Page 109 of Maleen

“Princess… I-I told you to flee… Kill that motherfucker…” She coughs and blood sputters.

Tears stream down my face as anger wages its own war inside me. “I will.” Her breathing stutters again and I know my next words will be the last she hears until she’s with the Fates. “You honoured your family. You fought bravely, and when this is done you will receive a warrior’s funeral. Go with peace, and know that you did extraordinarily.” A sob rips from my chest as I fight to get my composure. A breakdown can come after this is done.

She takes her last breath and joins the Fates, where I can only hope she’s found the peace she deserves.

I climb back to my feet and rush for Vasari, determined to find Craven, even if I have to hunt him down to the ends of the realm.

Once we are in the air, I speak through my bonds. “Well if he isn’t going to meet us here, then we will bring the fight to him,” I growl, finished with all the destruction this greedy, vile male has caused.

Aemon starts to try to talk me down but Killian cuts him off. “Incoming enemy wing of five from the south!”

Shit. Vasari spins us and beats her massive wings to remain in place as the shadows on the southern horizon continuously get bigger. Tisur and Jesper join me, and moments later so do my other mates with Ember, Rozen and Lennox coming up behind us. eight against five are good odds right?

My knuckles are nearly white as I grip Vasari’s saddle, squeezing my thighs against her massive form. I will not fall again.

The enemy wing gets closer and my eyes squint, then widen as I realize I recognize that dragon and the one-eyed rider on top of it. Bracken. Nero growls, his form vibrating with rage. This time, that miserable excuse for a fae is not leaving this field alive.

“He is mine,” I hiss to my mates as Vasari charges straight for him. Our rage is palpable and Vasari moves swiftly, diving talon- and teeth-first at the massive black beast. Their bodies collide and my dragon has the upper hand as she forces his to the ground.

The thundering above me as my wing attacks the other beasts still in the air is merely a background thought as my own battle crashes to the ground. Vasari’s needle-sharp teeth dig into the enemy beast’s neck and rip its throat out in a shower of blood and fleshy chunks. She roars in victory and stalks around her kill, but my eyes don’t leave the male who thought he could use me. Who took advantage of my kindness, who betrayed not only me but the realm by working with Craven—and now his time in my kingdom has come to an end.

“No! My dragon!” he bellows, tears pouring down his face as he tries to rouse his beast. Now even if he somehow escapes, he won’t live long thanks to that bond between them being ripped to shreds.

I jump off Vasari. The sound of clashing metal and screams surrounds me as I stride toward Bracken, pulling my blade from its sheath once again. “Well, well. How the mighty have fallen,” I sneer when I know he’s close enough to hear me.

“You,” he growls. “This is all because of you! We could have had everything—”

“Seriously?” I yawn. “This again? I should just save my ears the suffering and kill you now.”

Nero chuffs. “Don’t forget his other eyeball. It can be my first matching set!”

Bracken sputters, nearly tripping over his own feet as he moves toward me. Pathetic. “You could have ruled a province with me. King Craven would have let you live for the use of your blood, even though you stole his mate.”

I laugh, a full aching belly laugh. “Oh you stupid male. I am the future Queen of Damorleia like my mother before me, and no male will ever belittle or abuse me again.” I growl. My magick sparks at my fingertips as I pull the air from his lungs while I slowly move toward him.

My blade comes down on his arm, severing it from his body, his own sword clattering to the ground with it.

I lean in and whisper. “You are nothing, Bracken Levine, and you will die here forgotten with no one to mourn you, and for me, that is a win.” A grin stretches across my face, one that I’m sure Jesper would be proud of, before my sword arches, sailing through the air and slicing through his neck. I watch as his head rolls away, the light fading from that pale blue eye.

Nero darts off my shoulder to collect his prize and I turn to Vasari who—if dragons could smile—appears to be grinning at me with pride. I hop back on her and Nero joins me. I pull one of the vials I stored in Vasari’s pouch just for this reason and Nero plops the eye in. I cork it shut and put it away for him, for later. At this point we are going to need a whole room for his growing collection.

Talyn’s sneer cuts through my thoughts. “Just received a pixie from ground scouts. Craven has been spotted on the westernmost hill of the battlefield.”

I don’t have a chance to think as we take off in that direction. It’s time to end this once and for all.

“Don’t do anything without us,” Killian growls. “You keep that pert ass of yours planted on Vasari.”

I shake my head. “If he’s showing himself, it means he’s probably up to no good. We need to stop him now. The bloodshed needs to stop, and that ends with his death,” I growl back.

“Let’s take back our realm,” I mutter, leaning forward as Vasari kicks into high speed.

It’s not long before we are circling high above where he’s standing guarded by his dragon and a small army.

“What can you see? We are too high up for me to glimpse anything other than shapes,” I ask Vasari.

“About fifty fae, a couple of gryphons, his dragon—who is definitely under the Stone’s control—and the slimy bastard himself—shit. He’s pulled out what he has of the Soul Stone and just poured what looks like a vile of blood on it.” She back-flaps once before diving straight down. “I’ll eat the fucker.”

“Vasari no! You can’t eat the Stone, and as docile as his dragon is right now, we don’t know that he hasn’t commanded it to protect him if we get too close.” She growls and changes course just as the entire area thickens with darkness.