Magic that started at my toes and bubbled up shot through me like a geyser.
Leaves crunched under my feet, and the cool tang of the first autumn frost filled my lungs while the sensation of a crisp breeze played in my hair. The dry chuckle of leaves slapping each other teased my ears, and I couldfeelthe days shorten.
When the magic released me I stumbled, suddenly able to see and hear again.
The griffin caught me, leaning in so when I flailed I smacked into its chest, feeling its sleek feathers and the downy softness of its fur.
It was a familiar sensation—I’d experienced it with Verdant’s stag and my own night mares—but I was more than a little confused as towhythe griffin had done it.
Are they thanking me for bringing back Fell, or for taking care of the skull monster?
I jerked away as soon as I recovered, almost bouncing into Rigel. “Thank you? That was, uh, thank you,” I babbled.
The burnt red griffin bowed its head to me while the orange griffin glared at the black-haired fae.
All three griffins folded their wings against their backs and then prowled into the forest, disappearing as the colored leaves camouflaged them.
“What do you think that was about?” I asked Rigel when I could talk again.
“It appeared to be a thanks, of a sort,” Rigel said.
“That’s what it felt like, but why? Do crest animals frequently extend their thanks?”
“Not as far as I know.” Rigel glanced at the black-haired fae, who was approaching her king. “But if you still want to leave before Fell regains consciousness, I’d suggest we go.”
“Yeah, that’s important. Let’s move out!”
Rigel offered me his now freed arm. I took it, patted Eclipse as we passed her, and then entered the gate again, where my thoughts strayed from the griffins to the attack on the Autumn Realm.
Why would my would-be assassins attack Fell? Unless the other monarchs have been fielding assassination attempts from this shadowy magic all along? But I would have thought they’d spill their guts at the tea party if that was true.
My problems had just gotten a lot bigger. And as long as the other Courts were fighting, it was only going to get worse.
* * *
“I findthe entire situation troubling—and dangerous,” the Paragon announced. “A monster that essentially devours magic? Very troubling indeed.”
“The hydra had no problem taking him down. Perhaps the key is that you have to have enough magic to overwhelm the spell that allowed the monster to feed on magic,” Indigo pointed out.
The Paragon shivered, nearly jarring Aphrodite from where she was draped over his shoulders. “Ew. The hydra. I would prefer not to dwell upon such a creature—we do not wish for it to stir again.”
“He—they? Whatever, the hydra helped when we needed it,” Lord Linus said.
“Indeed,” King Solis said. “And it returned to sleep willingly. I believe the creature is to be commended—preferably without reawakening it.”
I fussed with my dessert plate—today Indigo had made unicorn cupcakes and gingerbread cookies decorated like Star Wars characters—turning it in a slow circle as I thought.
We were seated in one of the mansion’s dining rooms—yes, the gaudy place had more than one—and had been discussing the monster since Chase read Solis and the Paragon into the situation about half an hour ago.
We hadn’t gotten very far, mainly because we had so little to go on. The Paragon had busted into the Autumn Realm, but Fell hadn’t told him much more than his crabby citizen told Rigel and me.
The skull monster came out of the woods and attacked the palace. Fell and his people couldn’t fight it off. Rather than call for help, he decided to be a twerp and lure it into the Night Realm.
“I still can’t believe he just dropped that monster on us,” I said. “What kind of creep does that? He could have called for help—we would have fought with him.”
The Paragon smiled uncomfortably. “I’m afraid not all Courts would have responded with such honor, Leila.”
King Solis nodded in commiseration.
