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That star found its mark—blood oozed down Talon’s neck. The sharp metal embedded in the hollow of her throat on the left side.

A wave of nauseating heat washed through him. What had Layala done? Thane whirled on her, heart racing and breaking at once. “Laya,” his voice came out thick and splintered.

“I put that where it would hurt the most.” Layala’s voice was cruel, clipped. He hadn’t heard her sound so vicious in a long time. She stared down Tenebris with blazing hatred. “She has about a minute before she bleeds out. Give me Evalyn and the antidote or your precious daughter dies.”

“You bitch,” Tenebris growled.

“Do it!” Orlandia screeched and slid off her horse. Her soft hands pawed at Talon’s dress and over her arms. Talon choked and slumped into Orlandia’s arms. The wheezing sound of Talon trying to breathe was like searing needles pricking Thane’s chest. Suddenly he found it hard to drag in his own breath. This was his little sister; he always promised to protect her and watch over her.

The white flag hit the ground and Aldrich slid in to scoop Talon in his arms. He looked up at Tenebris who had yet to move.

Thane warred with himself; go to Talon and save her or wait out his father… did Tenebris love Talon more than his power? Could he risk waiting? Talon didn’t have much time. But if he didn’t, they lost the leverageandEvalyn.

“My baby!” Orlandia wailed. The hysteria in her voice cut deep. Her shaking hands swiped over Talon’s forehead. “Stay with me, my sweet girl,” she crooned. She turned to Thane now with helpless, pleading eyes. “Your baby sister is dying! Are you going to let your senseless feud kill her?!”

Thane couldn’t help it. His feet moved almost on their own accord. But a gloved hand grasped around his wrist and jerked him to a halt. “Don’t you dare.” Layala didn’t sound like herself. “You wait,” she commanded, even quieter but more vicious. Whether by some unknown power or his own uncertainty, he stilled.

Tenebris let out a roaring scream of anger, dropped the rope and kicked Evalyn in the back, sending her stumbling forward.

Layala rushed with arms outstretched to catch her. “The antidote!”

A small vile flipped end over end; Thane snatched it out of the air and handed it to Layala, then his feet slammed, closing the distance to his family in seconds. He only spared Aldrich a glance then carefully pulled the throwing star loose and tossed the bloody metal piece. Her chest barely moved with breath. Her lips were colorless and that flush she usually had in her cheeks—gone. “Hold on, Talon,” he murmured, slicing open his palm. He dipped his finger into the blood and drew the healing rune on her throat and then dug the knife into his flesh, inflicting pain. Her body went into convulsions, Aldrich cradled her tighter, but she never took her sea-green eyes from Thane. She had all the hope in the world that her big brother would save her.

“Remember that time we ran through the pond throwing mud at the swans?” he said to distract her as much as himself from the pain. “Then I fell flat on my face and came up covered in muck. I don’t think you’ve ever laughed so hard.”

Her lips parted like she wanted to speak but couldn’t. If this didn’t work—Maker, it had to. How could Layala sacrifice his little sister for her aunt… anger flared in him, and he dug the knife deeper, grinding his teeth to keep from groaning. The blood rune grew brighter, sizzling as if it boiled and the wound on her neck began to knit itself shut. Come on! Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, she stopped shaking and moments after that the wound sealed shut.

“I remember,” Talon said in a weak voice. “You looked like a swamp beast.”

Thane smiled at her and stroked droplets of blood off her cheek. “This is no place for you. Go where it’s safe.”

“Thane please—just forgive daddy. Let’s go home. I want to go home with you, with everyone.”

“I can’t. One day you will understand.” He shoved up and pointed at his mother. “Get her out of here!” Orlandia turned to look at Tenebris for approval. “GO!” Thane shouted. Maker, the hold Tenebris held over his mother was infuriating.

But with a startled jump, she nodded and mounted her horse. Aldrich lifted Talon behind her, and the horses’ hooves pounded as they raced away.

Thane’s hand inched for the dagger on his hip. He and Aldrich stood face to face now. But out of respect for the peace of a white flag, he didn’t draw his weapon. He didn’t allow himself to think of the good times he had with Aldrich, but rather the betrayal. “I’ll be seeing you on the battlefield. Brother.”

Aldrich’s golden hair moved with the breeze. “May the best heir win.”

Thane walked backward, keeping his gaze on his father and brother. The pure hatred on Tenebris’s expression burned away at Thane’s empathy for his father. “You will regret this. I’ll crush your Ravens until not one is left to rise against me ever again.”

Thane looked over his shoulder at his battalion of waiting Ravens and lifted his fist. The horses knickered and neighed, breath shot from their noses as they danced in anticipation of the charge. The soldiers drew their swords, grinding of metal on metal echoed across the plain.

Thane dropped his fist. “FORWARD!”

Chapter40

The empty glass vial plopped to the ground at Layala’s side. She tugged on Aunt Evalyn’s arm. Her steps were wobbly, and the antidote would take time to counteract the poison. Layala couldn’t risk a healing rune not working for poison. Layala suspected poison would require a different kind of magic to withdraw or counteract and so she’d made a calculated move.

She slung Aunt Evalyn’s arm across her shoulder and carried them both into a run. “You have to get off this battlefield.”

“That was stupid,” Aunt Evalyn croaked. “You risked the princess’s life.”

“Yeah, well,” Layala murmured. “Now we’re even. She almost got me killed once. And I did what I had to to save you. I knew Thane could heal her.”

“Will Thane see it that way?”