Page 154 of Crown of Slumber

“What is that?” I cried over the rushing wind.

Mal jerked sideways, and I yelped, scrambling for purchase, my arms tightening around his neck.

An explosion of purple magic burst in front of us, and Mal swooped low to avoid it. Power rippled in the air, and I sucked in a horrified breath as realization hit me.

Aurelia had said her dragons were protected by the land of her kingdom. But once they crossed the border, they were no longer safe.

Some other power was reaching for us here. And with Autumn marching on Summer, I had no doubt their mages were on the hunt for the dragons as well. The witches ofmyrealm could be trusted, but here?

We were definitely in danger.

I gripped Mal tightly and said to him, “Do what you have to. I know you can get us through this, you clever beast.”

Mal grunted in acknowledgement, and then started spinning. I clung to him with every ounce of desperation as my body spun with him, suspending in mid-air for one terrifying moment. More jets of light soared through the sky, aiming for us, but Mal dodged them all, his wings pumping hard, a deep and menacing growl rumbling his body.

The amber and gold leaves were a blur beneath us as we soared over the forests lining the Autumn Court. As the magic continued assaulting us, Mal dipped lower, able to use the cover of the trees to protect us. We were so close now… Sweat dripped down my neck, and my armor suddenly felt too heavy and stifling. I glanced behind us, searching the skies for more magic. But the sky was clear.

In what felt like no time at all, we reached the Summer border. As we descended lower and lower, I made out the Autumn forces marching toward Aurelia’s home, their metal armor glinting in the sunlight. There had to be more than ten thousand of them. The standard-bearer in front wielded the orange and crimson banner of the Autumn Court. They were only a few miles from Kellen Falls, where Aurelia and I had been attacked by goblins.

“Let’s head them off, shall we?” I asked Mal, who grunted in agreement. He dived, and it took all my strength to maintain my grip around his neck, barely keeping myself atop him. He weaved, spinning to avoid trees and branches before landing hard in a clearing just north of Kellen Falls.

The ensign was barely visible in the distance, nothing but an orange and red blob. Mal and I galloped toward it. When we drew closer, shouts of alarm filled the air as the soldiers no doubt noticed a lone soldier atop a dragon racing toward them. A jet of purple magic speared toward us, confirming my suspicions that the Autumn army had mages with them, intent on bringing us down.

But Mal expertly dodged the attacks, and he didn’t slow, not until we were right on top of the lines of soldiers. He careened to a halt only inches from the standard-bearer leading the forces. The man staggered back with a yelp, no doubt expecting Mal to crash straight into him.

I dismounted and removed my helmet, panting as I surveyed the crowd of soldiers. “I must speak with your king. Immediately.”

“You are inourkingdom,” said the man on the other side of the standard-bearer. The eyes visible from beneath his visor were wrinkled with age, and the deep authority ringing from his voice told me he held a high rank. Captain, perhaps.

“I’m here to stop you from needlessly killing thousands of your soldiers!” I shouted. “On behalf of Princess Aurelia of the Summer Court, I demand to speak with your king.”

“Who are you to demand anything?” the man spat.

“I am her betrothed, King Fennick of the Midnight Court.” I spoke the words with firmness and strength, even as my stomach twisted as I recalled the way my sword had skewered my mother,her blood pooling on the floor. I was only King because I had ended her life…

No, I chided myself. Now was not the time for such thoughts. I needed to focus.

A hushed silence followed my words as several soldiers exchanged worried glances. At long last, the man I presumed to be captain said quietly, “King?”

“Yes, that’s right. Queen Sonara only recently passed.” I paused, swallowing around the lump in my throat. “The kingdom has fallen to me now.”

More silence met my words. I took the opportunity to drive the point home.

“My forces are on their way to you now. Unless you want to risk fighting a battle on both fronts, you will grant me an audience with your king immediately.”

The captain stiffened, his eyes narrowing. He whispered something to the soldier behind him, who darted away, weaving through bodies until he vanished from sight. I merely stood there, staring down the soldiers before me, pretending I possessed more courage than I did. Beside me, Mal growled low, his back arching and his wings flaring. He, too, was trying to appear intimidating.

And it was working. Several soldiers shifted their weight uncomfortably. But they had stopped their march. If anything, I was buying Aurelia more time.

And I hadn’t had to use my magic yet. I wanted to avoid that at all costs. If there was any way to lose trust in a negotiation, it was to reveal that I could persuade people to do my will.

But I would do what I had to do to stop this war.

After what felt like an hour, the soldier returned and whispered something into the captain’s ear. He nodded once and turned to me. “The king will see you. Follow me.”

“The dragon comes with me,” I said.

The captain glared. “That beast cannot?—”

---