Night Fae (Dark Fae Kings #3) - Meg Xuemei X. Page 0,24

you would think you could keep them.”

“Have some dignity, loser,” I told her. “When a male says no, it means no. And they’ve shouted no at you over and over for centuries. Now, get the fuck out, you piece of shit.”

Brigantia ignored my insult and swept her spiteful gaze over the hall until it found Adele. I instantly moved, but I was already too late. Her wrist flicked, and her claws lashed out, extending like my vines and thrusting toward the Seer.

“No!” I screamed.

A branch of my thorny vines darted toward Brigantia, and another branch formed a shield in front of Adele, but Brigantia cut through my vines and pierced Adele’s heart.

Pain bloomed on the Seer’s beautiful face. Brigantia giggled and withdrew her claws, which dripped with blood and black poison.

My parents looked utterly shocked and grief-stricken as they rushed to her. Adele had aided them in secret for years. Brigantia’s intention was loud and clear—with the Seer’s demise, no one else from the Dawn Court could testify that I was Ileana, the true heir to the throne.

Dad caught the Seer in his arms before she dropped to the ground, blood pouring from her gaping wound. Unbearable sorrow overwhelmed me as I knelt beside Lady Adele, who had looked after me since my birth. I’d failed to protect her. If it weren’t for her and my parents, I’d have been long dead.

Rydstrom guarded us. Dad shook his head at me. There was nothing we could do for the Seer.

I held her hand and sobbed. “I’m sorry, Lady Adele.”

Adele turned her glassy gaze to me with a fading smile. “Don’t grieve…over me, my queen. I’ve seen…this death. I bear no regrets. You’ll rise…the bright star…of the Dawn Court.” Her eyes turned sightless.

My father closed her eyelids gently. “May heavenly peace carry your spirit, Lady Adele.”

I wheeled to face Brigantia, cold wrath pounding in my blood. “I’ll end you, Brigantia. The day will come, and I’ll erase every trace of your garbage existence.”

My parents held me back to prevent me from charging recklessly at the psycho bitch. If I was dead, what good would I do to the people and the realms I needed to protect? I sank my nails into my palms, letting the pain remind me to control my rage. I could not let rage overwhelm me if I wanted to win the final war.

The queen’s pitiless, coal-black eyes pierced into me like knives. “One last gift to you, Ileana. As the host of the Wild Hunt, I’m within my rights to call for the Night King and Summer King to join the hunt. They’ll hunt you down like a beast in the arena, and they won’t rest until they sink their hands into your tearing, gaping flesh.”

The bitch had screwed us all over. Even though she’d broken part of her promise by murdering Adele, I couldn’t evade the summons of the Wild Hunt. I’d felt the ancient, wild magic binding me the moment I made the vow and answered its call.

Blood roared in my ears at Brigantia’s last strike. This was a black day, even though my parents had returned to me this day. All our plans had gone awry. We’d failed to slay the evil, and she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. And the worst part was, she’d bound my kings to the savage magic of the Wild Hunt.

Rydstrom and Baron’s eyes were on fire as the realization sank in.

“Kill the usurper bitch!” Baron roared, a storm of rage and horror boiling in his good eye. “Don’t let her get out alive!”

We would suffer more losses going after the queen now, but the kings no longer cared. They’d lost it, and not even I could hold them back.

With a furious bellow, Rydstrom transformed into his gargoyle form, his obsidian wings beating in the wind and lifting him. Even Brigantia stepped back at the nightmarish sight. A blade appeared in the gargoyle’s claws before it flew straight toward the evil incarnate.

Brigantia vanished in a plume of smoke, taking her remaining hybrid army with her.

“Today was only foreplay, my kings.” Her soulless giggles drifted behind her in the wake of the carnage. “May we meet again soon.”

Chapter 8

The Wild Hunt would happen in two days, since Brigantia had moved the date, hellbent on killing me earlier.

“We can and will fight off the compulsion of the Wild Hunt,” Baron hissed.

Northton and his mage healers were checking on him. The Fae kings healed faster than other mortals and immortals, but they were