Page 88 of A Sky of Emerald Stars

Calla

I didn’t see who moved first. The clashing of swords filled the air as the room erupted into chaos. Ingrid’s guards made quick work cutting down my human ones.Thud thud thud.Their bodies smacked onto the stone floor before they even had a chance to scream.

Mina’s frantic violin music filled the room as I shoved Ora behind me and took a step toward the outstretched blades of the Silver Wolves. I didn’t have time to considerwhyshe was playing at this moment; I shifted on instinct, Grae and Briar quickly following suit. Our clothes ripped and shredded, falling to the floor as we shook the remnants off us. Belt buckles and weaponry clattered to the ground. We were so vastly outnumbered that our attackers didn’t even bother to shift and battle us in their furs. They circled us with ease as Briar, Grae, and I turned round, trying to decide where to attack first as the guards closed in.

Ingrid stepped up behind the circling guards, her cold eyes trained on Grae. “I’m sorry you were dragged into this by your wayward mate, Graemon,” she said, her hands beseeching.

Grae snapped at the air in her direction but didn’t lunge, not with the halo of sword tips pointed at us.

“Please, Ingrid. Don’t be sorry,” Evres said. “There’s nothingwrong with choosing the winning side.” He stooped into a crouch, his predatory smile glinting in the firelight as he stared at Briar. “Youwillbe mine, Crimson Princess.” I snarled, but when I tried to shoot forward, a sword hovered at my neck and I paused. Evres pointed to the spot beside him like recalling a dog. “Now, come to me, and I promise to let your twin and her mate flee back to Olmdere with their tails between their legs.”

“Don’t you fucking move,” I snapped at Briar in my mind as the sword at my neck pressed deeper into my fur.

“I...” Briar’s voice wobbled. Her eyes darted between me and Evres, whose eyes danced with the delight of victory. He clearly knew she had no other choice.

“Briar, don’t. I already lost you once...”

“Which is why I can’t lose you again.”

A whine escaped my maw, my ears flattening as my twin padded across the floor and past the labyrinth of swords. Watching her walk through the wall of swords to Evres’s side made my entire soul ache. I couldn’t do this again, couldn’t have her taken from me, not after I fought so hard to get her back. But I knew if I was in her position, I’d make the same exact choice.

Evres patted Briar’s head. “Good girl.” Her lip curled in a snarl, but he just laughed and rose to a stand.

A loud thud sounded to our right as two of Ingrid’s guards hit the ground.

“What the...”

I hadn’t noticed that Mina was still playing, nor that Ora now sat beside her with a short, tapered flute held between their bound hands. The two of them played a chaotic song that felt as panicked as my pounding heart. Another one of Ingrid’s guards fell and then another. But they weren’t dead... they were sleeping as if lulled under a magical spell—

I gaped, looking from Ora to the sleeping guards.

“You!” Ingrid shouted, pointing at Hector and flicking her gaze to the musicians. “Kill them!”

Hector, who stood closest to Mina and Ora, paused for a splitsecond, holding up a hand to his father and uncles to let them know he could handle them. His father had the audacity to look proud. He must’ve convinced Hector to betray us, but when? I raked through every moment that Hector hung back or went off on his own over the past few weeks. How had he managed this deceit right under my nose? But as Hector’s sword lifted toward the humans, advancing, I shoved the thoughts aside. I needed to take advantage of this distraction. In that split second, with everyone’s attention focused on Hector, Grae and I shot forward and attacked.

I tore out the calf muscle of the closest guard with my teeth. Blood sprayed across the floor as screaming filled the air. My canines sliced deep into the thigh of the next Wolf before he could shift. The third was smart, one of the few guards not in armor so he could readily shift. He was already in his furs by the time I got to him. Chaos filled the room behind me as Grae attacked the guards on the other side, but all my energy was on reaching Mina and Ora and protecting my human friends from the traitor Wolf I had trusted.

Another Silver Wolf stood between me and the musicians, snapping out at my feet and then lunging at my shoulder, but I dodged him every time. I kept half my attention on him and half on Hector as he stormed up the stairs toward Mina and Ora.

Mina’s violin halted but Ora kept going, and I knew from the crash onto the floor that another guard had fallen under their musical spell.

Instead of running away, though, Mina looked directly at Hector. Anger and hurt filled Mina’s eyes as she dropped her violin and walked straight up to him.

“Don’t,” he murmured, his eyes filled with pain as she walked right up to him and placed the center of her chest at the tip of his sword.

“Go on,” she signed.

He froze, utter devastation filling his face. He stole a glance backward as if afraid for his father to see, but his father anduncles were all swaying on their feet, being lulled under Ora’s spell. Hector turned back to Mina, his face screwed up in anguish.

“Mina,” he whispered, shaking his head, the tip of his sword lowering slightly. “Please. Step aside. Please. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t move, didn’t sign, just stared him down, and I swore I couldfeelher heart breaking. Her eyes welled and Hector’s eyes welled along with hers.

“It was the only way to save Sadie,” Hector said, his words rapid and pleading. “It was the only way.”

Mina leaned into Hector’s blade now resting against her belly, and he instantly took a step back.

“Kill me,” she signed. “Your bitch snow queen ordered it.”

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