We raced across the far side of the field, easily catching up with the other monarchs.
As much as Fell liked to mock my poor night mares for their skinny appearance, the fact was they could easily outpace the sun stallions—something I intended to use to my advantage shortly.
This forest wasn’t quite as tightly planted as the other, and there were a few trails that wound through it.
I strained my ears to listen over the baying dogs and the pounding hooves as the other monarchs slowed to a trot—with Verdant and Fell jostling for the lead position.
And then I heard it—a noise that sounded like an angry goblin drowning in a swimming pool.
Chapter Sixteen
Leila
Ipressed my leg into Comet’s side, and she burst sideways, taking the dirt path that split off from the main one the others were on.
“The hunt is this way, Queen Leila,” Fell called after me.
I ignored him and whistled for my shades, who split off from the pack and joined me.
Only Rigel thundered after the other monarchs, as he had agreed to when I first came up with this plan.
With no one around us to box us in, Comet zoomed down the dirt path, sending clods of turf flying as the shades loped behind us.
Kevin howled again.
Comet casually cantered for a few strides, and then the angry goblin cry came again—this time from slightly east of the original cry, but still farther north.
My heart pounded in my throat, and my palms were sweaty in my gloves.
I hope they understood everything I wanted. Is this even possible? It means they have to communicate. I know they’re smart, and with my magic that should only be amplified. But is my magic strong enough?
Something deep inside of me—the thing that had been gnawing at my insides ever since I’d failed to hold the barrier—washed over me.
I can’t do this—I can’t even save my people. I’m going to fail.
“No,” I said out loud. “No! I don’t care what I can and can’t do—I’m not going to let that stag be killed because Fell has the personality of a farting gorilla!”
Comet snorted, and I hunkered down over her neck as I listened.
A shade howled, and I pulled Comet to a stop just where our path split with another.
I couldn’t see the other monarchs anymore, but I could faintly hear them.
And now we wait.
I held my breath as Comet stood in the shadow of a massive tree. The shades paced for a little bit, settling farther down the trail.
The sounds of the hunt grew closer as hounds bayed and sun stallions neighed.
“What happened?” Birch shouted above the chaos.
“Something spooked the stag, it’s running west now.”
Well done—we’re doing great.
Something crashed down the path, snorting in its effort to breathe. A flash of white, and the stag passed us.
“Comet!” I shouted.
