Page 32

Lily Baker and the Fox’s Big Juicy Secret

The woods went quiet. There’d been so much shouting and so many growls only a second ago. Lily felt stuck against the tree, her hands shaking as she held tight to the juts in the bark. Her mind was a mix of blanking and flashing, and she was sure she could hear the sirens for an emergency situation going off in her head.

Shayne was passed out. Reason told her to start performing first aid. But she stared at the three fairies on the ground; the ones she’d taken out with her own bullets. Up until the moment she’d raised her gun, she wasn’t sure she could still protect herself anymore, or protect Shayne. It had been instinct, and it had kicked in just like it was supposed to. She thought she would cower, or scream, or run. But she didn’t.

She’d fired.

She’d fought back, and she’d endured.

Her attention dropped to where Shayne lay, his face relaxed and his body sprawled. It hit her all at once that Shayne was bleeding out on the grass, that the creepy fairies of the Riothin House would probably send more people to try and find her, and that—

She shrieked as the huge beast they’d ridden here on wandered past her and began helping itself to the fairy bodies on the ground. She slapped a hand over her mouth, and she rushed to Shayne’s side, afraid the grotesque creature might consider Shayne to be free meat along with the others.

“Shayne!” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “Shayne, wake up!”

His body lurched along with her movements, but he didn’t open his eyes. There was so much blood everywhere; his clothes were mostly dark purple.

“Shayne,” she begged. “I can’t protect you if you don’t wake up!” She looked around at the dark forest, not seeing a path or a clear direction to head in. She wasn’t sure she could even carry someone of Shayne’s size. She definitely couldn’t outrun more fairies if they came.

Lily grabbed the sides of her head. Even though she’d started to think straight after whatever potion Shayne made her drink, she knew she was deprived of nutrition and likely on the verge of passing out herself. She gasped as the beastly creature turned and began heading in Shayne’s direction.

“Seriously, what do I do?!” she whispered to herself. She used to be good at problem solving, but she wasn’t sure of anything anymore, except that she needed someone stronger, someone who wasn’t a malnourished human on the verge of losing her mind.

It was crazy, but it was her last shot. She started screaming.

“Mor!” She shouted it into the darkness, her dry voice cracking over his name. She knew Mor couldn’t hear her. She knew she was grasping at straws. But she begged him to come anyway. “Mor!” It echoed through the trees, and critters she couldn’t see stirred in the branches overhead. “M—”

Someone appeared in front of her, and she gasped. The hem of his long black Dracula coat fluttered in the wind. Luc folded his arms as he looked her over. His silver gaze lifted to the hungry beast heading in her direction, then dropped to where Shayne lay in the grass.

“You called?” he asked, doing nothing about any of it.

Lily blinked. She really hadn’t expected someone to hear her screams. “I wasn’t calling you,” she said from a strained voice—though, she wasn’t sure why she said it.

Luc nodded. “Ah. Then I’ll leave.” He turned and Lily grabbed the hem of his coat.

“Wait!” she begged. “Luc…”

When Luc twisted back, he was clearly trying to hide a smile. He stared down at her, and Lily wondered if this was the first time she’d ever been alone with Luc. She swallowed and glanced over at the beast.

Luc sighed and tugged his coat out of her grip. When he turned himself toward the beast, something came over his eyes; a darkness that sent a shiver through the woods. The leaves rustled overhead. Lily smelled smoke.

The beast stopped in its tracks. It stared at Luc. Then it shrank and released a quiet whimper before backing up a step.

“That’s right. Shoo, cow.” Luc flung his hand at it.

The beast snarled as it turned and headed into the woods. Lily watched it until it disappeared into the shadows of the trees. She realized she was gripping tight to the grass.

Luc crouched, levelling himself with her. “I need you to stay alive because of a promise I made, dear Lily, not because I’ve started to like you or anything,” he stated. Then, he added, “Just so there are no misunderstandings about why I’m here.” He stood and extended a hand.

Lily eyed him. No one would come rushing like that just because of a promise.

“What about Shayne?” she asked. She unclasped her fingers from the grass and reached up to take his hand. He took a step forward so she didn’t have to reach so far.

“He’s not really a part of my promise,” Luc admitted.

Lily stopped. She jerked her hand back. “What?!”

“I’m just being honest.” Luc shrugged. “I said I’d bring you and Dranian back to the human realm. I said nothing about him.” He nodded toward Shayne. “Besides, with that ring on his finger now, it’s not like he can come back anyway.”

Lily’s gaze snapped to Shayne lying peacefully in his purpled clothes. A large gold ring hugged his forefinger. She’d been dizzy back in the Riothin ballroom, but she did recall the whispering fairies talking about Shayne like something had happened to him. They’d called him ‘ Heir’ .

“I can’t go without him,” she said, not sure if she was speaking to herself or Luc.

What did it mean that Shayne was ‘Heir’? Why did a ring have the power to keep him from staying with her?

Luc released an exasperated sigh. “Ughhhh, you humans. Fine.” He folded his arms. “I’ll fix his problem too, since I’m fixing everyone else’s at the moment. You’re all so needy, do you know that?”

Lily was still thinking about the gossip from the ballroom when a fairy materialized beside Luc, making her jump. The fairy wore a similar black coat. He tore down his hood, and Lily’s chest swelled at the sight of Mor. “Lily,” he breathed in his low voice. Mor’s hands were balled to fists at his sides, his face contorted with worry.

Lily wanted to cry, but she sucked back her tears as she tried climbing to her feet. Her legs shook, and Mor stepped forward, lifting her until she was balanced.

“Ah, there you are. I was wondering how long it would take you to catch up,” Luc said to him.

“Lily…” Mor said again. “I would have come—” Out of nowhere, Luc pushed him out of the way and took Lily’s hands.

“I was here first,” he said. “At least let me carry the pretty one.”

Mor frowned. “Not a chance.” He shoved Luc back and yanked Lily to himself. In an instant, she felt the world around her slip away. Mor cradled her head against his warm chest.

It felt like only seconds before everything stopped moving, and Lily’s feet were set on solid ground. Cold grass curled over her heels, and wind filtered through nearby trees. Mor kept a firm hold on her arm, keeping her balanced. When Lily turned around…

She saw Cress.

And Dranian.

She even saw psycho Mycra. There was something familiar about the woman, and Lily settled her gaze on her for a moment, wondering if they’d spoken recently. Wondering why she remembered Mycra’s voice in her head.

Luc arrived with Shayne a second later and practically dumped him on Dranian’s lap.

Lily wasn’t sure what to say to everyone, but at the sight of them in arm’s reach, and with Mor a shield at her side, every one of her tense muscles unspooled. She collapsed into the deep, peaceful sleep she’d been craving for weeks.

Luc’s voice sounded like a sweet song, even when he was complaining.

“So, let me get this straight. Now we’re being chased by the House of Lyro and the House of Riothin, and on top of that Cressica has revealed his identity to the whole Ever Corners and will certainly stir the North High Queene to chase after him, and on top of that , it’s too dangerous for any of us to return to the human realm, even though at any moment the Lyro House could send spies to burn Fae Café to the ground, and the only ones watching over your humans there are the yarn-covered females whom I nearly destroyed all on my own this summer?”

Luc chuckled after his long list of grievances. It stirred Lily awake. She didn’t know how long she’d been sleeping, but it had to be almost a full day because the air was cool again. She saw treetops fluttering overhead in a soft breeze, and the blue sky was starting to turn grey.

Luc clapped slowly. “Well done, everyone. How embarrassing.”

“Am I the only one who wants to punch him?” Mor murmured to Cress.

Lily sat up, and just then, Shayne’s guttural scream filled the woods.

Her body went cold. She whirled to see Dranian snap Shayne’s leg back into place. She blinked. Then a gag hit the back of her throat, and she smacked a fist over her mouth to hold everything in.

“There. Now it can meld,” Dranian mumbled. “Try not to walk on it for at least…” His voice trailed off as Shayne climbed to his feet.

Shayne’s chest was slick with sweat, his body was covered in dry blood, and his eyes were red with bloodshot. Lily’s mouth parted at the purpling bruises and the gash in his side and leg. He needed to be in a hospital, not walking around in the woods. He didn’t seem to know it though as he stretched like he’d just woken up from a nice nap.

Lily rose to her feet too, and the movement caught Shayne’s eye. He wandered over and took hold of the flaps of his coat she only now realized she was wearing. He had a devilish smile when he tugged her to him. Then he stuck his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a handful of folded papers.

“I have some letters to deliver before it’s too late,” he said to everyone, even though his gaze stayed on Lily. “And while I’m at it—I shoved a young fairy through the gate into the human realm earlier. If you could find her and give her a job at the café, I’d appreciate it. She was a servant, so she’ll be a hard worker.” He glanced back at Cress now. “Should work out for the best since Cress is always complaining about how understaffed Fae Café is.”

Cress grunted. “I do not always complain about that.”

“Why are you asking us to find her? Why can’t you do it yourself?” Lily asked him. Shayne’s attention drew back, his smirk not as wide anymore. He twisted his lips to the side like he was contemplating what to say, but he didn’t end up saying a thing.

A small, pathetic smile found Lily’s own face, and she looked at the ground. “I’m not stupid. I know you think I’m the only one here who hasn’t clued in yet that you’re staying in the Ever Corners,” she said.

At that, Shayne’s smile vanished altogether.

Luc’s grew though. “Oh dear,” he murmured, seemingly to himself. He pinched the bridge of his nose as his grin broadened, but he didn’t explain what he found so funny. Lily thought about throwing a rock at him.

Shayne swallowed and straightened up her coat, brushed dirt off the shoulders, folded down the collar. Then he dropped his hands. “You’ll be promoted to a detective in no time, ugly Human,” he said to her. “It pays better anyway.” He bit his lip for a moment, then he added, “Don’t worry about me. You’ve spent all this time immune to my witty words and dazzling looks. There’s no reason to start caring too much.”

Lily’s mouth parted. She really couldn’t tell if he was putting on an act, or if he was really that oblivious.

Immune to his ‘witty words’ and ‘good looks’? Not once had she been immune to him. She’d spent the last year losing her mind over him. He’d always made sure his presence was everywhere, even if he wasn’t physically with her. There wasn’t a single workday in the last six months where she hadn’t stolen glances at the front door of the station to see if he would visit, or a single shift at the café she wasn’t aware of exactly where in the room he was standing.

Lily’s jaw remained dropped as Shayne reached forward and ruffled her hair in a ‘see you later, buddy’ sort of way. Like they were just friends, and all was well. Like it shouldn’t bother her that he wasn’t coming home.

She stared at him, even when he couldn’t meet her eyes. He took in a deep breath and plastered a smile back onto his face as he huffed it out. “We should get moving,” he called to everyone.

“Agreed. We need to get Lily back to the human realm before Levress and the Brotherhood of Assassins find our trail,” Cress said. A large crease hung between Cress’s eyebrows when Lily’s wide gaze fired over to him next, and even though Lily had made a few conclusions by now, that one, she hadn’t seen coming.

“Wait… you’re staying here, too? I thought Luc was just rambling about all that,” Lily said. When Cress didn’t deny anything, Lily took a step toward him. Pain burned up her legs from her long hours of being strapped into fairy heels. “What about Kate?” It came out high-pitched.

Had all these fae lost their minds? Was this a joke?

From the other side of the clearing, Luc squeaked another laugh.

Cress clasped his hands together. “This is for Kate,” he said as his mouth tipped down at the corners. He wasn’t chewing on his tongue. “And I haven’t yet decided what to do. We likely only have hours before everything chasing us closes in.” His turquoise eyes settled on the fire in the middle of the group. “We’ll take you back home immediately. Then we’ll stand in front of the human gate and guard it for as long as possible. If we succeed in holding them off, you’ll be safe. If they kill us, the forces of the Ever Corners won’t have a reason to go into the human realm anymore anyway—”

Laughter rang through the trees. Luc slapped a hand over his mouth and slid behind a tree trunk, but it was no use. It echoed deep into the woods.

“What in the name of the sky deities is so funny, Luc?!” Mor growled and folded his arms.

“Oh dear. I think I’ve given myself away.” Luc peeked out around the tree and bit his bottom lip over a grin.

Lily stared at him in disbelief. “Did he hit his head on a rock while I was gone or something?” she asked the group.

Mycra sighed across the clearing and poked at the fire with a stick, making Dranian’s head snap toward her. “Wait… do you know what he’s laughing about?” he grumbled.

She shrugged. “I saw his dreams. But it’s not my place to voice what I see inside people’s heads.” She tossed something into the fire. A second later, she smirked too. “It is pretty funny though,” she admitted.

“Why don’t we place bets to see who will find us first?” Luc suggested. “I think it’ll be the House of Lyro.”

“Why would we place bets on that? That is outrageous,” Cress barked. “And why Lyro?”

“Because they’re already marching up the hills past this forest?” Luc guessed, but by the look on his face, it didn’t seem like a guess at all. It dawned on Lily that he was telling them all to move.

“He’s joking, right?” Lily asked Shayne as she yanked his coat off and handed it to him. “They’re not actually coming…” Images of Jethwire’s twisted smile filled her head. She turned and looked into the trees.

A small red object soared through the air above. It spiralled down, and Lily flinched as it sped past her face and landed by Shayne’s feet. Shayne looked like he’d been slapped when he stared at it.

“Is that what I think it is?” Cress asked from across the clearing.

No one answered. There was no denying the bright red paper bird resting upon a bed of moss.

It took Lily a second to realize her hands were shaking. She balled them into fists.

“They’re already here for me?” Shayne’s question was quiet, like he was asking himself. “I thought I’d have more time.”

Mycra jumped to her feet. Whatever humour was on her face before had fled. She whirled toward Luc. “I think it’s time to go now,” she urged.

Luc sighed. “Not yet, Dreamslipper. Have some patience.”

“We can’t face off with the House of Lyro!” she argued. “This isn’t funny anymore!”

“What are you two talking about?!” Cress marched between them and looked from one to the other.

“Actually, it’s hilarious,” Luc corrected. “But not to worry…” He sniffed and turned around a few times like he was looking for something in the woods. When he couldn’t seem to find it, he scratched his head.

Just then, a robust fairy with a menacing face and black armour materialized in the clearing.

Cress and Dranian jumped, Mor’s sword buzzed to life, and Lily gasped as Shayne pulled her behind him. Mor took one step toward the fairy with his sword raised before Luc lifted a hand to stop him.

“It took you long enough!” Luc snapped at the Shadow Fairy. Mor slowed his steps while Luc laid his hand flat before the newcomer. “Give me the documents,” he demanded.

The Shadow Fairy looked around at the group, taking in faces. After a moment, he reached into his armour and unearthed a thin scroll. “The vote was close,” he said in a dark voice as Luc unrolled the scroll. “You foxes and your nine lives,” he added with a mutter. The Shadow Fairy took a step back like he was about to do something, like drop to the ground, but Luc suddenly kicked him in the knee.

“Not in front of the others, you fool. You’re ruining the surprise.” Then, to everyone else, Luc shouted, “I would like the record to show that I, singlehandedly, fixed everything . That none of you fools were clever enough when it was needed, and that every time one of you was in trouble, it was me who showed up. And if you ever forget it, I’ll ruin you.” He rolled the scroll and stuffed it into his pocket.

Shayne put on his coat and pulled out his fairsaber handle. The blade formed with an electric popping sound. “You’re crazy, Foxy,” he said. Then to Lily, he instructed, “Go with my brothers. I’ll hold off my family while you get home.”

Luc’s jaw nearly hit the forest floor. “Did you not hear everything I just said, North Fairy?!” he shouted at Shayne’s back. With a tight-lipped scowl, Luc marched across the clearing and grabbed Lily by the arm. “Try to keep up unless you really want to lose her!” he snapped at the others. “We’re going somewhere dark!”

The last thing Lily saw in the clearing was Shayne spinning and his eyes going wide as he lashed out to try and grab her back. Everyone leapt into motion, but no one reached her.

Lily was sucked into a speeding tunnel of air. Luc’s arm secured her as they flew, veering around shapes Lily didn’t have time to focus on.

At least thirty seconds passed before they slowed. The world spun around her even after they stopped and Luc let her go. Lily grabbed the side of her head and fell into the grass. She held her breath against a wave of nausea before she could look up and take in her surroundings.

This place was dimmer than the forest. A big, turbulent cloud swirled overhead, and cold air swept over her flesh. A long, narrow clearing surrounded them, where a dark line of ash or some other black substance stretched across the space in both directions as far as Lily could see.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“We’re in the Dark Corner of Ever, dear Lily,” Luc told her.

“What?! Why did you bring me here ?” she said back. “And why in the world did you just steal me from the others?”

Luc spun around, knelt, and poked his finger beneath her chin to tilt her face up. His eyes were a little wilder and brighter than normal. The gesture reminded her of a certain white-haired fairy with a flute, and she smacked his hand away, making Luc’s heart-shaped mouth twist. “You make yourself a target for fairies, you know. Being feisty like that makes you more valuable. Even I’m tempted to sell you at this point.” He snarled a little as he stood and turned away from her. “I’m here now,” he shouted at the trees where shapes and shadows shifted.

Lily fell back on her hands when Shadow Fairies emerged from the forest. “Luc…” she said in warning. Or maybe it was a plea, or an accusation; she wasn’t sure. “What’s happening?”

Mor burst out of the air. His fist was up and swinging at Luc as he landed, and Luc hardly dodged it in time. Luc whirled and kicked Mor off his feet. “Get a grip, Trisencor. In a second, you’re going to be very sorry you attacked me here.”

When Luc strode over to join the Shadow Fairies, Lily crawled over to where Mor balanced on one elbow. Mor’s hair had come loose, and a grass stain covered his arm where he fell.

“Just stay behind me,” he warned Lily when she reached him. She realized Mor was trembling as he dragged his feet beneath him and crouched like he was bracing himself. She watched his brown-silver eyes dart between the Shadow Fairies emerging from the forest and drawing their weapons. They slinked forward in silence, making an odd formation that gave Lily the feeling they were being surrounded.

Luc grunted a laugh. “Don’t worry, you two. The rest of your High Court will be coming soon. We weren’t that far from the border—I imagine the sprint will only take them a few minutes,” he said. Then he turned to the rest of the fairies, and he said, “Prepare yourselves.”

“Mor…” Lily whispered. “What’s happening? Were we just betrayed by Luc?”

Mor’s throat bobbed. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I don’t think so, but truthfully, I’m finding it hard to tell.” He climbed to his feet and pulled Lily up with him. Lily watched his fingers slide into his back pocket and pull out his fairsaber handle.

Someone broke through the trees. Cress’s pinched face was focused as he raced over the black line in strong, even strides. He skidded to a stop and tipped forward with his hands on his knees a foot away from Mor and Lily. “Ah, yes.” He nodded, though his face was red like he was going to faint. “I knew I was the fastest,” he said.

Mycra and Dranian came next, half carrying Shayne as he limped. “Just trust me!” Mycra shouted at the other two as if they were in the middle of an argument. “Hurry!”

The three of them stumbled across the black line, and to Lily’s amazement, none of the Shadow Fairies rushed in to capture them. Lily jogged forward in her wobbling heels to help Mycra and Dranian, but Shayne pushed their hands off.

“I’m fine!” he stated. He marched away from them and met Lily halfway. “Did he do anything vile to you?” he asked her with a scowl before scouring the clearing. “Where is he? I’ll kill him.”

“I do hope you’re not talking about me,” Luc warned. He shook the dirt off his Dracula coat and wiped off his sleeves. “It would be rather tragic if you’re really threatening me in front of all these witnesses.”

Shayne’s jaw tightened. He took a step toward Luc just as hundreds of hunters in red flooded through the trees. They scattered down the line, their bows drawn, their blades forming, and Shayne grabbed Lily instead.

Lily’s heart squeezed in her chest as she recognized faces. She spotted Jethwire with his flute in his hand, resting high upon a reindeer. He made eye contact with her, his gaze icy, and Lily found herself gripping the back of Shayne’s coat. Fuzzy memories spilled in; Jethwire nudging her face around, his commands for her to eat, the fairies with him laughing. The dizziness, the sore feet, the dancing in circles… all before Shayne’s father; Hans-Der.

The middle-aged man sat upon a reindeer, too. He stared at Shayne darkly. Lily had never seen him furious.

She realized just how vast and strong the Lyro army was as it took several moments for them to assemble their lines. Lily’s shoulders dropped as the warriors seemed to keep coming forever. There would be no fighting her way out this time. They would take Shayne. They might take her, too. She bit down hard on her lips at that thought.

Hans-Der slid off his reindeer. He kept his attention solely on Shayne as he stepped forward. He came to the black line of ash and moved to step over it…

“Uh oh,” Luc said.

Four Shadow Fairies appeared around Hans-Der with their blades out. The Lyro army raised their bows in reaction, but Hans-Der hesitated. After a moment, he lowered his foot back on his side of the line. He raised a hand, and the bow-wielders of his army lowered their weapons.

Luc sauntered forward with his hands clasped behind his back. He sighed and shook his head. “I thought the House of Lyro wanted to avoid a war, not start one,” he said. As he moved, a dozen Shadow Fairies in black armour inched along with him.

“Who are you?” Hans-Der asked, his lip curling in revulsion as he took Luc in. “Aren’t you the fool who killed my oldest son?”

Luc put a hand against his chest, feigning shock. “Oh dear,” he said. “I think I’m offended. First—your oldest son had it coming. Second—I don’t think that’s any way to address the King of the Dark Corner of Ever.”

Lily felt Shayne flinch past the fabric of his coat. His hand tightened on her arm as his brows furrowed. He tilted his head as if taking in Luc for the first time.

“Speaking of which…” Luc looked around. “Someone should really get me a crown.”

Hans-Der’s face changed from disgust to surprise, to curiosity, then to doubt. “Nonsense…” he uttered.

The Shadow Army all raised their weapons at once, aiming for each and every fairy in red across the line of ash. One of them parted from the hoard and lifted his sword at Hans-Der. He said, “How dare you address His Royal Majesty with disrespect. Surrender to be tortured for it, and we shall let your army live.”

This time, Hans-Der spoke through his teeth. “What?!”

“Hand over our prisoners,” Jethwire interrupted. His gaze cut back to Shayne. “And our heir. Then we shall leave peacefully.”

Luc tapped a finger against his chin. He took a while to deliberate, glancing over at Cress first like he was considering it, then at Shayne, then at Lily. Finally, at Mor—who’s face was heavy with different emotions. One of them was definitely accusation.

Luc scrunched his face at Mor’s expression, and he turned back to Hans-Der. “Nah,” he finally said. “Mostly because I don’t want to, and therefore, I don’t have to.” He marched forward and stood before the High Lord of the Lyro House. “You see, the thing is, I’ve been black marked by the House of Lyro. I was threatened by your own paper crane. And what a wicked and foolish thing it is to black mark a High King with an Army the size of mine.” Luc’s silver eyes blazed. Hans-Der shifted his weight as murmurs trickled down the line of Lyro allies, and for a moment, Lily thought Hans-Der might actually apologize.

But Luc wasn’t finished. “I demand justice. Either we go to war, and you can fight the entire Shadow Army right now with your measly handful of hunters, or you sacrifice the heir of your household to me. Only the age-old custom will suffice. I demand blood for blood—as you have vowed to take mine. Black mark for black mark. Your highest seat for the throne you threatened.” His words were cutting and dark, making the leaves throughout the forest shiver and tree trunks groan and snap. Some of the Lyro army drew several steps back from the line of ash.

Hans-Der opened his mouth, but he closed it again. He glanced over at Shayne, only this time, it wasn’t with a glower. In fact, a strange smirk crossed his mouth. “You wish for my son’s blood?” he asked.

Luc’s smile broadened into something truly evil. “Desperately.”

“And this will erase any transgressions from my household toward the Dark Corner throne?” Hans-Der took a slow step back from the ash, like his army.

“You’ll avoid war. For now,” Luc agreed.

Hans-Der nodded. Then he grinned, a look of malice spreading over his blue eyes. “Done. Kill him.”

Luc drew his blade, and Lily didn’t have time to process what was happening before he strode over, tore Shayne from her grip, and plunged his fairsaber through Shayne’s stomach.

Lily heard herself scream.

Everything around her froze in place, except for the blade being torn back out of Shayne. And Shayne’s body falling…

Falling…

She was still screaming as he collapsed in the dirt, as his blood leaked onto the soil. She buckled beside him and yanked his coat open. She slammed her palms against the stab wound, applying pressure. Sobs escaped her as she tried to hold him together, as she fought to keep him from losing the last of his blood and dying beneath her hands. Shayne’s mouth parted as he stared up at the sky, his eyes losing focus, his limbs going slack.

“You’re…” Lily croaked. She didn’t even know what she was yelling. She thought she would die right there beside Shayne. “You’re a monster , Luc!” she shouted through her tears.

Luc stared down the end of his nose, watching her. He didn’t look like he regretted anything. In fact, he seemed to stifle an eye roll as he bristled, and he turned his back to her.

Lily knew Luc didn’t like Shayne. Luc had threatened Shayne many times, but she didn’t really think he’d… he’d…

Dranian stood nearby, his expression slack, his face white. Mor and Cress were as still as statues. Until…

Mor reached out and grabbed Cress’s arm to hold him still. To keep him from helping, maybe. The act was so strange that Lily looked back to Luc again.

“Your household’s debt is paid, High Lord,” Luc said to Hans-Der. “But be assured that if you ever threaten the Dark throne again, or even bother me in the slightest, the House of Lyro will be burned to the ground with fairy fire so searing that even your name will be wiped from existence.” He raised his hand and flung it at the whole Lyro line. “Now get out of my sight, peasants,” he said.

Hans-Der took one last look at Shayne’s body on the ground, bleeding beneath Lily’s fingers. He snarled as he turned and walked back to his reindeer. With a shallow bow toward Luc, he mounted his deer, turned it around, and fled into the woods. The army in red followed him, groups breaking off from their lines and stampeding through the trees.

Jethwire was one of the last to leave. His mouth was pinched to the side, and his eyes were narrowed like he was waiting for something as he watched Lily hold Shayne’s wound. But finally, he turned his reindeer and followed his family.

The second he disappeared, Luc whirled. “Hurry!” he shouted at the Shadow Fairies standing around. “Hurry, hurry, hurry!” He pointed down at Shayne. “Save him or you’re all dead!”

Lily’s hands were pulled off Shayne as Shadow Fairies swooped in and began performing strange practices: digging for nearby roots, pulling his coat off, splashing water over his face. “Wait…” she said to one when he shoved a handful of something into Shayne’s mouth and held his lips shut around it. “You’ll suffocate him…” But she didn’t fight them. She scooted out of the way, watching as they jolted him around.

After a moment of it, Shayne’s chest began to rise and fall. Mor appeared beside Lily and helped her to her feet, but she kept her stare glued to the parts of Shayne she could see between the Shadow Fairies surrounding him.

“Bring him to the Shadow Palace healing rooms,” Luc instructed. Two Shadow Fairies lifted Shayne and vanished with him. Then Luc said, “And didn’t I tell someone to bring me a crown?”