I’ll hold him back. I’m still connected to him. I haven’t lost him completely. We’ll go straight to your house and rescue them, and then I’ll deal with Kol and Irina while you get your family to safety. Show me what your house looks like and where it is so I can tell the water where to go.
His chest rose and fell rapidly, and he let go of her hand to grab his sword instead. I know you love the boy, Lorelai, but if he harms my family—
He won’t. Now show me the house and wall up your thoughts again so I can focus on keeping Kol from giving in to his dragon.
He sent her an image of a pretty brown cottage with a bright blue door and flowers in the window boxes. It was on the eastern side of the capital, well away from the main roads. She showed the water’s heart where to go and then focused on Kol.
I’m coming.
His fragmented thoughts sped up, and she felt his frantic need to keep her away from him.
You aren’t a killer, and I won’t let her destroy you like this. Have faith in me, Kol. My heart wants to save you more than hers wants to hurt you.
Save . . . you. His voice was rough, mostly dragon, and she heard a steady snarl of hurt, punish, kill beneath his words, but Kol was still there. Still fighting to remain himself despite the queen’s best efforts.
I don’t need to be saved. She does. Is she listening to me?
Kol’s terror was a bright flare in the darkness of his mind.
Can she hear me?
Hears . . . me.
Then make sure you respond to what I’m about to say, because it would be a shame for her to miss it. Lorelai’s heart pounded, but not from panic. There was no more room for fear. She was an implacable force of nature, and she was coming to reclaim what was hers.
The water bridge twisted and dove beneath the iron arches of the capital’s gate and plunged into the city, sending people scrambling for cover.
Are you listening? she asked.
Yes. His voice was faint, nearly drowned out in the insatiable bloodlust of his dragon’s heart. Of the queen.
Then you let Irina see this. You show her my thoughts, Kol. You tell that lying, cowardly usurper that this is the last day she will breathe Ravenspire air. This is the last day she will look out on the kingdom she’s ruined.
Ravenspire’s true queen has entered the city, and Irina’s time is over.
Kol was silent for an agonizing minute as Lorelai and Gabril plunged through the city streets, streaked around corners, and sped toward the eastern edge of the capital.
Angry. There was a shiver of fear in his voice, but there was pride too.
He was still there. Still Kol. Irina had once again underestimated the strength of a heart determined to withstand hers.
Her anger is nothing compared to the anger of this land and its people. Where are you?
He showed her the little brown cottage with the bright blue door. The image pulsed with red as his heart screamed for blood and the collar poured pain into his body until he could barely remember his name.
I’ll be there soon. Don’t hurt them.
Hurt . . .
No, you will not hurt them. You are not a killer. You are stronger than Irina thinks you are. Hold out a little longer. I’m almost there.
Wait. He seemed to be struggling to find another word. As the water surged around another corned and plunged down the cobblestones toward the cottage, he sent her an image of himself with a scarf tied around his mouth.
She won’t let you tell me something?
The water arced gracefully toward the cottage’s tidy lawn.
Kol was nowhere to be seen.
Gabril readied himself to jump as Lorelai spoke softly to the water’s heart.
And then as the water deposited Gabril and Lorelai on the withered grass beside the blue front door and receded back toward the Silber River, Kol whispered, Trap.
“Gabril, watch out!” Lorelai cried as what looked like an entire regiment of the queen’s soldiers, their eyes glassy and unfocused like the villager’s eyes had been in Nordenberg, stood up from their hiding places behind trees, fence posts, and the surrounding cottages, and converged on Lorelai and Gabril.
Instantly, Sasha rose into the air and arrowed toward the closest soldier. Gabril pivoted, sword out to face the threat, and Lorelai caught a flash of movement inside the house.
Kol? Are you inside with his family?
Must . . . hurt. His voice broke. No. I won’t. Help . . . me.
I’m going to help you as soon as I take care of the soldiers attacking us. She crouched and pressed her hand to the ground, careful to tell its heart that she wanted no injury to come to any of the soldiers. No one else in Ravenspire was going to die for the sake of Irina.
The ground rippled and shook, and thick strands of wiry grass shot out of the dirt to wrap around wrists and ankles, sending soldiers crashing down where they remained shackled to the lawn. With her back to the house, Lorelai focused on sending a snare toward each approaching soldier while also trying desperately to keep Kol focused on her.
“Gabril!” A woman’s voice rose in panic, followed by screams of terror. Gabril wheeled away from Lorelai and ran toward his house.
Kol! What are you—