He was right, but I still wanted to throw my hand in the ring. “I have a ghosty wolf pack.” I gestured to the wolves who sat behind me waiting for my command.
He shook his head. “I take Lora, and if Novus shows up, Artemis and I take him too.”
I looked at the Elder Fae and he gave me a suspicious glance that was hard to interpret. Like maybe things wouldn’t happen as Brayden wanted them to. Damn his future sight or whatever it was.
“That leaves you and Leah, with the help of Maddy and August, to take out the other two Fae Lords. Do you think you can do that?” he asked us.
I nodded reluctantly.
I wanted to be the one to see Lora take her last breath, but Brayden was right. He had more experience and he was king. I’d have to let him lead.
Castiel rubbed his hands together. “Let’s do this.”
Brayden checked his phone. “Just one more minute.”
I frowned, wondering what the heck would change in a minute’s time. That was one more minute my childhood home burned and Novus was no doubt looking for me. I hadn’t allowed myself to grieve the lake house in Sandpoint; it was too fresh. I was in shock, and with the energy drink rushing through my veins, I just wanted to ride this high all the way to the end.
“What’s going to change in a min—?” Maddy asked and then we saw it.
A caravan of cars pulled onto the farmland and made its way to the barn.
“Lora will no doubt have her fae guards ready. I’ve explained the risks to the pack. They want to help,” Brayden said, and I suddenly felt overcome with emotion.
The cars parked, and one by one the Upper River Pack unloaded onto the lawn. Over fifty pack members in all.
Brayden looked at Artemis. “The portal egg can take everyone, right?”
The Elder Fae looked tired; we’d both not had any sleep. “Normally no, but I’m here,” was all he said.
As the pack approached, they stared at the ghost wolves around me. No one said anything though, for which I was grateful.
Artemis made us all pack into a tight circle, and then, without wasting a moment, he threw the portal egg at our feet. It broke up and then he pushed some type of magic into it, causing the green light to explode outward and encompass us all. I was jerked forward suddenly, and then my feet landed on the familiar white cold marble floor.
Oh. He’d portaled us right into the castle. Awesome plan.
This was so how I died.
TWELVE
A shrill scream rang out and our group was immediately plunged into chaos. Brayden was right; there were fae guards, and they’d just loosed a freaking arrow at Maddy. We’d barely had time to land in the room and they were attacking. The arrow struck her leg as she let loose with a painful cry. By instinct, I threw out some wind magic and pushed away the rest of the arrows about to rain down on us.
Who the hell uses arrows?Fae, I guessed.
I quickly took stock of the room. Along the entire perimeter were over twenty fae guards all armed with long swords and bows and arrows. The Fae Lords were nowhere to be seen.
Yet.
I was just trying to think of how to attack the two dozen or so fae guards when the wolf pack descended on them. They tore out of the portal opening in wolf form and bounded over to the guards, taking them down in a pack kill formation. Bellows of pain rang throughout the hall and I tried not to go into shock.
This was war. I wasn’t sure I was prepared for this, and yet it was here, so I’d have to process it later.
Howls rose up throughout the room and I pulled a protection shield around me.
“You killed him!” Lora’s voice screamed from my right.
I spun, Brayden stepping up beside me as Lora ran towards the both of us. Her cheeks were streaked with mascara, her hair a wild mess. I’d never have guessed that she actually genuinely loved Silas until this very moment. She looked like a grieving widow.
Brayden flicked his wrist and Lora was lifted into the air by an unseen force. He pinned her there as I stood in shock at the display of my man’s power. It was incredible.
