| |
Suddenly, the doors burst open, and we were swarmed by what must have been fifty soldiers.
“Oh no,” Rodney said, and in a moment I too realized why he was panicking. The soldiers were dressed just like Summer Knights, in the traditional yellow robes of court. There was no way of telling which were loyal Summer Knights, and which were enemies.
The Winter fairies had all risen at once – those few who had been permitted to keep their swords on them reaching for them instantly. They stared at the Summer Fairies with something between disbelief, shock, and betrayal.
Wort had outsmarted us again – if any Winter fairies did survive the massacre, they would believe that it was the Summer Court behind the whole thing. And even if his few Summer soldiers died in battle, the Winter fairies would keep fighting until all of my loyal men were killed, too. My heart broke with the realization, this was going to be a massacre.
I could see the Winter Queen's face – staring at me with quiet, steely disappointment – as she reached for her sword, ready to begin the fight anew. Shasta had unleashed her sword, and was already running through Summer Knights.
“No!” I gasped, as her sword cut through Redrain, a Summer Knight I knew to be one of the most loyal in Logan's retinue. But it was too late. Once more, all Summer Knights were Shasta's enemy; the cease-fire would never be signed.
Shasta looked at me with pure hate in her eyes. I had not only betrayed her brother, but the entire Winter Kingdom. How could she have ever thought I was a friend? Rodney rushed over to her, trying to explain what had happened, trying to explain to Shasta and the Winter Queen. With a blow from the blunt of her own sword’s handle, Shasta knocked Rodney down.
Rodney’s face was in disbelief. Shasta had tears in her eyes as she shouted. “Mother was right. Winter and Summer cannot be! We trusted you and Breena, but it looks like we fell into Summer’s treacherous hands...”
Rodney got up, wanting to approach Shasta, but she brandished her sword menacingly. “Shasta, my love, my darling...that is not true at all.” Shasta thrust her sword toward Rodney, and he jumped out of her way just in time.
“No!” I shouted, unable to believe Shasta would actually try to harm Rodney. All around me, there was chaos and bloodshed. I had to gain control. I had to find out who were Wort’s men in disguise as Summer Knights, and who were my own loyal knights. Rodney was preoccupied with Shasta, trying to persuade her to our side, telling her, it was not my doing.
The Winter Queen stood back, a gleaming silver blue sword in her hand. She looked from Rodney to Shasta and then to me. She turned to me, taking long strides toward me, her hand firmly clutching her sword. For a second, she reminded me of Kian, the first time I saw him, determined, cold, and beautiful. I was fully the enemy.
Then the door opened, and in rushed Logan with some men I recognized. Men from the Wolf Fey...Logan’s clan. “Breena!” he shouted, fighting his way over to me. Anyone who was a loyal Summer Knight would not attack him so he knew who to fight off. He saw the look of the Winter Queen and how she was headed towards me with her sword. “Stop, Winter Queen!” he roared, his voice sounding loud and clear above the battle cries and shouting. “This is not Breena’s doing. We have Pixies glamouring as Summer Knights amongst us. Pixies, who is the enemy of Winter and Summer!”
The Winter Queen stopped in her steps and looked around. Logan stood tall and broad-shouldered like the wolf warrior that he was. His face open and earnest, trustworthy. Although he and I were engaged, werewolves in Feyland held no allegiance to the Summer or Winter Court. The Werewolf Fey had their own sovereignty like the Pixies. They stood out from the elegant Winter and Summer fairies with their broader build, more animalistic nature, and general easy-going nature. The Werewolf Fey were peaceful creatures who went back and forth between lands, between kingdoms.
“Tell me, Wolf,” the Winter Queen said. “How are we to tell who is a glamoured Pixie and who isn’t, were I to believe you?”
“Simple,” Logan said, grabbing a Summer Knight near him. He took a whiff. “Pixies smell different.” He threw the Summer Knight to the ground and brought his boots down to the knight’s face, while holding the point of his sword to his neck. “Pixies smell like rotting flesh.” At that, he grounded his boots hard against the man’s face. “Change back to your ugly self before I change your face for you,” Logan said.
The man gave Logan a sheer look of contempt before his face morphed into a face of uneven proportions – small squinty eyes, large crooked nose, thin lips with jagged teeth. It was the face of a Pixie.
I let out a breath of relief. Logan had his eyes on the Pixie, but he looked up quickly to meet my eyes. I nodded to let him know I understood what he was doing. With a gesture, the werewolves from his clan spread out going from Summer Knight to Summer Knight, their nose leading the way to a Pixie in disguise. As I watch Logan lead, my heart swelled with pride at how he confidently led the wolves around the room. There was fighting and resistance whenever a Pixie was discovered, but now that there was a way to identify them, the room became less chaotic. Order was being restored, and soon the Winter Queen and her party were looking around, no longer with anger in their eyes at me and my loyal Summer Knights.
Logan was making his way over to me. I was so relieved to see him at last that I did not realize I had opened my arms to him. He had a determined murderous look in his eyes, though, which I did not understand. Something was wrong.