“Let us pass. I’m not here to fight you, Selene. But if you try and stop me I will be forced to retaliate.” That was my best attempt at being political in front of the fake queen.
Selene’s cackle ricocheted off the halls and I knew my attempt at peace was futile. She wanted my head.
Nix will be here in seconds,Kade said in my mind.She’ll attack them from behind. I can channel mecca through her, surround them with it.
I will join with Nix from behind,Finn added.
Okay, then, confirmation that Finn could hear the conversation too. We really needed to work this mental link thing out. Another time, whenwe weren’t about to jump into a shifter throwdown.
Let’s attack now,I said, hoping everyone would hear.They won’t have time to call in more guards, and I sense that Victor and the others are close.
Now!Three voices crossed the bond, and I had the first chance to hear the light, whispery tones of Nix.
Kade grabbed my hand, the two of us drawing in mecca energy. It was easy this close to the stone; there was so much it was literally seeping in from all directions. Our mated bond also helped. It was like the well of energy in my center was connected to Kade’s, and holy crap … his connection to the mecca was beyond anything I’d ever felt.
Selene shrieked before the skin on her hand and forearms shone purple. She blasted out again, running toward us. Of course she must have forgotten she was wearing a ridiculous gown. Her legs tangled in the hem, tripping her down flat onto the floor, and her shot went wide. Ignoring her, Kade and I advanced on the guard. The talisman around his neck glowed a purplish hue as he began to chant a spell that had the wind whipping up around us. Sabina must have made that talisman. No one else was powerfulenough, save for Violet, and she never would have.
“He’s calling the guards and magic born,” I said, loud enough to be heard over the whipping winds. “I felt the call go out.”
Kade pulled me closer, his chest rumbling against my arm.If I attack them, they could declare war on the bears. I can’t let that happen while I’m not here to defend them. What’s your plan?
I shook my head.They won’t declare war on the bears. They don’t have the manpower to fight both your people and the fae. Besides, their beef is with me alone. They’re going to try and take care of this in-house, and probably hope your people think you were taken by the fae.
I knew Selene. That was the devious path she’d take.
Kade grinned, his rumbles turning into chuckles. “In-house is perfect. That’s exactly what I hoped you’d say.”
He dropped my hand then and charged toward the guard, leaving me to deal with Selene, who was already back on her feet. I wasn’t worried about Kade. The guard was powerful, and he had a spelled talisman, but he wasn’t royal or magic born. He couldn’t manipulate mecca like we could, and he stood no chance against an almost seven-foot bear king. Iwatched long enough to see him slam into the giant guard, knocking him back into the wall, breaking his magical call for help. The guard quickly stood, pulling a blade from behind his back with a menacing look in his eye.
Kade winked at me before diving into the fight; he looked to be enjoying it.
“Figures you’d end up slumming it with a bear,” Selene said, spitting blood out of her mouth as she advanced on me. “You always were scum. No idea who fathered you to even know if it was a decent lineage. All you had going for you was the Red Queen’s lineage, and look at what a whore she turned out to be. She let fae into our world. She caused all of this, and I think the red line should be wiped out now, forever. No longer are you fit to be heirs.”
Her dark brown eyes narrowed, her grin sinister, especially with some blood staining her teeth. Figures she would hurt herself so badly just from tripping over a stupid dress. Even though her shifter healing had kicked in, and the wound was closed over, the blood remained long after.
“Say goodbye, Arianna of the red line. You are a failed queen. A failed heir. And a true disgrace to all wolves.”
She dived toward me, pulling a knife from her arm cuff at the same time. The dress was ahindrance for her, but she was still a shifter, so she made the six foot leap with ease. We tangled together, my back crashing to the floor as she plunged the knife toward my face. I raised my forearm just in time to deflect the blow, capturing her hand and stopping her from stabbing at me again.
She was strong, filled with energy, and we struggled for dominance, neither of us wanting to give in. “The royal guards will be here any moment. You have lost. Time to say goodbye to your freak of a friend. She’s going to remain a fae plaything for the rest of her days.”
I remained focused.
Nix and I are holding off the guards.Finn’s voice was briefly there, then he was gone.
Take that, Selene, you bitch. I twisted my body to the side; her knife slipped along my arm, cutting through my shirt and slicing my cheek. I didn’t worry about the cut, it’d heal soon enough, and she let me move enough so I could swing my elbow across her brow. It clipped her hard, the brunt force enough to open her face up right along her forehead and down her temple.
She howled, rolling off me. Larak appeared then, slithering out from wherever he’d been, and launched himself at me. I knew that damn snake would be nearby, and let me just say, thereis nothing scarier than a massive anaconda throwing itself at you with both fangs bared.
“Ari!” Kade growled.
Ari!Finn was in my head.
I focused on the snake. My hand brushed along a metal object as I raised both hands to defend myself. I realized a second later that it was Selene’s knife. I rolled out of the way of Larak’s first strike, scooping up the knife as I went. By the time I turned, he was launching at me again.
I twisted to the side to avoid his fangs, throwing the huge body over my shoulder and using the knife to slice along his underbody as he went.
Selene started screaming then, these long howling shrieks, and I felt a hot surge of energy crash into me as she started throwing mecca bombs at me. Only been queen for four days and she already knew how to form the mecca into powerful little balls of energy.Unfair.Sabina must have trained her with knowledge she’d hid from me.
