Page 175 of Children of Fallen Gods

“What are you doing here?” I spat at Klein. “You are jeopardizing a crown mission and you’ve done harm against an allied king, and—”

“Me?” Klein sneered. “Look around us. We are in the home of an enemy.”

“They had information about the humans,” I shot back. “I made the decision to come here. I couldn’t afford not to.”

“You made the decision to come here against your father’s command.” Klein jerked his chin up, looking at me down the bridge of his nose. “Of courseyouwould come here, of all places. There are some stains you cannot clean.”

I felt as if a rock fell through my stomach. But before I could shoot back a scathing retort — or murder him — I heard a groan. Caduan shifted, slowly pushing himself upright. Then his head snapped up, looking around wildly, and stopping only when his gaze settled on me.

I heard the sound of a struggle, and the door that connected Caduan’s room to the rest of our suites flew open. Another of Klein’s men dragged Siobhan into the room, who, despite the soldiers wrenching her hands behind her back, walked elegantly and obediently even though a sneer curled over her nose. Ashraia was next, though it tookfourmen to drag him in, and all of them — including him — were significantly bloodied.

I was so angry I could barely speak.

“Let them go. That is a Sidnee Blade Commander and one of our highest ranking allies that you’re—”

“My army’s orders come from the Teirna,” Klein said, coolly. “And where do yours come from?”

For a moment, the idea of my father being the source of Klein’s attack filled me with betrayal. Then a deeper dread rose over it.

Army?

I listened — listened, and heard a terrible sound coming from outside the palace.

I leapt to my feet, fighting away Klein’s men as they grabbed for me, and ran out to the balcony—

—Only to see Sidnee soldiers scaling the walls, rushing into the Nirajan palace like ants devouring a carcass.

I whirled back to Klein. “Call them off.”

“The Nirajans were only allowed to exist in this place because they agreed to absolute excommunication, with no interference in the Fey world.”

“They haven’t interfered. I made the decision to come here. Me.” I staggered forward. I didn’t realize how badly I was bleeding from my head until I began to taste iron. “This is a foolish move, Klein. Especially now, when the humans are—”

There was a deafening shatter.

A smear of gold flew into the room, and by the time the window’s broken glass hit the ground like drops of rain, the soldiers that held Ashraia were doubled over, clutching their faces. Rolling smoke dissipated to reveal Ishqa, his wings outstretched, sword drawn and pressed beneath Klein’s throat.

“This is a betrayal of our treaty,” he snarled. “You raised a blade against Wyshraj men?”

Klein sneered. “Our treaty has been dissolved.”

My heart stopped. “Dissolved?”

Ishqa’s face barely changed, save for the faintest twitch of muscle. “Pardon?” he said, deadly quiet.

“The treaty is gone,” Klein said. “Your people cannot be trusted. I knew it from the beginning. And this… thisdetourof yours only proves—”

“I am the Teirness, Klein,” I snarled “And it was onmyauthority that—”

But they were already moving before the words were out of my mouth.

I lurched forward. Even in the movement, I knew I was trying to stop the inevitable. Klein let out a shout, and his men attacked, lunging for Ishqa and Ashraia. I dove for the nearest Blade, who was attempting to attack Ishqa. I saw Siobhan moving out of the corner of my eye. Beneath the blood rushing in my ears, I could hear her command boom:

“As a Commander of the Blades, I order you to stand down!”

Too late. Tension had already devolved into violence. Ishqa’s back was pressed to mine, his sword raised — he was the only one of us who was properly armed, while I fought with whatever I could frantically yank from a dead man’s hands. I tasted blood. I heard a cry somewhere behind me, and I could not tell whose it was.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and a deafening cracking sound. More windows shattered. I looked up to see ropes of ivy slithering through the open windows, so fast our opponents barely had time to react. It seized the throats of Klein’s men. The soldiers flailed, but it was no use -- the ropes of greenery pinned their every limb, tightening until they finally stopped moving.

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