I had been expecting the day of the Singing Moon to seem different, but when the sun rose on that frigid spring morning, it felt like the start of a normal day. The air was bitter cold. There was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground. People in business clothes were walking to work, yammering into cell phones, and carrying trays of paper coffee cups.

As we loaded our bags of gear into the trunk of Hank’s car, I was a nervous wreck. I sat in the back seat next to Zeph while Eldrick and Hank sat up front. Behind us, Camilla and Freddy followed in their sporty, white sedan. We left the downtown area, driving past the suburban neighborhoods out into the countryside.

We passed houses where I vaguely recalled my childhood friends had lived. Horse pastures and large barns dotted the landscape, all blanketed in frost and snow. The wind carried the musk of livestock and the faint hint of smoke from chimneys. I’d lived in the city so long it felt like I didn’t belong here anymore. Or maybe that was just because my memories of it were so blurred.

We drove for another half hour, far away from any other sign of civilization, before Hank turned down a long driveway. It twisted and snaked through a line of hardwood trees, over a small bridge, and emerged in a large, open field surrounded by forest on all sides. When the house appeared through the naked tree limbs, a torrent of confused emotions swelled in my body; I hadn’t seen my family home in so long.

The beautiful old farmhouse looked like a cracked memory, standing at the crest of a hill overlooking a sweeping pasture. Parts of the roof had caved in from the fire. The whitewashed porch was charred, and the windows had been broken out.

Of course, it was abandoned now. My father had left it to me in his will, but I had never come back after his funeral. The fact that it was so far out on the outskirts of town, hidden away from the public eye, was probably the only thing that had saved it from being demolished. Seeing it made my head hurt—as though someone were driving a spike right between my eyes. I whimpered and sat back, rubbing at my forehead. When I squeezed my eyes shut, memories flickered to life from some dark, forgotten corner of my brain. Playing hide and seek in the trees with William, drawing on the front steps with sidewalk chalk, and blazing down the twisty driveway on my bicycle with pink tassels on the handlebars.

“What is it?” Zeph put a hand on my arm.

“I-I … remembered something. Something from when I was a little.” I squinted up at him, my head still pounding. “I thought the memories wouldn’t come back until the feather was destroyed?”

His mouth was set in a hard line. That’s when I realized—his hand on my arm felt colder than normal. “My time’s almost up,” he muttered. “In a few hours …”

“In a few hours it won’t matter,” Hank interrupted. “The curse will be broken, you’ll be fine, and then our only problem will be shoving Fir Darrig’s big ass through that gateway as soon as possible.”

I took a steadying breath. Hank was right—now was not the time to lose my focus. Too much was riding on this. I had to be clear. I had to stay calm. Lying back in my seat, I kept rubbing my forehead until the throbbing pain gradually faded.

We stopped at the front of the house, and I peered past my reflection on the car’s window at the place that had been my childhood home until a few years ago. My stomach twisted into knots and no matter how hard I clenched them, my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

My legs tingled as I climbed out of the car. I helped take the bags of supplies out of the trunk and spread them out on the driveway. Hank stalked off a few yards and began sending out his acorn messages—one to Jack and one to Fir Darrig on Zeph’s behalf. When he was finished, he came back to join me in emptying the trunk. He pulled out a familiar large duffel bag packed full of supplies and an even longer gun case.

Camilla and Freddy set off to walk the perimeter of the property to put up alarm wards so we would know when we had company. Eldrick and Zeph started going over battle plans. There was a lot to do, and plenty I needed to prepare, but my mind still raced. My palms were sweaty and I couldn’t concentrate. I crouched before one of the open bags, arming myself for battle with the spellwork materials. I packed my coat pockets with a Sharpie, Zeph’s lighter, and a few twigs that I had already charred on the ends so I could use them to draw spellwork in the snow. Two little bags of salt, the staurolite stones, and a travel size can of hairspray completed my collection.

I tucked my mom’s iron dagger into the side of my boot where it wouldn’t be so obvious. Having it made me feel strangely confident, like I could stand a bit taller. But I couldn’t help but think about that drawing of the magical revolver I’d seen in Freddy’s book. What would it be like to fight with a weapon like that? Better question—what was it going to take to get Freddy to actually make it for me?

“There’s that prance.” Zeph smirked as he walked past.

“Strut,” I corrected.

“Tomayto, tomahto.”

Regardless of how I walked, I wasn’t a helpless waif anymore. I could pack my own punch.

Now that I was outfitted, all I had to do now was wait. Everyone else was still busy preparing. Eldrick and Zeph were staring down at a crudely drawn map of the property, arguing about where to make our final stand if things went bad. Hank was checking his shotgun and packing his pockets full of shells. Freddy and Camilla hadn’t come back from putting up wards yet.

My gaze wandered away, pulled as if by gravity to a place at the far edge of the property. With everyone concentrating on other things, it wasn’t hard to slip away unnoticed. I walked through the snow, past the house, to a small grove of poplar and evergreen trees on the far corner of the clearing.

There, sheltered by the arms of the trees, were three gravestones.

I stared at the names engraved on each one: Marcus, Marissa, and William Barton.

This was all that was left of my family—three cold stones almost buried by the snow. My mother’s ancestors had owned this property, almost a thousand acres, for a long time. As far as I knew, most of it was just untamed forest with a few lots sold here and there. I’d never suspected it had anything to do with being some kind of royal descendant—and maybe it didn’t—but it was sort of a family tradition to have a home burial here on the family land.

Beside William’s grave there was an empty spot, a place meant for me. My stomach fluttered at the sight of it.

I pulled out my mother’s necklace from under my shirt, slipping it over my head to run my fingers over the beautiful blood-red stone. The tiny spells etched onto the back made me wonder what they were for. It couldn’t just be coincidence that Fir Darrig’s princess had been wearing this, too. It had to mean something.

And that strange presence about it, as though it had an aura all its own, still pricked at the back of my mind …

“Been a while since you came back here, huh?” Zeph’s voice came from right behind me. I jumped in surprise.

“I just couldn’t bear to see this. The house, the property, these …” My voice faded in my throat. It hurt to look at them. I put the big heart-shaped ruby back around my neck.

“Perhaps it is good to remember now,” Eldrick spoke up suddenly. I was stunned to find him standing behind me, too. “Remembering what Fir Darrig has done to your family may give you courage.”

My heart skipped a beat, but not because of anything Eldrick had said. His presence reminded me that there was something else I had to do—something I’d been psyching myself up for all day. Today was going to change my life forever, for better or worse. I didn’t want to go into this battle with any lingering doubts about who I could trust.

“You’re right,” I said as I turned to face them. “My family deserves vengeance, Zeph deserves saving, and I have to stand up for myself. This is my fight.”

My eyes met Zeph’s for a moment. He knew what I was about to do. I could see it in his expression, but instead of giving me any reassurance or confirmation that this was the right thing to do, he just looked down. He couldn’t make this choice for me.

“Which is why I’m letting you go, Eldrick,” I added.

He frowned. His silver eyes narrowed, and his head tilted to the side, as though he suspected he was misunderstanding.

“Your contract has been fulfilled. You’ve been a good friend to me and … and there will never be any way I can repay you for everything you’ve done. I’m so grateful for every moment.” I forced a smile as I extended a hand toward him. “Well, except for the ones where you tortured me and trapped me in the closet.”

His frown hardened and his glare became as sharp as steel. “Why?”

“You’re risking your life by getting involved in this. And I don’t want you to do that because you have to, or because my father’s contract demands it. If you fight with us, I want it to be by your own choice. So, you are hereby released from your contract. Eldrick, you are free.”

Eldrick didn’t move. His eyes went wide. He gaped at me for a few seconds, and then his gaze moved down to my hand. Slowly, he reached out to take it.

The instant our palms touched, I felt the prickle of magic on my skin. Whispering bells echoed in the air, and Eldrick shuddered hard. His hand gripped mine harder, strong fingers squeezing tightly. Then he sucked in a sharp breath and abruptly snatched his hand away.

His silver eyes flashed wildly as he glanced between Zeph and me. He looked confused, like he wasn’t sure what to do. His chest heaved and his nostrils flared as he sucked in deep breaths.

I took a small step back. I wondered if he might attack me again. The feral expression on his face certainly made that seem like a possibility. Before I could say another word, a column of swirling black shadows rose around him. The darkness engulfed his tall form, and in an instant … Eldrick was gone.

I had my answer.

“I’m sorry, princess.” Zeph put a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Loyalty isn’t something his bloodline is known for.”

My throat constricted. I set my jaw and I shook my head. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t prepared for either answer. At least now I know where he stands.”

Only, it wasn’t okay. He’d been like family to me. And now I didn’t know what to think. Had it all just been an act? Was our entire friendship a farce?

I was still biting back tears when we rejoined Hank and the others, they gathered around with curious expressions. I guess they could tell something was up.

“Eldrick won’t be fighting with us,” I announced.

Camilla’s expression paled. “Why not?”

I hung my head. I felt like such a coward, I couldn’t even find the words to explain to them what had happened.

Zeph squeezed my shoulder and stepped in to rescue me. “It doesn’t matter. He made his choice. But we don’t need him anyway.”

I wanted to agree with him; it shouldn’t have mattered that Eldrick abandoned us, but it did. Mentally, I was scrambling. My plan was falling apart already.

Preparations continued and I tried to swallow my sorrow and concentrate. The wrenching feeling of betrayal made my stomach turn sour. I wanted to be angry, but I was angrier with myself than I was at Eldrick. I felt stupid for believing he liked me or wanted to help us. I had been so blind.

At dusk, everyone began to take their places. It was almost time. Freddy, Camilla, and Hank stood inside shielding circles that were spelled to make them invisible, both to humans and to fae. They would be undetectable until they stepped outside those circles. It would be a surprise ambush—we hoped.

In the middle of the pasture behind my family’s house, I stood with my hand in Zeph’s. Together we watched the horizon turn gold and red as the sun set behind the forest. My hands were sweating and trembling like crazy. I tried to at least look composed and confident, but I couldn’t stand still. It felt like my chest might explode as my pulse hammered and skipped.

“Hey.” Zeph tugged on my hand. “You know I love you, right?”

I exhaled shakily as I squeezed his palm harder. “Yeah. I know.”

“Good. We’ve gotta make this convincing. So just … you know, play along.” He sucked in an anxious breath. “Damn, I hope you’re a good actress.”

I managed a quick, teasing grin. “Oh sure. I got you to think that I liked those tattoos, didn’t I?”

“Easy, tiger. Just remember to keep your head on straight. Don’t let fear get the best of you. Stick to the plan. After I hand you over, wait for the curse to break. Then give ‘em hell.”

I nodded. I wanted to be confident so badly. My friends needed me, but all I could think about was the fact that Eldrick had left us. Did we even stand a chance now? I wanted to believe Zeph was right; that we didn’t need his help. We could handle this on our own.

I needed to believe that.

Minutes passed as the last few rays of the sun melted out of the sky. As night drew in, the stars began to wink through the twilight. The cold air made the sky seem crystal clear, like I could have dipped my hands into the heavens.

“W-what if he doesn’t come?” I wasn’t sure if it was the cold or my nerves that made my teeth start chattering. “What if he knows it’s a trick? What if he refuses your invitation?” I’d never been a very good liar and now my life and the lives of all my companions depended on it. The irony was cruel.

Zeph was sporting a fearsome scowl. “He’ll come.” His brilliant violet eyes narrowed on the tree line ahead of us, as though he were waiting for any sign of movement. “His pride won’t allow him to refuse. He’d never pass up the opportunity to see someone groveling at his feet.”

Something moved in the forest.

My heartbeat stammered and stalled. I could hear twigs snapping. Between the trunks of the trees, delicate little lights were floating toward us like fireflies. My common sense told me that wasn’t possible—it was far too cold for fireflies. But what else could they be?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zeph bristle like a guard dog ready to attack. He moved, but it wasn’t against whatever creature was coming our way. He lunged at me suddenly, snatching my arms behind my back and forcing me to my knees. I cried out in genuine surprise at how rough he was as he held me, twisting my arms painfully every time I tried to struggle.

“Louder,” he murmured so quietly even I barely heard him. “This is an Oscar-winning performance, not an audition.”

I let out the loudest scream I could. I cursed at him, demanding that he let me go. I was afraid it sounded fake, but I didn’t have to play pretend for very long.

Those floating lights weren’t fireflies—they were eyes. Monsters emerged from the forest like phantoms. Their eyes glowed like golden embers, and they all stared straight at me. They looked like wolves, or at least that’s what I thought they were. They were about the same size as a wolf—or a giant dog—but as they got closer, I saw that they weren’t animals at all. They were made of plants, roots, rocks, and gnarled branches all twisted together, just like the spriggans.

A dozen of them prowled toward us, snapping their jagged, stone teeth and twitching with eager ferocity. It was as though they had been designed only to fight, hurt, and kill. I had a feeling they were going to be a lot harder to kill.

“Moorhounds,” Zeph scoffed loudly. “Seriously? It’s not like you to be so cautious.”

A deep, musical laugh echoed through the trees. It made my whole being shudder. Tears filled my eyes, and I let out another scream. I struggled, but Zeph just squeezed me harder.

“I had to be sure you were being honest, boy. One can’t be too careful,” Fir Darrig’s voice chimed. It seemed to come from everywhere at once. “You understand my skepticism, don’t you? How can I be sure this is even the right girl? Perhaps you’re simply trying to use a bit of that changeling magic to save your own neck.”

Zeph grabbed a fistful of my hair suddenly and jerked my face upward, forcing me to look toward the dark forest.

“That enough proof for you?” Zeph snarled angrily.

There was no reply.

Instead, the forest seemed to shudder. The trees groaned as though they were in pain. Their trunks began bending and twisting, parting like a living curtain. Fir Darrig stepped into view wearing his natural form—that strange combination of lion, man, and bird. He carried his staff and wore a shining golden breastplate. His vivid eyes fixed on me, scalding me under a vengeful glare.

It was bad enough to see him again, but he hadn’t come alone. The forest rumbled again, and out stepped four huge spriggans. They were even bigger than the ones we had battled before, flanking Fir Darrig like colossal, moss-covered mountains. Their gaping maws steamed in the cold air, and they beat the ground with their boulder-sized fists.

I didn’t have to pretend to be scared anymore. I was terrified. I screamed and struggled. My curses turned into sobs, and I began pleading with Zeph to let me go. I begged him to reconsider, to remember his love for me, but his gaze was so icy and detached it made me wonder if he was acting or not.

He wasn’t … going to let Fir Darrig take me, was he?

“Tick tock, old man,” Zeph snarled. “The moon’ll be up any second. I’ve upheld my end of the curse. Give me back my power.”

Fir Darrig sneered. “Do I look like a fool to you? Hand her over first.”

Zeph spat at the ground. He murmured a few profane things, obviously not happy about being bossed around. Then he forced me to walk. When we were only a few yards away from Fir Darrig and all his horrible monster-minions, Zeph gave me a violent shove. I stumbled, tripped, and fell face-first into the snow at Fir Darrig’s feet.

“Good luck with that whiny little bitch.” Zeph snorted and crossed his arms. He gave me a disgusted look. “She wouldn’t make me the faerie king, either. I don’t see why you think you’ll have any more luck with her.”

I had barely staggered back to my feet when I felt the humid breaths of the moorhounds staring me down. They snapped at my legs and forced me to cross the rest of the distance to Fir Darrig. He waited for me with a smug grin on his lips, holding out a hand as though he were inviting me to dance again. “Of course she will.”

Oh yeah, I thought as I took his hand. Let’s dance, you bastard.

I glared at him with every ounce of courage I had left. He smiled back cruelly, as though it amused him. With a violent jerk, he yanked me closer and snagged an arm around my waist. He sniffed me like an animal, puffing his filthy breath all over my face and neck.

It was all I could do to keep from coming unglued.

Then I saw it—a glimmer of silver light through the trees.

In the distance, a radiant full moon was rising. It was shaking free of the horizon, filling the sky with rich, sterling light, and making every snowdrift and icicle shine like platinum. The air resonated with energy so strong it made my body shiver as it sizzled over my skin. A faint sound like glassy music echoed through the air, carried on the crisp wind.

It was the Singing Moon.

My trance of breathless awe was broken when I heard Zeph cry out. He roared in panic and agony, hunching over suddenly as though he’d been shot. I almost broke my act. My heart twisted painfully as I watched. All he managed to get out were desperate, agonized sounds. I couldn’t watch. I bowed my head, clenched my teeth, and shut my eyes tightly.

“Don’t be a coward.” Fir Darrig grabbed my chin suddenly. He forced me to look.

Zeph had crumpled to his knees. Even from a distance, I could see something wasn’t right. His whole body shook erratically. He crawled across the snow as though he were trying to get away from something, but with every move he made, his body—clothing and all—was slowly turning a strange shade of gray. First were his feet, then his legs and waist. Soon he couldn’t move the lower half of his body at all.

He yelled out, his eyes crazed with terror as he tried to retreat.

“What’s happening to him?” I tried to sound calm and complacent. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears it almost drowned out Zeph’s tortured cries.

“When we are completely drained of magic, fae cannot live. We turn to stone.” Fir Darrig laughed with pleasure like he was enjoying this. “Does it pain you to watch him suffer?”

On the inside, I was screaming. I was falling apart, but I couldn’t let that show—not now. This was it. This was the moment of truth. One slip up might blow our entire plan.

I stared back at Fir Darrig. “He betrayed me,” I answered coldly. “He’s nothing to me.”

It was probably only a few seconds, but we stared at one another for what felt like hours. With every passing moment, I grew braver and more frantic all at the same time. Zeph’s life was slipping away. He couldn’t move his arms now, but I couldn’t show any emotion—at least, none other than hatred and anger. Fortunately, I had enough of both for Fir Darrig, so it wasn’t hard to look at him like I wanted to rip his pointed ears right off his head.

“Young hearts are such fickle, useless things. They are turned so easily, it’s delightfully revolting,” Fir Darrig mused. He chuckled darkly and raised a hand toward Zeph. “But how you feel is irrelevant, I suppose. A deal’s a deal. You belong to me now; the curse is appeased.”

The snap of his fingers cracked like lightning. It made a shockwave ripple through the air, spreading out and striking Zeph’s nearly lifeless body with great force.

He collapsed into the snow and didn’t move.

I couldn’t breathe. I stared at him, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

Nothing. He was completely still. I couldn’t even see him breathing.

It was as though someone were tearing my soul in half. I couldn’t stop the tears.

And then, there was light—bright violet light that blinded me. A swell of tolling chimes filled the air, growing louder and louder until I was forced to cover my ears. I shrank back, unintentionally pressing myself against Fir Darrig in the process. Before I could react, he snatched me up and carried me off into the forest.

“See that he doesn’t follow us,” Fir Darrig commanded his army of monsters.

The spriggans and moorhounds bellowed in reply.

My vision was still spotty as the dark forest engulfed us. I twisted in Fir Darrig’s grasp, trying to look behind us to see anything—any sign that Zeph was still alive. All I could see were the shapes of Fir Darrig’s monsters as they began to converge upon that vibrant point of light. A glimmer of white fur caught my eye, and I stiffened in terror as a familiar white wolf galloped past. It was Lumi.

“I’ve a nice spot picked out for my crowning,” Fir Darrig laughed with wicked delight. “We won’t be disturbed there. Come, little vessel. It’s time we put the faerie crown where it is most richly deserved.”

I pretended to struggle again. In the process, I twisted my body slightly, bringing my knees up until I could reach my foot. I slipped my fingers into the side of my boot and closed a fist around the hilt of my mom’s dagger. It wasn’t a fancy spell or an intricate enchantment, but hopefully it would work …

I ripped the dagger out of my boot and stabbed Fir Darrig in the side with all my strength. The iron blade sank deep into his flesh—all the way up to the hilt. Immediately the air filled with a putrid burning smell.

Fir Darrig threw me away like a bad apple.

I skidded over the snow, slamming into the trunk of a tree. The impact cracked my head so hard that everything spun. He roared in pain, throwing away his staff and clutching at his side where the dagger had left an awful black wound. So much of his blood poured out onto the snow that I could practically taste it in the air.

When I got up, I was still seeing bright specks, but I never let go of the dagger. If he came at me again, I was prepared to stab him as many times as it took.

“You want to get me back, you bastard? You’ll have to catch me first!” I spun and ran full speed back toward the clearing. Thankfully, we hadn’t made it very far, and there were plenty of radiant bursts of light to guide me in the right direction.

I broke the tree line and emerged onto a battlefield. Freddy and Camilla were running around, trying to cast spells while dodging the swinging arms of spriggans. Hank had taken a wide stance, firing round after round from his shotgun. The percussion of each blast cracked like thunder in the air and was usually followed by the agonized wail of a moorhound. Most of the moorhounds seemed more focused on Zeph, however, who stood in their midst like a gleaming, violet angel.

Only, I’d never seen him shine like that before.

With his power fully restored, his true form bloomed in the night with more beautiful strangeness than ever before. His horns were longer, his wings were larger, and the once sparse runes on his skin now covered him like stripes on a tiger. He bared his fangs, prowling on hind legs like a lion’s. He even had a long lion’s tail. He fought the moorhounds like a wild animal, ripping them apart one by one as they swarmed around him.

“Head’s up!” someone shouted suddenly.

Another moorhound sprang toward me, ready to tear me to shreds. I raised my dagger again, but the instant it leaped, ice climbed the monster’s body and froze it in midair.

“Jack!” I cheered as he swooped low on his wintry white wings to give me a playful wink.

“Don’t get too comfy,” he warned with a merry chuckle. “The spell will wear off quickly! Fir Darrig was ready for me this time. He warded them all against my frost.”

I ran straight for an open patch of snow. The curse was broken, Zeph was free, so now it was time for phase two of my plan.

I had a new royal to crown and a gate to open.

 

 

 

 

With Jack flying defense to keep the moorhounds at bay, prepping the crowning spell was easy. It was just a simple circle spell with a few symbols around it and a mark in the center that looked sort of like a crown. I drew them out quickly and perfectly with one of my charred twigs. Then, I scribbled more spellwork on my arms with the Sharpie. I was working fast, but I didn’t mess up. My mind was a steel trap, remembering every symbol in perfect detail.

A familiar enemy came striding toward me right before I finished the last symbol. Lumi stood only a few yards away, her white fur bristling and her pale blue eyes shining like stars. Her snout wrinkled, lips drawing back into a snarl as she flattened her ears. I looked around for Jack—but he was already preoccupied with two moorhounds.

This was up to me.

I scowled, sticking the Sharpie between my teeth before I took out Zeph’s lighter and the little can of hairspray from my pocket.

Lumi sent a blast of cold air at me when she snapped her jaws, her legs coiled for the attack.

Wait for it—wait for it.

The white she-wolf sprang, surging toward me with fangs flashing in the moonlight. I tensed, holding firm until she was only a couple of feet away. Then I sprayed a burst of hairspray through the open flame of Zeph’s lighter.

Fire belched out into the night and blasted Lumi right in the face. Her fur caught fire immediately. She yowled and scrambled to get away, pawing at her face.

So I advanced. This was personal; I wanted some payback. She’d only just managed to douse her face in the snow when I hit her again, blasting another wave of fire over her body.

Lumi yelped and shrieked. I threw down the lighter and hairspray and drew my dagger again. Seizing her charred snout with one hand, I held the iron point right between her eyes. “Move and I’ll ram this right through your brain.”

Lumi froze, her pale eyes wide as they stared back at me.

“If you ever come near me or any of my friends again, I swear I will kill you. Got me?” I pressed the point harder against her hide. “This is your only chance—leave now and never come back.”

As soon as I let her go, the white wolf stumbled back with her tail between her legs. I kept the blade of my dagger poised, ready to strike if she decided to test me. Lumi snarled one last time, her eyes blazing with anger, and disappeared into a whirlwind of snow and white mist.

I smirked, slipping the dagger back into my boot before I went back to my spellwork. No time for a victory dance now. I still had to pick someone to be the new faerie ruler … someone new. My mind raced as I finished drawing the symbols on my arms and hands. Who should I pick? Freddy? Camilla? Jack? Those were my only choices except for Zeph. I didn’t know any other faeries to choose from.

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.

Something hit me so hard it sent me flying like I’d been struck by a car. I sailed through the air, flipping helplessly over the ground. Something snapped. I felt my leg hit awkwardly, knocking my dagger free of its hiding place. It was lost somewhere in the snow—my only effective weapon against these monsters.

I landed facedown on the frozen earth. My whole body ached. Every time I tried to take a breath, sharp pain pierced my chest like I was being stabbed.

I stared up through my delirium to see what had hit me. As my eyes focused through the haze, I saw a pair of wrathful, green eyes glaring down at me with utter hatred.

Fir Darrig wrapped a powerful hand around my neck. He plucked me out of the snow like a naughty puppy. I gasped for air, clawing at his arm. My chest was already hurting so badly that I knew I must have broken something, and now Fir Darrig was crushing my windpipe so I couldn’t even speak.

“You wretched little shrew,” Fir Darrig rasped. He was still bleeding from that wound in his side where I’d stabbed him. The flesh around it was turning black and rotting away faster than should have been possible.

“You will name me as faerie king and maybe then I won’t crush the life out of you.” He squeezed my neck even harder. I thought it might snap at any second.

It took every ounce of my strength to suck in a tiny breath. It was just enough for me to wheeze, “Go to hell.”

Fir Darrig bellowed in frustration, squeezing my throat harder. I flailed in his grasp. The world began to go dark. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see. He was … going to kill me.

Something slammed into us.

The impact jarred Fir Darrig enough that he let me go. I landed in a nearly unconscious heap in the snow at Fir Darrig’s feet, choking and wheezing. My neck ached and my throat spasmed with every rasping, desperate breath I took. With vision still blurred, I glanced up to try and figure out what had happened—and if I had time to get away.

A huge, furious black wolf had his jaws locked around Fir Darrig’s arm and was shaking. My jaw dropped. Tears welled in my eyes.

“Eldrick!” I screamed.

A flick of Fir Darrig’s free hand summoned his staff again. He smacked Eldrick over the snout with it. It didn’t work—Eldrick didn’t let go. Instead, he pitched violently, shaking his head with his teeth still digging into Fir Darrig’s arm. Blood spattered the snow, and Fir Darrig raised his staff again, his face twisted with rage.

The crack of his staff over Eldrick’s head sent a burst of chimes roaring through my eardrums. I stumbled back, clamping my hands over my ears as a flash of blinding green light lit up the night.

Eldrick hit the ground running. He shifted forms mid-stride as he sprinted over the ground straight toward me, plucking me out of the snow just as a blast of magic roared past us. The heat of the spell sizzled against my face and singed some of my hair.

Fir Darrig lost it. He started casting wildly, sending bursts of raw magic in our direction like tongues of green lightning. Each one left a patch of scorched, naked earth behind.

I gripped Eldrick with all my might as he ran. He ducked and dodged, moving as quick as a shadow over the frozen ground. When we reached spell circle I had been working on for the crowning, he skidded to a halt and whirled around.

“I can draw him off.” Eldrick panted as he set me down inside the circle. “Who is it that you’ve chosen? Give me the name and I will try to clear the way for them.”

Eldrick started to pull away. His wild eyes flashed around the battlefield as he waited for my word before he sprang into action. I grabbed the front of his sweater to keep him from charging back into battle.

“Why?” So many emotions swirled through my head. Most of them could wait, but this I needed to know right now. “Why did you come back?”

He stared down at me as though I had completely lost my mind. “I didn’t leave,” he corrected me sharply. “I simply had to run an errand.”

An errand? Seriously? What could he possibly have to do that couldn’t wait until—

Horns blared in the distance. If not for Eldrick’s smug, almost evil grin, I might have thought I was hallucinating.

On the horizon, a churning black cloud rose up like a dark tidal wave. It blotted out the sterling light of the moon and swallowed the stars, generating a thrumming energy that sent cold pangs of fear through my body. At the crest of the wave, in a chariot drawn by two ghostly black horses, rode an older man wearing a sweeping black cape and a crown made of black glass. There was a cruel smirk on his lips as he drove his horses on, snapping a whip that cracked like thunder.

Fir Darrig stopped. Even the spriggans seemed curious and confused at first, but that was before the charioteer descended into the clearing, steering straight for one of the colossal monsters with a sword drawn. Behind him, the toiling black cloud split into a hundred smaller, ghostly fragments. Some looked like horses, others like panthers, wolves, or skeletal soldiers with bat-wings. Their ghoulish forms flickered like black shadows, but their claws, fangs, and swords were very real.

“Your dad?” I guessed.

Eldrick sighed and put his hands over mine so I would let go of his sweater. “We weren’t going to survive this without sizeable reinforcements.”

“But you said you would never ask him—”

“That was before you set me free. After that I was … forced to acknowledge something I had taken for granted,” he cut me off quickly and touched one of his warm hands to my cheek. “You are precious to me. I am indeed your friend. I will not forsake you now. Your battles are mine, as well.”

That was all I needed to hear. I’d made this decision days ago, and now I knew it was the right one after all. “I have made my choice.”

The moment those words left my lips, the spell circle beneath our feet ignited. Fir Darrig shrieked, hurling another bolt of green lightning in our direction. Before it could hit, Jack Frost and Zeph swept in, melding their powers to create a protective shield around us.

The crowning symbols lit up one by one beneath my feet, burning as brightly and softly as candles in the darkness of the night. The marks on my skin did the same, gleaming to life until I could feel the swell of magic surging through my body.

“I didn’t understand it before. I thought Dad contracting you to me was a mistake, or some kind of cruel joke. But … I get it now. I believe he wanted me to see you for who you truly are, and for you to learn that not all humans are stupid, selfish, and cruel. This is why he brought us together—because I needed you as much as you needed me.”

Eldrick seemed mute with shock as I stood on my toes, taking his face into my hands. His eyes were wide and his cheeks flushed as I kissed his forehead. Ignoring the battle that raged on around us, Fir Darrig’s magical blasts sizzling against the barrier, I whispered the final bit of the spell. “From now until the eve of the next Singing Moon, you alone shall bear this responsibility and sacred blessing. I crown you, Eldrick Dorchaidhe, to rule as King of the Faeries.”

A string of glowing golden runes ignited across his forehead, forming a band that blazed like fire. They faded quickly, melting as though they were being absorbed into his body. Eldrick’s eyes rolled back and he took in a deep breath. He shivered, his body tensing, broad shoulders flexing, and hands slowly curling into fists.

When he opened his eyes again, they weren’t silver anymore—they shone like molten pools of gold.

“No!” Fir Darrig thundered. He lunged, his expression twisted with a look of insane fury, and swung the staff again. The spear-like tip glowed and sizzled with raw magical energy, sending out a wave of power aimed directly at us.

I cringed against Eldrick as the blow rocketed over the snow like a blazing comet. There was no outrunning it. We couldn’t dodge this one.

Eldrick straightened and stretched out a hand. He caught the blast as though it were nothing, his expression never changing from perfect calm. As he snapped his hand closed, the sphere snuffed out with a puff of smoke.

Fir Darrig froze in place, his mouth falling open. His eyes went round and his face blanched. Gradually, his whole expression began to twitch and his grip on his staff tightened.

He swallowed hard and took a wobbly, limping step backward.

Eldrick’s mouth curled into a smirk. “I will keep him occupied,” he repeated, although this time his voice carried a sense of pride and authority that made me blush. It suited him. “Prepare the spellwork to summon the gate. I will return shortly.”

I grinned. It probably looked goofy considering our circumstances. “Right away, Your Majesty!”