Page 136 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

Demos finally released my hand, pulling his sword from his sheath. “Stay here,” he said.

When I didn’t immediately reply, he turned to face me, his eyes wild. “Please.”

Frustration warred with logic. Logic won, and I nodded. I would use my crossbow and do what I could from here.

The carriage was moving toward us down the road, pulled by four horses, with ten guards surrounding it, also on horseback.

Impossible. It was ludicrous to think we could do this in our current condition.

Crack!

One of the fae had felled a tree in front of the carriage. Rough male curses sounded, and a horse reared, diverting the guards’ attention.

Our people didn’t hesitate.

They didn’t let fear swamp them, didn’t let the unlikelihood of their survival make them question this attack.

Not for one second.

They attacked like a storm, surrounding the carriage on all sides, working together as if they’d practiced this attack a thousand times before.

A guard with a power similar to Galon’s sent a flood of water into Gwynara’s face until she dropped to her

The others covered Demos as he moved closer, clearly targeting the carriage. I reached over my shoulder for my crossbow, cursing as I nocked an arrow. The wood was swollen and warped, while the bowstring had sucked in enough river water that it wasn’t stretching the way it should.

Fuck.

I aimed anyway, unsurprised when my shot went wide. I’d prepared for this possibility, ensuring it wouldn’t hit any of our people. And thankfully, the guards were currently too busy to target me.

Taking a deep breath, I centered myself, focusing on the strange place inside me—the one that allowed me to make the kinds of shots that shouldn’t be possible. It was a feeling of complete peace. As if I were floating somewhere soundless, where nothing else existed.

The next guard swung at Demos, who dodged to the side, swinging his own sword. My arrow hit the guard in the throat, and he dropped. Warmth spread through my chest. My crossbow might be warped, but I could still make a difference.

Demos sliced a single glance my way, before ducking beneath a flash of light. I wasn’t sure what that power was, but it came close to hitting the carriage. My pulse raced, and I forced myself to slow my breathing once again.

Several guards cursed at the tall, bearded guard who’d clearly come too close to risking the stolen fae amulet with that strange light. I shot another guard while they were distracted. But my arrow drove into his shoulder instead of his throat. His sword arm, so he wasat least incapacitated, but I cursed the diminished tension in my bowstring.

While the guards were bloated with Regner’s stolen power, they were still only human. And I’d underestimated the fae and the hybrids. Underestimated the icy fury that drove them now, after they’d watched Nyrik die.

I scanned the road. Two of the guards were dead. Eight of them were left, and they fought with vicious determination, teeth bared, swords swinging.

Gwynara shot fire toward one of the guards, and Amalra followed it with a wide swing of her sword.

He ducked neatly out of reach, the sword whistling past his head.

I aimed. Fired. Missed.

Fuck.

With a smug smile, the guard lashed out, burying his sword in Amalra’s chest. No. Gods, no.

Elysanth’s scream carried over the battle. My hands shook, and I lowered my crossbow long enough to take several long, deep breaths.

Steady arms. Steady hands. Or I would be useless here.

The guard kicked Amalra off the end of his sword, spinning to meet Gwynara. But Elysanth was already there.

She ducked low, driving her sword up into his groin. He opened his mouth, and nothing came out.

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