“You’re so big now,” I commented. “You’re even taller than I am!”
She laughed, pulling back to stare at me. Her gaze traveled over my face, and her eyes tightened.
“It’s all right,” I told her, running my fingers over the new gem on my neck again. “They remind me of the times when I’ve been able to help.”
She smiled and hugged me again.
“Fuck, I thought you were dead,” said a male with dark hair and black wings as he moved closer to Garan.
Garan’s gaze found me again, and I tried to ignore the way his attention made heat flare inside me. “So did I,” he replied.
I turned my attention to the monsters standing around Raine, hovering like lethal guardians. I’d seen the way they stayed close to my sister on the battlefield, and I raised my brow at her. “Four?”
“Makes life more interesting,” she said with a wide grin.
I smiled, glad to see true happiness in her amber eyes.
The monster with silver hair peered over at where King Chalir was being collected by a group of fae soldiers. “Well, that is a complication.”
CHAPTER 35
~ Raine ~
KingChalirwasdead.I can’t say I felt sorry for the male considering he’d tried to execute us for a crime we didn’t commit, but I was sad for the fae. Without their king, they turned to their remaining generals, gathering their wounded, and eyeing the monsters warily. I turned my attention back to my sister. She’d been with the fae and knew about our link to Queen Izla.How?
“I still can’t believe you’re here,” I told her, a thousand questions going through my mind. “Have you been with the fae this whole time?” I’d searched for my sister for so long, and now that she was in front of me, I didn’t know what to say.
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “When the monsters took me through the portal on our island, somehow I ended up in the fae realm instead. The rest is, well, a long story.”
I thought of when I’d been selected on my island and taken through the portal with Kade and the others. I could still remember Locke’s grip on me as we went through.
Before I could ask her more, shouts came from across the battlefield. Close to where Warrick had been slain, blue flames formed making a distinct ring.What the hell?
Holding onto Cara, I pulled her with me as we sprinted toward the portal. My mates and Garan ran with us, pulling out their weapons as we went.
“Did the fae plan reinforcements?” I asked Cara, my heart beginning to race.
“I-I don’t think so,” she stuttered, stumbling a step before I yanked her forward again.
Fae streamed out of the portal, but unlike the silver armor of King Chalir’s soldiers, these warriors wore leather armor that was strapped to their limbs. Twenty fae emerged in quick succession, the warriors forming a circle that surrounded three males.
“Fuck, is that Prince Azaren?” Asher asked, his tail flicking as he ran.
My eyes widened as I stared at the fae prince standing in the middle of the circle with a blade pressed to his throat. The soldier on his left side stood holding the dagger, his hardened gaze taking in the battle scene. On the prince’s other side, a dark-haired male held a large book open in his hands, and dread formed in the pit of my stomach.
“Xander, no,” Cara breathed, gripping my hand tighter.
Xander?I assumed she had to be talking about the dark-haired fae who looked like he was speaking to himself as he stared at the pages of the open book.No…not speaking, chanting.
“Az!” Cara cried out as we neared the ring of fae warriors.
Prince Azaren looked up, a surprised expression on his face as he stared at Cara and then to me and my mates. “Cara, is that you?”
Xander snapped his gaze toward my sister, his eyes softening ever so slightly, but he kept chanting, words spilling from his lips.
I couldn’t be sure what the fae was doing, but from the hatred in his eyes, I knew it had to be something bad. I didn’t want to harm Prince Azaren, but I had to protect my family and all the other monsters in Katakin. Sucking in a breath, I prepared myself to shoot out fire, but before I could, Xander lifted his hand and black fire rushed out, spearing in all directions. Instinctively, blue fire burst from me as I tried to stop the racing flames, but like a targeted weapon the black fire twisted and swirled, dodging my power like it was a living being. It went straight for the Katakin monsters, and I watched in horror as black flames licked up Asher’s legs, ignited Locke’s wings, and engulfed Kade and Darian. With a grunt, they fell to the ground, their faces scrunched with agony. Every Katakin monster fell. Lyr. Jade. Vasken. Every one, except me.
“NO!” I cried, releasing Cara’s hand to rush over to Asher and the others.
