Chapter 52
Shoving aside the agonizing dread, Casimir jogged back to the battle, his friends alongside. The astral army had already joined the fight, their bursts of starlight a beacon of hope in the morning sky as they fought their enemies.
Jareth remained close, his own sword in his hand. Casimir could hardly believe they’d come to help. When he and the others had left Caelestia, he was positive there was no chance Orion would change his mind. That man never did anything that didn’t serve himself.
It should have been impossible.
But he was here. His father was here. And his cruel brother had just saved Ava’s life. Casimir didn’t know how to reconcile the Jareth who delighted in others’ psychological pain with the one who was here now. It was…disconcerting.
“How did you convince Orion to come?” he asked. “And how did you get here so quickly?”
“I threatened to expose him to the whole kingdom for his contribution to this mess.” Jareth smirked. “As for your other question, you’ll have to ask your soulbond. She’s even more powerful than I realized.”
Casimir shook his head, bewildered.
“Brilliant,” Raine said. “I still hate you, though.”
Jareth laughed. And not his usual mocking laugh, but a genuine one. “I still hate you too.”
Perhaps this was part of Jareth’s revenge against their father, but Casimir supposed it didn’t matter. They were here now and it was time to end this.
The astral army was making quick work of the daemons and monsters. Renewed hope brought fresh resolve to the remaining fae armies. Bursts of starlight met obsidian armor. Enemies were raised into the air, only to be burned to ashes.
The battle was a kaleidoscope of color. The glint of gold met ebony steel. The flash of green vines wrapped around its targets. The blood orange glow of lava melted their foes. And the gray of rock crushed the stragglers.
Monsters screamed. Daemons cried out. All while victorious shouts peppered the dawn.
Raising his sword with renewed vigor, Casimir threw himself back into combat. A black dagger flew toward him, but he avoided it with ease. Aro charged and pinned the enemy, tearing him limb from limb. Sabriel joined, ripping into another, her white fur splattered with black blood.
Ducking, spinning, and parrying, he lost himself in the melee. The need to focus shoved away his fear for Ava’s safety. She could handle herself. He wouldn’t entertain any other alternatives.
Casimir stood over a recent kill, chest heaving as he gripped his sword. Exhaustion painted the edges of his resolve. Though he still had plenty of magic left, ensuring he conserved as much as he could, his body was sore, his muscles fatigued.
There was a pause in the battle where he stood, no enemies near him at the moment.
Taking the opportunity to catch his breath, he leaned against a nearby tree, his friends following suit.
In the lull, he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering to Ava.
Was she facing Andras this very moment? Had she made the portal yet?
They could only feel one another through the soulbond when something was gravely wrong—a significant injury, intense fear, near death—and the silence at the other end comforted him.
It meant she was alright.
Pushing away from his place of rest, he made his way back to the action, when a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. He shouted. A shard of ice protruded from his leathers. Jaw clenched, he yanked it out, tossing it to the ground as he searched for the source of the makeshift weapon.
Scanning the area around him, fear clawed its way up the back of his neck at the sight before him. He and his friends were entirely surrounded by a battalion of ice fae soldiers. And standing at the very front…Valeria.
They hadn’t been there moments ago, Casimir was sure of it. Had Andras cloaked them or had they somehow hidden in the trees until now?
“Where the fuck did they come from?” Raine panted from beside him.
“No idea.”
The rest of the battle raged on as they faced the new threat.
Valeria continued to advance, her army following suit.
Casimir assessed the force around them. There had to be several hundred ice fae standing with their queen. Several hundred against…less than a dozen of them. Unless help arrived quickly, they had no way out of this.
“Grab them,” Valeria ordered.
Casimir raised his hands, prepared to call on his astral magic to fight back, when they were swarmed. There was shouting, Raine spewed a string of filthy curses.
Someone punched Casimir in the jaw. The world spun, and he was shoved to his knees, hands behind his back encased in ice. His vision cleared and he prepared to melt the ice with his starlight.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Valeria said.
Casimir looked up. Ice fae soldiers had his friends on their knees facing him. Raine, Jorrar, Pax, Jareth and several soldiers. All with daggers to their throats.
“One wrong move, and your friends die, general,” the queen said.
Casimir tried not to panic as he met eyes with Raine. He called for help through Aro, but everyone was locked in battle, unable to make their way here.
“I think Andras might like these gifts I’ve captured,” she mused, strolling in front of them. “King Everwood’s most faithful advisor.” She pointed at Jorrar. “The general of his armies.” She glared at Casimir. “And the heir to the astral throne.” She stopped before Jareth.
“Don’t forget about me,” Raine said with a grin.
Casimir glared at Raine, urging him to be quiet, but Raine just winked.
“I know I’m not nearly as famous as the grumpy asshole over there,” Raine continued. “Or that old guy.” He flicked his eyes at Jorrar. “Or this prick of a prince. But I think you’ll find Andras will appreciate the gift nonetheless.”
“Will you shut the fuck up?” Jareth growled.
“See?” Raine said. “Prick.”
Valeria narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you always talk this much?”
“Incessantly,” Casimir grumbled, catching on to Raine’s plan. If they couldn’t get out of this with brute force, they might be able to with words. “He almost never shuts up. It’s quite irritating.”
“I have a lot to say,” Raine said. “So, ice queen. What do you get out of this? After you kill us, or take us to Andras, or whatever it is you plan to do…what next?”
She was silent, watching him closely. The soldier holding Raine pulled the dagger closer to his throat. “Do you want me to shut him up?”
Casimir tensed.
“Not yet. I’m curious to hear what else he has to say,” Valeria answered.
“What did Andras promise you?” Raine asked. “Do you get to be queen over all of Eorhan after this? Sounds like a lot of pressure to me.”
Her eyes flared.
“But I suppose when all you care about is power, you’ll do anything. Even raise a banished god and sacrifice your husband for it.”
Valeria went still. Her soldiers murmured amongst themselves, confused.
Casimir took over, pulling the queen’s attention from Raine.
“Oh yes, ice queen. We know exactly what you did,” he taunted, raising his voice so the rest of her forces could hear.
“What did you tell your people? That it was the only way to save your kingdom from the daemons? That you had no other choice but to join them?”
Valeria stepped toward Casimir, growing an icy dagger in her palm. “You think I’m after power?” she seethed, grasping Casimir’s hair and placing the blade at his neck. “Like I said before, it’s about purity. Half breeds like you are an insult to the fae. I should just take care of you right now.”
Raine cursed under his breath, but it was Jareth who spoke next. “Look at you, Valeria. Taking charge like the queen you are.”
Valeria released Casimir and whirled on Jareth.
“But you couldn’t take care of the problem yourself. How did you do it?” Jareth asked. “Did you kill Eros first before allowing Lomos to enter his body? Or did he do it himself?”
More soldiers paused at the statement, eyeing their queen. Those who held Casimir’s friends subtly loosened their grip. A man stepped forward, the general’s insignia on his silver armor, and watched Valeria closely.
But the queen didn’t seem to notice, fury in her eyes.
“If your father hadn’t been such a coward, I would have been able to do more, prince. My husband sacrificed himself for the greater good. He knew what he was doing. He wanted it. Willingly gave up his body and soul for the cause.”
Jareth spat at her feet.
Valeria raised her hand. “Kill them.”
But her men didn’t move. Didn’t respond after hearing Valeria condemn herself before them. With a swift whistle from her general, soldiers surrounded Valeria, holding her hands behind her back.
“Unhand me,” she ordered.
The general stepped toward her, his long white hair blowing in the breeze as his icy blue eyes blazed with betrayal.
“So, it is true. You lied to us. We trusted you. We followed you for decades because you promised you were protecting our people. You convinced us they were the threat. That the only way to survive was to side with Deidamia and Andras.”
Silence.
The general turned to Casimir and the others. “How do you know she did these things?”
“I saw it in my father’s memories,” Jareth answered. “He was a part of it too. Though in the end, he tried to stop her.”
The general looked at Jareth, searching for any hint of a lie. Of deception. With a deep sigh he turned around, placed his hand on Valeria’s shoulder…
And slit her throat.