Page 111 of Somber Prince

Another rider leaped from his horse. Without touching the ground, he became a shadow, then appeared next to the three remaining Joy Guardians. He raised a curved sword, then slashed across another Guardian’s neck. Dark blood gushed from the wound, splashing over the man’s golden clothes. His head rolled from his torso and bounced along the ground.

The heavy pole shook in the hands of the two remaining Joy Guardians. The golden glow of the opening portal flickered.

“Faster, Dawn,” Melanie begged, dragging me with her to the top of the hill.

The thug with the sword raised it again, moving onto the next Guardian. A spear flew through the storm and hit the man with the sword in the back. More horse riders appeared. These wore the black uniforms of the Teneris Palace.

“The guards are here,” Melanie gasped.

We were in front of the portal now. A light breeze blew from it with wisps of shadows. It felt refreshing against my face and so different from the brutal heat of the sandstorm.

Then, the ring of the golden shimmer around the portal wavered. The darkness inside it thinned. Held by only two Joy Guardians now, the pole with the hexagon teetered and shook, breaking up the beam.

“No, please, no…” Melanie clasped her hand over her mouth, watching the portal falter.

The two Joy Guardians struggled to hold the pole in the upright position. But a shadow solidified next to them, taking the shape of a man. His shimmering black garment was held with a golden circlet on his head—the crown of the prince.

“Rha,” I exhaled.

He grabbed the pole, helping the Joy Guardians to steady it. The column of pale light regained its direction, and the portal solidified once again.

“Thank God,” Melanie moaned in relief.

“Move it, guys!” Lin and Aihan rushed by us, then jumped into the black circle of the portal. It flared with a firework of golden sparks, swallowing both women.

More humans rushed by, jumping into the portal.

“Quickly, now.” Melanie yanked on my hand.

But I couldn’t move.

I stared at the prince who held the pole, keeping the portal open. He’d come after us. He chased us all the way from the palace. But instead of taking us back to Teneris, he was letting us go.

He was letting me go, setting me free.

Puffing and cursing, Kostya climbed up the hill.

“Get the fuck out of the way.” He shoved past me.

Tripping over a rock, he fell, crashing into Melanie, who stood right in front of the portal. She fell in and was swallowed whole by the cloud of black shadows and golden sparks. Kostya fell in halfway, his legs and backside still on this side.

“Melanie!” I froze in horror.

But my sister was gone.

More people ran by me, tripping over themselves to make it through the portal. The golden circle suddenly flickered and dimmed again.

I pivoted back to Rha and the Joy Guardians. The pole tipped sideways, held only by Rha now, who was on his knees, propping the pole with his shoulder. All Joy Guardians lay on the ground, blood oozing out of the open wounds on their backs and chests.

Two dead thugs lay on the ground too. A bloodied sword lay next to Rha. It looked like he had killed those who’d murdered the Joy Guardians.

But he’d paid for it.

A dagger was sticking out from his back, just below his shoulder. The blade sparked with the red of Nerifir iron—the only metal deadly to fae. Swaying on his knees, he still kept the pole upright somehow.

“Hurry!” The married couple from the sarai climbed over Kostya, who was still struggling to get up with only half of his body inside the portal.

It was now or never.

---