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“Queensbane,” Dranian muttered. “She’s totally fallen for him like a weak-minded fool.”

Luc turned Violet back toward Shayne and Dranian, holding her tight in front of him. “She has,” he answered. “Luring in prey is what a fox does, didn’t you know?”

“We’ve fairy trapped the street, Foxy,” Shayne said to Luc. “There’s only one place we discovered you frequent—and it’s right here. It’s you against the High Court of the Coffee Bean now.”

Without warning, Dranian threw his spear. Violet screamed as it brushed past her cheek. Luc’s hands disappeared from her waist—he reappeared behind Shayne. Dranian was already spinning, grabbing one of Shayne’s fairsabers from his belt and stabbing toward Luc before Luc could swing at Shayne’s back. Shayne bolted forward and grabbed Violet’s hand, dragging her out of harm’s way as Dranian and Luc swung swords.

Shayne placed Violet against the brick wall of the nearest building. He batted his eyelashes at her a little—it seemed forced. “Queensbane, Mor is going to kill me,” he muttered. Seemingly out of nowhere, he leaned in and gave her a strong, swoon-worthy kiss. Violet gasped as he pulled himself off, leaving behind traces of warmth on her mouth. She blinked away all she’d felt for Luc a moment ago, and she stared at Shayne—at the pure diamond-white of his hair. At his crisp, blue eyes.

“Your hair is… luminous,” she realized.

Shayne grinned. “I know.” He stood a litter taller. “I knew you couldn’t resist liking me a little, Human.” He turned and shouted back at Luc, “You might be powerful, but I don’t need fox magic to attract women!”

Luc threw Dranian down the road, sending the auburn-haired fairy rolling twice over. Shayne’s smile dropped, and he spun back to Violet. “Violet,” he said, and Violet stared, hanging onto his every word. “Run.”

He pushed her toward the alley.

Violet found herself scampering away, but uneasiness grew inside of her with each step she took. She slowed to a stop, looking back at where Shayne raised his crossbow to block a fairsaber blow from Luc. And she realized she didn’t want to leave. How could she leave Shayne when he was in trouble?

But he’d asked her to; it was what he wanted.

Violet almost turned away again when Shayne’s deep cry boomed down the alley. Her flesh tightened—she gawked as Shayne was tossed to the pavement. In the same second, Dranian sprang over him to tackle Luc, and Luc disappeared into thin air. Dranian landed on the road with a thud.

Violet was grabbed. She shrieked as her body was turned. She faced Luc again—was kissed by him,again.

Suddenly she couldn’t remember why she’d been so concerned about Shayne. She stared at Luc as his gaze flickered past her and took in the others. “Dearest Violet,” he said. “Don’t let him kiss you again.” He seemed frustrated.

“I won’t,” she promised with all her might.

But a spear spiralled through the alley and split them apart—Luc pushed her away and the spear sailed between them. Luc reached into his pocket and drew out a small, sparkling red gemstone. Violet eyed it curiously. Trying to remember where she’d seen it before. He placed the gemstone into his mouth and turned to face the fairies moving down the alley toward him.

Shayne darted right while Dranian darted left.

Shayne went for Violet.

Dranian went for Luc.

Shayne reached her. He tried to kiss her, and she slapped him. “Violet,” he said through his teeth like she was being unreasonable. He swatted her hands out of the way as she tried to keep him at bay. But in the end, he won. Shayne puckered up and smacked his fairy lips against hers. Violet stopped struggling, relaxing into his hold. When he released her, she forgot about Luc again.

Shayne grinned.

Dranian growled, an intense shout that boomed down the alley and made the hairs on Violet’s arms stand on end. When she saw why, she screamed.

Luc’s fairsaber protruded from Dranian’s right arm, sprouting right out the bicep.

Luc dragged his wild gaze up to Shayne. “Not a step closer,” he warned, and Shayne’s bare feet went frozen to the ground. Luc’s chest heaved—rage flashing behind his silvery eyes. “For the faeborn record, I didn’t want to do this.” He twisted the blade a little.

Dranian screeched, panting to catch his breath, and Shayne looked like he might scream, too.

“This is enchanted cold iron, fairy-mutt. That means this won’t heal,” Luc said to Dranian from a curled lip. “Now you’re just a three-legged guard dog.”

He tore the blade back out and Dranian roared.

Shayne charged, his fairsaber stabbing into the brick wall after Luc vanished, sending chunks of brick tumbling to the ground. Luc appeared at the end of the alley. He lifted the ruby off his tongue and placed it back in his pocket. Then he blew Violet a kiss and turned to walk away. No one chased after him.

Shayne dropped his weapons and crouched beside Dranian, his blue eyes watery with panic.

“I must kill him now. For my honour,” Dranian rasped in anguish, clutching his useless arm to himself.