Page 87 of How to Claim A Shadow King

I nod once, swallowing my despair over Aveline.

Duty calls.

36

AVELINE

My anger over Malakai’s underhanded magical contract doesn’t vanish, but it is instantly the least important thing to spend energy on.

I don’t waste time arguing.

The Wild Oak Woods is in danger, and the women who called themselves my sisters need me.

I shove my feelings down.

The moment I stepped out of the bathroom, I am dressed and ready.

Malakai is already moving, a force of lethal intention.

The guilt and pleading in his eyes is gone; the Elder God has taken over. His dark eyes burn like hot coals as his shadows snap across his skin.

We run down the stairs, the carpet catching me as I nearly trip and righting me.

"They are hitting the western tree line," Cern barks, his massive chest heaving as he wrenches the heavy castle doors wide. His antlers pulse with a glowing green magic as the broken one regrows, his emerald eyes wild. "Valen is already on the lower terrace. The Seelie are raining spears."

"We move together," I say, my voice steady. I march straight past the brothers and out onto the frosted stone courtyard.

The scene outside is absolute chaos.

The strange winter storm Vesperia sent evaporates as blinding waves of emerald and yellow Fae fire pours from the sky. Crystalline spears of Seelie light slam into the castle's outer walls, detonating against the ancient stone masonry with deafening noise.

It doesn’t look good.

Fear starts to turn my stomach, and I glance up as a dark shape circles.

“Ter,” I call out, and the raven dives, gliding before landing hard on my shoulder. “I needed you,” I tell the bird.

“That’s why I’m here,” Ter tells me.

On the lower terrace, Valen is a specter of total destruction. His face is completely locked in the white, gleaming death skull, his massive great sword swinging in arcs. Every time his blade cuts the air, a wave of deadly magic surges outward, turning the oncoming Seelie projectiles into ash before they can breach the keep.

“That’s scary,” I tell Ter.

“Be grateful he’s on our side,” Ter responds. “Now it’s your turn to be scary.”

I like the sound of that, and a little of the fear disappears.

"Aveline, hold behind me," Malakai commands.

"No," I say, stepping directly up to the edge of the stone balustrade beside him. "We are fated, remember? We’re more powerful together."

I might not have known we were getting married when we… my face flushes. But that? That our power is better together? I can feel that in my very bones.

The Seelie forces surge into view. A glittering, armored line of elite Fae warriors cross the frosted ridge, hands throwing a wave of blinding emerald fire directly at our courtyard.

I’m not trained in war, and my stomach is in knots, but I’m not stupid.

It’s clear to see what they are doing.