Page 91 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

Struan marched in and passed Tavish and me, heading into the closet. He squatted at the bottom and removed a dagger from his side, then slid it into a small divot in the grimy floor. A portion of the floor lifted.

Taking hold of one end, he pulled up the cover, and I wanted to groan. There were three swords, a sling like the one I’d used in the gauntlet, and a bow and arrows. We had seven people in our group, excluding Struan and Isla, and six weapons, including Lorne’s sword. One of us wouldn’t have a weapon, and the one who carried the sling would have to find something to use in it. This wasn’t the mother lode I’d been hoping for.

“This is everything you have?” Tavish’s head jerked back. “Is there anything else?”

“It was hard enough to get these.” Struan grabbed the stash and tossed it at our feet. “We snuck them out over the past few days so Eldrin wouldn’t detect anything. We believed you were dead.”

I sighed, trying to make sense of everything. The more I learned, the more confused I got. “Then why were you hoarding weapons? Didn’t you expect Eldrin to be your king?”

“We’d hoped—” he started.

Tavish’s head snapped toward the window. “It’s Eldrin. He’s here.”

“Guys,” Eiric interjected. “We’ve got a problem. The guards are heading this way.”

Blast. He must have tracked my illusion magic.Tavish snatched up the swords, leaving one on the floor. “They’ll know you’re working with us, so you need to protect your daughter. She’s innocent in all of this, but if you betray me—”

“I won’t.” Struan lowered his head. “I am loyal to the rightful king. That has always been my stance.”

My chest expanded with so much love for Tavish. He’d always cared about the innocents, but his giving Struan a secondchance reminded me more of the boy I’d known before our worlds drastically changed.

When I peeked out, I saw four guards heading straight toward the window, and there were probably more since the window was so small it limited my view.

Take this.Tavish handed me one sword, his eyes burning brightly.And, sprite, I need to know you’ll do whatever it takes to keep yourself safe. Don’t mourn these men who turned against us. They made that choice… not us.

I nodded, not wanting to waste time with words. We hurried into the hallway, meeting Eiric, Calean, Lorne, and Finnian there.

“Give me the bow and arrows,” Eiric demanded, holding out her hand. “I can use that.”

I wanted to argue, but Caelan took the sling. The fact that Lorne had nothing didn’t sit well with me, but that concern vanished when the rush of wings sounded right outside the house.

“Group together!” Eiric shouted and raised her hands, clutching the bow in one and the quiver in the other.

“What is she—” Struan started, but I didn’t let him finish.

I took his arm and tugged him into the middle of our group. With his hold on Isla, she followed just as the roof began to shake. I wished like anything that I could help with my water magic, but with everything we’d gone through, I was drained.

Pieces of the ceiling fell on us as the guards flew in through the window and stormed toward us. I held up the sword, ignoring the ache in my fingers and the blood from the bite marks coating the hilt. The muscles in my back trembled, and my wings throbbed from the injury I hadn’t finished healing.

Even with the ceiling falling hard on them, the guards kept moving forward, led by a female whose hardened eyes stared straight at me like I was the ultimate prize.

I probably was since Eldrin wanted my blood.

The ceiling above our heads broke apart, and Eiric threw the pieces at the guards as our group flew through the new hole in the roof.

My wings throbbed, and Tavish’s arm wrapped around my waist, easing some of my weight. His carrying me would slow us down, especially since we were surrounded. There had to be fifty guards around us.

Eldrin smirked from behind two guards, flying slightly above their heads. “Dear cousin, you can’t win. Surrender, and I won’t kill Caelan and Finnian upon recapture. Fight me, and I’ll make sure they perish in front of your eyes.”

Get away as soon as you can, Lira. I’ll distract them.Rage boiled inside of him like I’d never seen before, and the thrumming of his magic took over. He said out loud, “I willneversubmit to you. No matter what, you won’t capture us… not again.”

Before I could do anything, Tavish released me, and his power channeled out of him. I could see the moment Tavish directed his nightmare illusions toward each person, and darkness slithered across my skin, hiding us. The problem was that it wasn’t as strong as it had been, meaning he hadn’t recovered.

A guard screamed and raced toward Tavish with his sword held high. He swung down, trying to end whatever terror he saw.

Ice shot from Finnian’s hands in conjunction with him swinging his sword, and Eiric called her earth magic to aid her.

Everyone fought, and even Isla used her ice magic against the guards beside her father.

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