Page 157 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

Jaromir

Two Fomorians should not be causing us this much trouble. Yet, as I breathe through the burning wound across my ribs and glare at Caed’s evil cousin, I can’t help but feel hopelessly outmatched.

It doesn’t help that I can’t even touch him.

I don’t know what magic Caed is using, or how he managed it, but every time I try to snap my jaws shut around his body, my teeth slide away like he’s surrounded by an invisible bubble.

Lore doesn’t have the same problem, so obviously he’s done something to me. The problem is, I don’t know what. A curse or enchantment of some kind? Probably dark Fomorian magic.

The question is when. Was it while I was interrogating him? Those cells should be spelled to keep him from using his powers.

“Down!” Florian roars, tackling my wolf to the floor.

Just in time. Praedra plants herself between her cousin and the rest of us and tosses yet another of those damned metal bombs from the satchel at her waist.

An explosion rocks the entire platform. Shards of iron—some easily the size of my forearm—fly through the air, passing through my shield like it doesn’t exist. Florian grunts as a spike lodges in his shoulder, and I growl, yanking it out with my teeth. It burns my tongue until I spit it out, but I ignore the pain and leap out from his protection, heading for the two Fomorians.

That blow should’ve hit my leg.

Iron poisoning could take down Florian at any second. His veins are already turning black beneath his skin, reaching towards his heart. If the metal reaches that vital organ, he’s a dead male.

He needs a healer. All of us do.

Praedra first brought her bombs out to play when it was clear that she and Caed were outmatched. The small, round, and deadly devices are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. She’s a legendary inventor, but still, I have no idea how she managed to make something so small pack such a punch.

It even renders my shield useless, because iron repels magic.

The blast from a second bomb caught Lore just as he was coming out of a blink and threw the redcap over the edge of the platform. I haven’t seen him since.

Surely, if he could, he’d have blinked back by now?

Since he hasn’t, I have to assume he’s too badly wounded.

Caed should be laughing, but his face is grim as he stares down at us.

“Let us go,” he orders.

“Over our dead bodies,” I retort. Only I can’t talk in wolf form, so it comes out as a burst of snarls.

We can’t let the only two Fomorians to ever cross our walls return to their own kind and show others how to do the same. Even if they don’t lead an invasion force inside the next time, they know too much now.

They’re a threat to Rose.

So they can’t be allowed to live.

I charge on four paws, this time heading for Praedra rather than Caed. She’s the only one I can hurt, so that’s where I’ll concentrate my efforts.

Florian zooms past me, crashing into the Fomorian prince in a whirl of blades. My teeth snap at the princess’s face, but she swipes out with her sword, keeping me back.

Florian isn’t so unsuccessful. Caed staggers back, clutching his ribs with a gasp. His ghost swords fend off further attacks as he applies furious pressure to a sizeable stab wound, cursing at the blood flowing freely past his fingers.

Rose’s presence snaps closer, alerting every member of the Guard that she’s back in the castle. Praedra and Florian are the only two who aren’t momentarily frozen to the spot by the change.

Caed’s eyes magnetise to the floor, as if he can see through the splintered stone to the courtyard below. His cousin notices, and a calculating gleam enters her eyes.

She takes one step towards the stairs.

No.

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