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Its black eyes were eerie but also so large and round they reminded me of a doe’s. Innocent and frail. Its long silvery hair pooled around its sharp face in the water.
…not hurt us…
I shook my head, and reached out an arm, feeling the slick, silk-like topside of one of her tentacles. She recoiled slightly, but then relaxed.
The healing Grace was still one of the more difficult to wield. And now that I didn’t have Aisling to help me anymore, it was hit or miss when I tried to use it. But this time it answered my call within seconds as though the Grace itselfknewthis was no practice run.
I flinched, finding not one, but seven dark spots within the Wraith. Seven grave injuries. It was a wonder the creature was even still alive. I heaved in a deep, quick breath and pushed—letting the Grace flow from me into the Wraith. Let the healing light wrap around the darkness, eat it away. Smother it.
But I had to keep pushing—keep calling forth the Grace to heal all of her wounds. My strength waned, and it became more difficult. My muscles tensed, my lungs ached, and my head throbbed. The last of the dark spots faded and I let go, falling back, my head heavier than I’d ever felt it.
The Wraith reached out to steady me, and I tried to refocus my gaze and find her face in the crooked, spinning world. My heart sputtered, trying to find its proper rhythm.
…you are strong… but you cannot defeat him… not alone…
Vaguely, I heard my guardians arguing behind us. I didn’t have long before they saw how much trouble I had standing on my own and dragged me away.
“How?” I asked the creature, and she pulled me close.
An intense sadness drew down her eyes and mouth, her thin slimy fingers squeezed where they held my arms, imploring me to listen.
…queen must run…
Chapter Nine
Alaric
Icouldn’t believe it. Not when Finn told me, or when Liana confirmed it. Ten-thousand men.Alchemists. We knew a fair amount about their kind, but not nearly enough. Like us, there were some who were granted more strength than others, though for them it was more to do with natural selection than it was to do with the circumstances of their birth.
But we didn’t know how many were gifted with the ability to use the ancient magical art and how many weren’t. The army could be made up of foot soldiers, men not gifted by the power of the Alchemists, or they couldallbe gifted—though that was highly unlikely.
Damnit.I slammed a clenched fist down on the wide wooden desk. My dark chamber was only making the foreboding feeling worse than it already was. The walls seemed like they were closing in, the darkness growing claws.
Ten-thousand.
It didn’t matter—gifted or not, were didn’t have the army to match them.
Think, Alaric.Think!
There had to be a solution. There always was, wasn’t there? So, why couldn’t I see it…
We would have to kill the Mad King. It was the only way—cut off the head of the beast and the whole thing will fall. But that was if we found him. If we could get to him. And if we could somehow defeat him. There were too manyifs.
The council wasn’t any help either. When Liana told them the size of the Mad King’s army and that they would land by this night on the northwestern shores of the Wastes, there’d been silence. I thought none of them had taken the situation seriously until war was upon their doorstep.
And their answer… to send anenvoy.
I sighed. As though the Mad King would be coaxed into discussing terms. Or as if he were interested in finding apeaceful solution.He didn’t bring an army here to discuss terms—no,he meant to take back the throne and kill anyone who stands in his way… like Liana.
A pang in my chest almost had me doubling over.
I couldn’t let him hurt her, and I couldn’t let her give herself up to save others. I knew she was thinking it already—I’d seen it in her eyes and in the way she nodded and spoke so,socalmly. As if she were in a dream, or a nightmare and would soon wake. She hadn’t beentheresince the Wraith showed her what made for the shores of her kingdom. She was a ghost of her regular self. As if she’d already given herself up.
I shook off the tremors coursing through my fingers and stood, needing to be mobile. Shehadto know—Ricon wouldn’t settle for her life. The noble families who fought against him and their children—and theirchildren’schildrenwould be made to pay for casting him out. He would kill half the Night Court and the other half would live in a state of perpetual fear and misery under his reign.
Save her. Save Liana and save as many of them as I can,it was all I could think. The only thing to do. But it was a foolish thought. Liana would never leave—and I’d never ask her to. It was why I loved her. It was her strength, her courage, her stubbornness, and her sense of duty. All those things that made herher.
The best I could do would be to die at her side. And it would be an honor.
