Page 97 of Queen of Serpents and Shadows

And now the Fae King was dead.

I stared at the statue that used to be the Fae King, feeling numb. I wasn’t sure where to go from here. I hoped I could take the king down with me. I didn’t plan on being able to escape with my life.

The ground shook and the sound of screams filled the night, sending me into action. I ran for the door, peering out to find there were no longer any guards outside the king’s tent. My stomach twisted in guilt when I realized I’d killed them all.

Flames shot across the sky and soldiers screamed. Men raced past me, still tugging on their armor as they charged. I looked up just as four dragons flew across the sky, unleashing flames on the tents below.

I paused, taking in the flying beasts, trying to figure out how they were there when the king was gone.

Then I recognized the midnight blue sheen of a familiar dragon’s scales. That had to be Bahar. If that was him and his men, it meant Ryvin and my friends were out there somewhere. They were attacking the fae. My stomach twisted in a mixture of anxiety and excitement. After all this time, we were finally initiating the battle we’d been waiting for.

I ducked back into the king’s tent then ran over to where the statue knelt in the same place I’d left it. Pressing my foot against his side, I shoved until the whole statue toppled over. It cracked when it landed, his arm shattering in the fall.

Somehow, that made me feel more confident that he was actually gone. I glanced around for a weapon and saw a massive ornate sword propped against the small table. I grabbed it and lifted it, quickly realizing it wouldn’t do me any good. It was far too heavy. Then I remembered the training sessions with Rvyin. The only time I won was when I used magic, not traditional fighting skills.

I shook out my hands and made my way to the exit, ready to join the fray.

Smoke filled the air, and the night sky was illuminated by burning tents and streaks of fire coming from thecircling dragons above. Fae soldiers ran past me, none of them stopping to notice a woman walking through their camp.

I hurried to follow them and ran right into battle. Steel clashed and fighters brawled. Fae were attacking Athonian soldiers and vampires from Thebes. Dragons attacked those who were trying to flee to the ships.

A fae soldier noticed me, then charged, a sword over his head. I lifted my hand, calling the shadows. They came to me with ease. The man didn’t stand a chance as the darkness swallowed him.

Another soldier standing nearby turned and ran after watching me, but an Athonian soldier shoved his sword through his gut before he could retreat.

I continued through the masses, using my shadows to help where I could while I hunted for my friends. The deeper I got into the battle, the more my anxiety peaked. I kept reminding myself that they were strong fighters, that they were likely in less danger than I was.

A sword swung in my direction and I jumped, just barely saving myself from being sliced open. I glared at my attacker, a fae male with antlers who glared at me in disgust. I gave him a glare of my own as I sent shadows to swallow him whole.

He made a gurgling sound as the shadows did their work, smothering him until nothing was left.

I focused more on my surroundings after that, knowing that my friends were likely looking for me as well. I continued to fight, picking up a knife someone else haddropped. I made quick use of it, stabbing a fae who was toying with a fallen Athonian guard.

“Thank you,” the guard called, accepting my hand as I helped him off the ground.

I didn’t get a chance to say anything back before a knife was plunged into his neck. Gritting my teeth, I stared at the killer.

“What do we have here?” A tall fae in the red uniform of Konos said. He held the bloody knife in one hand and a large, also bloody sword in the other. “They really shouldn’t let humans come play in their battles.”

“I’m no human,” I warned.

“Half-breeds don’t count,” he snarled as he charged me.

I called to my shadows, but he was so fast I had to dodge, which sent the black wisps I’d managed away. He charged me again, swinging with the sword, then swiping with the knife.

His movements were brutal, and it was taking all my concentration just to avoid him. I couldn’t focus enough to call the shadows. I couldn’t use my magic.

“I can’t wait to show Ryvin your corpse,” the man spat. “I’ll show him that his magic wasn’t enough.”

The thought of Ryvin seeing me dead sent a surge of rage through me and I stopped thinking. My vision narrowed until all I could see was the gloating expression on the man sizing me up for a kill. The sound of the battle ceased, the air seemed to still.

Darkness billowed around me and I welcomed them asI charged forward, leaping into the air with the aid of the shadows under my feet, my knife ready. The soldier’s eyes widened as I came down on him, jabbing my knife into his throat.

The shadows caught me before I hit the ground and I moved away before his toppling body could land on me.

Taking heaving breaths, I stared down at the man who’d found so much joy in the thought of seeing me dead. I was glad he was gone. Glad he wouldn’t have a chance to carry that bloodlust any longer.

Suddenly, a cacophony of screaming filled the air, and I spun to see dozens of fae soldiers falling to their knees, clawing at their throats. The screams died as they began to gurgle, blood pouring from their mouths. As they quieted, they fell, unmoving.

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