The woman towers over me, but she’s slight in statue. Pale, with white-blonde hair that lays like a thick curtain around her shoulders, she glares down at me. Green eyes, the color of the darkest evergreen trees, flash when they land on me, before closing off completely.
She raises a hand, but no weapon. The energy comes fromher.
“Release my guards,” she says, voice steely. Blinking against my tears, I shake my head s words fail me. “You cannot hope to save him and hold them. You don’t have thestrength.”
“I have more strength than you think.”
But it’s a lie. My magic is raging—to attack, to take—but I can’t focus. Not when Reid needs me and I have to help. I’m being torn into two and I don’t know which way to go.
“What do you wish to accomplish?” She lowers to my side, my guards lifting their weapons. They’re unsteady, struggling to stand and she waves her hand. More energy knocks them back. Most do not move again. “You wish to keep my soldiers trapped while he dies?”
“I’ve only come to see Queen Aoife,” I plead. She’s right. I can’t keep them immobile for long. “We are allies. This is the Prince of the Shadowlands?—”
“I am no ally to the Shadowlands,” she snarls. Her fingers dangle in my face. “Release my Fae, or I’ll be forced to attack you next.”
Glaring at her, I spit out, “Do it. But I’ll take your guards with me.”
There’s a pause. She knows I’m not bluffing. There’s almost pride in her eyes before she looks away.
Samkien kneels a few paces away, leaning heavily on his sword. She cocks her head, assessing him, as he snarls at her. The proud Fae doesn’t know when to stop.
“Do not touch our queen.”
“Such loyalty. I wonder if it would last after death.” She grins at me, serene, as if threatening a person is a happy ordeal. “Release them, or I’ll kill every Dark Fae here until you do.” Those green eyes glint like a dangerous cat. “Starting with him. And something tells me you’re not the sacrificing type.”
Only myself.Never innocents.
Dropping the thread, shouts echo from the palace walls. It’s a brief reprieve before I use my magic on Reid.
I don’t know what I’m doing.Seti’sHell, I don’t know if I can, but I gather my strength and force the blood to stop flowing. Through it all, I can feel the slowness of his heart, the last bit of blood pumping through his veins. It’s weak, a trickle of life but I hold on to it. Will it to grow and move.
I will not lose someone else. I will not see Kaden lose another loved one.
The blood seeps back to the source. His veins begin to mend, and his flesh pulls together. With a furrowed, sweaty brow, I work, oblivious to what is happening around us.
I don’t care. I don’t care that this woman watches me, judges me, all I know is whatever I’m doing is working. The wound is mending.
It takes too long, though. Precious time that I can’t afford to waste, but for Reid? For him, I will.
Finally, the last of his wound closes and I open my eyes, falling backward with exhaustion. Samkien is there, catching my shoulders and my vision blurs, turning black around the edges.
The woman stands there, her long golden dress hidden in the shadows. Her smile is wicked and cruel. She looks as if she’s learned a great lesson. “A blood summoner. How fortunate.”
“And the Queen of the Dark Fae.”
She rushes forward, grabbing my cheeks in a painful grasp. Samkien lays a dagger on her wrist and is thrown sideways for his rebellion. I barely catch myself from falling.
Searching my face, the woman glares, sneering at me. “Tell me your name.”
I gulp. “Maximillia.”
“Well,Maximillia.” She tosses me back and the world tilts. “You have entered my kingdom and attacked my people. Allies do no such thing.”
Her territory. How can it be…
She’s Queen Aoife.
“We are. Kaden is my mate. We need your help?—”
