“Say it,” he snapped.
“Yes,” I said, my voice cracking on the simple word as anticipation and fear threatened to bring me to my knees.
“Good.” His patronizing tone grated on my nerves, forcing me to remind myself why I was doing this in the first place. His focus shifted past me, and a moment later, Endymion removed his hand from me and took a couple of steps back.
“Turn around,” Wymond ordered.
My body railed against the idea of having him at my back, but I did as I was told.
Endymion stood facing me, nearly equidistant between me and the others—Wymond’s magic still poised to snuff their lives. His face was impassive as he focused on his High Lord, and a part of me was grateful for it. I was barely holding on emotionally, and I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be able to shoulder the weight of his emotions, should they slip through.
A firm grip grasped my shoulders from behind, and I flinched away.
“Stand still, Nyleeria,” Wymond warned.
Hands balled into fists, I heeded his order as my chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, the movement enough to remind me of the dagger hidden beneath my left breast. I wasn’t sure what was worse,being weaponless, or having a fucken useless weapon. Though, with over a hundred soldiers under Wymond’s command, I wasn’t sure there was a weapon in existence that wouldn’t have proved just as inept as the one Endymion had armed me with.
A pang of guilt seared me as I realizedIwas supposed to be that weapon—yet, here I was, defenseless, and the reason my comrades were one whim away from death.
Without warning, Wymond pressed down on my shoulders, flooding me with his magic.
I’d prepared myself for the stinging sensation of the antidote, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the inferno that tore through my body. I fell to my knees, clutching my chest. The spark had been unleashed like a shooting star, only to collide with the walls of Wymond’s magic.
I couldn’t see past the searing hot pain as I collapsed forward, barely catching myself.
Autumn’s magic was forcefully pushed out of me as the spark reclaimed her rightful place, and while I was grateful for her return, my body had paid a steep price.
“What is the meaning of this?” Wymond called from above me as I caught my breath. “Answer me, Endymion!”
A fresh wave of adrenaline shot through me, and my eyes snapped open.
What I saw made no sense, and I shook my head against whatever trick my mind was playing on me, only, the sight remained. Ice-cold panic wrapped its knurled, bony fingers around my heart and squeezed as I stared at Endymion’s prone body, which mirrored mine.
Pained, dazed, midnight-blue eyes stared back at me before going wide with shock. He made to move but was grabbed by rough hands that swiftly disarmed him before forcing him to his knees before the High Lord.
Those same insidious inky ropes weaved around his commander’s lower half, then shot out from the ground and wrappedthemselves like gloves around his hands before anchoring to the ground, pulling his arms taut.
“No,” I breathed, pressing myself up despite my body’s protestation.
Thaddeus barked a cruel laugh, pulling the High Lord’s attention away from the commander that knelt before him.
“What’s so funny?” Wymond spat.
“It appears, High Lord, that I’m not the only one to have ferreted out a traitor in my command.”
“While I agree with your assessment, King Thaddeus,” Wymond said in a measured tone, “there’s something more at play here.” He turned his gaze back to Endymion. “Isn’t there, Commander?”
The hard set of Endymion’s jaw sharpened as he ignored the question, looking straight ahead at nothing. Wymond took slow, measured steps as he looked down at his commander. After one rotation his head snapped in my direction with unbridled shock.
“Impossible,” he said under his breath. “Impossible.” I watched him closely as he shook his head, trying to comprehend whatever he thought he’d uncovered.
I shot a questioning gaze in Artton’s direction, grateful to find him holding himself upright and focused. He shook his head, looking as confused as me.
Then, Kaelun gasped, and my eyes darted to his.
The High Lord’s attention shifted to the summer fae. “You see it too.” It wasn’t a question.
Mouth agape, Kaelun offered one, slow nod as if in shock.
