Page 90 of Claimed By the Fae Lord

Frost coalesced on her fingertips like tendrils of winter's breath, solidifying into jagged darts. Expertly, she launched the icy bolts, going for their eyes and throats.

"Keep close!" I yelled, though I knew it was more for my own reassurance than hers.

Raina’s magic grew more aggressive as it lashed out, relentless and beautiful, leaving a trail of blood and blinded fae.

Then, right as a huge male swung a blade at Mirrelle, Raina encased him in a block of solid ice.

Mirrelle laughed wickedly, then drove her sword into the object, shattering the frosty prison, along with the fae inside. It was a disturbing sight.

“Look what we did!” the blood fae celebrated. “Fucking brilliant!”

“I don’t have enough power to do that to all of them,” Raina warned.

“And that, Raina, is why we can’t have nice things. But I forgive you.”

Gunnar, who’d managed a laugh at Mirrelle’s antics, still fought like the tempest he was. His braids whipped around him as his axe cleaved through our adversaries, a wordless battle hymn etched upon his face.

Mirrelle was his shadow, darting and slicing through enemies with daggers that gleamed like quicksilver.

I locked eyes with Raina for a heartbeat, her violet gaze alight with the thrill of battle. It was that same look she'd had several times during those damned bride trials, fierce and unyielding, even as I lashed out at her with ugly words.

The recollection rubbed, but now was not the time. Another wave of attackers came speeding at us.

Just how many of these bastards were there?

“Watch my six!" I called out, feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through me as I launched forward.

I could feel her just behind me. A fresh wave of ice surged around us, encasing our enemies' feet, slowing them just enough for my sword to do its grim work.

She was smart, beautiful, and ruthless. I loved it.

I randomly caught glimpses of her in our twisting and turning.

Strands of white whipped around her face, framing the concentration etched on her fair features. Each flick of her wrist sent another volley of icy death towards our foes, and I couldn't help but admire the deadly dance of her frost magic.

Then I noticed she was no longer holding her spear. She’d sheathed it. To better wield her powers? She only had so much ice to give.

“Raina, draw your—”

"Watch out!" Gunnar roared, as he dispatched another would-be attacker looming too close.

A swift turn and the interloper fell, my thanks lost in a grunt as I engaged the next challenger. A blast of frost flew past my midsection, too close for comfort.

"Try not to freeze my nuts off, flower," I said. “We’ll need them for playtime later.”

She spared me a glance, her lips twitching in a semblance of a smile before her expression hardened once more. My frost nymph went right back to shooting her frozen shards.

And right then, in the middle of it all, I realized I was in way deeper than I’d ever thought possible. So deep I would never come out.

Seeing Raina there, amidst the death and destruction we had wrought, I questioned our plan.

The wards were unyielding—our enemies' fates sealed within the confines of battle. They could not flee. Not all of them had figured it out yet. When they did, they would get desperate.

An animal backed into a corner could not be reasoned with. And that was a dangerous thing to contend with.

The air pressed down, heavy with the scent of dark magic.

“Liam, the witch is inside the wards,” Raina panted.

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