A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 4)

“Yes. As long as I keep it a secret.”

“Yes. Which is what you want.”

“The golden dragon’s parentage was a secret.”

I frowned at her before movement near the castle caught my eye—another person flying out of the fifth-story window. Hannon was nearly at the castle now. The backup dragons were close behind. I could see shapes in the lower windows. Probably archers. They were getting ready to defend their castle.

Adrenaline pumped through me. I was not a good warrior in battle. No, I excelled at being a stealthy fighter. The woman who slipped a knife into your ribs. The poisoner. I got information, and I got out of there in any way possible. My weapons would be of no help in that castle, but the faerie warriors needed someone to lead them. Starvos wouldn’t be doing it, so it would have to be me. I was the most senior member here.

“The golden dragon…has his own problems,” I said, unsure where this was heading but knowing it needed to get to its destination soon so we could get moving. “He triumphed over them.”

“His secrets set him free.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what you mean. What are you talking about?”

Hannon reached the castle and blasted fire against the side of the building. Windows burst open, glass raining down the side of the building. He twirled in the air and tried another blast. More windows, but the stone wasn’t affected. He wasn’t producing brimfire.

“Phoenixes are tricky to maneuver,” she said, as though in her own world. Her animal must be riding her hard right now. She always got in these moods when her animal was anxious. “They are steeped in all that is pure and good, in light and love, in healing and sunshine. But he farts fucking fire, for goddess’s sake. Underneath that calm, protective nature is a beast waiting to emerge. I tried prodding him. I got somewhere, but it wasn’t enough. He needs more incentive to unleash his full power.”

“Seeing Finley in danger should do it.”

“Finley is in danger. Grave danger. You know how many demons Dolion has at his disposal. You know how much power he has accrued. And he’s very well aware that Nyfain and Finley have demon spies. He assumes they’ll get in, I bet you anything, and he correctly assumes the phoenix is too inexperienced to help her get back out. The demon king has sprung his trap. He has accounted for everything they can throw at him.” She paused, her eyes turning haunted. “Except one.”

My stomach clenched. “No. They can do it. They are smart and savage, and Hannon is courageous. He’ll figure it out. They’ll kill Dolion and his upper tier, and the rest will scatter.”

“The ones that would have scattered were set on us at the council. Don’t be daft, Calia. It was our studies of the demon king that landed us in the dungeons, after all. We know what he’s about. He has the upper hand. He will win.”

“Hannon will figure brimfire out, Dessia, you don’t need to—”

“It is not the human that needs to figure it out. It is the beast, and the beast has much to learn about himself. I know this because I had to learn the hard way. It took time. And pain. Lots of pain. The basilisk finally emerged because she needed to protect me. The phoenix needs that same lesson, and there is only one who can give it to him.”

“You can’t do this. If you emerge, Starvos will see. He’ll try to control you. To use you. I won’t be able to protect you.”

She turned to me and smiled. “He didn’t claim me as his daughter. He didn’t claim me for his court. I am a visitor. A guest. An embarrassment because he thinks I have no magic. And now, I will be beyond his ability to control. Just like the golden dragon, my secret will set me free.” She turned toward the boat I had partially readied. “I am not a naïve and scared girl anymore, Calia. I do not need a kingdom. I do not need protection. I am death walking. I am a literal nightmare. Only the phoenix can kill me, and he would never do it.”

“But Dessia, people can use you.”

“They can try.”

FIFTY-TWO

Finley

I dodged a swipe and then stabbed forward, taking the demon in the middle and then ripping my sword free. Claws swiped through the air, right for my head. I bent back, heard my back crack, and brought my sword up in an arc before turning away. An arm, severed at the elbow, went flying.

Wolves rushed around me, slamming into the cluster of demons and scattering them. They made short work of them and ran forward, trying to catch up with Govam.

“Finley!” Nyfain called out, on the other side of the large room.