“Ahhh, King Fell. Sweet, simple King Fell.” Although I spoke to him, I was watching the stag.
It swung its head from the left to the right as it watched the night mares, glooms, and shades fighting to protect it.
Fell snarled and unsheathed a sword.
It didn’t have magic, but with the enraged glower he was giving me, I didn’t think the Autumn King intended to use any magic on me. He just wanted to kill me.
“Look out!” Solis shouted.
The sun stallionsfreaked.
Birch’s threw him with ease, popping him over his front shoulder before prancing away. Fell had to drop his sword and cling to his mount like a monkey as the stallion’s flaming tail and mane flared and grew so bright I could barely stand to peer at him.
Verdant’s horse surged up from behind him then screeched to a halt. Verdant slammed into its neck over the abrupt stop as the horse trumpeted.
Heck, Solis sounded so panicked and terrified, even I swung around to look at him.
The Day King was perfectly fine. He was sitting as calm as could be on the back of his mount, observing the chaos his cry had thrown the majority of the hunting mounts into.
“Oh my. I’m deeply embarrassed,” Solis said, his melodic voice unreadable. “I’m afraid the stallions still react to me when I have heightened emotions. How untimely.”
Birch wheezed on the ground, and Fell struggled to hold on as his horse continued to lose it.
I waved my thanks to the Sun King, then turned back to the stag.
He’s bought me time—I have to use it.
The stag was looking past Fell, but it finally swung its gaze toward me.
“I’m sorry,” I crooned to it as I carefully approached it. “I didn’t want to scare you, but I didn’t know how else to stop you. It’s going to be okay.”
I slowly approached him, aware my window of time to act was quickly closing.
“Solis!” Fell snarled. “What was that?!”
“What was what?” Solis asked, sounding bewildered.
I tuned out Fell’s sharp reply and stepped closer to the stag, stretching my hand out in front of me. “I’m here to help,” I said. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
My stomach twisted nervously in my gut as I drew close enough to the stag that I could touch him.
The stag still eyed me with fear, but its breathing had slowed a little.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said. “In fact, I promise no one will hurt you. Can you trust me enough to get you out of here?”
The stag snorted, but I could feel it when my natural magic started to reach him. He relaxed; the muscles in his neck and shoulders were no longer rock hard.
When I touched him, his hide twitched, but he didn’t retreat or try to knock me over—which he easily could have done.
He wasgigantic.I wasn’t aware just how big he was until I was standing in front of him, his impressive antlers stretching high above my head.
“You’re beautiful, aren’t you?” I cooed. “So noble and well cared for—someone loves you very much, don’t they?”
I sank my fingers into his soft coat and released a sigh. “One of my night mares is going to take you home. Blue Moon?”
The gelding stopped snarling at the hounds and trotted into the protected semi-circle. He swished his tail, then struck the ground with his hoof.
A door—one made of a stone archway with a fancy wrought-iron gate—formed. The gate swung open, revealing its misty innards.
