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“And the monsters?” Chance asked

Greydusk replied, “You res in the wastes beyond our walls Thuickeaters, wailers They’ll all coe”

The Ihts, but I’d never even heard of a spell strong enough to disable the Vortex, even te Saremon worked in concert?”

“Perhaps,” the demon answered

A link of that nitude, similar to what Greydusk and I had done in the courtyard, would be unspeakably powerful Norh to per, but when their survival depended on my extermination, desperate times called for desperate measures It was a bold stroke and one that would end the battle once and for all

I wished I still felt confident that I would win

“Have they breached our walls?”

“No”

“Protect the city,” I said “Send a runner to the Hazo They ht It’s what they live for, after all”

In earlier times I would have had a trainedthe pieces back together They’d struck sooner than I expected, and I wasn’t ready My spies hadn’t brought me the names of the conspirators, so I didn’t yet knoho I could trust

Helpless and blind, Corine whispered in es lost Let ht

This was an odd juxtaposition Once, it was ain a foothold Now, I felt tempted to turn the mess I’d created over to her While I worried, Chance slipped his gloves on, flexed long fingers, and whispered the command word Flames burst to life around his knuckles—a pure white-blue, unlike the last time

I glanced at Greydusk “Does that ?”

“The gloves only burn like that for a true king”

Chance offered a crooked smile “Told you”

That roused a smile and da that could help in defense of the city?”

“No, oods”

So I had It seeet the palace habitable so I had a base of operations A queen did not beg shelter from her subjects like a supplicant In consequence, I wasn’t ready for such a battle Fine I’d improvise My human half was best at that anyway

I grabbed the Noit running up and down the hall, delighted with the chaos it had created, and slapped it across the back of the head to settle it down Satisfied that I had its attention, I demanded, “Were you outside the walls just now?”

“Yes, Majesty!”

“And you saw the monsters?”

“Yes, Majesty”

“And where were they? How far away?”

I couldn’t cower and let the Sareovern If the creatures had already ruined the Luren sector and were headed to the Barrens, there must be a reason—

“March,

“Offer me another poem instead of a sensible reply and I’ll eat your heart h it would doubtless be black, shriveled, and disgusting Even if it made me sick for a week, I’d keep my word

The Noit knew it too; the creature sobered “Apologies,the clown”

“Understood”

“The situation is dire The gates have fallen and the Vortex is long gone The Noit and Phalxe sectors are burning There are s in the air, re People are panicked, and they’re fighting in the streets I’m not sure they even knoho the enemy is”

“Tell the castle staff not to venture outside the courtyard walls Dismissed”

The little Noit scurried off to carry outme with Chance and Greydusk Before I could formulate a plan of action, Shannon ran down the hall toward us Her black hair was spiked, standing on end, but not on purpose, and she had dark circles beneath her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept well A pang of regret pierced me I didn’t want this life for her

“What the hell’s going on?” she asked

Greydusk filled her in while I paced Leaving the castle groundsto draw me out, but at least this would end And then I had the answer Thank you, human female witch A quieter echo: Thanks, Mom