by K. M. Shea
The muscles in my back ached, and my legs shook as I shoved the flower into my pocket. “Everyone okay? Eclipse?”
Eclipse called to me—she was already farther up the street, pawing at the road and charging a few steps east. Toward the finish line.
Solstice, Nebula, Comet, and Twilight joined her.
Only Blue Moon waited at my side, swiveling so I could conveniently hop on.
“Really? We’re just going to keep racing like nothing happened?” Despite my grumblings, I hurriedly tried to mount Blue Moon—and only succeeded in flopping on his back like a landed fish. “You’re all crazier than I am.” I kicked my leg over and pushed my foot through the saddle stirrup before I grabbed his reins.
Blue Moon snorted, took a few prancing steps, then fell into a rolling canter. We blazed past the other night mares, who caught up with us within a heartbeat.
Just as they had on the walking trail, the night mares stretched out, galloping at an insane speed that blurred sights and sounds.
I’d just fought a monster, and it wasn’t a good thing that the magic my prism channeled had slowed down drastically during the fight, but that didn’t matter right now.
We’re going to win—to prove to the fae who underestimate us how wrong they are about the night mares, and to show them I’m not going to back down from their stupid games. I’m going to end this obsession with power in my Court, and show them just how a half human/half fae rules!
I clutched my prism, tangling it in the reins, and a smile crawled across my face as my night mares thundered around me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Rigel
“Lord Umer has entered the final stretch!”
I ignored the announcement—which indicated that he’d entered the park and was not far from the finish line—and watched as the new drone that had been sent after Leila and the night mares investigated the area where the previous one had been wrecked.
There was nothing there. No monster, no horses, no Leila. A bunch of trash cans had toppled over, but nothing more.
“Look!” a human shouted, pointing down the length at the park.
At the very back—where cement barriers had been erected to keep the riders and mounts from crashing into the park and making them bottle neck in the stretch—a black horse jumped the barrier.
A second followed, then a third, and a fourth, and a fifth.
She couldn’t have pulled this off—not with a monster attack. It’s impossible.
And yet, that impossibility—mounted on the back of a dappled night mare—jumped the cement barrier.
Six night mares streaked across the park, fast catching up on the unsuspecting Lord Umer like wolves closing in on prey.
If she catches up with him, he’s going to attack her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Leila
“Line up!” I shouted to my night mares.
They pulled out of their scattered formation, forming a long, horizontal line with the faster horses—like Eclipse and Blue Moon—holding back to keep pace with the slower horses—like Solstice.
The line broke in half as we closed ranks on Lord Umer and his sun stallion, with me and Blue Moon and Nebula pulling up on either side of him.
When Lord Umer saw us, he cursed. He slipped his foot out of the stirrup and tried to awkwardly kick me, but Blue Moon nimbly dodged him.
Next he leaned out of the saddle and grappled with me, trying to yank me from my saddle. Apparently Lord Umer didn’t give up easily.
Nebula, running shoulder to shoulder on the other side of Lord Umer’s sun stallion, bit the fae on the thigh, making him jolt in his saddle and yell.
I took the opportunity to swoop down and yank the stirrup off his foot, straightening just in time to avoid being smashed when Blue Moon and Nebula shoulder checked the sun stallion.
Moving in tandem, they cut in front of the golden horse, cutting it off.
It reared up, and Lord Umer toppled over the side with a yelp.
I wanted to shout some kind of taunt—like he should have worn a helmet, or I hope he landed on his head—but the night mares took off after we passed him, bearing down on the finish line within seconds.
“Hold the line!” I shouted. “Hold it!”
Up and down the line the night mares held, and together, with all six mounts, we crossed the finish line as one.
The humans who had cheered for me at the start of the race must have hopped in cars and looped around to the finish line, because they were screaming and cheering for me and the night mares as we thundered down the open stretch of the park, slowing down and eventually stopping.
“Night Court, Night Court!”
“All hail the queen!”
“No one crosses the demon horses!”
The night mares, elated with the win, shrieked and reared up, pawing at the sky.
I laughed as I clung to Blue Moon, who tossed his head and pranced with the rest of them. “You were amazing!”
At the very end of the park I slipped off Blue Moon. Instantly I was crowded by six night mares, pressing in on me.
I laughed and kissed their scratchy muzzles and cooed words of praise to each one of them. I lingered over Eclipse, stroking her neck—which was whole and unharmed without a single mark.
How the heck did that happen? Do they have healing powers I don’t know about?
It was something to ask Dusk and Dawn later.
“You’re okay.” My shoulders dropped in my relief, and I felt light headed. “We’re okay.”
“Queen Leila! Can we take your picture?”
The human observers crowded as close as they could behind the erected barriers.
Before I could respond, the night mares headed in their direction. I laughed and followed after them. “Yes, of course.”
I posed for the picture—my night mares surrounding me—and tried not to fidget as I felt blood crust on my back.
I didn’t think I was bleeding anymore, and I wasn’t feeling light headed, but I wanted to disinfect the claw marks on my back as soon as possible—who knew what kind of dirt got in them when I was rolling around the street?
Landon peered at me over the barrier as the rest of the humans kept taking pictures of the night mares. “I guess it’s good you’ve got demon horses with enemies like that,” he said.
I felt for the flower I’d stuffed in my pocket. “I guess.”
“Leila!”
Recognizing the voice, I turned around, then wheezed when Indigo slammed into me, hitting my gut.
“You idiot!” Indigo hiccupped. “We were so scared for you!”
“It was an unnecessary danger, Queen Leila,” Chase said as he and Skye approached us.
“Yeah, but we swept the race!” I grinned. “The first six places all go to the Night Court!”
I saw Skye’s tight facial expression, and for a moment my heart froze. “Right?”
“Lord Umer is contesting that the night mares should count as one entry since you all crossed the line together, but the placings for the top ten have been posted, and the officials granted you first through sixth,” Skye said.
“That’s great! But why do you look so grim?”
Indigo smacked my belly. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it was because you almost got yourself killed, and the drone cut off! We didn’t know what was happening!” Her voice went higher and higher until she shrieked at the end.
Skye started to circle around behind me, but she paused long enough to pull a sealed fae healing potion from the messenger bag she had slung over her shoulder. “How badly is your back injured?”
“I don’t think too badly—it doesn’t hurt a lot right now. Oh, but Chase, I have something for you.” I dug into my pocket and pulled out the chrysanthemum—which was now a little crushed. “The monster had this infused in its core. I’m not sure why—whatever that creature was, it was not made of fae magic.”
I handed the flower over, then took a swig of the healing potion as Skye tr
ied to discreetly look at my back.
I choked on the flavor—usually fae healing potions tasted pretty delicious, like coconut or chocolate. This potion tasted like a pulverized cabbage and kale. “This is awful—what is this?”
“A healing potion—one that is less pricy because of the foul flavor,” Skye said.
“Why would you buy these?”
“Because they’re cheap.” Skye narrowed her dark eyes at me. “And because I intend to force-feed them to you whenever you recklessly put your life in danger.”
“Negative reinforcement—a good plan.” Indigo gave Skye a thumbs up.
Chase held the flower up to his sensitive nose and sniffed it. “It smells of Lady Chrysanthe.”
“For real?” I asked.
Chase tilted his head as he delicately smelled it. “Your scent is stuck to it as well, but her smell is predominant. She must have worn this in her hair for a full day.”
“Huh. Wow.” I took another sip of my healing potion and grimaced. “I thought it might be hers, but I didn’t think she’d be stupid enough to use a flower she’d worn when creating whatever that monster was. I’d like to find out how she did it—that weird magic was not fun to go up against.”
“She is here today,” Chase said. “I’ll gather my men and bring her in for questioning.”
“The Paragon is here, too,” Skye said. “It might be worthwhile to have him look over the flower.”
Chase bowed slightly. “A worthy plan.”
“Leila!”
Indigo plucked the potion bottle from my fingers as I stupidly turned around. “What—”
Lord Linus stopped just short of crashing into me. He set his hands on my shoulders and forcibly turned me in a circle, checking me over. “Did you give her a healing potion?”
“Yes—though her back is no longer bleeding.”
“She still needs to get looked over,” Lord Linus said.
“I agree.”
There was an ear-splitting hee-haw, and the night mares turned as a group and trumpeted in happiness to Bagel and Fax.
Lord Rigel was leading Fax, but King Solis had apparently taken temporary custody of Bagel as the donkey happily trotted at his side.
“You’re alive—and you won!” King Solis grinned at me. “Congratulations are in order!”
“Thank you!” I beamed at the Day King, then hesitated as Lord Rigel drew closer.
He ignored the night mares that twined around Fax like pleased cats, and looked me over from head to toe. “You survived.”
“What, disappointed?” I asked.
Lord Rigel was silent for several long, awkward moments.
Oh, nice. He really was disappointed!
“It was…illuminating,” he said.
I frowned. “Illuminating? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“No matter, you can flirt with your fiancé later. Drink this.” Indigo pushed the nasty potion back in my fingers. “And get ready.”
“For what?” I asked.
“Justice,” Skye said. “Because that flower should be all Chase needs to prove Lady Chrysanthe is responsible for all the recent attacks on you.”
“Lady Chrysanthe is guilty of conspiring against Queen Leila.” Skye gestured to Lady Chrysanthe—who was being led toward us by Chase and a squadron of guards.
We were in the gardens of the Night Realm—apparently fae justice needed to be meted out in the fae realm. It made sense, sort of?
I was seated in a large chair that had a massive, circular back that was sculpted to resemble the full moon.
A structure that was faintly reminiscent of Greek architecture with its classical columns and open ceiling surrounded the platform I was seated on.
Flags bearing the Night Court crest—a crescent moon with a spattering of stars—were hung between the pillars, and silver bowls bearing silvery globes of light illuminated the area.
When I glanced up, I could see the beautiful cosmic twists of blue and purple, and thousands of glittering stars we didn’t have on earth.
Both Skye and Lord Rigel stood at the base of the platform, and past them spread my Court.
Though it was mostly the same party goers that had attended my engagement ceremony, there was a vastly different feel to it.
Apparently my triumph at the race had caught them all off guard, as did Chase’s arrest of Lady Chrysanthe.
A few of the lower noble houses had started wearing clothing with the Night Court crest—which Indigo told me was a compliment and a sign they believed in me. I didn’t believe her until she said a pixie had made a pin of my personal seal—yeah, the ruffled looking pigeon-raccoon-griffin thing—and apparently it had sold out among the common fae in the two days since the derby.
As if sensing my thoughts, a live pigeon-raccoon-griffin landed on the top of one of the pillars. It bobbed its head and stretched out its neck before regurgitating on a flag.
Yeah, it’s fine.
I planted my elbows on the arms of my chair and pressed my fingertips together as Lady Chrysanthe—surrounded by guards—blearily stopped a few feet away from Rigel and Skye.
“We have witnesses that have placed Lady Chrysanthe at the scene of two attempts against Queen Leila’s life, as well as witnesses—and evidence—that she designed the creature that attacked Queen Leila during the race,” Chase said.
“These charges are false!” Lady Demetria shouted. “My granddaughter loves this Court and only wishes to aid it!”
The crowd murmured, and from my higher position I heard some of the whispers.
“—she always was jealous of the queen.”
“Fancied herself the next ruler, I am certain.”
“She should have done better hiding her acts.”
“Shameful.”
“Disgraceful.”
I studied Lady Chrysanthe as Kevin and Steve—who sat near my feet—growled at her.
Her beautiful blond hair was limp, her eyes were red, and she listlessly stared at the stairs of my platform, though she shivered when Muffin—skulking somewhere behind my throne—hissed.
Huh. I would have expected she’d go down screaming and spitting.
“Moreover, she threatened Queen Leila’s companion in public,” Chase said. “As such, she has been brought before Queen Leila for judgment.”
“Lady Chrysanthe,” Skye said. “Do you have anything to say in regards to these charges?”
Lady Chrysanthe opened and closed her mouth twice before she managed to speak. “I did not kill Queen Leila.”
“No,” Chase agreed. “You only attempted; you didn’t succeed.”
Lady Chrysanthe frowned, and a bit of her fire returned. “I never—” She was unable to speak, proving she’d been about to speak a lie.
I knew she plotted against me. She never hid that. But…I agree with Chase.
My director of security had presented me with his initial findings in the early hours of the morning—apparently the guards had scared Lord Myron into confessing, and he’d spilled the beans that Lady Chrysanthe had mentioned a plan to spike my food and had—in his sight—lingered around the base of the giraffe statue, and then given the bespelled golf ball to the fae who had hit the statue.
But Chase felt we didn’t have quite enough evidence to convict her, and some of the details didn’t match up. I had suggested we hold a public hearing to see if we could uncover the rest of the story through some bits of trickery. Chase had reluctantly agreed.
Let’s see if we can get this to pan out.
“Do you have any questions regarding the cases, Queen Leila?” Skye asked.
The Court was quiet as it waited for me to speak.
“Yes.” I squeezed the edges of the arm rests. “I have a clarification I’d like from Lord Myron.”
Lord Myron stepped out of the crowd and bowed deeply to me. “My heart moves that I might help you, Queen Leila.”
“Yeah, right,” I said with zero belief. Probably moves with anger. “In the submitted
report, you say Lady Chrysanthe looked into using an artifact to cast a creature that would chase and attack me if I dared to ride in the Magiford Midsummer Derby.”
“That is right, Queen Leila.”
“I didn’t send it,” Lady Chrysanthe whimpered.
I narrowed my eyes and studied Myron. “And you never joined Chrysanthe in her efforts to kill me?”
Myron held his hand up. “I swear upon my family name that I have never attempted to kill you, Queen Leila.”
“But you were there when Chrysanthe made her attempts.”
“I was present, yes.”
There’s something off about that. How can he make that vow when—or rather if—Chrysanthe really did all of this and he was with her? Shouldn’t he be guilty by association?
I pressed my lips together as I chewed on the idea. Even when Steve rested her head on my lap, I only absently patted her.
“If found guilty, Lady Chrysanthe will be stripped of her title, exiled from the Night Court, and sent to live in the human world,” Skye said. “As will her family.”
Lady Demetria wailed. “How can you punish the family for the sins of the children?” She made a show of dabbing her eyes. “My kin and I had no idea of the viper we harbored in our family! We are not at fault!”
So much for believing she’s innocent.
Lord Myron bowed his head at the pronouncement as I carefully watched him.
I felt something behind me stir in the shadows. A discreet glance, and I saw Twilight peering at me from behind the column. Perched on top of the column—nearly invisible in the darkness of the Night Realm—was Whiskers.
I’m not standing alone. Not anymore.
My gaze flicked from Indigo to Skye to Chase and—yes—even Lord Linus.
We can do this.
I stood up and slowly approached the edge of my platform, Kevin and Steve following behind me as Muffin padded in front of me.
“Lord Myron, am I correct that you heard her express a desire to poison me, and to set a creature to chase after me, but you didn’t see her do anything?”
“Yes, Queen Leila.” Lord Myron bowed again.