“Accepted.”
I looked across Caelo to Anna. “And you, dearest friend?”
Tears shone in her narrow, upturned eyes. “I’m human.”
I feigned a shocked expression. “How dare you hide it all my life!”
A strangled sob left her throat. “You’re sure? Others won’t like it.”
“Then they won’t like much of what I intend to do as queen. I’m not sure of what your title will officially be yet, should you accept, but it will come with privileges and responsibilities to help others who have been enslaved.”
Under my rule, not only would human slaves be getting rights, but I’d do my best to discover a way for them to return to their home realm—if they so wished to. No one had ever discovered a means, but I did not believe they’d had a proper incentive either. There had to be some way. If it took many turns, decades, centuries even, I’d find a way.
“Then I accept,” Anna said. “Stars! I better read the histories of this kingdom thoroughly! I?—”
My best friend’s delight turned into a scream of horror as orcs barreled through the trees, their weapons at the ready.
Chapter 16
NEVE
Twelve orcs loomed, double Vale’s size, their eyes wild with the idea of captives, and fangs gleaming in the light of the setting sun. Acting on instinct for Anna, I used my winter magic to drive her horse back, far away from the menacing fae.
“Caelo, Neve, up!” Vale shouted, his wings teasing through his cloak slits.
I followed his orders, a shudder thundering through my body as my wings hit the cold air. With three beats of my wings, I pushed through the physical discomfort and soared upward until we were above the trees. Out of reach, I surveyed the area and exhaled a sharp breath. Anna’s horse ran backwards, just as I’d intended. Even better, our horses followed hers, putting a great deal of distance between them and the horde. Still, we had to act quickly before the orcs ran after her. Anna was brave and learning to defend herself, but she remained an easy mark.
“Divide,” Vale said. “Neve, stay with me. Caelo, you take the right.”
On the right, five orcs lumbered down the road after my best friend, leaving seven for Vale and me. Caelo soared down and fought, placing his body between the orcs and Anna.
“Force, take the young female and male next to her. I have the rest.”
“I can do more!” I shouted as I dove.
“Do as I say,” Vale shot back.
I gripped my sword, annoyed, though he was probably right. What was giving me this surge of confidence?
I’d trained for weeks against some of the best warriors in the realm, but not orcs. While I had seen these creatures in Guldtown, back when I was naïve and unable to protect myself at all, these ones seemed larger. Harder too. I needed to not get overly confident. I had not proved myself yet.
Now is the time.
I directed my attention to the closer male orc, the second smallest of the bunch, and blasted him with frost. He hadn’t seen my powerful magic coming, nor guessed that his feet would be unable to move. The male snarled, pulling and tugging against the frost that continued to build around his legs, creeping toward his torso. I flew down, sword arching his way, but he just batted my blade to the side with a dull sword of his own. Pivoting, I flipped over the orc, coming to hover behind him, where I ended the short-lived fight with a slice across his neck. Blood spattered the snow, though thanks to the frost, the orc’s body remained standing, frozen in place.
I barely had a moment to catch my breath when the female ran at me, her blade arching for my head.
She growled as our swords met in the air. The orc was far stronger than me, and pushed me back, closer to the trees. I understood her motivation. Get me away from Vale and Caelo so they wouldn’t be able to help. She thought I was the easiest mark, which if we only counted swordplay and other weaponry, she was right.
However, against most fae, my magic was unrivaled. In an instant when her sword pulled back, I leapt closer to the trees, putting a bit more space between us as I sprayed her with icicles. Two lodged into her chest, and blood spurted across the white snow. The orc’s eyes widened for a split second before she fell backwards. Dead.
I spun, taking in the others only for my heart to drop into my belly. In mere minutes, the orcs injured both Vale and Caelo. The former to an arm, the latter to his side and leg. They’d both taken down two orcs as well, but with their injuries, they were moving more slowly. I needed to help them.
My wings unfurled, but before I could catch the air, a net tumbled from the sky and covered me. I gasped as my cold powers receded, diminished to practically nothing inside me.
A low, rumbling laugh came from behind. The net pulled tight. “Caught you.”
I strained at the cage of webbing around me, trying to rip it. My blade slashed, but though the material was as supple as water, it did not tear, and that’s when my heart began to race.
