His horse lurches in time with his body, and he flops out of the saddle, whacking the ground with an extremely satisfyingoomph.
Gabriele’s mare rears while Dante murmurs, “What the—”
Gaston latches onto Tavo’s reins and holds them up. “His reins were severed, Altezza.”
I smile to myself. Well, to Morrgot and to myself since I imagine it’s his doing.Nice.
Next time, I’m aiming for his wrists.
I suck in a breath at the same time as Dante. Did he also hear Morrgot?
The prince’s blue eyes widen a little, then a lot. Although they’re turned toward me, they’re glazed over.
Shock parts my lips.Wait . . . are you sending him a vision?
Dante’s eyes jerk to the fronds over my head. He unsheathes his sword and swings, the tip trained on the hollow of my collarbone.
I attribute his aim to a knee-jerk reaction. For all his recent annoyance with me, Dante would never slay me.
I take a step back . . . just in case.
Tavo bounces to his feet and, before I can move farther backward, locks one arm around my neck and the other around my waist. “What have you done . . .?” he hisses into my ear. “What have you fucking done?”
Gabriele brandishes his sword, his jerky movement unsettling his horse. “She cut the reins? How?”
“Not her.” Dante’s gaze lowers back to me, and his cold stare turns downright frosty.
“She brought him back,” Tavo growls, the heat of his skin becoming unbearable. “She brought the fucking Crimson Crow back from the fucking underworld!”
Sixty-Six
The scent of charred fabric curls up my nose. Is Tavo burning my dress?
I stare in horror at Dante, willing him to do or say something, but the prince is transfixed by a spot over my head. I imagine Morrgot. I roll my head as far forward as I can get it with an arm clutched around my neck, then let it fly backward. I expect to make contact with Tavo’s nose or chin, but the back of my head meets air.
I whirl around, then jerk my head up to where Tavo squeals like a sow in heat, dangling from the iron talons of Morrgot’s two crows.
Dante tosses his sword onto the ground. “All right!” He raises his palms. “I agree to your terms. Gabriele, toss your sword.”
Gabriele throws it.
“Now, put him down.”
Morrgot soars higher. And then, only then, releases the detestable Fae. Tavo’s body smacks the moss with a satisfying crunch. Finally . . . something broke. Probably, his ego. Hopefully, his dick.
Reality presses the slight curl of my lips back into a grim line.
As much as I wanted to share what I was doing with Dante, I wanted to inform him of it once the five crows became one. Once I was closer to fulfilling part one of the prophecy.
Why would you show yourself?
Because I don’t tolerate men assaulting women.
Dante would’ve intervened.I knead my neck, the memory of Tavo’s grip clinging to my skin like a spiderweb.Eventually.
Morrgot is polite enough not to contradict me. Or maybe he agrees with me. That would be a first. Or possibly, he’s distracted and not picking up on my thoughts.
Gabriele’s trying to calm his jittery steed. “How did she— She’s half-Fae, and Fae can’t—”
