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As we watch, a few darklings attack one of their brethren. The poor creature doesn’t last long, disappearing beneath a swarming mass of its friends.
Cannibal darklings. Wonderful—and so not surprising.
Some have taken to the water of the reflecting pool, which is even more beautiful than I imagined. Lily pads the size of watermelons float across the surface, the pale white flowers sprouting from them infested with iridescent water sprites.
Oh, God. I flinch as I see a darkling snatch one hiding in a lily and bite off the poor creature’s wings before—
I look away before I can see the rest, nausea clenching my gut. Thank the Shimmer, Ruby is still passed out on my shoulder, so she didn’t have to witness that barbaric—
“Did that creature just bite the head off a flying frog?” Ruby slurs, sitting up on my shoulder.
Holding a finger to my lips, I nod and whisper, “Yes, frogs. Flying frogs.”
“Good.” She rubs her head, totally ignoring my signal for silence. “Frogs are vile, disgusting creatures. Toads are worse. Some even eat sprites, can you imagine?”
In the hopes that she’ll stop talking, I ignore her as we pad on silent feet down the stairs. Any minute now, the breeze will carry the whiff of Valerian and Asher’s scent to the creatures.
Mack jerks her chin at the rectangular pool. Go time.
Reaching behind my head, I carefully grab the magical spear’s case, grimacing as I unclick the clasp. It pops open with a soft hiss.
Red, fiery light spills from the velvet-lined inside like fog, rolling away from me faster than I expected.
Well, crap.
A collective snarl splits the night as countless darklings all whip their heads in the direction of the magic . . . and us.
My fingers curl around the iron handle of the spear, a tingling sensation driving up my forearm. A single dark red garnet pulses from the hammered spear tip.
Ruby coos as she spots the jewel. “Hello, you pretty little sparkly thing.”
Ripping the weapon from its case, I jerk the spear back, find a spot in the water that seems to have the least amount of sprites, and throw it.
Thankfully, the magic inside the weapon improves my terrible aim, and the spear lands exactly where I wanted it to go—in the middle of the reflecting pool.
“My pretty!” Ruby cries.
Ignoring Ruby’s furious shrieks, I watch it sink noiselessly into the water and then—
A jolt rocks the steps beneath our feet as crimson magic ripples out into the water. Any darkling within fifteen feet turns to ash immediately. The explosion causes all the water sprites to take to the air like stars shaken free from the sky.
Even Ruby startles, tumbling from my shoulder and nearly face-planting on the stairs before remembering she can fly.
Doubt creeps in; I frown. Did we just waste a valuable weapon that we might need in a few minutes?
All at once, the darklings freeze. As the water stills, the crimson magic can be seen roiling out in waves beneath the surface.
With a collective shriek, the creatures surge across the lawn toward the pool.
23
The reflecting pool teems with darklings. “The magic tainted the water,” Mack remarks as we race to the right, following a line of slender trees toward the safe zone. Ruby swerves and dips above us, cackling like this is all some game.
The monument rises in the distance, so close yet still so freaking far away. The golden shield of magic floats around it like a corona of light in a sea of shadows.
I glance to my left at the water as we sprint. Mack’s right. The magic seeped into the pond, creating an even larger target and making the entire thing a magnet for the creatures.
A few darklings still remain in our path, torn between the powerful Evermore they smell and the magic in the water.
