I straightened as I recognized the man in front. Lord Rand Alistair, a high lord of the Winter Court. Next to him was Idell Newsome, a high lady. My eyes scanned the others in the crowd, recognizing them all from court.
Standing in front of them, his tail swishing with smugness, was Frisk.
I huffed a laugh. He certainlyhadgathered reinforcements.
Horror struck the faces of each noble as they took in the sight before them—the dismembered soldiers. The Demon Fae, unable to hide or glamour herself. And Eira, standinglike the queen that she was, commanding Calista like a puppet.
“The throne is mine,” Eira announced. Tears, dirt, and blood mingled on her face, but she looked as regal as ever, her chin lifted in defiance. Grief and anguish still raged in her eyes, but she held it together for this moment she had worked so hard for. “Your queen is an imposter. She has been deceiving you foryears. I am here to expose her true nature and claim my birthright. You can either join me or be arrested for treason. The choice is yours.” She squeezed her fingers together, and Calista unleashed a fresh scream of pain.
Several nobles flinched, including Lord Rand. “What—What are you doing to her?”
“With her blood, she can be controlled,” Eira said. “I am only inflicting on her the same thing she has inflicted on her subjects.”
“You are human,” said Lady Idell. “We cannot follow a human queen.”
“I amhalfhuman,” Eira barked. “My father was a full-blooded seelie fae. There is more seelie blood in me than there is in this false queen lying at your feet. I will only ask one more time: Will you join me?”
Rand’s chest puffed as he threw his shoulders back, his brown mustache quivering as he spat, “We willneverfollow you, human scum.”
Fury burned within me, and I took a step toward him. Eira stopped me with her free hand, grasping my shoulder.
“Take them away,” she said.
I frowned and followed her gaze. A loud, familiar snort echoed in the chamber.
Rand jumped, and the nobles all turned to find a row oflarge animals crowding them, with Mauro in the lead. Stags, foxes, birds, sheep, rabbits, and other creatures I had never seen before loomed closer to the nobles until the lords and ladies were surrounded. And behind them, just visible in the hall, I made out the vibrant skin and hair of the pixies. Nyra had sent them to our aid as well.
I couldn’t help it; I laughed. The sight was so ridiculous. These men and women with their haughty principles and misguided loyalty werecoweringbefore an army of creatures.
It was ridiculous, and yet, it was beautiful. Because Eira had rallied together everyone Calista had been hunting. Now, all the victims of the false queen’s hatred were turning on her—both the unseelie and the humans.
Mauro bowed his head, using his huge antlers to poke at the nobles. Rand swatted at him, but it was no use. To avoid being skewered, Rand darted out of Mauro’s path, but the stag pushed onward, herding the nobles into a line that led out of the throne room.
“Ah—wait—princess!” Rand objected.
But Mauro didn’t stop. He jerked his head forward, and Rand yelped as the antlers pierced his flesh.
“Move,” Mauro growled. “You had your chance.”
“You can’t do this!” Idell shrieked. Her voice bounced off the walls, even long after the nobles had been escorted out of the throne room.
“They were never going to pledge loyalty to me,” Eira said softly. “I knew they wouldn’t.”
“Then, why give them the chance?” I asked.
“I wanted to be fair. And I needed them to witness this.” Eira gestured to Calista, who still lay sprawled on the marble floor. “Once the nobles go to trial, their words will be a testimony against Calista.” A small smile lit her face, but it didn’tmask the sorrow in her eyes. “They’ll be forced to tell the truth.”
I nodded, my eyebrows raised. I was impressed. “Looks like you have a few vacancies to fill, Your Majesty.”
“No.” She waved a hand at her friends still standing in the middle of the room. “My court is right here. All except for one.” Her somber gaze shifted to Stella’s body. Her lower lip trembled, and another tear streaked down her face. “I—I can see her thread, Theron,” she whispered.
My blood chilled. “Don’t. Don’t do it, Eira.”
“It’s broken. But… it calls to me. I can mend it. I know I can.”
“Eira—”
“She can’t.” Her voice was suddenly fierce and full of that fire I knew so well. “She can’t take anything else from me, Theron. I can’t let her. She’s already taken too much. This—This istoo much.”
