Why had she allowed him to talk her into mercy?
Unmitigated rage tore through her as she flew from the back of her mount and made her way through the air to her son. If she lost her baby to them...
She’d bring them back to life to torment them for eternity!
Meara looked up at her approach and paled. With a shriek of terror, she ran into the crowd.
The only thing that saved the centaur from her wrath was the sight of Dash lying on the ground, bleeding. Naomi lowered herself to him so that she could pull his unicorn head into her lap. He was barely breathing.
“Kyran!” She summoned her second-in-command.
In the form of a man, he appeared instantly at her side, then paled as he saw the condition Dash was in. “Gosei no kimi?”
“Kill them all, except for their leader. I want Meara alive!” She would enjoy making her suffer and if Dash died, Meara would pray for death, too. “And find that damn wand!”
For now, she had to attend to her son, and Marthen better know some spell to save Dash’s life.
Otherwise, she’d be mourning her brother, too.
Chapter 24
Tanis and her group slowed as they neared Clovenshire Castle, the legendary home of the High King of the Thirteen Kingdoms. Made of stone, it was breathtaking and ominous against the mountain range behind it and the massive glistening lake to the right. Perfectly situated so that only one road led to it. A road that could be easily fortified against an invading army.
“Let me go on ahead,” Chrysis said. “I’ll be back with a report from Ronan.”
Tanis nodded even though she had a strange feeling. “Something’s not right.”
Viggo turned in the saddle to look at her over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”
“Do you not feel it? Something’s off.” She had a sick feeling in her stomach that she couldn’t explain.
After a few minutes, Chrysis returned with what she assumed was Ronan flying right behind her in the shape of a hawk.
Turning human, Ronan approached them. Tanis’s eyes widened at the size of the man. Here she’d thought Dash was tall, but this one was at least a head taller with muscular broad shoulders. His dark brown hair held gold highlights and fellto his shoulders. There was something almost regal about his presence that was mitigated by his lethality.
And his features...
He was devastatingly handsome, with a rugged jaw line a set of dimples that flashed when he grinned at them.
“We’ve taken the palace,” he announced proudly.
She gaped at his news. “What? How?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “They didn’t leave that many behind. What they did leave...” He grinned even wider. “Well, they were no match for our group. Poor things had no idea what they were in for when they brought the lions into their den.”
Tanis glanced around at her group. “Should we head toward the portal to give the High King backup?”
Baldur rode to her side. “Let’s secure the palace. This is the High King’s seat of power. We need to make sure Meara doesn’t circle back and retake it.”
That made sense. And Dash had charged her with securing it for him. Tanis nodded. “We’ll follow your lead, Sire.”
He inclined his head, then ordered the others to follow him inside.
Ronan walked beside her as he they headed for Dash’s home. “Are you all right, princess?”
“I have a bad feeling.”
“There’s nothing here. That, I can definitely assure you. We killed a few, and the rest are being held in the dungeon.”
