Chapter 57
I had thought the greatest threat to the Summer Court had been my own kingdom. Foolishly, I had believed that with Mother’s death, the Summer Court would be safe.
Stars help me, but I was so very wrong.
As soon as Gorrick told me the news, I was flying down the hall until I reached Mal. He was leaning against the wall with his wings curled up. When I reached him, he stumbled forward and licked my face in an uncharacteristic show of affection.
It almost made me smile. But the circumstances were too dire for me to appreciate it.
“Your home is in danger,” I told him. “Aurelia needs us. Can you fly me over there? Are you well enough?”
Mal’s nostrils flared, and he uttered a low growl before inclining his head in confirmation.
We emerged into the courtyard, and several courtiers and servants cried out in alarm at the sight of the great dragon. Like before, I had to call off the guards before they surrounded him. Mal’s back arched, his wings flaring in warning.
It didn’t take long for Gorrick to join us. He had my armor and weapons, as requested. He glanced at Mal with a dubious expression.
“Sire, I must advise against this,” he said. “You are our sovereign, and you have no heirs. If something should happen to you?—”
“I’m the only one who can get to the border fast enough,” I said, donning my armor as I spoke. Gorrick obediently came behind me to fasten the breastplate. “Mal will trust no one else to ride him. And I know once I arrive, I can convince the Autumn Court to back down.”
“How?” Gorrick asked, his voice full of doubt. “How will you convince them?”
When my armor was in place, I turned to face Gorrick and offered him a grim smile. “With my charm. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll use my magic.”
Gorrick’s face paled. “Are you certain it will work?”
“No. But I have to try.”
I turned toward Mal, but Gorrick grabbed my arm, stopping me. “Are you sure this is worth it? The princess is not here. Your bargain to her is fulfilled. You don’t owe her anything.”
I stared at him, nostrils flared, gritting my teeth so hard it made my head throb. In a low voice, I said, “Yes, I do . ” I faced Mal, who was crouched low to the ground, ready for me to mount. I climbed atop his back, satisfied to note that the sharp scales did not bother me when I was wearing so much steel. “Send our forces to the border. Ride all night if you have to. I don’t know how long I can hold them off.”
Gorrick nodded, his expression tight with dismay. But he bowed to me and said, “Yes, Your Highness. Please be safe.”
“I will.”
Mal didn’t wait for my command before taking off, galloping down the steps and through the trees. When we reached the open plains, he spread his wings and shot forward, lifting us above the ground and into the air. My stomach dipped as we arced through the sky, floating above the treetops and among the clouds. I struggled to hold on, keeping my arms wrapped around his neck. My armor and swords made me so damn heavy that I was sure I would slide right off him.
But Mal was an expert flyer and knew how to keep his rider mounted. When he sensed me slipping, he leaned the other direction until I settled back into place. The wind whipped at me, stinging my eyes even through the visor of my helmet. I found myself laughing as the open sky lay before us. Mal arced and curved, gliding with perfect precision. His wings pumped furiously, pushing us forward with more speed than I had ever known.
It’s no wonder Aurelia loves this so much, I thought, my chest aching for her. I hoped and prayed to all the gods I could think of that she was safe and that she had unlocked her magic.
If anyone could do it, she could.
And in the meantime, I had to protect her kingdom for her. She would have done the same for me if our roles were reversed.
Once we passed the mist that separated the Star and Autumn Courts, the sun filtered through the clouds around me, making my eyes burn for an entirely different reason.
Gods, I hated the sun.
But as the burn intensified, the air began to shift. Power thrummed, tickling my ears, and beneath me, Mal went tense.
“What is that?” I cried over the rushing wind.
Mal jerked sideways, and I yelped, scrambling for purchase, my arms tightening around his neck.
An explosion of purple magic burst in front of us, and Mal swooped low to avoid it. Power rippled in the air, and I sucked in a horrified breath as realization hit me.
Aurelia had said her dragons were protected by the land of her kingdom. But once they crossed the border, they were no longer safe.
Some other power was reaching for us here. And with Autumn marching on Summer, I had no doubt their mages were on the hunt for the dragons as well. The witches of my realm could be trusted, but here?
We were definitely in danger.
I gripped Mal tightly and said to him, “Do what you have to. I know you can get us through this, you clever beast.”
Mal grunted in acknowledgement, and then started spinning. I clung to him with every ounce of desperation as my body spun with him, suspending in mid-air for one terrifying moment. More jets of light soared through the sky, aiming for us, but Mal dodged them all, his wings pumping hard, a deep and menacing growl rumbling his body.
The amber and gold leaves were a blur beneath us as we soared over the forests lining the Autumn Court. As the magic continued assaulting us, Mal dipped lower, able to use the cover of the trees to protect us. We were so close now… Sweat dripped down my neck, and my armor suddenly felt too heavy and stifling. I glanced be hind us, searching the skies for more magic. But the sky was clear.
In what felt like no time at all, we reached the Summer border. As we descended lower and lower, I made out the Autumn forces marching toward Aurelia’s home, their metal armor glinting in the sunlight. There had to be more than ten thousand of them. The standard-bearer in front wielded the orange and crimson banner of the Autumn Court. They were only a few miles from Kellen Falls, where Aurelia and I had been attacked by goblins.
“Let’s head them off, shall we?” I asked Mal, who grunted in agreement. He dived, and it took all my strength to maintain my grip around his neck, barely keeping myself atop him. He weaved, spinning to avoid trees and branches before landing hard in a clearing just north of Kellen Falls.
The ensign was barely visible in the distance, nothing but an orange and red blob. Mal and I galloped toward it. When we drew closer, shouts of alarm filled the air as the soldiers no doubt noticed a lone soldier atop a dragon racing toward them. A jet of purple magic speared toward us, confirming my suspicions that the Autumn army had mages with them, intent on bringing us down.
But Mal expertly dodged the attacks, and he didn’t slow, not until we were right on top of the lines of soldiers. He careened to a halt only inches from the standard-bearer leading the forces. The man staggered back with a yelp, no doubt expecting Mal to crash straight into him.
I dismounted and removed my helmet, panting as I surveyed the crowd of soldiers. “I must speak with your king. Immediately.”
“You are in our kingdom,” said the man on the other side of the standard-bearer. The eyes visible from beneath his visor were wrinkled with age, and the deep authority ringing from his voice told me he held a high rank. Captain, perhaps.
“I’m here to stop you from needlessly killing thousands of your soldiers!” I shouted. “On behalf of Princess Aurelia of the Summer Court, I demand to speak with your king.”
“Who are you to demand anything?” the man spat.
“I am her betrothed, King Fennick of the Midnight Court.” I spoke the words with firmness and strength, even as my stomach twisted as I recalled the way my sword had skewered my mother, her blood pooling on the floor. I was only King because I had ended her life…
No , I chided myself. Now was not the time for such thoughts. I needed to focus.
A hushed silence followed my words as several soldiers exchanged worried glances. At long last, the man I presumed to be captain said quietly, “King?”
“Yes, that’s right. Queen Sonara only recently passed.” I paused, swallowing around the lump in my throat. “The kingdom has fallen to me now.”
More silence met my words. I took the opportunity to drive the point home.
“My forces are on their way to you now. Unless you want to risk fighting a battle on both fronts, you will grant me an audience with your king immediately.”
The captain stiffened, his eyes narrowing. He whispered something to the soldier behind him, who darted away, weaving through bodies until he vanished from sight. I merely stood there, staring down the soldiers before me, pretending I possessed more courage than I did. Beside me, Mal growled low, his back arching and his wings flaring. He, too, was trying to appear intimidating.
And it was working. Several soldiers shifted their weight uncomfortably. But they had stopped their march. If anything, I was buying Aurelia more time.
And I hadn’t had to use my magic yet. I wanted to avoid that at all costs. If there was any way to lose trust in a negotiation, it was to reveal that I could persuade people to do my will.
But I would do what I had to do to stop this war.
After what felt like an hour, the soldier returned and whispered something into the captain’s ear. He nodded once and turned to me. “The king will see you. Follow me.”
“The dragon comes with me,” I said.
The captain glared. “That beast cannot?—”
“Either let him through, or he will tear out your throats,” I snarled. To prove my point, Mal bared his fangs, his wings spreading even wider. “I could have landed directly in front of your king, even let this creature slash his guts open with his claws. Instead, I came to you to request a formal appearance before the king. Don’t make this any more uncivilized than it needs to be.”
The captain stared me down, his eyes full of venom, but he nodded again, the motion stiff, before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Mal and I trailed after him, pushing past swords and breast plates, shields and helmets, and the unyielding rows of soldiers who were reluctant to let us pass.
When we reached the cavalry, with their mighty steeds and massive spears, my eyes fell on the biggest and grandest stallion in front, the rider’s sword drawn and shield at the ready. It was Callan, the new king of the Autumn Court.
The captain led us straight to the king, who removed his helmet, his eyes blazing with intensity. He dismounted from his horse and strode toward us, each step purposeful and commanding. He oozed authority, even more than his brother had, which was surprising. Callan had seemed unassuming and feeble, but perhaps that was just a mask he had worn—something I was all too familiar with.
When we faced each other, Callan raised an eyebrow at Mal, who growled again.
“Your Highness.” I bowed.
“King Fennick,” he said coldly. “I was surprised when Captain Reynolds informed me of your mother’s demise.”
I said nothing at that. Instead, I gestured to the row of soldiers waiting behind him. “What is this, Callan? What the hell are you doing?”
He stiffened at the informality. “I am invading an enemy court.”
“Summer is not your enemy. For years, they were your ally.”
“Not anymore.” His tone was harsh, but he gave no further explanation.
I sighed. “On behalf of my betrothed, I implore you to elaborate. Was there a breach of contract? Did Summer commit an act of war against your people?”
Callan was silent for so long, I wasn’t sure he would respond. At long last, he said in a low, broken voice, “The Dream Mage commands it.”
My blood chilled. “Y-You are here under her orders?”
He nodded once .
Oh, shit. The Winter assassin had been right. Autumn had aligned themselves with the Dream Mage.
“Dammit, Callan, why ?” I hissed.
“I had no choice!” he barked. “Tyrone was in league with her, and now I’m left to clean up his mess. I tried to refuse her. But she enchanted my mother. Said the only way she’d let her go was if we invaded the Summer Court.”
“So you would condemn your entire court to war just to protect one person?”
“She’s my mother,” Callan growled.
I snorted. “Don’t talk to me about loyalty to one’s mother. I was loyal to my mother for years. My entire life. And she still threw it all away for the good of her people. She may have been a manipulative monster, but at least she was willing to do whatever it took to protect her people.” And I sacrificed her in the name of peace. In the name of keeping my kingdom safe.
But gods, killing her had nearly destroyed me. The ache of it still ripped through me, fresh and festering. Could I really ask Callan to do what I had done? To destroy his soul and carry that weight with him forever?
A muscle feathered in Callan’s jaw as he stared at me. “Would you refuse? If it was Aurelia’s life on the line?”
I froze at that. The devastation in the king’s eyes told me just how much he still cared for the Summer Princess.
Eliminating my mother had been one thing. But could I have made the same choice, if it was Aurelia?
I was surprised by how quickly the answer came to me. “As much as I love Aurelia,” I said in a low voice, “I would never subject my people or hers to the brutality of unnecessary war. She wouldn’t want that. Is that what your mother would want?”
Callan went perfectly still, his dark gaze betraying nothing.
I opened my senses, unleashing a mere tendril of my power. I didn’t want to alarm him, just in case he could sense the presence of fae magic. “ Don’t do this, Callan .”
He only watched me, blinking once.
I added more power into my voice. “ Take your armies back. Turn around, before you do something that cannot be undone. ”
Callan stood straighter, his nostrils flaring. “I—I don’t—” He broke off, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“ Leave ,” I said, pouring more strength into my voice. “ Turn around and leave. ”
His arms began to shake, and his breathing turned ragged. “What—What are you doing to me?”
“I’m offering you a taste of what I can do with words alone,” I hissed, baring my teeth at him. Then, I unleashed the full force of my magic as I bellowed, “ Fall to your knees !”
Callan’s legs gave out, and he knelt before me, crying out in pain. “Stop. Stop !”
A few soldiers rushed to his aid, but I turned on them, too. “ Stop. Do not move. ”
They froze in their tracks, limbs stiff as if they had become nothing more than statues.
“Do you want me to decimate your army with a single word?” I asked Callan, cocking my head at him in consideration. “Because I would destroy every single one of them if it meant keeping Aurelia’s home safe.”
I was bluffing. Already, my insides were quivering with fatigue from pushing so much power into my commands.
But Callan didn’t need to know that.
The Autumn King gazed up at me, his eyes watering. “You wouldn’t.” His voice trembled.
“Between me and the dragon, we could certainly do some damage,” I said with a cruel smirk. “And my armies are on their way to you now. Do you really want to have your forces torn apart before you even cross the border?”
“Fennick… The Dream Mage…”
“Aurelia is battling the Dream Mage as we speak,” I said. “I think she has more important things to worry about than you and your mother.”
Callan blinked, his eyes flaring wide. “What?”
“Aurelia is saving your sorry ass,” I said. “She’s saving all of us. Now, this is your last chance.” I drew my sword. “Leave, or I’ll cut you down right now. Or, better yet, I’ll order you to fall on your own sword.”
Callan glanced at the three soldiers who still remained frozen, unable to come to his aid. Then, he looked at me. His eyes flicked to the slight tremor in my hand as I held my sword.
Dammit. Dammit.
Callan sucked in a breath, then rose to his feet as if suddenly realizing I couldn’t hold him there any longer. After a long, tense moment, he said, “No. I’m not going anywhere.”
I raised my sword, and Mal growled, baring his sharp teeth.
“Reynolds,” Callan said, addressing his captain. “Arrest King Fennick. Use excessive force if you must.”
Panic and fatigue throbbed through my body, but I brandished my sword, glaring as Reynolds approached me. I would cut him down. I wouldn’t last long, but I would take out as many men as I could.
Reynolds did not falter. He didn’t even blink, clearly unfazed by my bravado.
When he was close enough, I swung my sword high. Too high. He met it with his own, and the clang echoed around us.
Taking advantage of his position, I kicked him hard in the shin, then rammed my knee into his groin. He sank to his knees with a strangled groan.
With one swift motion, I cracked the pommel of my sword against his skull, and he fell to the ground, motionless.
Panting, I raised my eyebrows at Callan, who scowled at me. “Is that all?”
With a growl, Callan pointed his sword at me. “Take him down!”
Shouts rang out. As one, the soldiers surged toward us, swords drawn.
My hand was sweaty as I gripped the hilt of my sword. I shared one last somber look with Mal before we both dived into battle.