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“Never, Princess.”

“I worried about your ability to escape my destruction,” she said. “But I see you fare well. We shan’t say that about the safehold, aye?”

The two men chuckled. Dread trickled down Kate’s body. Safehold? The castle? What did this crazy lunatic do to the castle? To Bryce?

Daeanna’s airy laughter filled the room, carried by the breeze wafting through the open windows. “I’m eager to see the beauty my storm leaves behind. Tell me of the”—she cast a shaded glance over her shoulder at Kate—“family.”

Kate tried to lunge at the madwoman, but her body held steady as stone in her straight-backed, at-attention pose. Daeanna chuckled, seemingly understanding her intention as she turned back to the two Fae men. Before she spoke again, she cut her arm down. Kate’s legs folded and she dropped to her knees, hard, on the marble. She cringed inwardly, pain shooting up her body from the impact.

A fucking puppet. She was nothing more than this woman’s puppet.

“Mind yourself, Katherine. You’re in the presence of High Fae.”

“Why do you keep her?” the other male asked.

“She has her purpose. Back to my question, Cecir.”

“We noted the family to be deep within castle walls when it began to collapse. Cecir and I didn’t stay when we recognized the storm controlled by your magic. We escaped, but heard their screams as the first wing began to crumble. There would be no time for their escape,” Grison informed.

“And Shaye?”

“He and his sister left for the village shortly before the sky opened and your first strike hit. Liam and a couple other High Fae accompanied him, avoiding the collapse intended to destroy the family and the Council.” The Fae man’s eyes glinted with malice. “’Tis my assumption, with such devastation, there are no survivors. Your men are awaiting your instructions to attack.”

Panic swelled inside Kate. Attack? Didn’t she already attack? What more could she do? Where was Bryce? Daeanna had promised to get Bryce back for her and these two men talked about no survivors. Something was wrong. Had to bewrong.

The sensation of tears burned her eyes, but she wasn’t sure whether it was real.

“I believe we have a perfect setup at this point. Fear running rampant through the Talaenian people shall make this easier.” With a swift twirl of her hand, Daeanna’s outfit changed from gauzy scraps of cloth to a fierce, armor-reinforced leather ensemble. Golden bands wove like snakes through her hair, pulling it away from her face. “The time is now. We shall destroy anything and anyone who stands in our way. Our pureblooded race has suffered enough indignity at the existence of those half-breeds. They are naught more thanan abomination, and any threat to our lineage must perish. Raze that village. Destroy it all. Destroy everything. Stamp out their existence. Destroy the Council, because I shall rebuild Faery stronger than my father ever could.”

Oh dear God, please let me understand this wrong. Please let this all bewrong.

There had been children in that castle. A newborn baby!

Oh God, oh God, oh God.This woman was ordering genocide!

Wrong. Has to be wrong!

Because if she had agreed to be part of this…

The two Fae men bowed sharply and twisted to leave.

“Grison. Cecir. Enjoy your victory on the battlefield, but make sure not a single arrow, spell, or blade touches Shaye. He’smine.”

What hadshe gotten herself into?

And Bryce. Her Bryce. Was he even alive?

A shudder brought her pause. She glanced at the door to the bedroom. There was no way she could escape. She checked the windows. Despite an evident breeze that seemed to flow through their openings, when she reached a hand out, her fingertips jammed into an invisible wall.

She found the closest thing—a vase—and pitched it out the window. Damn thing careened through the opening and she heard it shatter on the stones below.

When she tried to perch on the sill, that invisible wall shoved her off.

Daeanna imprisoned her. No way out unless the bitch wanted her out.

Kate growled, raking her hands through her hair, leaving her scalp burning from her nails. She squeezed her eyes shut,trying desperately to figure out a way to stop the impending war.

“How? I’m a fucking human!” She sucked in a deep breath, tipped her head to the ceiling and let out a shaky exhalation. When she opened her eyes, tears blurred her vision. “God, help me, please. I’m sorry. I can’t be part of this. Can’t be part of this massacre.”