Angelica panted as she stared after it in shock. “Was that apiglet?” She scoffed and lowered her blade. “I thought it was a real threat—”
The flowers shifted like a gale had gusted across the field, even though the air around us was still. Another pair of eyes glittered at us from the stalks before another creature stepped out. The first piglet hid behind its companion’s flank.
As darkness fell around us, more eyes appeared within the flowers. More creatures stepped out, pawing at the ground, huffing around their tusks. One had startled us. Two would be a challenge. A dozen or more…
We couldn’t carry four people and run. If we left on our own, maybe the creatures would ignore our companions to chase us, or maybe they would trample over every threat. If we had more time—
I looked down at the dreaming mage still desperately clinging to me. “Wilde.”
The lead pig squealed a battle cry, and iridescent wings flicked open on its back. They fluttered tentatively at first, then slowly picked up speed, lifting the piglet into the air. Buzzing filled the air as more piglets unfolded their wings and rose to join their leader. The leader squealed again and zoomed straight toward Angelica. Half the hoard followed it in the air while the other half charged across the ground.
I shook Wilde’s shoulder and called his name again. Fitz had woken up when disturbed so hopefully Wilde would too.
My shout startled the hoard. The leader’s wings faltered, and it crashed toward the ground, colliding with the foot soldiers. The other flying piglets slowed, circling around us in cautious circles.
I sighed. Maybe all we had to do was be bigger and louder than them to scare them off.
One flying piglet separated from the hoard and swan-dived toward Angelica. She ducked out of the way a beat too late—its tusk sliced open a long line across her back. Pollen coated the wound and mixed with her blood, turning her blouse red. She tried to stab the creature, but it flew out of her reach, looping back to its companions to share the scent of victory.
“I know you’re fucked beyond all belief right now, but we could really use your help!Wilde!”
His eyes snapped open, and everything stopped.
I’d felt this before. The sudden silence and heaviness in the air.
The piglets’ war charge halted with some of the creatures frozen in midair while the others surrounded us on the ground. Pollen hung suspended around us in a yellow haze. Angelica was caught mid-lunge, but her sword could only aim at one among the many.
Wilde stared at me with unfocused eyes. “I don’t want to control you.”
Where the fuck is this coming from?“Thank you? Could you try controlling time instead?”
He shook his head mulishly. “I can’t keep erasing my mistakes.”
“Very mature of you,” I said through a strained smile, “but this isn’t thebesttime to learn that lesson.”
A tear streaked from one eye, golden against his pale skin. “I don’t want you to do things just because I tell you to.”
I couldn’t help shaking him in annoyance. “You aren’t telling me anything! I’m asking you!”
His eyelashes fluttered. “What do you want me to do?”
“Reverse time to before we stumbled across these stupid flowers!”
He nodded and raised one hand to snap his fingers. His voice was faint, almost dreamy, as he whispered, “Reset.”
Several Hours Earlier
The Grimnight Forest
Approaching a Field of Flowers
“Stop!” I threw my arms out to block Delilah and Fitz from taking another step.
Fitz sent me a bewildered look, then examined the field ahead of us. “Ah,Somnus ecrosia. Good call, Trey, their pollen can be quite tricky to deal with.”
I rolled my eyes. He’d learned about these flowers only a few hours ago yet acted like he’d known about them his whole life.
“Let’s find a way around it,” Angelica said, backing up several feet.
