Saving the Fae (Daughter of Light #3) - Leia Stone Page 0,59

Elle’s voice on the other side of the light barrier.

“Prepare the people to fight!” I shouted to her, and then we were out of earshot. My body slammed against Cam’s as he ran faster than humanly possible. He hadn’t shifted, but somehow, he’d pulled on his wolf’s strength and speed, and we were blazing through the thicket of trees.

My brain felt like it was sloshing against my skull, and I prayed that the healing water could fix it quickly.

“We’re here,” Cam said, bending down to set me at the water’s edge. Reaching out, I scooped a handful of water and splashed it across my face. My vision cleared immediately, and my gaze snapped to Liam, at the water’s edge, dousing the Queen with water. Lifting a handful to her mouth, he gave her a small drink. Then, my gaze traveled down to the black boots that had just entered the picture and up to the man’s face. His father stood above him with the Sword of Night in his hands.

“Look out!” I screamed, bursting from where I’d lain sprawled on my back with my arm in the healing water.

Liam looked up just as his father was coming down with his sword. It was headed right for the Queen. Liam saw this in time and thrust his hand out, creating a sheet of ice over her as the sword crashed into the ice, obliterating it.

I’d gotten up, and to my relief, there was no dizziness, but I still felt a little weak. The Queen looked up at the Winter King from her place on the ground and growled. An honest to gods growl ripped from her throat, and relief rushed through me. She looked ready to fight. The king was so distracted with Liam and the Queen that he never saw me coming. I plowed into him like a truck, tackling him to the ground. He lost his grip on the sword, and we crashed onto the damp earth together. Pain shot up my arm on impact, but I ignored it, rolling over immediately. I kicked up into a standing position, ready to take him on. He stood as well, and I knew that it was now or never. If we didn’t kill him, he’d keep coming back, and I couldn’t have that. Faerie wouldn’t be safe until he was dead.

“Lily.” The Queen’s voice was strong. “Get behind me.”

I looked over, and holy shit, she was awake, standing with her hands out, and sunlight magic crackled like lightning between her palms.

She was back, and she looked pissed. “Cypress! How dare you betray your people like this!” Her voice thundered across the valley. The king had brought company, and I watched in horror as they ran or flew past us and toward the village. The only thing bringing me comfort was the knowledge that my light wall still held, and most of his men couldn’t fly over it.

I took two steps back like she’d asked, and then the king and Queen both launched into the air. It was like watching two rockets shoot upward. The ground was scorched where they’d just been standing. The second they burst into the air, it began to rain icicles and sunlight bombs.

Turning to Liam, I pulled on his shirt. “Come on. Let’s help the Queen. With the three of us, we can finally beat him.”

He looked pale, chest rising and falling with a heavy breath.

“Forgive me, Lily. I… can’t.” His voice broke, and he turned away from me with shame.

Could I kill my own father even if he was evil? When I had dozens of memories of him when I was young where he was a decent man?

No. I couldn’t.

“It’s okay. Go into the village, and help the others,” I told him, squeezing his hand before I shot up into the air.

It was going to have to be me and the Queen. Together, we could do this, and then Faerie would finally be safe. Chrysanthemum was dead. Indra was dead. Our last foe needed to fall for any of us to find lasting peace. I found them about twenty yards away. The Queen had slammed him into a tree, and it broke in half. He was draped on his back over the split stump while the Queen stood over him menacingly.

I dropped to the ground beside her, and we both shot bursts of light at him. He pulled up a shield of ice in protection, but we burned through it quickly, causing him to scream in