Page 133 of Queen of Thorns
Caelynn
My heart pounds sorapidly it’s hard to think. I pass Rev quickly and lead him through the winding cave, able to see better than him. But that thought only gives me anxiety because the Night Bringer will easily be able to move through these tunnels too.
He’ll be much faster than the other fae. And we’re so far behind.
We sprint hard. My shoulders slam into damp stone several times, but I don’t dare slow down. I slip between two slabs, following the magic path of the Night Bringer.
This time, it will be me stalking him.
A high-pitched whimper echoes on the cool stone, and I run harder. Crashing stone and growls of ancient beasts fill the cave system.
Light glows up ahead.
I suck in a breath when I see a large, glowing male wrestling with the beastly form of the Night Bringer.
“Now,” I whisper. “We have to do it now.”
I don’t see any of our allies, but I don’t dare take a moment to search for them. If we don’t do the spell, we’ll lose and they’ll all die horrific deaths. I don’t need the distraction of knowing I’m already too late for one of them.
I drop to my knees, pulling the spell book out quickly. We kneel over the open book, and the spell appears on the worn pages.
“Rev?”
His brow crinkles in concertation.
“We don’t have time to wait for them,” I whisper frantically. “It has to be us.”
Footsteps alert us to someone approaching. I hold my hand up, ready to blast anyone who would dare attack us now. I release a relieved breath when I see Raven.
“What’s going on?” she asks breathlessly.
“Rev will need to complete the spell.”
Raven frowns. “I thought you said Aurora was supposed to do it. That...whoever completes the spell has to stay behind when we destroy the portals?”
“Is she here?” I ask, already know the answer. She might be near, but not near enough.
“The Light King and Rev both will be a part of the spell.”
Rev’s silver eyes meet mine, full of resignation.
“Together,” I tell him. “We’ll stay together.”
Tears sting my eyes at that admission. We’ll find happiness as some of the only fae left in the human world—forever barred from our homelands. But the Shadow Court...
I shake my head. I won’t think about that now. I can’t dwell on that now.
Rev places his hands on the spell book, and immediately light blasts from the pages. We suck in collective breaths as the spell comes together quickly. The light flies from Rev’s back and latches itself onto the beastly form of the Night Bringer, whose jaws are clamped around the Light King’s neck.
The sound of ripping magic fills the cavern, bouncing off the falls. The Light King’s body falls limp to the ground—with his head still in the Night Bringer’s jaws.
