“By killing everyone?” I barked out a bitter laugh. “If she was the rightful ruler, surely she wouldn’t have to do all of this. Surely she wouldn’t have to fight so hard for the crown.”
He frowned. “That isn’t how the magic of this realm works. It doesn’t just give power away. It must be earned.”
“I know what they’re planning to do,” Sophia said in a rushed, panicked voice.
Eyes raised, I turned to face my roommate. She caught my gaze and then looked away. Guilt pounded through me, partly at my words and partly at being the reason she was now caught up in this. I hadn’t meant what I’d said, not in the least, but it had been the only thing I could think of at the time, the only way I could save her. If Phelan believed she meant nothing to me, then maybe he would spare her in the end.
Maybe he still wasn’t the monster he was so determined to become.
Sophia took a deep breath and plowed forward. “Ever since I saw you do all that crazy stuff in the Autumn woods, I’ve been curious about your powers. You didn’t seem like you wanted to talk about it, so I...kind of started researching it by myself.”
I opened my mouth, more shocked and confused than anything else.
“Please don’t get angry. I didn’t tell anyone about it. I just asked if we could get some more history books brought into the library. And by history books, I meanreally, reallyold history books.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Phelan snapped, and the two Summer fae tightened their grips on Sophia’s arms.
But that had absolutely zero effect on my roommate. She kept storming ahead like the unstoppable fae she was. “A very long time ago, another Autumn fae attempted to take control of the realm. She made a bargain with the demons, one that would allow her to wield the powers of all four Courts. However, in order to become the Queen she imagined herself to be and bind that magic to herself, she had to kill the other rulers and destroy their crowns.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Destroy their crowns.”
“That’s right,” Phelan said in a grunt. “Why the hell else would she be bothering? She has to put all four crowns together, and then burn them before dousing out the flames with ice. After tonight, this realm will be hers.”
Heavy footsteps pounded the ground behind Sophia and her captors. Several pale Hunters strode into view, a polar opposite of Phelan’s Summer form. They were graceful and smooth, and their eyes glittered with the light of the stars. Their dark hair hung in loose waves over their pointed ears, and they brought with them the scent of mist and snow. Each of them held a bow, and quivers of arrows were strapped onto their backs. And their movements were like the very depths of darkness itself.
“We killed the King and got the crown.” The tall, thin male held up a crown of twisting branches full of bright and vivid flowers. My heart lurched. King Deri’s crown. They didn’t. Theycouldn’thave. “It was easy enough to get inside. They were unprepared. It is strange though. This place does not look as if they are preparing for war.”
Phelan merely grunted. “Spring fae are strange creatures. There is no rhyme nor reason to how they deal with things.”
The Winter Hunter narrowed his eyes, so slightly that I barely saw a shift in his icy expression. “Some might say that about the Summer fae.”
Phelan curled his hands into fists and stalked across the patio to where the two Winter soldiers were observing him with calculating eyes. “I amnothinglike a Spring fae.”
“Indeed. A Spring fae would never target two innocent changelings who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The Winter fae cocked his head. “In fact, is this not the changeling you described? The one who helped us all? She spied on the Queen, yes? It is strange that you would be threatening her after she risked her life to collect enemy plans for us.”
“He’s tricked—”
Phelan had his hand over my mouth before I could warn the Winter soldiers, and the Hunter holding Sophia did the same. “You’ve got your changelings mixed up. These two were working with the Spring fae against you.”
Sophia screamed into the Hunter’s hand.
Everything else happened so quickly. The Winter fae sprang into action, nocking arrows in their hand-carved bows. The Hunters holding Sophia jumped back, and she twisted away from their grip. She ran to me, leaping over the bannister to join me on the patio. And before I knew what was happening, she’d slammed a dagger right into Phelan’s side.
He roared, and his hands dropped away from my face. Seeing my chance, I grabbed my sword and swung it around at his neck. But Phelan was quick on his feet, dodging my blow just in time. Our swords collided, steel against steel. One blow after another until my entire body was spent. I stumbled back to catch my breath and tighten my grip on my sword. Phelan stormed forward, a cry of rage ripping from his throat.
But just before he reached me, an arrow whooshed by my ear and slammed into Phelan’s neck. His eyes went wide, and then he fell.
I gripped Sophia’s hand and pulled her to my side. Together, we whirled to face our attackers. The two other Summer Hunters were dead, and now the Winters had their arrows aimed right at our heads.
“Is it true?” the Winter fae asked. “Have you been working against us with the Spring fae? Is this all some kind of trap?”
“No.” I said, holding up my hands. “I mean, it is some kind of trap, but I’m not the one who set it. Phelan has been working with Queen Viola all this time. They were trying to create a diversion and distract everyone so she could go after your Queen and King. She wants the crowns.” I gestured at the King’s crown in the fae’s hands. “She wants to take over the realm.”
“A diversion?” The fae swore under his breath. “I should have known. I should have realized I could never trust a Summer.” He turned toward his fellow soldier. “We need to gather the others and get back to our Queen as soon as possible, though I fear we may be too late.”
His fellow soldier nodded and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
“Wait,” I said when he turned to go as well. “Did he just shift? How are you doing that? I thought all the borders were closed.”
