I got my blade up just in time. His steel crashed into mine, sending me flying back across the snow-drenched ground. My blade was ripped from my hands, soaring across the clearing. King Midas cackled as he stormed toward me, launching his body through the air. I rolled over, kicking out my leg. He tumbled to the ground as our limbs madecontact.
I scrabbled back, but he was far too fast for me tomanage.
King Midas slammed the hilt of his sword into myhead.
Head ringing, I crumpled to the ground. Spots dotted my eyes and my blood roared in my ears. Everything tilted sideways, and I felt myself falling back onto the snow. Looking up at the sky above, I felt my mind drift away from the present. And I couldn’t help but smile. Heavy flakes drifted down from a steel grey sky, and the fresh sweet scent of snow filled mynose.
A crunch from the woods caught my attention, snapping me back to the here and now. King Midas was too busy shouting at me to notice. I twisted my head to the side and peered through the trees. A hulking mass grew closer, the top of its head brushing against the highest branches. I recognized this creature. It was one I’d faced off against before. A Breking. They were common in the Winter lands. And they weren’t too fond ofvisitors.
I might not be able to use my magic against the King, and I might not be able to control the creatures of the Dark Fae’s realm. But Icouldcontrol the creatures of my realm. Or I could at least make sure the Breking knew where he could find his next tastymeal.
Closing my eyes, I blocked out the King. He was striding closer to me now, shouting about how weak and powerless I was. But he didn’t matter. All that mattered was the creature in the trees. I thought back to that night I’d communicated with the rabbit. I reached out with my mind, letting the tendrils of my consciousness drift towardit.
The dark soulless eyes of the monstrous Breking turned my way, and it felt as if it truly saw me. I reached out even further, slipping my consciousness into its mind. The creature didn’t flinch or pull away. It simply let meinside.
I encouraged it to look sideways, pointing out the ranting, raving King who stood over my body with his sword held high. And then I whispered,Charge.
I pulled out of the Breking’s mind as it galloped through the trees, its gaze locked on the vicious King. Blinking back into my body, I rolled to the side just in time, slithering along the snowy ground to escape thefight.
The Breking collided with the King. Roars punctuated the air. The King raised his sword as he stumbled back from the creature, but it was far too late. The Breking leaned down and sunk its teeth into the King’s chest. He ripped the fae from the ground and swung him side to side. I had to close my eyes to block out the sight of all that blood splattering thesnow.
Massive footsteps pounded the ground as the Breking took off through the trees with its prize. I didn’t want to think about what it might do next with the body. All that mattered was, the King was dead. He would never again cause problems for this realm. Our fight with the Dark Fae wasover.
“Norah,” a strained voice whispered from somewhere nearby. I glanced up and spotted the Prince near the Faerie Ring, stretching one hand towardme.
He wasalive.
“Please helpme.”
My eyelids fluttered shut, and my heart squeezed tight. A part of me wondered if I should, but another part knew I couldn’t leave him here to die. So, I crawled over to the fae and hauled him over my shoulders. Together, we stumbled back to the Winter Court. The journey was a blur. My whole body felt weak and powerless, and my head was full ofcotton.
At some point, I reached the gates, but I didn’t getfar.
The ground met my face before I gotinside.
* * *
Isaton the Winter Court’s throne looking down at Prince Taveon. Liam had healed him after we’d stumbled back from the Faerie Ring, though not without complaining about it. The Prince had abducted me, after all. No one was feeling particularly generous toward him, even if he had helped me escape from theKing.
“If I do not return to my home soon, the others will come for me,” Prince Taveon said after giving me a slight bow. “I do appreciate you healing me, which is why I am hesitant to say my nextwords.”
I narrowed my eyes, tightening my grip on the throne. “Goon.”
“My father ruled my realm for many years. He was feared by many but also loved.” He cleared his throat. “The Dark Fae are going to be angry when they learn of his fate. Without some sort of sacrifice on your part, I have little doubt that they will take it upon themselves to invade. But they will not do so with the aim to rule this realm or put it under their control. They will want to destroy it. Asrevenge.”
My heart lurched, and I swallowed hard. I tried to keep a blank face, but his words had sent a bucket of ice down my spine. “Asacrifice.”
He gave a nod. “My father has been promising for years to develop a new method of obtaining our dark energy. Our life-force. He was depending on you to provide that for him. A fae with the Redcap disease, fully in control of her beast. One who will train with us. One who will fight forus.”
“You know as well as I do that your request is impossible,” I said with a frown. “I’m not a Redcap. I was immune. That’s why you helped me escape in the firstplace.”
“Yes, quite right. But that one was not immune,” he said with a nod before turning his attention to Bree. She stood just off to the side, quietly speaking with Kael. When she felt the attention of the room shift toward her, she twisted ourway.
“You cannot be serious,” I said. “That is absolutely out of thequestion.”
Prince Taveon’s eyes narrowed, and he strode closer to the throne. “You do not understand, Norah. Theywillinvade unless you give them something in return. This is your chance to save your realm and keep the peace. Do not make a mistake that you’ll regret for the rest of your very longlife.”
My head spun, and I had to blink the tears out of my eyes to keep them from falling down my face. “I’m not giving you Bree. Anyone butBree.”
