Page 53 of The Shadow Heir

Relief flooded through me. Cas had kept his word.

Red eyes stared at me, as if awaiting my next command. The other hound was snarling and snapping its jaws at someone, but I couldn’t tear my attention away from the monster at my feet.

My chest rose and fell so fast I thought I might startle the creature into attacking again, so I lifted a hand and muttered, “Wait.”

Then I carefully bent down, slid my other shoe out from under my immovable foot, and held it above the ugly dog’s head. Its ridged snout lifted as its eyes tracked the shoe. A snarl issued from its throat.

“Diego, fetch.” I hurled the shoe, and to my surprise, the monstrous dog sped away from me.

I bent forward and braced my weight on my knees, whistling with relief. Peals of laughter cut through the awful sounds of the other dip attacking human flesh. I didn’t look. Instead, I locked eyes with Ivy, who stared at me with an open mouth.

Then, to my horror, Diego returned with my shoe. He dropped it on the sand at my feet, where it garnered a nice layer of grit on top of the thick slobber already coating it.

The fae were shouting now, some in elation, others in anger, but I focused only on the beast before me. Soon, the second hound left its victim to stalk another. I noted its massive black form trotting across the sand toward Ivy.

“Not tonight,” I growled. I grabbed the slobber-coated shoe and chucked it at the second dog, my feet still rooted to the spot. It missed, but the dog glanced my way. I didn’t know its name, couldn’t command it to sit or fetch. Would the stone cause both hounds to obey me?

The second dip stalked toward me.

Fear rose like bile in my throat. “Dieg—” I moaned, throat tightening. I coughed and pointed at the second creature. “Diego,” I tried again. “Hunt.”

The dog before me leaped to its feet, whirling to face his opponent. Or so I thought. Instead, the hound lunged for Tomas, who was jogging away from the creatures. I shouted and tried to jump, but my feet were still unable to leave the ground where they were planted.

As the second hound neared, I bent my knees and readied a fist to punch the monster. But as the animal’s teeth nipped at my arm, Diego charged back toward me and leaped on my attacker, taking him down with fangs implanted in the other dog’s throat. Faster than it took me to straighten my knees, Diego had silenced the second monster.

My hand flew to my chest as I stared down at the struggling black hound. The red light in its eyes faded, and when no light remained, Diego sat back on his haunches and looked up at the stands. A deep, resonant voice called over the din of cacophonous cheers and boos from the crowd.

“Diego! Come.”

Casimiro stood in front of the tunnel entrance, his black boots in the sand where the mortals stood. He pointed his finger back toward the darkened cavern where the dog’s cage lay.

Diego trotted off into the shadows.

The heir locked eyes on me, and a shiver traced down my exposed skin.

23

Zara

Eudoria and Ivy sank to their knees while Samuel shot a fist into the air. In the stands above us, dark shapes burst from the fae like smoke from flames. The fae didn’t seem concerned as they merrily danced their way back into the castle, arms waving and jewelry clinking. Adán didn’t rise, and the smell of death hung over the arena, chilling my blood.

Despite my heaving chest, I forced myself to look at the fallen man. Bright light hovered on the horizon as dawn marched on, unconcerned with the life that wouldn’t see this new day. The elation in the fae was palpable as they slithered back into their caves. Tomas, who’d fallen as Diego had attacked, labored to his feet, cradling one arm against his middle. He bled from at least two places, but he was alive. He nodded firmly at me and turned to ascend the stone steps, where a fae wearing a glittering golden dress waited for him with one arm extended. She wrapped her arm around his back and led him up the steps.

Puzzled at the sight, I didn’t notice Casimiro approaching until his presence at my shoulder made me jump. Without thinking, I ran from him, since the enchantment was finallylifted. But my toes sank into the sand, slowing me down. Ivy was already halfway up the arena steps. She tossed a glance over her shoulder, her eyes wide with relief when she spotted me. She waited, stepping onto a stone bench as Tomas and the fae woman passed.

“Proceed.” The heir’s voice came from right behind me, startling me for the second time in less than a minute.

Ivy tensed but then gathered her skirts and hurried up the steps.

I whirled on him. “You picked those monsters because you knew I was afraid of them.”

The growing light of dawn painted the princeling’s sharp features with a soft light. His dark eyes flared with blue magic, the strangeness of it freezing me in place as he rose to stand directly before me on the steps, his face level with mine.

“I picked those monsters because I knew I could control them. I knew I could keep yousafe, Valencia.” His hands slipped behind his back, pulling open the collar of his suit. His neck had a sheen to it that was unnatural—and I couldn’t help but swallow as I thought how smooth his skin must be.

I spun and raced up a few more steps.

Without moving around me, Casimiro appeared in front of me, his feet touching down as if he’d flown over my head.

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