of me and kicked the icicle out of the way.
Liam.
He lunged forward, wasting no time tackling his father to the ground as a flurry of snow built up between them, white chunks of frosty snow around them like a tornado.
The king gripped Liam by the neck and slammed him into the pavement. “You are my greatest mistake!” he shouted, as he blasted Liam’s face with cold air, seemingly freezing his skin as he hovered over him, wings flapping madly to pin his son to the ground.
Liam grimaced but fought back, gripping his father’s wings and causing frost to coat them until they were frozen icicles. The Son of Darkness bucked his dad off and stood, looking at Elle and me incredulously.
“Get the hell out of here!” he shouted in rage.
His venomous snarl shook me and I took flight as he and his father grappled once again. Elle was right behind me as we flew into the thick trees and made our way to the apartment. My heart pounded and my hands shook with adrenaline. The cold wind cut past me as my mind tried to process what just happened.
“Do you think he’ll be okay? The king said he had more guards coming,” I said to Elle as we landed in front of the blue doorway.
Elle’s brown hair was windblown and her cheeks pink. “He seemed like he could hold his own,” was all she said.
I nodded nervously. That was true. He had powers that matched his father from what I had observed, but my heart ached to leave him there. We were clearly on opposite sides, but why had he just protected me from his father?
I peered over my shoulder to confirm we were not followed, and then reached out for the handle.
I couldn’t think about Liam right now, I needed to get this crystal back to Faerie and restore the tree of light before it fell and brought Faerie with it. The queen needed me more than Liam did.
The second I opened the door, Mara and Bashur were there. He gave one bark and Mara lowered the shotgun she held.
“You took a while. I was just about to send Bash.”
I raised the sack and gave her a lopsided grin. “I got it.”
Mara pumped her fist into the air. “That-a girl!” Then her eyes roamed over my torn dress and Elle’s disheveled looks. “Trouble?”
I nodded. “You have no idea. I’ll catch you up on the way.”
We entered her house and walked briskly through the kitchen and into her office. I spoke the entire time, telling her about the dark crystal and showing her the singed skin on my hand. Then I told her of meeting the Winter King, and the breeding program. She gasped and shook her head in disbelief. “Your mother had suspicions about some kind of halfling race expansion, but to hear this from your lips … it gives me chills.”
I stopped just as we reached her office. “Mara … the Winter King … he’s the one that killed her.”
Her gaze darkened. “I know.”
A frown pulled at my lips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She reached out with her golden handcuff and grasped my hand. “Because revenge has eaten away at souls more pure than yours.”
If the fucking king of Winter killed me, you’re damn right my mother would have gone after him in revenge. Wouldn’t she? So why shouldn’t I take him out?
Assuming I was powerful enough, which I wasn’t.
I frowned. “His wings … they smoke like fire but he throws ice. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
She nodded. “He’s the son of the original Summer queen and Winter king. He holds both fire and ice power. He’s older than any Fae I’ve ever known.”
That sent chills down my spine. He could have killed us easily then … why didn’t he? Maybe he needs a seeker. That thought brought horror rushing through me and I tamped it down.
With that, she opened the door to her office and we strapped into our seats. My mind was reeling on overdrive.
I didn’t speak the rest of the way, numbly unclipping and hefting the crystal over my shoulder. As I reached the door to her office to go back into Faerie, Mara called over my shoulder: “You’ve done an amazing thing today. Try to enjoy it a little.”
I nodded and opened the door, only to find that I was directly in the elders’ library, inside their home. Indra was waiting.
“Have you found one?” She wrung her hands together nervously. Mara must have