“Mmm.” Caspian wiggles his shoulders and points to our briars interlaced together. “That tingles.”
Dayton’s hands tangle in Farron’s hair, and Farron grips the side of Dayton’s face, kissing him with equal passion.
“For stars’ sake,” Caspian snarls, erupting another huge wall of briars around us. “Are we fighting or kissing? You know I love the latter, but really, choose your moments, people!”
Finally, Farron pulls back and strokes the hair away from Dayton’s eyes. “It’s true. I thought I felt it, but it’s really true.” He looks at me. “You two are mates.”
“Yes, I’m sure it’s a whole glorious tale you can beguile us with later, but for now, can we get out of here?” Caspian taps his foot. “These briars aren’t going to hold forever.”
I ignore him and hold Farron’s gaze. “It is true. We all belong together, just as you always believed.”
Farron’s mouth sets in a determined line. “I’ll keep it that way. Forever.”
Dayton calls the trident from his necklace in a shimmer of light. “We’re not going anywhere, Caspian. I won’t leave these people to be slaughtered.”
Caspian’s nose wrinkles. “Well, I really can’t hang around. So, you’re all going to have to—” He looks up, a laugh breaking free. “Never mind. Looks like you’re sorted. Best of luck, then.” He turns to Dayton. “I’ll do what I can to aid you, but I’ve got to attract a little less attention. Only the gods know what trouble I’ve got myself into so far.”
“Thank you, Caspian,” Dayton says. “I mean it.”
Caspian nods, then turns to Farron. In a quick motion, hesnatches Farron’s jaw and gives him a scathing look. “Watch yourself, Princeling. I know I will.”
Farron shoves him away. “Yeah, nice traveling with you too, Cas.”
Finally, Caspian turns to me. He bumps my shoulder and drops his lips to my ear. “Be careful, Princess.” His eyes flick back toward Farron.
“What happened down there?” I whisper.
His mouth becomes a hard line. “Remember, even a warm hearth can leave you scorched.”
I grab his wrist. “Are you really going to abandon us here?”
“Don’t worry. You have friends in high places. Besides, I’ll see you soon. I always do,” he says with a smirk, as a thatch of briars erupts around him and sinks him down into the earth.
“Great! Of course, the traitor leaves right when we could use another blade,” Dayton says, though his tone is only half-serious. “Think this will help, Fare?”
Dayton rips something off his neck and tosses it to Farron. The token of Autumn.
“Thanks, Day.” Farron grins, throwing it over his head. In a flash of light, the Lance of Valor appears in his palm. Farron lunges forward, swinging the lance. A trail of orange flames and leaves sweeps behind it, taking out a whole row of skeletons. A moment later, the bones rattle as the skeletons rise again.
Farron furrows his brow. “It’s not enough. Every time we kill one of these skeletons, they just get up and keep coming. We need to get all of the rebels out of here—”
Friends in high places.I look up. A shadow sprawls over me, but I am not afraid. A smile breaks across my face. “They found them. They found them!”
A legion of winged horses emerges across the horizon, their majestic forms silhouetted against the blazing sun. Each horse is adorned with shimmering armor, their powerful wings beating rhythmically.
Dayton’s mouth falls open, then he laughs and hoots. He raises his trident in the air. “Summer called! The Huntresses answered!”
The horses dive, their armored riders reaching out with outstretched arms. One by one, they snatch the gladiators up from the grips of the skeletons, pulling them onto the backs of their horses.
A brilliant white horse sails toward us. The rider offers a gleaming smile, one I know so well because I admire it daily on the face of my mate. Delphia wears a brilliant golden helm adorned with wings. She clutches the reins with confidence, as if she were born to fly.
“Looks like you could use a ride, big brother!” she cries as her Pegasus flaps down toward us.
“Delphie, you brilliant little brat!” Dayton cries, practically jumping up and down. He runs over to her and nearly strangles her in a hug.
“Hurry, get on before one of these creepy things reaches us,” she snaps.
“How do I land this thing?” another voice cries from above. A gray Pegasus flaps its massive wings, nearly knocking Farron and me over. Nori yanks on the reins with far less elegance than Delphie, eliciting an annoyed snort from her steed. When she’s low enough to the ground, she levels us with a glare. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go!”
