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An arrow flew through the air, hitting the blade and knocking my sword from my hand. Several other swords dropped behind me. I reached for my power…

And Lorian stepped into our path.

Rythos, Galon, Marth, and Cavis melted from the forest, surrounding us.

My heart was still racing, a metallic taste in my mouth. My lungs had turned to stone, and my body took a long moment to come to terms with the fact that weweren’tunder attack.

Lorian looked at me, lightning dancing in his eyes. My breathing slowed, my muscles loosened, and awareness thundered through my body.

He flashed his teeth in a grim smile. “Imagine my surprise when I returned to camp and found you’d left without me.”

Lorian’s voice was pure seduction, but also a strange comfort. It was a hot bath after a long day. The feel of a thick blanket on a cold night. It was familiarity and newness all at once.

His expression, on the other hand, was terrifying.

His eyes were frozen green pits, while his jaw was clenched so tight, a white line had appeared along each of his cheeks.

Heradiatedmenace.

“We have orders from His Majesty,” Cadrus said.

Lorian kept his eyes on me. “I’m overriding those orders.”

The fae guards moved their horses closer to mine.

“Your Highness…” Cadrus began.

Lorian winced at the address. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, I might’ve laughed.

“Let me be clear.” Lorian smiled grimly at Cadrus. “I’ll be taking the wildcat. If you have a problem with that, you’re welcome to challenge me for her.”

Of all the overbearing, possessive,arrogant…“Did you lose what little sense you had left?”

His gaze drifted back to me. “I’ll deal with you later.”

“Stab him,” I ordered Cadrus. “We’ll leave him bleeding out right here.”

Rythos roared with laughter. Galon just shook his head at me.

No one infuriated me more than the fae prince currently sending me a patronizing smile from the trail in front of us.

Everyone stayed still. I glanced at Telean, who gave me an impatient look. Clearly, she was expecting me to do something. “Let me try to talk some sense into him,” I muttered.

Asinia snorted. “Good luck with that.”

I sighed and dismounted, darting out of reach as one of the fae guards attempted to grab me. “Don’t push the crazed man any further,” I advised him.

The moment I was within a foot-span of him, Lorian clamped his hand around my wrist. I allowed him to pull me farther down the path.

“What were you thinking?” he growled.

“I was thinking I had to travel to the hybrid kingdom and you were needed elsewhere.”

“Don’t play with me.”

I threw up my hands. “Do you think Iwantedto go without you and the others? Of course, I couldn’twaitto travel through the fae lands withConreth’smen, whom I don’t know and don’t particularly trust. I was trying toprotectyou, you fool.”

His lips pulled back from his teeth in a vicious snarl. “Yes, my brother was very detailed about how he’d manipulated you.”