my throat. I have an arrow in my hands and it’s flying toward the creature before I can blink. It sinks to the fletching in the darkling’s back. The moment the iron meets its flesh, the monster falls dead. The prince flips around just in time to see the darkling’s body erupt in red flames from the inside out.

His gaze flicks to me.

I grin.

But when I glance back to the forest, my smile fades. There’s just too many darklings. They spill from the trees like ants, a never-ending wave of death and destruction. And they’re smarter than I gave them credit for, seeming to work in tandem to outflank us.

In fact, one of the darklings seems to lead the others.

Which, from everything I know about the creatures, is impossible.

I aim my arrows at the darkling leader, but the creature is just too quick. My arm is tiring. The bow quivering inside my aching fingers.

Ruby drops to my shoulder. “This is the end, kid. It’s been fun. And by fun I mean screw this entire meadow and the Fae zombie humans who don’t die.”

I release another arrow, hitting a darkling a few feet away. “I’m not giving up yet, Ruby.”

Eclipsa and Mack press close. I share a look with my best friend, surprised by how fierce she looks. A fiery look gleams in her eyes, her nose scrunched and jaw clenched in determination.

She truly would die protecting her keeper.

Valerian joins us as we’re forced tightly together. “On the count of three, I’m going to run toward the woods.” He nods to his right. “The darklings will follow me.”

Eclipsa shoots him a savage scowl. “Hell, no. If you think for a moment I’m going to let you steal all this glory—”

“I’m ordering you,” Valerian says. His focus shifts to me. “I made a promise to keep someone safe from harm, and I won’t break that promise.”

My stomach clenches. I feel queasy. I shake my head as Eclipsa gives a dutiful nod.

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