Page 184 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

Kaelith’s growl rumbled low and deep, vibrating through the ground beneath my boots. I hadn’t moved far from her side when we landed, and now I was grateful for it. The Blood Fae seemed to materialize from nowhere, stepping out of the shrouded mist until we were surrounded by at least a dozen of them.

“I told you it would work,” one of them sneered to his companion, a tall fae with long white hair similar to mine.

“Yes,” the other fae with red eyes replied, “but we still have to deal with the Sentinel.”

Kaelith’s spines rippled, her wings half-spread in warning. I could feel her tension, her fury curling in my chest like a living thing.Stay close,she warned me.

I didn’t need to be told twice. I remounted.

Tae shifted subtly, his back pressing closer to Kieran, whose green Clubtail had already begun inflating his tail. The spines along its length lengthened, sharp points gleaming in the fading light.

Kaila, still astride her brown Swordtail, nudged her mount forward, positioning herself between us and the Blood Fae. “I didn’t know this was a party,” she drawled, her voice casual but sharp. “I would have worn something more appropriate.”

“Be gone, dragon rider,” the apparent leader snapped. His cold gaze flicked to me, lingering on my white hair. “We have not come for you. Give us the white-haired one and you will live.”

The air thickened, my magic stirring to life beneath my skin. The Blood Fae’s focus locked on me like I was prey, their expressions twisted with cruel intent.

“You want her?” Zander’s voice rang out like a blade unsheathed. His hand rested on his sword, fingers flexing. “Come take her.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Jax added, stepping to my side.

“We don’t run,” Riven growled.

My heart twisted. My squad—my new family—stood firm, forming a wall around me without hesitation.

Kaelith’s thoughts pressed into mine, hot and fierce.If they touch you, they die.

“Don’t do anything rash,” I murmured under my breath.

The Blood Fae smiled like I’d just given them permission to attack.

Rider,Kaelith warned.Incoming.

The Blood Fae leader flicked his fingers, and something sharp sliced through the air—straight for me.

I moved on instinct, ducking as Kaelith’s head shot forward. Her jaws snapped closed on the dagger mid-air, crushing it between her teeth.

The Blood Fae bared his teeth in a snarl.

“You’ll regret that,” he hissed.

“No,” Zander said, stepping forward and drawing his sword. “You will.”

Teren unsheathed his sword. “Just when things were about to get boring.”

The air crackled with unnatural energy as the Blood Fae combined their magic. Threads of shimmering crimson and black wove together above us, tightening like a net. The air grew thick, pressing down on my chest as Kaelith snarled low in her throat.

I can’t break it,she said through gritted thoughts.They’ve grounded us. Get down and be careful.

I jumped from her back without hesitation, landing hard in the dirt. The others followed, dismounting swiftly. Jax swore under his breath, one hand on his axe, the other holding Ferrula as she stumbled.

Our dragons growled and shifted uneasily, wings twitching as they strained against the unseen force pinning them to the earth. Across the clearing, the Blood Fae’s black-scaled dragons emerged from the shrouds—smaller than ours but lean and vicious. One of them, a sleek Striker with gleaming obsidian scales, fixed its hungry gaze on Kaelith.

Stay close,Kaelith warned again, her body moving like a shadow beside me.I must fight beside you.

The Blood Fae rider controlling the Striker grinned like a wolf and tapped his blade against his palm.

“We’ve never had a Sentinel in our grasp before,” he sneered. “Don’t disappoint me.”