us—wicked smile in place and a bloodlust in his eyes that made my chest clench with panic. "I'm not done with my story yet."
Tyr blinked in and out of existence for only a second—the Lanuaet, I realized. He was using it to move at will, far faster than he ever had before. When he was back, he held Orion's sword in his hand and I watched in horror as he slammed it right into his brother's chest.
"No!" I screamed as Orion's stunned shout of surprise was disrupted by yet more blood choking up from his mouth.
Ash chose that moment to attack, moving up from behind to strike. Tyr chuckled, the sound twisted and grating in my ears. "I think we've had enough distractions, don't you?" he asked, looking at me even as he held the Lanuaet out. Power poured from the small globe and darkness began to creep up from the ground, encircling both Ash and Nellie. They struggled and fought as it wrapped its tentacles around their limbs, holding them secure until it consumed their entire bodies and they were left frozen in what looked like no ice I'd ever seen before. It was pitch black save for where their bodies were, pressed to the inside of the crystal—their faces awash in fear.
Tyr twisted the blade in Orion's stomach. "Stop it!" I screamed. "You're killing him."
"That's the point," Tyr said. "To get this Lanuaet to the power level I need it, it requires more sacrifices."
"Why didn't you just take the one from the Court of Midnight?" Orion asked as he gripped the blade, slicing his palms as he stopped the twisting motion Tyr continued to use.
Tyr's expression grew thunderous. "Our parents, it seemed, were well aware of my plans—I've been leading that damn human King on my leash for as long as I can remember. They knew, and they let it happen. The war only brought them more power, you see, but the second I turned my sights on them, of course, they destroyed their Lanuaet. The selfish cunts."
"Please," I begged, reaching for the blade. "Take it out."
Orion chuckled, though his slight amusement was only tinged with pain and more blood. "They finally saw you for what you were, eh?" he said.
Tyr shrugged. "I had to kill them for their betrayal, of course," he replied. "And then the rest of the Court—it was the only way to kickstart this new Lanuaet."
"But there weren't enough," Orion spat. "The Court of Midnight has been dying for decades."
Tyr ripped the blade free and Orion slid back down to the ground. I went with him, tears I hadn't even realized I'd started crying pouring from my face as I tried to clutch my hands over his seeping wound. "The Court of Brightling had been massive," Tyr said, glaring down at his brother, flicking his gaze to me. "And their power far stronger than Midnight's—the Queens hadn't needed so many bodies to create the three Lanuaet's they needed for the Courts left to live."
"Cress, run," Orion rasped.
"What?" I shook my head, pressing my fingers more firmly into his stomach. Was he insane? I couldn't run now. If I did, he'd die for sure.
"Go!" he barked. Before I could even get another word out, Tyr released the sword in his grasp and reached for me. His hand sank into my hair, ripping out several strands as he jerked me up from the ground. "No!" Orion's pain filled cry was followed by several dark tendrils wisping around both my body and Tyr's. Tyr glanced down at the powerful shadows and shook his head right before he lifted his boot and stomped their ends out of existence.
"At your level, Brother," he said, turning a sneer to Orion as I fought to free myself from his grasp to no avail, "you couldn't even defeat a pixie."
"Not … her," Orion panted.
"Oh, yes, her," Tyr said with a laugh. When he turned his attention back to where I was trying to kick and punch at his side, he moved his face closer. "Do you know why I've told you all of this?" Tyr asked.
Shivers danced up my spine. I had a sinking feeling. One that I didn't want to admit to.
"I knew it as soon as I saw you," Tyr continued. "You look just like the Brightling King and Queen. Their daughter. Their precious little Princess. Oh, how I thought you'd died with your clan, but to see you in the Court of Frost. To see how you'd ensnared my