wanted to extend my hand to him and invite him to join us, but we both knew we didn’t have time for another mating. This moment belonged to the Summer King.
“I’d have mated with you differently and cherished you as you deserve under different circumstances,” Baron said. “Love, I’ll make it up to you once we’re out of the hunt.”
“You’ve cherished me,” I told him. “But I’ll hold you to your promise.”
Rydstrom turned his back again, scanning for threats as he waited for Baron and me to have our final tender moment, his beautiful and terrifying wings unfurled.
Then suddenly, he doubled over, the hand that wasn’t holding a sword bracing on the ground to support his collapsed weight. His agony ripped into me through our mating bond as a force beyond the power of this world rammed into him.
“Hurry,” Rydstrom said, clenching his teeth and rising to his feet. “Our enemies are here!”
Then Baron’s agony also rushed through me like hard waves, and I screamed in pain.
The revenge of the Wild Hunt had come for my mates.
Chapter 24
Pain cleaved into my mates like a blazing blade, and ancient, brutal power bombarded them in an unforgiving storm. Multiple voices boomed in their heads, coaxing and compelling them to murder me, offering them a way out—hunt and slay me, and their excruciating pain would go away.
My mates fought to rise to their feet even as the power kept bearing down on them, intent on crushing them. Baron and I had separated. I’d put my pants back on, and he’d zipped up his fly.
“Fuck off. I’d rather die than harm my mate.” Baron let out his lion’s roar and fought the urge to shift into his beast form. His lion might lose control, and the Summer King wouldn’t risk it.
I stood by my mates while they mentally fought against the force of the Wild Hunt, my hands on their shoulders to lend them my strength. Hundreds of ideas rushed through my mind, yet I couldn’t find a solution to help my mates.
My team and my brother filed out of the cave and gathered around us anxiously.
“Is the trial over yet, Commander?” Nox asked.
“The hunt should have ended by now,” I said, my jaw tightening as a feeling of foreboding lanced through my middle.
“We challenged the hunt,” Rydstrom said through clenched teeth, then he raised his head and roared into the sky, “Princess Ileana, the rightful queen of the Dawn Court, took on impossible fights and won in the arena of the Wild Hunt. Release her and her companions!”
“As King of the Summer Court, I call to end the hunt and declare Princess Ileana, the rightful queen of the Dawn Court, the victor!” Baron bellowed. “Let her go free. Violate your own rules and you’ll pay dearly!”
Tense silence stretched in the air until a dark purple wind rose from underground, eerier than any elemental force.
My mates stood firm on either side of me, and we presented a united front, but my companions staggered back a few steps at the force of the wind.
Joy had returned, guarding my brother diligently.
As the chilling, violent wind dropped, five figures—three Furies, my evil sister, and the Winter King—materialized before us.
“The hunt is over, Furies,” Rydstrom said. “Let my mate and her friends go. Now.”
Fury #1 arched a brow that wasn’t really there. “But you haven’t brought us the final prize.”
“We’ll never hunt our mate,” declared the Summer King. “You tried to compel us and failed. I’ve formed the mating bond with Princess Ileana. A bond between true mates is stronger than any force in any realm. So, be my guest and bring the argument to any judge or any power in any part of the universe and check the results.”
“You would destroy the Wild Hunt tradition for one woman?”Fury #1 hissed. “You used to be a great sport, Summer King. Change your ways before it’s too late, before the worst happens. You can always find other women; there’d never be any shortage for you.”
“The Wild Hunt can die with you for all I care,” Baron said. “My mate isn’t just any woman, Furies, so mind your tone when you refer to Queen Ileana. Pay her respect or you’ll be sorry. Let her out of the hunt. We’re done.”
“You may not realize it, King Baron, but the Wild Hunt exists to balance the forces and powers of the galaxies,” Fury #2 chimed in, as if he held the very meaning of the universe.
“The galaxies can burn to ashes,” Rydstrom