But then, a terrible roaring rends the air, and it’s not from the timberwings or Kaila’s magic. We flinch, gazes lurching to find the source.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing toward the curve of the sloping hill.
Manu’s eyes flash, something like relief crawling down his face. “That’s phase two.”
“Phase two…what was phase two?”
But he doesn’t have to say, because the movement along the snow forms into actual shapes I can decipher. Ships of white wood being pulled by a line of fire claws whose paws spark with flames.
“The Red Raids have arrived.”
There are five ships that I can see, and they stream down the slope with amazing speed, the fiery felines pulling them in an outright sprint.
One of the ships gets rocked by a hit of magic that strikes its hull. A spray of violet light bursts from it, making the animals scream. The vessel flings and tips, dark plum smoke blasting out of it and rising into the air.
“Oh, no…”
I have no love lost for the snow pirates, but they’re fightingwithOrea. We need their numbers. But as heartless as it may seem, I’ll gladly see them sacrifice themselves if it means Osrik and the others live.
The other four ships skid to a stop. The ramps toss open, and pirates stream out, pouring into the fray. Their animals are loosed too. The fire claws start racing toward the fae and tackling them, the large beasts roaring with bloodthirst and predatory hunger.
But more fae come out to meet them.
With the morning light, it’s easier to see as fae flood into the battle from the innards of Ranhold Castle.
“There are more of them…”
Great Divine, how are there more of them?
“That must be their last line of defense,” Manu replies, though his voice is shaken. Even he can’t discount the growing threat. “There must’ve been more than we realized.”
“We can’t win, can we?” I whisper. “Not even with the snow pirates or your sister’s magic.”
Behind us, both of our guards have come up to look out the window too. The tension and worry glues to each one of us, sticking to the silence as we watch.
The snow pirates, the Elites, Fourth and Third soldiers…we’re getting overwhelmed. It’s not enough. After all our plans, it’s not—
Suddenly, a horn blares.
From up on the slope where the Red Raids first appeared, an army crests.
My hand snags onto Manu’s arm, fingers squeezing. “Who isthat?”
I squint, and I just barely make out two things: a banner of two converging suns and another one of the serpent king’s sigil.
“First and Second Kingdom?” I ask breathlessly. “I didn’t know they were coming to help!”
“They weren’t,” Manu admits, glancing down at me with surprise. “We didn’t know they would be here. We sent missives to Second Kingdom, but we didn’t know… The prince must’ve sent soldiers on ships and met King Thold at Breakwater. And they must’ve just come straight here.”
Hope locks itself around my heart. Then my eyes widen when I see King Thold standing, green cloak snapping in the wind, wearing armor of green and black and a crown on his head. His Elites are with him, and all at once, he raises his sword and lets out a battle cry, sending First and Second soldiers to sprint down toward the fae.
Then the king raises both arms, and the ground rumbles and foams, seeming to bubble up…and a torrent of serpents bursts through the snow. The snakes pop up, their bodies long and white and huge.
There are dozens of them, and King Thold sends their zigzagging bodies to slither down the slope. They start attacking the fae with viciousness. Big jaws unhinging to clamp over legsand torsos. Long lengths wrapping around entire soldiers and constricting them so tightly the fae drop to the ground.
“Oh gods…”
The new arrivals of both snake and soldier now flood the battle scene. From our vantage point, it looks like the snowy landscape is an ocean of white. Snow serpents continue to burst up every few feet like choppy waves coming to snatch at the fae and drag them under.
