The Forbidden Wolf King: Kings of Avalier, Book 4(53)

I looked over at Axil, and he spoke into my mind using our newly formed pack link. ‘We’ll be able to communicate in wolf form. Leave the dangerous stuff to me and Raife, and you just worry about getting Oslo free.’

I dipped my head. ‘I will.’

With that, we stepped out of the barn and onto the snowy ground. Our small contingent of Royal Wolven Guards was waiting for us in a V pack formation. Axil nodded to them as he passed and they fell into line behind us. I tried not to allow my mind to wonder what I could have done differently to save Cyrus. Arwen and Drae had made so many runs last night getting the Royal Guard here, it was almost like the necromerians had waited until they were done before they attacked. The calculated ruthlessness of it made a flame of rage burn within me.

It had been snowing for hours and there was a permanent chill in the air which was to be expected in the Winter portion of the fae realm. I had thick wolf fur and the Mud Flats often got snow, so it didn’t bother me. The only thing on my mind was my little brother. I’d lost my parents, now Cyrus, I couldn’t lose him too.

It was about an hour’s sprint to the border. The fae, elvin and dragon peoples had done a wonderful job of coming together to amass a united front against the Nightfall army. I saw fae standing beside elvin folk and everyone working together. It was a beautiful thing given the circumstances, and I was proud our people were on their way to lend a hand.

Kailani was holding on to the saddle tightly so I rode fast and hard with Axil and Raife right beside us. When we reached the ice wall at the border, I steeled myself.

The necromerians were sailing over the wall only to be skewered by the elvin Bow Men.

‘How are we going to do this?’ I asked Axil, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

There were people dying left and right and blood-sucking necromerians stood in our way. I would have said that flying by air would be the best option but as I looked up, I saw the glint of metal wings. Their skies were littered with them. The Nightfall queen and her machines seemed to have no end to what they were capable of.

‘The Royal Guard and I will carve a path for you,’ Axil said and I trusted him enough to take him at his word. I had to think about my brother now, everything else was secondary.

Hold on, Oslo, I thought. If that madwoman hurt a hair on his head, I would skin her alive and all of her children too. I could not be trusted to remain reasonable where my family was concerned. If you harmed those I loved then all honor was dead and I wasn’t going to play by the rules. This was my game now and I intended to win. By the end of this day, I would either lie dead on the ground or the queen’s head would be stuck to a spike in the center of Nightfall City.

Nothing in between.

With a growl, I took off running and Axil followed. We gained speed and then, as if sharing one mind, we leapt up and over the giant ice wall together and landed in the center of the chaos below. The Royal Guard jumped high over the wall as well and settled at our side, fanning out to flank us.

The Nightfall warriors and the necromerians immediately turned their attention to us and I steeled myself.

But nothing happened.

They stood frozen like marble statues and I knew in that moment that Axil was controlling them.

“Now!” Raife cried, and a barrage of arrows rained down from the trees, piercing the frozen warriors in the chest. Our Royal Guard leapt from their positions and ripped out the throats of the necros.

It all was happening so fast I couldn’t process it.

“Go!” Kailani lightly kicked me with her heels, like you would a horse, and that got me moving. I bolted from the crowded space and through the woods, towards the center of their lands and where Nightfall City castle lay beyond. A great wind rushed past us and I assumed it was Madelynn for a second until I saw a human male with short-cropped ears running towards us with his arms outstretched.

He had wind power!

I remained calm, pulling on the wolven king’s power that Axil had shared with me and imagining the man freezing to the spot, his knees going stiff. Then I threw the power over him. Suddenly he tripped over his feet and then lay on the ground, stiff as a fallen log.

Good enough.

I pressed on, trying to remain out of sight, darting through the trees in the direction Kailani gently coaxed me in. As I was barreling through the woods, freezing one or two warriors in our way, we suddenly came upon a cluster of necromerians. They were standing around a map talking battle strategy as I burst from a thicket and right into their midst.

There were over a dozen of them and they leapt backwards, startled, a few of them hissing. I skidded to a stop before them and Kailani let a curse word fly. I felt that king’s power course through my veins but before I could even concentrate to use it, the necros pounced.

They were so fast. I blinked and then they were on us.

My first fear was Kailani. I had no idea of her abilities and so I darted to the side to avoid two of the bloodsuckers but took a third head-on. It leapt onto my back, right where Kailani was riding and I steeled myself. A fourth came for me and I tore into her leg with my jaws. A body flew from my back, landing before me, and I was relieved to see it wasn’t the elvin queen. A dagger lay embedded in the chest of the necro.

Freeze, I thought and pushed it out like a net. The necros slowed but didn’t stop.

I remembered Axil’s advice. It was less about the word and more about the vision of it. Which was impossible to do when panicking! I imagined all of the necros suddenly grasping their heads in horrific pain, and one by one they dropped to their knees screaming.