“You’re dead.” Ezryn leaps into the branches.
He lands beside Caspian, but the Prince of Thorns doesn’t look afraid. “I know you’ve wanted to kill me for a long time, metal man, but you’ll have to be patient.”
With the grace of a cat, Caspian springs from the tree and lands before Farron. The mischief disappears from his face. “You ruined my book. I ruined all of yours. Fair is fair, friend.”
Ezryn hurdles down, sword drawn, but a thorny vine whips up, knocking him to the side. Dayton gives a booming cry and runs forward, but thorns wrap around his ankles, yanking him to the ground.
Caspian never takes his eyes off Farron. “You came to my birthday party. I’ve controlled your beast. Let us consider the bargain complete.” Magic sparks in the air, so electric I can taste it on my tongue. Light shimmers around them. The thorn collar snaps and falls from Farron’s neck.
Caspian looks to me and Kel, then winks. “Until next time, lovers.” The briars wrap around his body, and he sinks deep into the earth.
“What’s the plan?” Dayton cries, breaking free of the vines and pulling me against him.
Kel’s still on his knees, motionless.
The goblins are almost upon us. They move with an uncanny grace, darting and weaving around the remains of the library. Some leap onto the ruined shelves, their claws digging into the charred wood. Others skitter across the ground like insects.
But my mind races. What had Caspian said when they’d made the bargain? This spell will ensure you remain under control. Yeah. Under Caspian’s control.
And we’d never clarified that Caspian had to continue helping Farron even after the birthday party. If the bargain is complete, Farron’s no longer enthralled by Caspian’s magic. That means…
“Watch out!” I scream.
But it’s too late.
Farron’s eyes glow with feral rage as he shakes his head, then charges.
63
Dayton
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been in some bad fucking situations before. Alone in the middle of the ocean with only a little dingy and an ancient kraken circling the boat? Check. Waking up butt-ass naked in a barn and having to sneak into the castle unseen on a festival day? Check. Facing down eight soldiers and a couple minotaurs in the Sun Colosseum while blindfolded? Check, check, and check.
But now I realize none of those moments had been bad at all.
Flames lick Farron’s paws. I’m terrified. All those other times, I was only trying to save my own dumb ass. But it’s not just about me anymore. Rosalina’s nearly collapsed on the ground, her body drained from wielding magic a human has no business being able to use. Keldarion’s gaze is faraway, mind completely muddled with drink. Ezryn charges toward the space where Caspian disappeared, despite the fact there’s no way to get to him.
And I have no idea what to do.
The world is a blur, movement I can’t stop. Goblins charge toward us from out of the thorn portal. Through the grove of trees encircling the ruins, I catch glimpses of torches and golden armor. The Autumn Guard approaches. The wolf swipes its massive burning paws at the ruined library and any goblin that dares to get within its reach.
“We have to help him!” Rosalina yells. Something about her voice snaps me awake.
She moves to dart toward Farron, but I grab her arm. “Rosie, no. He’ll never forgive himself if he hurts you.”
We’re dressed for sex, not a battle. Fuck, Kel is barely conscious. Funny to be on the other side of it for once. And a bit pitiful, realizing that’s how I’ve appeared a majority of the time. The High Prince of Winter will be no help to us.
Ezryn marches back to our group, pure rage radiating off him like waves of heat.
“Get them out of here, Ez,” I say. “I’ll handle this.”
“I’m not leaving Farron.” Rosalina glares up at me. “I’m not leaving you.”
It’s a stupid thing to do, knowing she doesn’t feel the same way. But fuck, this might be the last stupid thing I do. I grip her face and kiss her. She tastes like starlight and sun, and I know exactly what I need to do. “I’m going to keep him safe,” I murmur against her lips. “But I can’t do that with you here, alright?”
“Day…”
“Trust me, Rosalina. I won’t let him get hurt.”
Finally, she nods, and I push her into Ezryn’s arms.
Ezryn looks desperately between Farron, the approaching soldiers, and the goblins. Then he heaves Kel over his shoulder with one hand and grabs Rosalina around the waist with the other. His helm tilts upward to the keep visible over the treeline. To Rosie’s balcony.
A vine sprouts from beneath the palm of his gauntlet. It hurtles over the trees before twining around the balcony railing. With a quick tug, Ezryn tests the vine’s strength, then tightens his grip on Rosalina and Kel as he uses the vine as a makeshift grappling hook, swinging them up toward the balcony with all the strength and finesse he can muster.
Something in my chest relaxes as they all safely clamber onto the balcony.
Now time to assess my own fucked-up situation. Goblins still pile out of the portal, currently occupied by the raging beast. There’s no sign of that bastard Prince of Thorns.
We should have never trusted him. Attend his birthday party? Bullshit. It was all a distraction so the Below could attack the Autumn Realm. We planted a fucking gateway right into the heart of the city.
I am a fighter. I am a gladiator of the Sun Colosseum. I am the High Prince of the Summer Realm. And I need a fucking weapon.
I sprint toward the goblins. A few of them stumble, startled at my approach. I draw my fist back and punch one straight in the jaw.
It lets out a chittering moan before collapsing. Quickly, I grab its long sword made of thorns and a small wooden shield.
Better than nothing.
It couldn’t have come at a better time. Two goblins swing at me, but I easily deflect their blades. These creatures aren’t as wild as those who dwell in the Briar; they must be one of the Below’s special forces. Pieces of metal glint on their ashen bodies, and some clutch jagged steel weapons.
The goblins surround me. But this isn’t the first time I’ve been outnumbered in a fight. It just takes another tactic. Deep within me, I feel for the Blessing of Summer. It barely stirs, buried within my chest. The magic of Castletree is weak, barely able to reach me in Autumn.
Then it catches, sparks to life. A barrier of wind erupts around me, keeping the monsters at bay.
Still within the fray of the burnt library, the wolf rages, tearing at the goblins. He needs to transform back, but even the light of the full moon will not calm his raging, especially with a host of goblins surrounding him.
I need to get him out of here. Leading him away from the library will only take him deeper into the city. I pierce my sword through two unsuspecting goblins, then retreat behind a rotting piece of wood.
Opening the seashell at my neck to reveal the mirror, I angle it to create a portal back to Castletree. I’ll open a way home and force him through. Sure, a couple of wayward goblins might follow us, but I can easily dispose of them there.
Except nothing forms. No pool of light. I can’t sense the magic of Castletree. I can’t find the path home. Have our roses wilted?
Panic stutters in my chest, threatening to consume me. No, I remain a fae man. I can still feel the Blessing of Summer.
But I’ve been away from Castletree for too long; the magic is too weak to create the path between me and my home. I’ll have to figure something else out.
I close my eyes, allowing myself one more breath before I jump back into the battle.
Shredded goblins lie at the wolf’s burning feet, but even the giant beast is losing blood. There’s too many of them. They swarm Farron, poking and prodding at him with thorn-tipped spears.