She saw herself in the reflection of his fear-rimmed eyes, and her smile widened to a snarl as she bared her teeth, though she had no long canines like her mate.
Westley was at her back, his awe and power seeping into her.
Solveig raised her sword, also teeming with light, snapping Maddock out of his daze.
He barely had time to react but managed to block her initial blow. She shoved him back with her sword, and before he could recover, her foot connected with his chest. Maddock stumbled, tripping over a body at his feet.
Sten’s body.
Solveig roared and slashed at Maddock, swinging her sword with abandon as he met her blow for blow from his position on the ground. She attacked relentlessly until she disarmed him, his sword flying from his hands.
Gripping the Giant by the throat, she picked him up and slammed him against the gilded silver trunk of the tree.
His black blood splattered behind him, mixing with the red of the Fae.
Magic crackled under her palm, sending a charge deep into Maddock. Shadows lingered there, but she didn’t care. His soul was rotten—the shadows did not change much. She sent charge after charge, Maddock’s face contorting in pain, delighting her.
Solveig. Westley’s voice came through the fog of vengeance in her mind. Not a reprimand, but a gentle reminder of who she was.
She sent one last blast through him before slamming her sword into his stomach, driving it into his heart. He choked on his last breath, and Solveig dropped him unceremoniously, her arm giving out under Maddock’s dead weight.
Solveig met Westley’s gaze as Maddock’s body thumped to the floor. His eyes were alight with his own power, and whatever darkness he saw in hers did not frighten him.
She must have sent that thought towards him because he stepped forward, placing a bloodied hand on her cheek.
“Never,elska. Your darkness sings to me,” he vowed, planting a hard kiss on her mouth.
“Uh, love birds, now may not be the best time for that,” Viggo called. Westley and Solveig snapped their attention to him.
He was holding the door open, waiting. Solveig marvelled at the wall of water Westley had constructed. It was falling bit by bit as his magic waned. It would have to be enough to get them out.
They didn’t hesitate, escaping to the passageway.
“You have escaped me this time, daughter of shadows, but are you really safe?” Ragnvald’s cold voice bled through the wall of water, chilling her to her bones. The stone and silver door fell shut behind them, sealing them in.
They raced down the dark corridor towards those who had already escaped. Voices greeted them sooner than Solveig expected and when they turned a corner, they almost tripped over their waiting friends.
“Does Ragnvald know where this lets out?” Noren asked, helping a limping Conalle move faster.
“Considering this passage leads to multiple places, I doubt it,” Westley answered.
“I didn’t even know it existed,” North muttered, still clutching her side. She hadn’t been able to heal herself yet, and Solveig worried the blade she’d been struck with was poisoned. Westley smiled at his sister.
“Good thing I’m a better spy than you are,” he said proudly.
The sound of banging on the wall grew fainter and fainter as they travelled underneath the palace, moving quickly through the tunnels.
They ran until they came to a small circular room, which Solveig lit up with a globe of flickering light hovering over their heads. The room resembled a wheel—spindles of tunnels jutting out into darkness.
“Where to?” she asked Westley out loud for the sake of the others.
“That’s up to you, General,” he answered. Solveig took in the remnants of their people. Only a handful of soldiers carried their wounded, slumping against the walls in exhaustion. They could not fight, and she hated having to flee again.
Her mothers even appeared to be at a loss. Koa had not Seen this coming. Solveig drew herself up to full height, her mind working fast as she created a plan.
“Vali,” she said, turning to the Elven prince. “Is Alfheim ready to fight?” She knew the answer before he spoke.
“Alfheim is ready to avenge our queen and our prince,” he said viciously, no trace left of the easygoing heir she had come to care for.
