“But—”
“I’m going to Seventh.”
I rear back. “Why?”
He surprises me by actually answering. “Auren is on the other side of that bridge.”
Shock pushes into me. “Auren? She’s in… But how?”
“Doesn’t matter. What matters is I’m going to find her.” His fierce green gaze pins into me. “And do not be fooled, Queen Malina. There is no guarantee that even Fourth Kingdom will be safe, nor any of the others. I suggest you and your people lock your castle doors and hide inside for as long as you can. My power has given Orea a chance by buying you some time, but more fae could still come. This isn’t over.”
His words are a slap of cold reality. Of course we’re not safe. Of course it isn’t over. He made Highbell safe, but for how long will that be true? How much more blood will be on my hands?
He’s right. Nowhere in Orea is safe. Not with the fae crossing in. Not with the bridge thatIhelped remake. A bridge that I’m responsible for.
“Take me with you.”
The words blurt out of me, and across the courtyard, I hear Dommik’s voice shouldering in. “No.”
King Ravinger narrows his eyes on me. “Why would I do that?”
Desperation creases into my face and pours into my tone. “Because I caused this. Because you’re right—nowhere is safe. Not while that bridge is open.”
“And what are you going to do in Seventh?” he challenges.
“I have magic now,” I answer. “I will use it to block the bridge. To kill fae, if I have to. I’ll do whatever it takes to stop them from coming in.”
Around us, the courtyard has gone quiet, save for the crackling fire that’s slowly gnawing its way through the bodies.
Ravinger watches me, his expression inscrutable, and though my heart pounds in my chest hard enough to hurt, I know this is right.
I can feel it in my brittle bones.
Dommik comes up to my side in a flash, gripping me by the arm and spinning me around. “Are you out of your mind?” he hisses. “You’re not going back to Seventh.”
“I have to.”
“You fuckingdon’t.”
“I do,” I counter firmly. “I see that now.”
“Queen Malina, you can’t leave us!” one of my people cries, while murmurs break out amongst them. “We need you to protect us!”
A hard lump lodges in my throat at the looks on their faces. “This is the only way I can truly protect you,” I say to her, to all of them. “So long as that bridge is open, Orea won’t be safe. I need to at least try to stop them. For all our sakes.”
“What will we do?” another man asks.
“You’ll stay in the castle. King Ravinger used enough power that it’s as fortified as it can be, and there are no fae in sight.” They look at me with alarm, but I want them to understand. I’m trying to do this for them, trying to be the queen they deserve. “I must go so I can do everything in my power to stop more fae invading our land.”
The dread is visible in their faces, but so is the slow acceptance of my stated truth.
I look over at Dommik, my eyes tracing over his features. “Protect them,” I murmur.
His eyes flash and then he practically snarls in my face, though his words are only loud enough for me. “I’m going with you, youridiculous fucking fool.”
“But—”
His hand tightens on my arm, and he pulls me closer so that I see his whole face beneath the hood. “Don’t. Argue.”
