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I DODGED, BUT I WASN'T quick enough. With a loud clang, Flynn brought his sword down inches from my feet, bringing the flat side of the sword down against my thighs. I crumpled to the floor, overwhelmed by Flynn's force. “Summer bitch!” he hissed at me, his eyebrows twitching with the force of his hatred. “The blood of all my brothers, all my men – it's on your hands now!” I tumbled backwards, edging myself along the floor as he raised his sword for another blow. Ignoring the throbbing pain in my legs, I sprang to my feet, rushing behind a boulder that stood at the edge of the cave: the only shelter I could hope for.
“Logan, help!” I cried. He and the other fighters had by now transformed back into their wolfish forms, and everywhere there was a struggle. Enormous wolves with huge teeth were savaging each other to death; with them in their animal forms, I couldn't see which of them was on our side and which rogue. I gulped, seeing Flynn raise his sword once more.
I reached for my sword, trembling under its weight. Fear made the thing seem heavier than it ever had before. “Not so fast, Flynn,” I cried. I brandished my sword, and met his blow with mine. My hands shook from the effort; my shoulders ached, yet I knew I could not back down. I would not allow this man to get between us and our dreams – the dream Logan, Kian and I shared of a land of peace. We dueled for a while, our swords clashing with impossible force, but I knew with terrible certainty that I could not sustained the hand-to-hand combat. Flynn was easily twice my size, and while I could take him out with magic, there was no way I'd be able to concentrate hard enough to produce any kind of force while Flynn was rushing at me with his sword. I tried, but only sparks of blue and orange emitted from my fingers – stinging him like embers without stopping his resolve.
“Oh no you don't!” I heard a howl, and then Flynn was toppled by an enormous figure, with matted fur and teeth that sank straight into his shoulder. Flynn gave a loud yell as Logan pressed his snarling muzzle into his rival's face.
Serves him right, I thought, taking advantage of the distraction to get to Kian. He was still languishing in the corner, tied up tightly with twine and rope. I grinned when I thought of the fairy bonds with which I had trussed up Balthazar. Next to that, getting through these ropes seemed downright easy. I grabbed hold of the dagger I kept in my doublet and cut swiftly through Kian's ropes. His hands came loose with a gasp of relief, and he flexed them with joy.
“I knew you'd come, Breena,” he whispered, pressing my hands with his. “I felt your presence before I saw you!”
“Take my sword!” I pressed it into his hands. “I'll be fine with my dagger.”
I wanted to rush into his arms, to kiss him and promise him my love. But there was no time for that. Around us there was only fighting, and while Logan had initially managed to press Flynn into the earth, he was now distracted by two more rogue wolves that had jumped, biting and snarling, onto his back. “Go on!” I shouted to Kian. “We have to get out of here!”
Flynn had clambered by now back to his feet, and his eyes fell upon Kian with disdain. “So,” he scoffed. “The Winter Prince is reunited with his love! But not for long – I guarantee you both that! I shall live to see you executed as the traitors that you are!”
“Stop, traitor!” Kian cried out in his clear, ringing voice. Even after being kidnapped and beaten, Kian still had the dignity and bearing of a true prince, and even the rogue wolves stopped short in their tracks to listen to his commanding voice. “I will give you one chance to surrender honorably, to the authority of the Winter Court you claim to serve!”
“The Winter Court was your father, boy,” cried Flynn. “And he is dead. You are no true scion of Winter! Maybe your mother had a little fling with a human rat...just like your little love's father did!
“How dare you!” I cried, my face growing hot with anger, but Kian remained cool and calm.
“Nevertheless,” Kian said softly. “I will not allow you to insult me or my family – or my kingdom – by your actions. Submit to me, and I will show you mercy. This is your last chance, Flynn. Do not be stupid or foolish! Prove your loyalty once and for all!”
“Never!” Flynn's laugh turned to a cackle. “I'll see you all burned alive, I'll see the plains of Feyland stained silver, before I surrender to a weak-willed Winter whipping boy and his Summer bride! No blood-traitors for me – if Winter will not stand strong, I will take over Winter, and be sure that we conquer our enemies – Summer or Winter, whoever stands opposed to us.”
Kian looked almost sad. “I remember serving with you in battle, Flynn,” he said softly. “And I do regret that it has come to this. You were my friend, once!”
“And you were once loyal,” Flynn shot back. “Now raise your sword and show me if you're really the Prince you say you are, or only your mother's bastard!”
The two rushed at each other, their swords raised high in the air. My heart stopped, and then beat only with every blow of the two swords; I bit my lip in fear. Flynn was one of the Winter Court's best swordsmen – and while I knew of Kian's skill I knew too that he was evenly matched by this fanatical interloper, who knew how to match each one of Kian's blows and thrusts for a parry of his own. Flynn had, as Kian had said, served in battle alongside him, and so he knew Kian's fighting style, Kian's moves, better than almost anybody. He could predict them in advance – but Kian could predict his.
Even the wolves had grown distracted now, and stopped to watch the fight between Kian and Flynn. Logan had managed to defeat his two aggressors, who lay moaning in a pile at his feet, still in their animal form, and those few remaining rogue wolves cautiously stood back, waiting for the battle to decide their fate. If Flynn fell, they knew, they were lost – and so they chose to bide their time. A hush fell over the cave, formerly alive and thronging with the sounds of battle, as Kian and Flynn clashed swords, their weapons glowing silver and blue.
“Kian!” My voice caught within my throat, but Logan put a hand on my shoulder. “This is a Winter battle,” he said. “Don't interfere – your Summer magic may only hurt Kian, not help him!”
My body ached to step in to help Kian with every ounce of magic in my being, but I knew Logan was right. Who knew how Summer magic – even Summer magic with a touch of Winter - would respond if I tried to step into the fray? I hadn't learned to fully control it yet – I was just as likely to injure Kian as I was to fell Flynn.
Still, my heart raced as first Flynn, then Kian, seemed to be the victor each advancing on the other and retreating in equal measure. They leaped over boulders, hanging from stalactites, and at last raced out of the cave to do their battle in the open air, beneath the stars that shone so coldly upon us.
“I've got you now!” crowed Flynn, as with a strong blow he knocked Kian to his feet.
“No!” I whispered.
But Kian was not to be felled so easily. In an instant he was back upon his feet, knocking Flynn back with the full force of his sword, slashing a deep wound across his chest as he did so. Silver rushed from the wound, reflecting the light of the stars. Flynn staggered back, shocked at his own defeat. “You think you've won, don't you?” He stumbled backwards. “Maybe for this time. But no matter what you do, boy, no matter how hard you try, nothing will change – do you understand me? The biggest war Feyland has ever experienced is upon us now – and there's nothing you can do to change that!”
With that, Flynn opened his wings – beating black and silver against the night – and flew into the air, his wound still dripping silver as his wings propelled him upwards, towards retreat. At this sign the rogue wolves, too, gave up the battle, and ran yelping and barking into the darkness, until only the surviving part of our men remained.
Logan was pacing around sadly, tallying up the number of the dead with a cold efficiency that did not mask the pain in his eyes. “Twenty wolves have been lost today,” he said softly, as the remaining number of his army gathered round, their eyes deep with the pain of their loss. “Twenty brave wolves – you will all honor them.”
One by one, the wolves raised up a long howl to honor those who had departed. Kian and I looked down, solemnly. We were not part of this. This was the land of the wolves, where we would always be outsiders.
“Jonah!” Logan called out, and immediately a tawny yellow wolf transformed into a skinny, slightly gawky teenaged boy with sandy-brown hair and an awkward expression. “Come here!”
“Reporting for duty, s-sir!” said Jonah, with a too-quick salute. “Anything you need!”
“I want you to lead the rest of the pack back to the Manor,” Logan said.
“Me, sir?” Jonah's eyes bulged wide.
“You have shown great prowess in battle today.” Logan let a small smile escape his lips, and Jonah beamed with pride at the acclamation.
“It's my first battle, sir.”
“I am sure it will not be your last – you are a brave warrior. I charge you to lead the pack back safely now – and send word to the rest of the loyal Wolf Fey who are in the forests now that they too will be called upon to fight against the rogues. Send word to me at the Summer Court if there are any developments.”
“Right, sir!” Jonah crowed happily. “As you wish!” He transformed once more into a wolf – he looked, with his long limbs and unwieldy posture, more like an overgrown puppy than a fearsome soldier, but I could see the bravery and loyalty in his eyes.
Jonah began bounding away into the distance, the rest of the wolves following behind in a single tight pack.
“Kian!” I rushed towards him, at last able to express my emotion. He encircled me in his arms. His body was still weak from the beating he sustained, but the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.
“I'm so glad,” he whispered in my ear, “to have you back.”
“I'm glad you're here!” I held him closer.
“No time for pleasantries!” Logan's voice was solemn, though I could detect the jealousy in it. “It's time to make our way to the Summer Court once and for all!