Page 85 of The Fae Warrior's Queen

Hope makes my heart speed up. I’m sure Zarid can feel my quickened pulse, but he’ll just assume it’s because I’m scared out of my mind.

He’s always underestimated me, and I’ve given him every reason to.

Well, that could work in my favor now.

Very slowly, I wrap my fingers around the hilt and flick the sheath off the blade with my thumb.

Once I’ve got the dagger firmly in my white-knuckled grip, Kai finally answers, “Ro kicks your ass herself.”

Zarid scoffs, laughing at the farfetched notion. “Excuse me?”

Taking a lesson from Kai’s book, I jab the dagger behind me. Hard. The point hits something and sinks in. From the height of my hand, I’m guessing it’s Zarid’s thigh.

Zarid screams, but I don’t stop with one stab. I rapidly pull the knife out of his flesh and stick him with it again and again.

I plan to keep going, but he loosens his hold on me, which is what I’d hoped for so I can get away.

Turning in his arms, I push his stomach with my elbow while bending my neck to the side to avoid getting cut by the blade that’s still so close to my skin.

The cold metal of his knife skims me, but I don’t feel a sting as I separate from him.

Clutching his thigh, Zarid staggers back, limping as blood gushes down his leg, adding to the rest of it in the hallway.

When his head snaps up, he stares at me with an expression bordering on disbelief and betrayal. He actually looks hurt, not just physically, but like he can’t believe someone he trusted would maim him so violently.

That’s because somewhere deep down, beneath all the heinous accusations about infidelity and doubts of my loyalty, he viewed me as a sort of faithful pet. He never thought I’d bite the hand that fed me.

Taking advantage of Zarid’s momentary shock, Kai moves quickly on the opening he’s got.

But instead of coming at the king with an aggressive attack, Kai goes behind him, kicks the back of his knees, and forces him to drop to the floor in an execution-style position.

Then Kai gets down there with Zarid, and he maneuvers some kind of debilitating hold. It’s impressive, the way Kai has his own leg wedged under Zarid’s ankles, using his body weight to keep the pressure where it needs to be so Zarid is immobile. Kai’s front is flush with Zarid’s back, and he has the tip of his sword poised at the side of Zarid’s neck.

“Watch out for his fire,” I warn.

Kai shakes his head. “He won’t be able to use it.”

Not believing him, I search for any sign of heat around us, but there are no flames anywhere. The floor isn’t smoldering. There’s no smoke in the air.

“Why?” Zarid voices the question before I can, and he sounds distressed. “How are you doing this?”

By now, he should’ve incinerated Kai, and from the way he’s grimacing, I can tell he’s trying to do just that.

“That whip…” Kai says gutturally, his words tinged with pain. “You infused it with Valonite. You ensured that I wouldn’t be able to heal my wounds, that I would suffer until my dying moment.” His tone gets lower, angrier. “Did you know that even the tiniest fragment of Valonite can inhibit fae power if it’s touching your skin?”

Now I understand why Kai is so close to Zarid. By smashing their bodies together, he’s using the Valonite inside his own cuts to suppress Zarid’s power.

Kai’s a genius.

Zarid is nothing without fire. He’s relied on it for so long, he doesn’t know how to resolve a conflict without it.

Tilting my head, I inquisitively study the man who’s always seemed unconquerable.

He looks like absolute shit, and I get great satisfaction out of how wrecked he is.

His shirt is in tatters, barely hanging on. His hair is disheveled, and his crown is askew. Between the wounds Kai gave him, the burns from the hot blanket, and my assault, Zarid got his ass kicked.

He’s completely defenseless, and I see him for who he really is.

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