Most faeries were trickling onto the dance floor. Some gyrated together, as if they were having sex with their clothes on, while others danced in free-spirited glee, kicking their legs up and spinning in circles. Some had already coupled up, passionately kissing against pillars. They were uninhibited in a way I couldn’t imagine Aurelians ever being.
As we passed one of the refreshment tables, I noticed a three-tiered chocolate fountain cascading into foaming waves. I reeled back when I realized it wasblood. Human blood. I shouldn’t have been shocked after what I’d seen and experienced the last few months, but the brazen self-indulgence, the mockery of human life… it made my veins turn cold.
My skin crawled with a deep loathing for the gluttonous celebration that surrounded us, while so many others suffered. The disgust kept my panic at bay as we made our way to the dance floor. The Elders were gone. We looked at each other and moved back-to-back as we scanned the crowd, circling slowly.
I spotted Kaya against a wall, subtly nodding her head at us. “This way, Raf!” I pulled him towards her.
“The Elders left several minutes ago, through the main doors. Leon is trailing them. Sylvia is still at her throne, but something isn’t right. We need to leave,” Kaya said under her breath. Louis and the others should be close to their destination now… if they hadn’t been caught.
I looked up just in time to see Galen blazing a trail towards us. I turned to the Queen, who was sitting up straight in her seat, tracking him. “How did you escape?” he asked with ire. I ducked behind Raf as my back prickled with pain.
“One more step and you’redust,” Rafael said, flashing his teeth. They both had their shields up; shadow and flame hovered between them. I stood beside Rafael and lifted my hands, readying an ice dagger for Galen’s heart if he struck. The music stopped as people began to notice us. Isla hung back, glaring. Ididfeel bad for ruining her party. She was the reason I wasn’t in chains right now.
Galen dropped his hands to his sides when the Elders strode back into the room. “Let them have you,” he said, cursing us as he stepped back and they approached. It was time for us to go. Leon was anxiously bee-lining towards us, pushing through throngs of flustered faeries.
Radley greeted us first, flanked by the five other advisors. A burgundy cloud, the color of rotten wine, followed them. Theirs souls still appeared to be fused together unnaturally. “What a marvelous entrance you two made. Thank you for delivering her to us, Rafael. As the clock strikes midnight, a new day will be upon us. It’s time for you to come into our custody, Marigold. The Queen has given us permission to take you.”
Rafael stood protectively in front of me. “If you want her, you’ll have to go through me,” he said with a face made of stone.
“Move aside. We just want the girl. We won’t kill her, we just need to make sure she stays close until her shifting form is found.”
Galen hadn’t told them.He wanted my power for himself.
Raf took my hand and went to shadow us out, but his magic balked. There was something blocking our exit. He turned to me with wide eyes. Kaya and Leon were now standing at our sides, hissing at the Elders.
“What did you do?” Rafael snarled.
Arnold smirked maliciously. “Our wards can now keep peoplein, as well as out. An invisible cage, if you will. Your magic is outranked,Prince. It’s no match against the book ofErebus.” Raf’s eyes flashed with surprise. “That’s right, the book has been with us all this time. Now that we finally have aninfinitesupply of magic, it yields to us. Together, the six of us command the most powerful spells in existence—as one. Your shadows won’t be making a quick exit tonight. Now… give us the girl.”
Rafael, Leon, Kaya, and I wordlessly threw up our shields, creating a protective cocoon as we figured out our next move.
Leon whispered, “I’m sorry… by the time I saw what they were doing, it was too late. I came as fast as I could. What’s the call, boss?”
fifty-five
“Stay close. Follow my lead,” Rafael said. The Elders struck at those words. Harkin attacked first, creating an avalanche of large stones that rained down on us, causing small fissures in our combined shield. She wasstrong.
Galen struck at the same time as Radley, both releasing deep crimson hellfire onto us. Faeries began screaming and tripping over themselves as they fled for safety. Some hid behind tables and chairs as they continued watching from a distance.
“Get ready,” Raf whispered to us. “As soon as this wave of fire ends, we’re leaving. Hold onto my back.”
We each placed a hand on him. As the flames receded, Rafael’s formexploded, breaking our shields, filling the room, and scattering the Elders. I was dangling off the back of a black dragon, gripping a long, curved spike. Kaya took my other hand and pulled me up as we all scrambled to climb onto him. His body was so wide that it was difficult to latch on. I held on wherever I could.
I’d never forget the expression on Galen’s face as he realized his little brother had managed to conceal this secret from him for one-hundred years. There was a flash of wonder, before his eyes narrowed into fiery slits.
Rafael gave a blood-curdling screech as he turned his massive head towards the advisors and released violet flame onto them. Several were too slow to shield and caught fire, screaming as skin melted from their faces, their bodies. He roared again and it reverberated through me. He swung his spiked tail towards the Queen, still sitting in her throne.
She threw out vines around his feet and head simultaneously, while her guards sent a typhoon of rain and wind at us, trying to knock us from his back. Raf whirled towards them, scorching them with dragon fire. I began to slide off his back and Kaya lunged for me, clutching my dress, and pulling me to her.
The Queen sneered at us, refusing to look bothered, as her shield began to disintegrate under the flames. A few more seconds and his fire would burn through her. Only a lunatic was that fearless.
“Raf, let’s go!” yelled Leon. Rafael snapped back into himself, unfolding his wings as he began flapping, trying to gain air. I pushed wind under his wings and we began to rise. Arrows were flying at us, bouncing off his impenetrable scales and our shields. I kept my body low, holding him tightly.
His back reared up vertically as he lifted higher. We all hung on, white knuckles gripping. It felt as if I was dangling off the side of a cliff. I refused to fall… Irefusedto go back to Galen. I just needed to hold on a little longer. Raf blew another round of fire down at the vines that restrained him as he began to inch higher. My legs shook as I used all my strength to cling to him.
Even the bravest of observers were running for the door now, creating pandemonium as they all tried to exit at the same time. Raf smashed his head through the top of the glass dome, causing the chandelier to plummet down on the royal families below. I watched it crash onto Radley, severing his legs from the rest of his body. Galen hovered over Isla, protecting her from the impact. The shards from the window pelted our shields like a hailstorm, and then I was breathing fresh air.
Raf hit a barrier and roared in anger, flapping along the edge of an invisible wall. He blew fire at the wards and they flickered under his power. Leon sent wind blowing at gale speeds as Kaya shot bolts of shadow in wave after wave.
