to say more, when a terrible screeching sound came from the other side of the mound.
“It has started,” the male guards said. “What do we do with these two?”
“Maybe we feed them to the reapgrubs,” she responded, looking pleased with her idea.
“The what?” I asked, glancing sideways at Damien. “What are they talking about?”
“Reapgrubs are a crop plague,” Damien said. “They must have an infestation.”
Misra took a step closer and pressed her knife to Damien’s throat. “Maybe you sent them.”
“I did not,” the mage answered calmly, despite the sharp weapon next to his jugular. “But I can help you get rid of them.”
The guards scoffed. “What can a human do against a swarm of reapgrubs?”
The screeches over the mound grew louder and hectic. They were joined by thumps and screams and curses. Maybe a battle had begun. The guards shifted in place, looking as if they were itching to run over and help.
“I’m not just any type of human,” Damien said. “I’m a Copper Mage.”
“A mage?” Misra echoed, sounding surprised.
“That is a lie,” the male guard said.
“His eyes are strange, Ladresel,” Misra pointed out. “I think I’ve heard that magic disturbs their pupils.” She paused, and after some thought said, “Prove it.”
Damien smiled, then slowly lifted his hands up in the air. The rope they’d used to bind him now rested limply between his fingers.
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Ladresel said. “Anyone can do that.”
“And how about this?” The mage lowered his hands and offered the guard a hissing cobra, its hood extended, its black, beady eyes shiny and set on the guard.
Ladresel jumped back, his eyes full of terror. “I hate snakes!”
With a quick flick of his wrist, Damien made the snake disappear, leaving nothing behind, not even the rope. “Satisfied?” he asked.
“Maybe he can help,” Ladresel said.
Misra narrowed her eyes, clearly battling with the decision. She didn’t trust us, not one bit.
“They both could have attacked us,” Ladresel pondered. “But they didn’t.”
Misra shrugged. “And what if their target is the Prince.”
“He can judge for himself. He would not be afraid of them.”
Misra nodded in agreement, then flicked her knife in the direction of the mound. “Walk.”
We turned and did as we were told. The guards stayed close behind, their knives at the ready. As we approached, the sounds of battle grew louder. A shrill scream of something like a banshee on its way to hell rent the air. A shiver slid down my back, and it was all I could do not to shift. I bit my lower lip and winced at the pain, but I had to admit that I was doing much better than I would have expected. This was the first time I’d had to use pain to keep my wolf at bay, which was a great improvement from a week ago.
As we rounded the corner, something flew through the air and thudded to the ground right in front of me. I yelped and jumped back, staring at the hideous green gremlin that lay at my feet. The creature was the size of a Chihuahua and had spindly limbs tipped with razor-sharp claws and covered in slimy warts. Its ears were long and floppy, and sharp teeth set in rows filled its mouth. I covered my nose as an awful stench rose from the creature, a mixture of sulfur and garbage rot.
Afraid that the little beast would jump back up even though it appeared as dead as a doorknob, I reluctantly glanced up at the raging melee that spread before us. On a wide farm field, royal guards armed with long swords and shields fought against hundreds, if not thousands, of the green vermin. Attacking like swarming locusts, the reapgrubs pushed on their skinny limbs and soared toward their opponents, claws extended and ready to disfigure whoever stood in their path. As they rained down, the guards sliced with their swords, trying to cut them in half with varying levels of success.
As if that weren’t enough, more of the gremlins scuttled over the ground and climbed on the Fae guards as if they were trees. There they found gaps in the guards’ armor, and sank in their teeth and claws.
Already many of the little monsters lay on the ground, spewing slimy blood and twitching as they died. But a few of the guards had also fallen, and their bodies now crawled with reapgrubs like lollipops in an ant pile.
In the fray, one warrior stood out. He was massive, taller than all the rest. His blue-black hair