Page 71 of A Beastly Court

With a cry, I fell to my knees.

“NO!” Ossian screamed.

I almost lost hold of it then, so agonizing was its resistance, but I gritted my teeth and hung on.

I wasn’t summoning this portal just for Ossian. This was my second chance, my new life away from the venomous prejudices of my family. I needed Elfame. And I was going to get it, one way or another.

Golden-green sparks flew from my cuffs as I summoned my battle magic. If this portal wanted a fight, I’d give it one. Its crabgrass had only infested the trunk of my oak tree, not its glowing heart, and that heart turned from gold to a dark, feral green in the blink of an eye. The portal’s hold on me shriveled.

Thorny vines twisted around the lightning in my hands, racing upwards like rabid snakes. They coiled around the portal, constricting tighter and tighter until, with a vicious yank, they slammed it down onto the stump-liked pedestal.

Thunder cracked with a blast of light, but I only slitted my eyes against the blinding pain. I was not releasing the focus Grandmother had instilled in me until I had absolute confirmation that the portal was anchored and Elfame was on the other side.

I was still blinking away spots, magic coursing weakly from my fingers, when Ossian’s hand melded over my shoulder. “Y-you did it.” His voice was a mixture of awe and disbelief and maybe a little fear. “Let go, Meadow. Regain your strength.”

“I… have to… see… for myself.” Shaking my head, I dashed my vision clear.

And there, not even a stone’s throw away, was an archway. I would’ve said it was made of the finest silver, maybe even white gold, but that would’ve been a lie. It was pure light, molded and shaped into the most stunning filigree. An opalescent veil filled the archway, partially obscuring the view of the other side but allowing the sweet scent of dew-covered grass and wildflowers to drift through.

“Elfame,” I whispered.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

My magic fizzled out as I gazed at the immortal lands in mute wonder.

There was grass so bright a green it rivaled the depths of Ossian’s eyes. Tiny seven-petaled flowers whiter than stars and buttercups like drops of gold jeweled the grass. Its moonless sky was far richer and more star-studded, clouds floating by in the same breeze that blew the sweetness of a springtime Court of Beasts into the dead winter lands of Redbud.

“Meadow, get up,” Sawyer hissed from my foraging bag.

A shiiing of unsheathing metal was so startling it cut through the quiet night air like shattering glass. I twisted away from the sound, snatching up the bag as I staggered to my feet.

Ossian had drawn a sword from a scabbard hidden beneath his cloak. It resembled a rapier, hardly the thick broadsword worthy of a fae of Ossian’s build, but it was sharp and intimidating with its black blade.

It’s made of iron, I realized. Faebane, in their native tongue.

The hilt was silver, which enabled Ossian to actually wield the weapon, and the cross guard twinkled with close to a dozen gemstones. My crystals! They’d been embedded into what looked like diamond-shaped scales then wrapped around the guard to resemble dragon hide. They twinkled like captured fireflies, emitting a shimmering shield over the iron blade.

Contrary to Sawyer’s warning, that sword and its wielder were not focused on me. Ossian stared at the shimmering portal, a sneer on his perfect face and a half-crazed glint in his eyes. His free hand seized mine, clamping down like the fangs of a python.

I yanked back, but the fae king was immovable and I was too weak from the summoning. My magic was already in the process of recharging, and rapidly, too, but there had still been a toll on my physical body. I needed time, which the fae king did not seem of the mind to give me.

“The moment we’re through the portal, kill the bear,” Ossian ordered, not sparing Alec the courtesy of a glance. His gaze was riveted on his prize.

“Yes, Cernunnos.”

“Ossian, you can’t want to go through now,” I protested. “I can barely walk! I need to rest. Just an hour or—”

“You can rest on the other side.” He nearly ripped my arm out of my socket tugging me after him.

“Is the portal going to up and vanish in the next two seconds or something?” I dug my fingernails into his hand, trying to pry him off. “Ossian!”

“Of course not,” he barked back at me. “But I’ve waited too long for this. Now, together.”

He thrust our joined hands forward into the opalescent veil.

Warmth.

That was the first sensation I felt, like that first swallow of hot cocoa after an afternoon of making snowmen. A breath of the freshest air followed, then—