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This was something she’d never been able to do before as an enchantress. Was sensing magical objects a gift of fae?

She longed to learn just what treasures Elias had here and what might be useful against Magnus. But there simply wasn’t time. Not as the sound of pounding continued several floors below them.

She sought out the presence she’d sensed before. Immediately, she felt a caress against her mind.

“It’s under the floor,” she said, opening her eyes. “At the base of the bed.”

Brynne ripped a floorboard free. A moment later, she pressed a rolled parchment into Arabella’s palm. The presence Arabella had felt grew stronger, almost purring, as it nuzzled against her consciousness.

Releasing the map, Brynne turned toward Hadeon. Jessamine and Cora did likewise, their hands on the hilts of swords.

Their stances said one thing.

They didn’t trust Hadeon enough to give him the map. They also didn’t trust him to not try to take it from them.

“I’ve fulfilled my part,” Arabella said. “How are we getting out of here?—”

Suddenly, the window shutters were thrown wide and glass splintered around them as two massive shapes crashed into the room.

Instinctively, she staggered backward, throwing a hand up to shield her eyes. Shadows billowed out without her willing it, sending a gust of wind toward the oncomers. For a moment,darkness filled the room, and all she could hear was the crunching of glass beneath heavy feet.

A moment later, the shadows cleared, and she looked up.

Two figures blocked out the sun from the windows behind them. Wings made of stone, flesh, and sinew stretched out from the creatures’ backs, filling up the entire back wall. They were twice the size of a human male and had bat-like wings and clawed hands and feet. Standing on hind legs, these creatures had pointed ears that vaguely resembled two curved horns. But unlike the ogres, there was intelligence in their red eyes.

Gargoyles.

Realization dawned.

When she’d lowered the shields to Elias’ room for them to get in, she’d also made it possible for gargoyles and other creatures to enter—from outside of the castle.

Without thinking, she reached for her shadows.

After years of training with her earthen magic, she should have been weaving the golden magic together and unleashing bolts at the gargoyles. But the shadows called to her, singing in her veins.

The gargoyles prowled forward on hind legs.

As she unleashed a torrent of shadows, the other enchantresses loosed golden weaves, sharp as crossbow bolts. To her horror, the earthen magic did nothing. It was like they had tossed sticks at a hailstorm.

One gargoyle snarled, raising the corner of its lips to reveal razor-sharp teeth. Lashing out, her shadows embedded in its gut, sinking through flesh and stone. Red-black blood oozed onto the floor, pouring to the ground as the shadows pulled free, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.

For a moment, it was all she could do to stare at the gargoyle as it crashed to its knees.

Her shadows had done that willingly.Eagerly. They fed off the anger surging in her veins, seeming to gain strength and speed. But as she reached for the shadows again, she felt that strange presence tickle the edges of her senses once more—the same one from her dream. It wasn’t her bond with Elias, and it was unlike the hum of magical objects. Instead, it was like a heaviness lurked in the air and draped over her shoulders.

The second creature lashed out at her as she was distracted. Before she could react, there was a flash of movement, and something was before her.

No, not something.Someone.

The fae prince had freed his blade and sliced the gargoyle’s head clean off its shoulders. It thumped to the ground, rolling toward the dark hearth. Then it erupted into a cloud of ash.

“The roof,” Hadeon said. “Our way out is on the roof.”

Footsteps sounded outside of the bedroom.

“Two hallways down,” Breckett said. “There’s a staircase that leads to the nearest turret.”

Nodding, Hadeon moved toward the door and cut down the first ogre that appeared. It wasn’t as tall as the ogres they’d faced outside, but it had to hunch over to fit in the hallway.