Page 156 of The Shadow Path

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“This is steel,” he said in a low voice.

“Yes, it is.”

The knight looked at Duncan with no little curiosity, but as the clash of fae swords continued in the background and cheers rose from the hills overlooking the battle, he urged them forward. “Come with me.”

On the ridgeoverlooking two giant, dueling fae, Princess Finola of Laigin, crown princess of the kingdom of Éire and high commander of their army, was bending over a twelve-foot line of scorched earth at the front of her troops, walking among the charred bodies of dead horses, cavalry riders, and cloaked fae sorcerers who were nothing but ash.

Burned and injured soldiers were sitting on the ground, tended by healers and watchful brothers and sisters in arms.

Carys felt a knot of dread when she saw the dead and injured.

Cadell?

Fire burns, Nêrys. War kills.

I know.

Whether they were enchanted or not, Carys’s heart ached from the loss of life.

“Princess Finola?” the knight called.

Finola looked up, and her eyes went wide. “Seren?”

“No.” Carys raised her hands. “I’m not?—”

“They said you were dead.” Finola stalked toward her. “What is going on?” Her eyes went to Duncan. “Lachlan, what the hell?—”

“Not Seren,” Carys said, holding her hands higher. “Not Lachlan either. But I am Seren’s Brightkin, and Cadell?—”

“Cadelldidthis.” Finola’s face twisted in anger. “Cadell of Eryri did this tomypeople!”

“I know and I am?—”

Finola shouted, “A dragon attack is an act of war.”

“So is invading Anglia!” Carys shouted, trying to get the woman’s attention. “So is stealing children.”

Finola halted. Her mouth dropped open, and then she snapped her jaw shut and stepped so close that Carys felt the woman’s breath on her face.

“Back!” Finola shouted at her men.

“Princess Finola?—”

“Get back!”

The men stepped away, leaving Finola and Carys nose to nose.

“What the fuck is going on?” the princess whispered. “If you’re not Seren, who are you? Why do you wear Seren’s face and the armor of a dragon lord? Are you fae?”

“I am not fae; I am Seren’s Brightkin and I am bonded to her dragon.”

Finola was a tall woman. She stared down her nose at Carys. “Not possible.”

“Cadell laid down fire to kill the fae mages who were enchanting your army,” Carys whispered. “There was no way that he could avoid the others. Look around you, Princess Finola. You are on the Saris Plain in Southern Anglia. Cianbrought your army by boat and marched you here while the fae sorcerers kept you enchanted?—”

“That’s not possible.”

“It was the strongest magic I’ve ever seen,” Carys continued swiftly. “Look at the land in front of you,” Carys hissed. “Look at the wolves, the wild fae, the human soldiers, and all the dead.”