Pietro had been clever in how he planned it all, not letting the humans who stayed among us know of the others he’d hidden in Respandora, along with their weapons. And then he’d not only bound them to magic that would kill them should they try to speak, he’d also played with their minds,not allowing them to speak about him and give him away. While his fellow traitorous fae had used their own magic to shield their minds. It was why our truth-tellers hadn’t been able to detect who’d planned the attacks on the military school or the castle.
Donnie rested a hand on my shoulder when I edged off the cold wall of Commander Hudson’s old cottage with a sword in my hand and determination in my heart. I stared at my now clean hands; at the fresh clothes I’d put on after a quick shower. At the scars that marred my hand where the fire had burned. The healer who’d tended to me had been quick, but the process had been painful and had left deep, ugly scars where the burns had been. Somehow, I could still see Elias’s blood all over me.
I shuddered.
“You don’t have to do this,” Donnie said, his voice low while his worried gaze assessed me. “I’ll do it. I’ll kill him. You don’t need his blood on your hands.”
My heart wobbled at his words. While he was against killing prisoners, he’d do it so I wouldn’t have to. But . . .
“I want his blood on my hands,” I said.
Crossing to him, I stepped on the snow covered in Pietro’s blood and smiled at the heated gaze the fae gave me when I neared him. Fatigue made him hang limply from his wrists that had been shackled with iron cuffs, but it did nothing to hide his hatred.
With Brenton on one side of me and Donnie and George on the other, I picked at the scabbed wound Elias had made when he punctured my hand. Satisfied when I drew blood, I said the words that were now familiar. I called to Pietro’s fire magic and sent it roaring over his thrashing body in one large flame. I drank in his screams of agony and inhaled the smell of his burningflesh.
Only when his bellows subsided did I call that magic back. With his head drooped forward, I placed the tip of my sword beneath his chin, making blood trickle when I used it to force his head up.
“You can hate me all you want,” I told him. “As long as you die knowing Elias and I will rule this realm, just as my sons who you calledabominationswill also one day rule. All while you rot in some unmarked grave. There will be no commemoration of your life, and your soul will never make its final journey to the stars. If I can find a way to lock your soul to your body, I will do so.”
Before he could utter a sound, I drove my sword through his neck.
His breath hitched, just once, before blood spilled in a thick gush down his chest and along the blade. I didn’t look away. Not even when I yanked the sword free, and crimson slicked the metal.
A broken sigh made my shoulders rise and fall in exhaustion. George took my sword while Brenton pulled me close to him.
“George.” I held my chin up, not allowing my head to drop despite the sudden fatigue. “Will you see to the fae and humans he named?”
“Of course.”
I nodded. “I’d like to see Elias now.”
When I reachedLeah’s house, Nalari, several lirio I recognized, and Hayden stood guard outside. I patted Nalari’shead right between her nose when she nudged her head against my stomach.
“Do you know how he is?” I asked aloud.
“He remains unconscious. It’s taken quite a few healers to work on him, but he will make a full recovery.”
My back slumped forward in relief.
“I’m sorry,”Nalari said, her reptilian eyes darkening.“Had I kept my connection with you and Elias open, I would’ve felt it the moment you were in danger. I shouldn’t have?—”
“There is no need to apologize when you’ve done nothing wrong,”I told her.“There was no way of knowing what would happen.”
When she didn’t reply, I turned to Hayden, who stood at attention, alert and observant of everything around us.
“Did anything happen?” I asked, scanning the various homes that made up a small neighborhood. “Did anyone . . .” I waved a hand in the air.
“We’ve only allowed those closest to him inside,” Hayden said. “Everly told us of humans trying to get through the tear to return to the human realm. We weren’t sure if they were among those who’ve betrayed us. We closed the tavern and the shifter fae are holding them there so they can’t escape.”
“Did any fae try to get through too?” I asked.
“No.” His lips thinned. “Do you know what fae betrayed us?”
“Yes.” I blew out a long breath of air. “George is gathering warriors together to arrest them. There may be more hiding in Respandora. I know I’ve kept you on your feet for a long time when you’re still healing, but I’d like you to put together your own group to search the area for people and weapons. You don’t have to go, and you can rest once you assemble the group, Hayden, but I need someone I can trust to handle this.Just let whoever you choose know that if anyone remains hidden there, they will be armed with weapons made of iron.”
“I can go,” he said. “If you’ll allow it, I can lead the group.”
“Hayden.” I placed a hand on his forearm. “You should rest.”
