“I wish I could believe you.” Prince Colin edged away from the shimmer mist, closer to a shop where vines grew around columns. Leaves fluttered and fattened, reaching for him. “But you’re dressed as a vigilante and keep company with a flasher.”
Tobiah moved again, not blocking me anymore, but herding Prince Colin away from the vines that slithered down from the buildings. Like green snakes, they crossed the walkway, heavy leaves catching air like sails on a boat. “Come back to the castle with us,” Tobiah said. “Someone will help you. Is your arm broken?”
“I won’t go anywhere with you.”
Quickly, I freed two more of my soldiers, whispering for them to stay close. I had to assume the wraith would solidify again when I moved away.
“Come on, Chrysalis,” I muttered.
The soldiers crowded behind me as I moved toward the edge of the wraith shimmer. Those still trapped looked at me, pleading with their eyes. They were afraid I was leaving them. “I’ll free you,” I whispered. “I swear it.”
Near Prince Colin, the vines reared up to throw themselves around him. Tobiah brought his sword down with uncanny speed, cutting the thick greenery in two just before it reached his uncle.
There was no time for relief; another vine zipped in from the opposite direction. “Watch out!”
My warning came too late.
The vine wrapped around Prince Colin’s throat and tightened. His sword fell to the cobblestones as he tried to tug off the wraith vine, but more twisted around his body, pinning his arms in place.
Tobiah lunged forward, drawing a dagger to free his uncle, but Prince Colin’s face was already red and purple. He writhed in place, struggling against Tobiah and the vines.
I had to help. “Hurry,” I called to the soldiers, and we started to run. As soon as they were away from the wraith shimmer, I sprinted toward Tobiah.
Prince Colin’s eyes bulged. His mouth moved.
“Keep him still.” Tobiah shoved his uncle onto his back.
I dropped my sword and knelt close, and that was all the proximity the wraith needed. The vine loosened and fled; Chrysalis’s influence still held.
Prince Colin curled inward and turned to one side, gasping and coughing. “Wraith queen.” The words were garbled, but I’d heard them enough. I knew.
“How can we help?” Denise asked. The others stood behind her, shaky, but well enough.
“Guard Colin.” I glanced at Tobiah. “The former overlord is officially a traitor, same as Patrick.”
The four moved in just as the horrific noise of screams and metal exploded behind us—and silenced only a second later.
In the wraith shimmer, everyone had shifted. Just slightly. Just enough. One reached for us now, close to where I’d freed Denise. The one who’d been about to stab her in the back had fallen forward. Another was suddenly on his knees, trying to curl into a ball.
It happened again.
The wraith melted for a heartbeat, people lurched and gasped and cried out, and then everything stopped.
“Chrysalis.” Tobiah glanced at me. “He’s regaining control.”
Slowly. Horribly. But he was trying.
“Wil!” Melanie’s voice came from a rooftop down the street, and both she and James pointed—
A thud sounded as a dagger landed in the back of Prince Colin’s neck. He dropped to the ground, dead.
“No!” Tobiah took up his sword and lunged for a shape emerging from a nearby tavern. Patrick. My former friend hefted a giant sword with ease, bringing it up to guard as Tobiah closed on him with an awful shout.
The blades clashed. Patrick shoved Tobiah backward, but the king regained his footing immediately. He feinted low and struck high, but Patrick knew that trick.
The two were closely matched in skill, but where Tobiah was a fast, lithe fighter, Patrick was steady. He’d wear down Tobiah, and then strike a killing blow.
But he wouldn’t risk me.
“Help any of our people who escape the wraith,” I told my soldiers. Chrysalis would seize control soon. I hoped.
“But Patrick—”
“We’ll take care of him. Captain Rayner and Melanie will be here soon.” With no more room for argument, I took my sword in one hand and a dagger in the other, and joined Tobiah.
Patrick swore. “I don’t want to hurt you, Wilhelmina. I promised I wouldn’t ever strike you again, but you’re making that a difficult promise to keep.”
Around us, lightning bursts of chaos hit—Chrysalis fighting the wraith.
“You can keep your promise.” I swung for his side; he blocked. “You can choose to end this.”
“Aecor won’t be free until the Indigo presence is eradicated.” Patrick raised his sword against Tobiah.
Before he could attack, I jumped between them and blocked with my dagger. “Stop, Patrick!”
“I can fight, Wil.” Tobiah was at my side, sword ready.