Page 88 of Riot of Autumn

Archer pulls out his phone, the light casting an eerie glow over his face. We’ve set up a few lanterns around the clearing, because Ezra’s the only one who can see in the dark.

“Any minute now.”

“This part’s the worst.” I bounce on my toes, stretching my head from side to side, and occasionally take a swipe at the air like a boxer.

I’ve ditched my hotdog buns and am down to my sparkly bodysuit. Ezra keeps checking out my ass, and I’m not mad about it. He’s ditched his hotdog costume as well, swapping it with a pair of joggers and nothing else. It’s cold out, but he runs so hot I don’t think he feels the chill.

“Didn’t feel like putting on a shirt?” I eat up the view of his strong muscles and rippling body.

“I didn’t want to take all this away from you.” Ezra rubs his hand over his abs, and I lose track of my thoughts for a tiny second.

Ezra laughs, winking at me, and it feels like a promise for what’s to come later. “I also don’t feel like shredding through any more of my clothes. I ripped up my favorite Prince t-shirt two weeks ago.”

“No,” I gasp, knowing exactly which shirt he’s talking about.

“Afraid so. I guess you’ll just have to suffer through staring at all this.”

My comeback is on the tip of my tongue when Ezra steps in front of me, halting my bouncing with his hands on my shoulders. His touch moves down my arms until he clasps my fingers and shakes out my arms, his eyes never leaving mine.

Magic sparks between us, such a new and heady sensation that it makes my breath catch. Ezra’s eyes look golden in the lantern light, and I see more of the animal prowling inside him than ever before.

“We’ve got this, Cube.”

“Yeah, we do, Ezzie.”

“Are you two ready?” Miri asks, pointing the question at me and Ezra.

“Absolutely,” I say, a sly grin on my face as I look up at Ezra.

He pulls me toward the center of the clearing, for no other reason than us wanting to be the center of everyone’s focus when the time comes. I’m jittery, but I trust my friends and the plans we’ve gone over four thousand times.

The sound of slow clapping comes from my left, where we parked our UTVs. The Duke walks into the clearing, his face drawn into a snarl as he slaps his hands together.

“Someone’s been watching too many movies with cheesy evil villains.” I lean toward Ezra, not even attempting to keep my voice quiet.

The Duke’s nostrils flare. He’s lost his gross mask, but he’s put the rest of his fancy pirate outfit back on. When I’ve seen him before, he’s been wearing some odd combination of linen and beachwear, but tonight he reminds me of old-fashioned aristocracy. Well, he did. Now he looks messy and like he rolled out of bed. His long pale hair has fallen out of its braids. It’s a wild tangle, and there are singe marks on his forehead where the crown was sitting earlier.

We spelled that sucker so it could only be burned off.

Ezra and I turn so we’re standing side by side to face the Duke. Anthony, Colton, Seraphina, and a whole lot of other Fae are standing behind him. Scott Marsten is mixed in with the crowd. I don’t understand what he thinks he’ll get out of this? These Fae hate humans. Archer, Lena, Davis, Miri, Rhys, and Zara stand behind me, forming a semi-circle.

“You pathetic fools think that a little prank will keep you from bonding. You thought you could sneak out to the woods and finalize the Axis without us here. I gave you a command and I will be obeyed.” The Duke strikes his hand against his thigh. “Whatever games you’re playing, you are outmatched and outnumbered. What you know about the Fae is what some drudge, a worthless servant girl, has told you. You fools are clueless.”

As one, the Duke and his entourage step forward. I gasp as I feel the barrier spell slip into place. Rhys, Miri, and I worked on this bit of magic earlier today, and it’s a rush to sense it activating once the last of the Fae step through the circle.

“What is this?” the Duke snarls, obviously feeling the magic as well. “Your stupidity won’t get you out of bonding.”

Emric steps out of the woods, joining my friends behind us. He doesn’t speak, but the sneer on the Duke’s face tells me he recognizes him.

“You see, there’s a problem with that,” Ezra says as he drapes an arm over my shoulder.

The Duke’s head whips back toward Ezra. “Is it that you’re all a bunch of clueless idiots, meddling in magic that you’re too weak to comprehend.”

“Close.” I draw the word out. “But it’s more that we’ve already bonded. Can’t exactly do that again.”

“What?” the Duke roars, the ground shaking at the sound.

His breaths are coming fast, like he’s hyperventilating. He’s huffing through gritted teeth, his shoulders heaving. Despite the lanterns in the clearing, there’s very little light. I blink a few times to make sure my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me when the Duke grows bigger and bigger.

---