Page 441 of Primal Bonds

She locked gazes with Langdon. “You want a fight, my lord?” Her chin jutted. “You forget I’m half ice fae.”

“No,” was the prince’s reply. “I haven’t forgotten.”

The ravens’ harsh caws filled the clearing.

Blaer raised her hands. Frost crept up Langdon’s shoes.

He flicked a finger and the birds dove, pecking at her eyes and face. She shrieked and dropped to her knees, arms flung up to protect herself.

At a murmur from Langdon, the ravens backed off but continued to twine around Blaer so she was forced to remain crouched on the ground.

Luc crept closer, eyes burning.

She tossed her head, the cuts on her face already healing. “Go,” she told him bitterly. “The geas is broken. You have your freedom.”

But he didn’t leave. Instead, he paced a circle around her, not attacking the ravens, but clearly guarding her.

Adric frowned at that—and then set it from his mind, because the prince had turned back to Rosana and Marjani.

Adric changed back to man but remained invisible. He rose to his feet, drawing Rosana up with him. Marjani shoved a dagger in his general direction, and he took it with a murmured thanks as she retrieved another dagger from the sheath around her neck.

Neoma conjured up a fae ball and aimed it at Marjani. “Stand down, fada.”

Adric sprang at Neoma, slashed her forearm. The fae ball winked out of existence as she hissed and twisted away.

Meanwhile, Marjani had slipped Rosana the third dagger. The two of them stood back to back. Rosana blinked down at the iron blade, still shaky from her vision.

Adric’s heart clenched. She needed food, rest.

He moved up beside her. “Leave,” he whispered. “We’ll cover you.”

She tightened her grip on the dagger and lunged at a night fae approaching from her other side, slashing it across his knife arm. “Together,” she growled as the warrior danced backward.

“Nice,” murmured Marjani.

“Thanks,” Rosana returned.

Adric’s mouth twitched. “Together,” he agreed. “Jani. What’s the plan?”

“Get the fuck out of this warded circle. There’s help on the other side.”

He nodded. “You two go first. I’ll keep them busy until you’re out. The night fae might be able to sense me, but they can’t be sure exactly where I am, especially if I keep moving.”

“Works,” said Marjani.

Rosana was more suspicious. “Promise you’ll come with us.”

He touched her cheek. “You have my word,” he said, and then sprinted across the clearing to kick over the fire pit. The dark fire blinked out as it hit the ground.

The night fae hissed and snarled. Fae balls appeared in more warriors’ hands. Adric slashed at the nearest one’s arm and darted away.

The two women edged toward the portal while Adric bedeviled the night fae, dashing from one side of the clearing to the other, slashing at arms, legs, faces—anything to draw attention from Rosana and Marjani.

A crack of lightning split the night. Wind whipped through the clearing, but the wards—or whatever was protecting the circle—kept out the rain.

“Capture him!” the prince commanded. “You can’t see him, but he’s bleeding emotion. Focus on that.”

The shadows deepened. Tendrils snaked through the night, seeking Adric. He instinctively froze. A glance over his shoulder told him that Rosana and Marjani had almost reached the portal.

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