“Sounds like a lot,” Theo commented dully. He held Odette against him, who appeared slightly nauseous.
“We have to get to a better vantage point. If we can see how many monsters there still are, we’ll know how many we have to fight,” I said.
“The rooftops,” Emma suggested. “It’s the best way to see what’s going on out there.”
We left the square, and searched for the tallest building that was still standing. Once we found it— a large apartment complex— we scaled the fire escape, until we came to the very top, which overlooked most of Dolinska.
My heart plummeted as I walked across the rooftop, observing the city streets. Less than a quarter of a mile off, hundreds of fae were still trapped. Monsters had cornered them, and were slowly picking them off one by one. There were reptilian behemoths, giant spiders, three-headed beings, trollish creatures with large feet that made the ground shake with thunder… no matter where my eyes landed, there was another monster more terrifying and vile than the first, and they were picking off fae like flies.
In the distance, I could see the lights of the soldiers as they surrounded the palace, giving the illusion they were protecting the royals, when really, they were allowing the city to burn.
“There are too many to fight,” Alexei said in despair. “We’ll never eliminate them all before we die ourselves.”
My mind worked, trying to find a way out, to come up with a plan… anything. Gabby and Elijah would level Dolinska to the ground if they had to, to convince the survivors that building up our army was our only shot at defeating the Black Claw, so this never happened again. But what could me and my companions do against such endless butchery?
It was Emma who spoke. “We have to get Gabby to pull them back.” Her voice was rough.
“How?” Theo choked.
“We have the video,” Emma said. “We blast it on every television screen in Malovia. Anyone inside of their homes watching what’s taking place in the city is going to see her performing dark magic. Gabby will have to handle the scandal, before it gets out of hand. She can’t control the monsters and do that at the same time. She’ll force them to leave the city.”
“That video is our only card we have to play against Gabby,” Kiara protested weakly.
“We have to use it. We don’t have a choice. If we don’t publicize that video, there will be thousands of deaths, even more than we’ve already lost.”
Emma’s tone was so full of conviction it convinced me she was right. I asked, “How are you going to broadcast the video? Posting it on social media would expose and otherwise implicate all of us, and we don’t have access to the news station.”
“Vara does. She works for The Annual Arcanea,” Emma said. “If we can get the video to her, she’ll make sure it goes live.”
I nodded briskly. “Then it’s our only shot. Find Vara, Emma. Girls, go with her. The boys and I are going to do what we can to hold off the rest of these beasts.”
I grabbed Emma, and kissed her. I was sure our friends were having similar farewells around us, but at the moment, I didn’t care or notice. The world had disappeared, and it was only my mate and I.
I resolved that this goodbye kiss wouldn’t be our last. It couldn’t be.
“Be careful, please. You need to come back alive,” she whispered as she pulled away.
“I’d fight through the realms of the Underworld itself to get back to you. I will not leave your side merely to die.” I grasped her tightly and held her. “You must stay safe. I cannot rest until you are back in my arms.”
“I have to do what’s best for Malovia, and so do you,” Emma said firmly. “This is what’s best. Don’t back out on me now.”
She kissed me again, before she wrenched herself away and began to run back down the fire escape. The other girls followed her, leaving Theo, Stefan, Alexei and I to handle the rest of the monsters alone.
“We have to buy the girls’ time, and save who we can,” I instructed. “There’s no other option.”
At that moment, the apartment building we stood on wavered. A massive, slimy reptile that walked on two legs stalked by the apartment building. Its long tail swept behind it, smashing store windows and crushing carriages. The monster passed by the complex, flicking out