Page 178 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

Power ignites in my palms, hot and eager, coiling like snakes ready to strike. My chin lifts as I meet the soldier’s hate-filled glare. He raises his sword, and I brace to unleash hell⁠—

A streak of fire screams past my head.

I yelp, leaning away from the searing heat. The flames slam into the soldier, devouring him whole. His screams rip through the clearing. His horse rears onto its hind legs, head thrashing side to side, but remains miraculously unscathed by the inferno.

The soldier topples off, rolling across the ground as flames lick every inch of him. The stench of burning flesh punches the air, sickening, heavy. My stomach lurches.

“Elara!” Ferria skids to my side, panting, her grip iron on my arm. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

I can only stare at her, shock pounding in my temples. “You…you shot fire?”

Her eyes flash. “You’ve seen me do it before.”

“Not like that.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve never seen you explode like a stick of dynamite either, and yet you did.” She huffs, yanking me toward Darius’s tent. “Looks like we’ve got a lot to talk about.”

She has no idea. But it’ll have to wait.

“Stop.” I dig my heels in.

“No.” She tugs harder, stronger than me, dragging me along. “We’re sitting ducks out here and— Get down!”

She slams me to the dirt as an arrow whistles overhead.

Her weight pins me as she thrusts out a hand. Shards of fire slice across the field, embedding into an archer’s chest. He shrieks and topples from his horse.

The riders around him recoil, alarm flashing before their faces harden. They dig in their heels, spurring their mounts toward us.

“We’ve got to go!” Ferria tugs at me again.

“Lev is with Rian!” My voice cracks.

Her glare burns with frustration. “He betrayed you! Leave him!”

“No!” She doesn't understand. It’s not Lev I need to see. “I have to speak with him.”

“My, my, ladies. Don’t we like to live dangerously?”

Jaxon’s voice slips in from behind Ferria, and I’ve never been so happy to see the light-hearted Fae.

“Jaxon.” I exhale his name and throw an arm toward the writhing wall of shadows. “I have to get to Rian.”

“Do you not see the dozens of horsemen charging at us?” His tone is maddeningly casual, as if remarking on the weather.

“Yes!” Ferria yells, answering on my behalf. “So how about you do something about it!”

His lips twitch. Then he raises his hand and twirls his fingers. Shadows slither across the dirt and coil around the approaching horses’ legs, bringing them to a screeching halt.

The riders shout with frustration, then fear as the Fae foot soldiers stride their way, wearing their eerie, indifferent expressions.

I turn away from the impending bloodshed, swallowing down my sympathy for the humans and their inevitable fate, and plead with Jaxon, “Help me reach Rian. I need to see him.”

Jaxon opens his mouth but shuts it quickly when he sees my face. His forehead furrows.

I don’t even understand it myself, the gnawing, feverish pull, the desperate compulsion to see the Fae with my own eyes. To know Rian still breathes. That everything will be fine.

Ferria snarls, “You can’t seriously be entertaining this! We need to get into the tent. Now!”