Eclipse—even though she was hurt—charged it, and Twilight kicked out at it, his hooves passing straight through the monster’s disconcerting, ever-changing head.
It didn’t bother the monster—which was intent on trying to break through my barrier.
That probably means its core isn’t in its head. Which means it’s most likely in the chest. But how can I destroy it when I’ve only been practicing wards! Wait, unless…
I skidded to a stop and whirled around.
The creature was right behind me. It reached for me, and I ducked under its arms, barely avoiding its claws.
My mouth dried up as I shoved my hand into the monster’s shadowy torso and used the one magic I’d practiced endlessly for the past few weeks.
I made a ward.
Not around me or my night mares, but around the monster. Or—rather—in it.
When I’d poured all the magic I could muster into the spell, I released it, and the ward grew, expanding into a purple shield that vertically sliced through the monster’s body.
I held my breath, afraid to hope.
The creature stopped flailing, split by the barrier.
A moment passed, and its chest cavity glowed white hot before the light. I heard a snapping noise, and whatever spell it was that forged the creature crumbled. Its body and limbs turned into thick clouds of black smoke.
A flower dropped from the haze before the smoke dissolved into the air.
Blood oozed down my back as I stooped over and snatched up the spotless, white flower. It was a chrysanthemum.
Lady Chrysanthe.
The muscles in my back ached, and my legs shook as I shoved the flower into my pocket. “Everyone okay? Eclipse?”
Eclipse called to me—she was already farther up the street, pawing at the road and charging a few steps east. Toward the finish line.
Solstice, Nebula, Comet, and Twilight joined her.
Only Blue Moon waited at my side, swiveling so I could conveniently hop on.
“Really? We’re just going to keep racing like nothing happened?” Despite my grumblings, I hurriedly tried to mount Blue Moon—and only succeeded in flopping on his back like a landed fish. “You’re all crazier than I am.” I kicked my leg over and pushed my foot through the saddle stirrup before I grabbed his reins.
Blue Moon snorted, took a few prancing steps, then fell into a rolling canter. We blazed past the other night mares, who caught up with us within a heartbeat.
Just as they had on the walking trail, the night mares stretched out, galloping at an insane speed that blurred sights and sounds.
I’d just fought a monster, and it wasn’t a good thing that the magic my prism channeled had slowed down drastically during the fight, but that didn’t matter right now.
We’re going to win—to prove to the fae who underestimate us how wrong they are about the night mares, and to show them I’m not going to back down from their stupid games. I’m going to end this obsession with power in my Court, and show them just how a half human/half fae rules!
I clutched my prism, tangling it in the reins, and a smile crawled across my face as my night mares thundered around me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Rigel
“Lord Umer has entered the final stretch!”
I ignored the announcement—which indicated that he’d entered the park and was not far from the finish line—and watched as the new drone that had been sent after Leila and the night mares investigated the area where the previous one had been wrecked.
There was nothing there. No monster, no horses, no Leila. A bunch of trash cans had toppled over, but nothing more.
