Page 93 of The King of Frost and Shadows

“You don’t get to challenge me.” My nostrils flared, and I gripped the hilt of my sword, though I wanted it to be his neck instead. “Lira defended herself. That was all. She did nothing unwarranted. The only reason you aren’t dead is because you were playing the game. But let me be clear.” I squatted so my face was close to his and allowed the darkness to edge around my body, enjoying the coolness of the magic along my molten, hot skin. “If you doanythingto threaten Lira—and I don’t care if it’s just blasting staring in her direction that makes her feel uncomfortable—I will kill you and enjoy every moment. Do you understand?”

Bran’s lips mashed together.

I stood and placed my foot on his chest as I positioned the sword over his chest, preparing to use it if he didn’tagree. “This is your last chance to acknowledge my command.”

“I understand,” he rasped, hatred lacing each word.

But I didn’t care as long as he obeyed.

“Tavish!” Lorne shouted, tugging me back to the present.

My heart lunged into my throat, making me choke as I spun to face him. Fear dug its cold claws into my chest.

The view didn’t make sense.

Lorne held Lira in his arms, his forehead lined with worry. Lira’s eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell slowly … like she might be dying.

“Get away from her,” I croaked. He must have done something to her. “Did you harm her?”

“No, I’m putting pressure on her wound.” His jaw clenched. “She needs more pressure on it to stop the bleeding, like towels or something. She’s losing too much blood.”

Gold blood slid through his fingers in a steady stream. I hadn’t noticed how much she was bleeding because the black blood was easier to see than her gold.

No wonder my tattoos had been glowing nonstop. She’d needed me sooner, and I had been so absorbed in doing what I thought was expected of me instead of listening to my heart. I rushed to them, forcing myself to take her gently from him instead of yanking her out of his arms like I wanted to.

As soon as her body settled into mine, the jolting took over, and my world steadied. For the first time since I’d brought her here, everything made sense to me. She belonged in my arms forever. “Open the door. The gauntlet is officially over.”

The guards leaped into action, opening thedoors to allow me through. They tried not to glare at the dying Seelie in my arms, fearing what I may do.

Not bothering to go out with the others, I soared through the doors and headed to my bedchamber. At their posts outside the door, Torcall and Finola glanced at me, and their jaws dropped.

I didn’t have time for them to be distracted, so I roared, “Open the doors.”

The two guards obeyed, opening them wide enough for Lira and me to fit through.

“Get some towels from the bathroom,” I commanded as I laid Lira on my bed.

Finola obeyed while Torcall came to my side and pressed his lips together. “Are you sure you want her on the bed? She’s covered in blood.”

“That’s the least of my worries.” I lifted her shirt and saw the large wound in her side.

Between the gaping hole, the thin line cut into her stomach, and a chunk of skin missing on her other side, Lira had taken a worse beating than I’d realized while I’d sat safely in the stands, watching it all.

Blighted abyss, I deserved to be like this … nother.

Finola hurried back into the bedroom with three large towels in her hands. She dropped them beside Lira as Finnian, Eldrin, and Caelan entered the room.

“What in Ardanos are you thinking?” Eldrin snarled. “You almost had me fooled that you cared about the sunscorched more than your people. And where are the bottles? We should be collecting her blood before she dies! She’s lost too much as it is.”

The memory of the scar on her chest from him attacking her in the tub overtook me. I didn’t care if I owed Eldrin—he didn’t get to go free after what he’d done to her.

“We need to take the chains off her wings so we can wrap the towel snuggly around her waist.” Finnian moved beside me. “Who has keys to unlock them?”

“I do.” Finola snatched a set of key rings from her belt. “All of us have keys to those.”

“Wait. Why are we trying to stop the bleeding?” Eldrin shoved himself between Finola and me and pointed in my face. “You were going for dramatics back there, correct? Because you wouldn’t stop the gauntlet ahead of time to save the Seelie wildling. That can’t be possible.”

Finnian sighed. “Deal with Eldrin. I’ll handle Lira.”

---