Page 118 of A Deception of Courts

Angling Kayne’s neck toward the stone, I felt my skin prickle with its proximity. I could not react, not yet.

I drew the knife across Kayne’s neck. His skin split with ease, like a sack of grain did when cursed by a knife. Aldrick’s focus was entirely on the show before him that he didn’t notice Althea sweep in and take Jesibel away. I almost expected Jesi to fight or cry out at the suddenness of it, but she made no sound, her lips never parting.

Just a few more minutes, just long enough for Althea to get far away from her,I silently urged myself.

Cold blood poured over my hands, staining my skin crimson. Powerless blood. From the gash across Kayne’s neck, it spluttered and splashed across the waiting stone, the sharp tang scalding the back of my throat.

It was as though the entire audience of Hunters inhaled at the same time. Anticipation was as ripe in the air as the rot that scented it. I focused on Aldrick and the sickly grin that twisted his face into one of horror. Then, ever so slowly, that mask slipped.

“More, give the stone more.”

His command was clear, but I ignored it.

Sharp as an arrow, his eyes snapped to me. I’d disobeyed his order.

“Were you expecting something to happen?” I asked, releasing my hold of the hair and letting Kayne’s body fall limp to the ground at the stone’s base.

Aldrick lashed his power into my mind, over and over. But it had no effect. I heard his commands but brushed them away as though they were the weak wings of moths. He longed to find out what was happening. He focused all his power and might into controlling my mind, and he howled in frustration.

“So close,” I tutted. “Yetsofar.”

Thunder rumbled as dark clouds spread across the blue expanse, devouring it entirely. The booming rumble made the Draeic whimper like scorned puppies. The world grew dark. A sudden fork of blue-white lightning cut across the sky.

“General Rackley,” Aldrick growled, turning his attention to Duncan, whose body was sheathed in sparks of white light. “Have you returned to avenge your parents with the power I gave you?”

Duncan shrugged, eyes bleached white with power. “Something like that.”

Aldrick looked back to me, unbothered by the flesh-made weapon that was Duncan.

“You,” Aldrick spat.

I smiled, dropping the knife and encouraging icy winds to billow around me. “Hello again.”

His scowl deepened, focus plastering his wrinkled face as he forced more of his power into my mind, but to no avail. “Aldrick, this ends now. If you haven’t figured it out, you’ve failed.”

A storm of emotion brushed over Aldrick’s ancient face. His wrinkled lips pulled back, revealing stained teeth. A bead of sweat traced down his face as he continued stabbing daggers of his power into my mind. Each one snapped and broke. His efforts were wasted.

My glamour meant nothing. Aldrick knew what I was –whoI was. I heard my name screech through my mind as he pleaded to take control of it.

“Robin Icethorn.”

The force retreated as though scorned by fire, sent scurrying away like a whimpering mutt.

Aldrick looked between Duncan and me. Tension hummed thickly in the distance between us.

“I admit, I am both surprised and impressed,” Aldrick said, his voice almost buried beneath Duncan’s thunder. When his voice invaded our minds again, it was not to take control. In fact, it was not meant for us at all.

“Stop them.”

His army of Hunters exploded into action. A wave of leather bodies thrashed toward us. Lightning whipped across the sky, and winds screamed throughout the gardens. Better they focused on us than Althea and Jesibel – they needed to get out of here.

And for that, we needed to prolong the distraction, and I hadjustthe idea for it.

I welcomed the attack. As the bodies swelled toward us, I kept my eyes focused on Aldrick, who disappeared behind the wall of leather and flesh. But he still lurked in my mind, trying to get through, failing every time.

“You shall die.”I let my promise fill my thoughts until it was the only thing Aldrick could hear. “The failure you are.”

Then I let my power free, every scrap of it, including the full force of the key Aldrick so desperately desired. Winter didn’t belong in the spring court, but I invaded it with a single exhale, claiming this land as my own.

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