For some stupid reason, I start to drag myself up to my feet, though my vision blots out halfway there. I only stay upright because the woman comes over to steady me.
“Thanks,” I pant out between labored breaths. I’m sweating so much my hair is stuck against my temples. “Alright, come on.”
Queen Malina watches me shuffle forward a few steps. “What are you doing?”
“You need to get out of here,” I say without looking back. “Right now. There’s no time to waste. I’ll make a distraction if I need to so that you two can get away.”
“You can’t even walk.”
“A bit rude,” I mumble before I motion them forward. I have to lean against the wall to keep myself up. It’s only pure fear for them and determination to do something useful that keeps one foot moving in front of the other. I can wallow in pain after they go.
They’re still moving far too slow, though. Whispering back and forth as I finally make it to the doorway.
Then a sound stops my heart. Roaring voices coming from the void.
With my head craned past the door, I look toward the bridge at where the sound is coming from. My blood runs so cold that I stiffen and stagger. Going dizzy, I fall back, landing on the floor in a painful heap that makes me gasp.
The queen crouches down to help me back up, but instead, I latch onto her wrist. “Listen to me,” I say frantically. “I know I’m just a fae, but trust me when I tell you that you need to get as far away from here as you possibly can. Because what’s coming down that bridge next is something you can’t survive. None of you can.”
Her icy blue eyes flash at my frenzied tone. “What’s coming down that bridge?”
I shake my head as fear lances through my stomach and threatens to drain me out. “Death,” I tell her honestly. “The fae coming next are monsters. They will pick the muscles from your bones and eat your flesh while you’re still alive. They will defile everything. There will be no escaping them once they’re unleashed into your world. And they’re coming,” I press urgently. “Right now. So you need to go!”
The queen shudders visibly, and I can see the grim expression on the man’s face despite being partially obscured by his hood.
When she tries to help me up again, I shove her away. “The Stone Swords are distracted already. Go!” When she still hesitates, I harden my expression. “I’ll only slow you down. Hurry up, Orean queen. Don’t waste your chance.”
She swallows hard, and then the man grips her by the arm and drags her out of the fortress. I watch as they run the length of the wall while my pulse beats wildly.
Only when they disappear around the corner do I let out a breath. I stay slumped in the threshold of the doorway, feeling dread for Orea and crushing failure.
I couldn’t kill the king. I couldn’t stop what’s coming…but at least I got them away.
And maybe that will count for something.
CHAPTER 54
QUEEN MALINA
Dommik and I race out ofthe castle, leaving the fae woman behind. I steal one last glance at her before I go. She’s in a terrible state. So badly hurt that I couldn’t even tell what she really looked like, other than auburn hair with orange ends and a strange reddish tint to her eyes.
I’ve no idea why the fae have beaten her so severely, but if she hadn’t been dumped in there with us, we wouldn’t have been able to get out. Leaving her behind seems a poor way to thank her.
Even if she is fae.
“Wait,” I say after Dommik and I run around the corner. We press our backs against the wall, temporarily hidden from view from the army collecting at the other side. “We can’t just leave her.”
“We have to. You know we do, Malina. She can’t walk, let alone run.” He grits his teeth, straining once again to shove the cuff off his hand, cursing when he still can’t do it. “We needto go, and I can’t use my shadows. You heard what she said. Something is coming. We need to run.”
He points straight ahead in the direction where we found that ruined house and spent one blissful night together. That seems such a long time ago.
“It’s a clear shot. None of the army is in this direction. If we run, they might not see us.”
A sudden sound erupts from across the land, but not in the direction of the bridge. Still, I can’t help but remember what the fae said.
What’s coming down that bridge next is something you can’t survive.
My stomach twists.
