Chapter 34
Chapter
Thirty-Four
Iexhaled with relief and shrunk several inches in height.
And several feet in width.
My berserker magic was done. I didn’t need it anymore anyway; this next part should be easy.
Just a few loose ends to tie up. And by a few, I meant over a thousand angry supernatural creatures that were banging against the ward, trying to get in so they could rip us to shreds.
And I should probably get some clothes on. Now that I was normal sized, my bra and panties were sagging on me.
“Chosen.” Donovan’s arms wrapped around me, and he held me as the army smashed against the invisible wall only a few feet away. He seemed to be struggling to form words. “I—I thought?—”
“I know. I’m sorry. But that was the whole point, Donovan. We had to make him believe it.”
Cress’s face was white. “I am going to rip out your heart and make you eat it, woman. I have never been so scared in all my life.”
“You’re here.” Fionn whipped his head back and forth from the army and back to me. “But who has Connor…”
I smiled at him. “Cecil, of course.”
“What?” All three of them gaped at me and spoke the word at the same time. “How?”
I shrugged. “He’s a pony of many talents. Turns out, we make quite a team.” I would fill them in on the details of Cecil’s new freedom later. “Look who else is here.” I waved towards the army.
Two figures were heading over, walking closer, shoving Connor’s men roughly out of the way. I smiled at them—“Purg” in his floaty black robe and “Agarthon” in his armor. They marched straight through the invisible wall, heading towards us.
Bronwyn laughed.
“Have you gone mad, my love?” Cress demanded. “Connor’s assassins have risen from the dead, and now, free from the shackles of their oaths, they come to take their veng?—”
“Breathe, honey,” Bronwyn cut her off with a kiss. “It’s Nate and Eryk.”
I wasn't surprised she was first to realize—Bronwyn was human and didn’t rely on magic to give context clues. Where Connor would immediately notice the telltale vibration of illusion magic around them, Bronwyn saw two men moving awkwardly in unfamiliar clothes.
And maybe a hint of makeup. Cecil had gone to town on Eryk, contouring like a master to give him Purg’s skull-like face. Most of which was hidden by the cloak, but I had to hand it to Cecil—he was a genius with an airbrush, and he covered all his bases.
Nate knelt before us and removed his helmet. “I don’t know how he wears this stuff. It is damned heavy.”
“Will you forgive us, my king?” Eryk pulled off the robe.
“It’s me he has to forgive.” I picked it up and wrapped it around my almost-naked body.
“I’m just going to borrow this, if you don’t mind, Eryk.
” In all our planning, this was one little detail I’d forgotten.
“I promise to issue a full mea culpa to everyone in writing later,” I told them, spinning around to face the army.
“They’re going to break through any second, so we have to get all our ducks in a row. ”
Fionn took a deep breath and tried to lift his sword. He didn’t get far. His arm appeared to be broken. “I will fight to my last breath, my lady.”
“You can relax, Fionn.” I lifted my head and gave a loud taxi-whistle. “Get ready!”
Donovan looked behind. “All the others have disappeared through the portal.”
“Yes, I told them to do that. I need a clear field to be able to concentrate. This part is going to be tough.” One shot, I could do it.
I glanced behind me, looking up at the ocean again.
Just then, I noticed Candice and the berserkers crammed onto the observation deck, along with Hashleigh, and a few other brethren I recognized—ramen-hair Wendy and the teen of indeterminate gender.
Jillian stood to the side with the remainder of the Ancients, blank-faced, watching us underneath a giant shady umbrella Judy had obviously magicked up.
I exhaled. Well, at least they weren’t crowding around me. It was quite nice that they’d stayed.
“We stand alone.” Donovan’s face darkened again. “What are you up to now, woman?”
The invisible ward in front of us rippled.
I looked towards the source of the shimmering rings that expanded in the air; a young bald man in a robe to our right held a dagger.
While I watched, he sliced his palm again and chanted.
Sweat beaded on his brow. He smacked his bloody hand against the ward.
It rippled and cracked.
“Just stay behind me,” I murmured, reaching for the endless pit of magic swirling in my gut. It leapt to my attention happily, ready to serve.
When I closed the high fae spark stone—only hours ago—I asked it to only gift me a magic gift if it felt like I was worthy. Apparently, it thought me so.
Now, everything was easier. I could dip into the endless well of power within me and pull out what I needed like a magician pulling random items out of a top hat.
Everything felt stronger. I felt more confident in what I was doing.
I didn't have to be right about everything. It was okay to make mistakes.
I was doing my best. That’s all the spark stones ever wanted.
The wall shimmered. More cracks spidered out, turning the invisible wall pale white. Then, with an ear-splitting crack, it shattered completely.
Here we go.
As one, Connor’s army screamed and barreled through the broken ward.