My father’s gaze lowered to the bloodied remains of the King, and the Wraith Borne at his back shifted into formation with the promise of violence. The Unseelie guards responded in kind, inching closer as they created a protective wall around their new king.
Ryker’s shadows stirred, rising like smoke from a pyre. Callum unsheathed his sword, his knuckles blanching under the strain of his grip. Riordan’s palm erupted with flames, and magic pulsed through the room as more fae drew on their powers.
The air tightened, pulled taut as a bowstring, until even breathing felt like a risk.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
But the space between us thrummed with a dangerous energy, ready to ignite.
My father raised his head, his brown eyes, almost a mirror of mine, raking over me as he searched for any sign I might waver. “This is your last chance, Cadence. Think of what you are risking.” His gaze flicked to Callum, and I felt my brother stiffen at my side.
Ryker’s thumb brushed my knuckles, grounding me and letting me know he was ready.
A heartbeat passed, and then I raised my daggers as I drew my magic around me.
“Very well,” my father said, each syllable heavy with finality. “Let’s see how loudly your courage screams when it’s drowning in its own blood.”
A storm hovered, a single breath away from breaking.
And in the next heartbeat, everything shattered into chaos.
One of my father’s men lunged for Callum, and he met him blade to blade. My brother snarled, parrying the first blow and sending his attacker reeling with a brutal slice that splattered the marble. His movements were precise but furious, no longerthe brother I remembered but lethal in his own right. His blade pierced the chest of his assailant, and the man went down with a guttural, wet scream.
The rest of the Wraith Borne surged forward, and Ryker’s shadows wrapped around me protectively. Together, we tore through the first line of attackers. Steel scraped and screamed, metal met bone, and blood coated us in warm sprays.
The Unseelie guards hurled themselves into the melee, swords and daggers flashing as they fought against the invading force. Magic lashed out in wild, uncontrolled bursts; a whip of air, a streak of fire, a blast of sound that rattled my teeth and made the bones in my hands vibrate.
Riordan stepped into my line of sight, and I watched as he caught a combatant on the tip of his weapon, then twisted, before sending his assailant flying into the closest pillar. He didn’t even wait for the body to hit the ground before raising his sword in a broad arc and bringing it down on the head of another enemy.
The battle raged all around me. Across the chamber, I saw my father watching it unfold, his lips curled in satisfaction. “Are you having fun, Daughter?” he taunted, spreading his arms wide as if welcoming the carnage. “Because I am.” His eyes glinted with victory, and a second later, I understood why.
One of the Wraith Borne reached for me, and an icy chill coursed through me at the point of contact. My throat closed over as I tried to scream, and my skin tightened around my bones, constricting and withering as it sucked the life from me. I felt my soul being ripped from my body, and tears streaked down my cheeks as I silently screamed.
The feeling was pure agony.
Then, as quickly as it started, it was over.
A rush of heat brushed my arm, and I sucked in a lungful of air. My heart was beating so fast that I clutched the front of my dressas if I could hold it in place. The sounds of battle were muted, and all I could discern was the pounding of blood in my ears.
“Cadence,” someone called, but I could barely hear them. “Cadence,” they said again. “Can you hear me?”
Storm-grey eyes filled my vision, and I blinked to clear the fog hovering over me. “Riordan?”
“Hey there, sweetheart.”
I glanced around me, searching for the Wraith Borne who had attacked me, but all that remained was a steaming pile of ash.
“You did that?”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” he said with a grin. “Are you hurt? Can you stand?”
My magic flared inside my veins, probing for signs of injury. Relief loosened my chest when I realized no remnants of the Wraith Borne’s touch had lingered. Once the connection was severed, my body wasted no time knitting itself back together.
“I’m all right.”
Riordan released a relieved breath, and I turned my attention to him. Blood had soaked through his tunic, and I reached for his arm, placing my hand over the wound.
