Chapter 29
Asta, Soren, and the kelpies rushed into the castle after Revna, where she was already in combat with multiple finfolk at once.
Soren pulled his sword out in time to block a spear careening directly toward Asta’s chest. Thurs and her fellow kelpies immediately began using their sharp fangs to rip finfolk flesh apart, latching onto anything that moved around them.
Asta used her sword to block a finfolk wielding a jagged, dark blade as she backed up to Soren, remembering he always left his behind open.
Asta leaned into the numbness she felt taking over her, thankful for the reprieve.
Back-to-back, she and Soren were a tornado of blades, cutting down anyone and anything that attempted to infiltrate their circle.
A quick glance at Revna told Asta she was doing the same, just on her own without help from a partner. Showoff.
As they were gaining the upper hand, which was an amazing feat considering they were only three warriors and a herd of kelpies against an entire castle of finfolk, a door at the top of the grand staircase burst open and a massive horde of finfolk poured in.
“There are too many of them!” Revna shouted. If she was saying that, then they were absolutely fucked. Asta remained collected, not batting an eye at the onslaught. If this was how she died, this was how she died. At least she would go doing the one thing that made her feel free.
The moment that Asta accepted her fate, a loud crashing sound erupted behind her and before she could process what had happened, an enormous sea dragon had at least twenty finfolk herded.
Tova’s movements were swift, each strike and recoil a blur, and all that was left was a pile of finfolk bodies, their putrid black blood floating in the current.
“About damn time you showed up!” Soren bellowed as he shoved a finfolk female back using his sword against hers. “Bloody dragons, always doing things their way.”
Tova’s head jerked toward Soren, her maw stained with black blood as she hissed in his direction.
“Princess, take your alpha and go! Quickly, while they are distracted!” Revna shouted and Soren nodded in agreement.
Revna smoothly swapped with Asta, guarding Soren’s back as if it were her own.
Asta had thought her and Soren made a great team, but it was nothing compared to watching Soren and Revna work together in tandem.
It was like a dance, where you had to have a partner you trusted with your life to not drop you in the dangerous lift.
Except this was much deadlier than dance. This was war.
Asta swam as fast as she could toward the grand stairs, Thurs and two other kelpies not far behind.
Thurs cut in front of her, the alpha seeming to know the way.
Turn after turn, the hallways blended together.
All she could focus on was the kelpie gliding in front of her at top speed, guiding her to Kaid.
Thurs stopped in front of a door and dug her hoof into the bottom of the threshold.
This was it, but it was too easy. There were no guards lining the halls, no duels along the way.
Something was not right, but Asta needed to move forward.
She tapped the threshold twice—for good measure—then did something to let Kaid know she was here to save him.
Knock, knock. Pause. Knock, knock, knock.
Pause. Knock. Asta burst through the door, and there was Kaid, lying in complete stillness.
“Kaid!” Asta held back a sob. He was there, but he was either unconscious or… or he was…
“He’s not dead,” an all too familiar voice came from behind Asta. She turned to face Maren, fury overtaking her panic. Maren sneered, “Oh sissy, you always were the more dramatic one.”
“If he’s not dead, then what’s wrong with him? What have you done to him?” Asta demanded.
Maren swam to the other side of Asta, blocking her way to Kaid. Movement to Asta’s side caught her attention and she locked eyes with Svanhild, who was emerging from the shadows of the room. Asta was surrounded with only her kelpies on the other side of the door, awaiting her command.
“It’s a little sleeping potion that I slipped him when I heard you had breached the castle stronghold.
Maybe I should send some home with you. You know, so you don’t have to do your silly little hair brushing in order to fall asleep.
” Maren unsheathed a short dagger. “On second thought, I hear significant blood loss is another way to fall asleep quickly. Would you like to try that, sissy?”
Maren dove forward, her blade in a direct path for Asta’s chest. Asta pulled out her own dagger from its sheath at her hip, parrying the attack and sending Maren’s blade toward Svanhild instead.
Maren barely missed the other finfolk’s wrist, to Asta’s disappointment.
Asta grabbed Maren’s wrist and knocked her hand against the door, causing her sister to drop the blade.
The moment Svanhild noticed, she unsheathed her long sword, swimming directly toward Asta with it raised high above her head.
Before she could swing down, Thurs slammed her body against the beastly finfolk and knocked her sideways.
The other kelpies burst into the room, biting and kicking with everything they had, but the room was so small, and three massive horses took up so much space that it was impossible for them to move the way they needed to.
A kelpie let out a pained whinny and Asta noticed the green liquid wisps floating through the water before she saw the deep bleeding gouge in the creature’s side.
“Get yourselves out of here!” Asta commanded. “Return to the grand hall and help the others! This room is too small for you all.”
Without hesitation, Thurs did as she was told and got her herd members out.
Asta grabbed the dagger Maren had dropped, giving herself a second weapon to take on two opponents.
This duel felt familiar to the last time, yet different.
Asta hadn’t fully felt the betrayal of her sister during the last fight, but now, it fueled her.
Maren stole Svanhild’s dagger from her sheath and gripped it tightly, her eyes darting between Asta and Kaid. During the kelpie attack, Asta had managed to position herself back between the finfolk and the prince.
Asta sucked in a shaky breath, but when she released, it was steady.