The wood fae mumbled amongst themselves, alarmed, and Reyna laughed. “That was a lie. I’ve never eaten flesh in my life. Your king, on the other hand...”
The mumbling grew louder.
Reyna glanced at Lorcan. He stood only a few feet away, watching her every move with sharp and focused eyes. They hadn’t really discussed what to do if they came upon a group like this. A group who stopped fighting. She hoped he wouldn’t mind what she said next.
She rose her voice so that it could be heard at the very back of their group. “Your king is a cruel beast who feasts on his own people. Put down your weapons and surrender, and Prince Lorcan will show you mercy.”
The Dryad let out a tense laugh. “You are greatly outnumbered, Shieldmaiden.”
Reyna arched a brow. “Are we? I just took out twenty of your warriors by myself. It would be little effort to kill the rest of you, but I’d rather not. Yield.”
“We heard the shadow king is as mad as our own!” another wood fae shouted.
Several screamed in agreement, raising their swords once more. The throng rushed forward, barely giving Reyna time to think. Startled, she reached for the first thing she could find. All she thought was power.
A rush of wind exploded from her body, storming out of her flesh like a violent exhale. The wind hit the wood fae head on. It threw them off their feet, carrying them away and slamming others into the stone buildings at the back of the street. That was all it took. The wood fae scattered like ants, running into the streets to flee from Reyna’s attack.
Relief shook through her. She had no idea what she was doing, but it was working. Of course, they had not even reached the square yet.
“Well done, Shieldmaiden,” Nollaig said as she approached from behind. “Remind me to never get on your bad side though.”
Reyna grinned and turned to Lorcan. He was gathering the warriors in close again and pointing down the street to highlight the path they would take to the square. They all listened with rapt attention, respect in their eyes. A hot ache clawed its way through her gut. She loved seeing him this way, strong and in command. These fae looked to him as their prince. She had never before seen any of them look at their king the same way.
They needed Lorcan. They needed a ruler who would not let them down, one who would never be willing to sacrifice them because of the madness in his mind.
Lorcan motioned them forward, and they began the trek into the next pocket of the city. Ahead, Reyna could hear the distinct turmoil of terrified screams and clanging steel. Lorcan heard it, too. The hardness in his eyes, and the grim set to his jaw was evidence enough that he knew exactly what lay around the next corner.
Suddenly, a familiar sensation skittered along Reyna’s skin. Unease slid gnarled fingers along her neck, teasing her hair so that every single one stood on end. With a shuddering breath, she stopped suddenly in the center of the street. Several of the warriors thumped into her, frowning as they came to a stop by her side.
Reyna dropped back her head to stare up at the sky. Thick storm clouds had rolled across the city, blocking the reddish light of the sun. It drenched everything in shadows, and the pulse of dark magic echoed with every crack of thunder.
“The Ruin,” Reyna whispered. “It’s here.”
Lorcan looked up and cursed beneath his breath. “We need to get everyone inside.”
“No, buildings won’t save them” she said, a strange calmness suddenly coming over her. “Take the others far ahead. I can draw the Ruin away from you and give you time to push forward.”
Nollaig was by her side in an instant. “We need you with us, Reyna. We can’t do this without you.”
“And I’ll be there with you,” she said. “But I have to take care of the Ruin first. Otherwise, the city will fall regardless of how well we fight.”
“Reyna,” Lorcan said. “You can’t stay here and face this alone.”
“Go,” she said. “I’m the only one who can stop it. It won’t even take very long. Just go. Continue pushing forward. In no time, I’ll be right back by your side.”
She could feel Lorcan frowning in her direction, but Reyna continued to stare up at the sky, her skin buzzing in anticipation. She had planned to leave this place to find the Ruin, but instead, it had found her. It always found her, she realized. Every time she called upon her powers, even before she’d known what they were, and even before she’d gone into the birthplace of the gods, the Ruin was there.
It was almost as though it could sense her.
The sky crackled, and the clouds opened up. Black flecks stormed out like a hundred angry locusts.
“Your immunity will save you, Lorcan, but it won’t save them.” She yanked her gaze away from the Ruin and gave him a fierce smile. “Go!”
47
Lorcan
Lorcan wanted to beat his chest in rage. Reyna was screaming at him to go, but he could not bear the thought of leaving her to face the storm alone. He knew she could fight it. He’d never been so certain of anything in his life. But that did not stop him from wanting to throw her out of danger, to put himself in her place, to do anything he could to protect her from harm.
But his men were watching him and waiting for a command. They had put their trust in him. He could not let them down.
“Your Highness?” Segonax asked, enthralled by the storm cloud above him. His cheeks had blanched, and his lips trembled. The loyal, brave commander had faced death so many times, but the Ruin was the one thing that could make his soul quake.
He’d only barely survived it once. He likely thought he wouldn’t survive it again.
Lorcan snapped his mind away from its singular focus on Reyna, and then turned to his men, despite the worm of pain tightening around his heart. “We need to continue forward and get everyone to safety. When Reyna has fought this thing and won, we will make our move to the square.”
Their frightened eyes said it all, but Lorcan motioned them forward. Reyna was right. The warriors could not stay here. As soon as the black snow hit their skin, they would crumble into nothing more than piles of ashes. He needed to clear this street as quickly as he could. Once his warriors were out of the Ruin’s path, he could return to Reyna’s side and help her. He just needed to get the others to safety first.
As they rushed forward, Nollaig fell into step beside him, a glinting scythe in her right hand. “Your Highness, I think the plan to take the square might be folly now that the Ruin is here.” She shook her head. “I cannot see how we survive this.”
Lorcan frowned, every now and again casting a glance over his shoulder. Reyna stood in the middle of the street alone, glaring up at the churning sky.
“I don’t see an alternative, Nollaig,” he said, dragging his gaze back to the cloaked fae. “If we don’t secure the square, the entire city will fall.”
“Reyna will secure it. When she is done with the Ruin.”
“Which is why we’ll all go there with her once the Ruin is gone.”
“Your Highness, listen to me.”
Lorcan had never heard Nollaig so insistent. Usually, she floated through life, commenting here and there but doing little more than making gentle suggestions. The intensity of her tone now stopped him short.