Clash of Wills (16 page)

Sweet relief.
Nick has come!

A second dart found its mark in Aurora’s throat. Moments later, a man rushed past with his sword drawn.
Wills!
He swung his blade at Aurora’s neck, separating her head from her body. As the silver sword passed through the demon’s body, the metal dissolved. Aurora exploded, sending a cloud of bitterly cold frost and fog into the air. Unable to see until the white mist settled, Samantha crawled across the floor until she found her brother’s body. He lay still and silent, and his chest was barely moving.

“Julian?”

No answer.

Trembling with fear, Samantha slipped the medallion’s chain over his head.

“Can you hear me?”

With a hideous cracking noise, the castle began to fall apart in earnest. Wills’ hand snaked around her arm.

“We have to go,
now!”
he shouted.

“Not without Julian!”

“He’s gone, Samantha!”

The groan that escaped her brother’s lips was the most beautiful sound Samantha had ever heard.

“No, he’s not. Help him!”

Wills dragged Julian toward the door. A winged horse suddenly burst into the throne room.
Nick!
Her cousin neighed as he struggled to stay upright on the slippery floor. Wills quickly threw Julian across Nick’s back.

“Get to safety!” Wills exclaimed.

An ominous creaking overhead made Samantha gasp. As the castle swayed, Nick bolted through the door. Wills grabbed Samantha and together they fled the crumbling castle.

On the bank of the moat, Nick launched himself into the air, narrowly avoiding a falling section of parapet. As he flew himself and Julian to safety, Wills pulled Samantha toward the water.

“The drawbridge is submerged. We’ll have to swim across!” he shouted.

Chunks of ice were falling everywhere, splashing into the water and gouging huge pits in the ground wherever they landed.

She shook her head. “We’ll never make it.”

A tugging on her pant leg made her look down. A mud demon was frantically trying to get her attention. When she realized what he was pointing at, a faint ray of hope pierced her despair. One of the ice walls had fallen at such an angle as to make a floating island in the moat. She grabbed Wills’ hand and tugged. “Come on!”

They sped toward the ice island as the last tower came crumbling down. With a mighty leap, they hurtled off the bank onto the ice, nearly sliding off the other side. The falling tower landed in the moat, and the resulting surge of water pushed the island close enough to the edge for Samantha and Wills to jump into shallower water. They waded out of the chilly lake just as the castle collapsed completely. A shard of flying ice would have hit Samantha if Wills hadn’t tackled her to the ground. Shivering and stunned, she tried to catch her breath.

“Are you all right?” Wills’ voice sounded weak.

“You came back for me and Julian,” she said. “You saved our lives.”

Silence. To her dismay, he had lapsed into unconsciousness. As she peered at him, she realized every bit of exposed skin was hatched with silvery scratches and riddled with puncture marks.
Mud demons!

At Wills’ bedside, Samantha watched him sleep. Although Julian had been mortally wounded, with the infusion of life energy Aurora’s medallion provided, he had rallied. Wills, however, was a different matter. Mud demon poison had sent him to a place no ordinary medicine could reach. Once she was convinced Julian was out of danger, Samantha refused to leave Wills’ side.

Nick came into the room. “How is he doing?”

“No better. How did he get like this?”

“As the castle began to melt, mud demons appeared. They blocked Wills’ way into the castle, but he fought his way past.”

“I daresay the mud demons were trying to protect me. They would have done better to attack Aurora.” Samantha gave Nick a crooked grin. “By the way, I didn’t know you could sprout wings.”

He chuckled. “Neither did I. The wings were born out of desperation. I couldn’t swim across the water, so flying was the next thing that came to mind. The castle was coming apart so fast I was afraid I’d be too late to do any good.”

Mara and Julian appeared in the cottage doorway. Although Julian was leaning heavily on Mara, he was upright and alert. Nick rushed to help him into a chair.

Julian’s gaze fell to Wills. “Any change?”

“No,” Samantha said. “And I don’t know what else to do.”

Julian lifted the medallion from around his neck. “Let’s see if a little demon energy will help.”

Her brows drew together, but her fingers closed around the metal disk. “He’d hate the idea of drawing strength from this.” Despite her misgivings, she laid the medallion on the skin over Wills’ heart. “I’ll ask him for forgiveness later.”

Four sets of eyes stared at the prince, but he didn’t stir. Samantha sighed. “It was worth a try.” She glanced at Mara. “I was very sorry to hear about Blair.”

“Thank you. He was laid to rest this morning.”

“Does anyone how he was killed?” Julian asked.

“Aurora had begun to extend her reach toward Elturon and snow was everywhere,” Nick said. “Wills and Blair were heading for the Stairs of Tears when they were ambushed by her guardsmen. Blair had already been killed when I came upon them and Wills was fighting for his life.” He paused. “He’s really the most remarkable swordsman I’ve ever seen.”

Wills coughed. “You’re just saying that because it’s true.”

As spring continued to awaken life in the Kingdom of the Fae, Julian, Mara, Samantha, Nick, and Wills gathered around an open fire pit to destroy Aurora’s medallion. Wills tossed the metal disk into the center of the pit.

Nick scratched his head. “Are we really sure about this? The medallion can be used for good. Julian and Wills are proof of that.”

“Yes, but it can also be used for evil,” Julian said. “Now that we have the means to destroy it, we must.”

“It’s the only way we can be sure Aurora is truly gone,” Samantha said.

Julian nodded at Samantha. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. Perhaps you should all step back,” she said. “I really don’t know what will happen when the demon energy is released.”

Everyone except for Wills backed away several yards.

“You, too, Wills,” she said. “Your parents will be expecting you to arrive home in one piece.”

He came to stand beside her. “After everything that has happened, I’ll take my chances.”

She focused her attention on the medallion, cleared her mind, and mustered a white-hot demon fire. The metal began to glow, and its edges softened. As rivulets of liquid metal dribbled into the dirt, a beam of pure energy shot skyward. Wills and Samantha were knocked flat by the impact. The light, ice blue in color, morphed into Aurora. Her eery, agonized scream jangled the nerves of everyone within earshot. When the demon stretched her arms out of the fire pit, Wills scrambled to pull Samantha out of reach. With one last shriek, Aurora vanished and the light disappeared.

Afterward, everyone crept closer to the fire pit to examine what was left. Except for a few cooling strands of metal, no trace of the medallion remained.

Nick grinned. “Well, that is that, as they say.”

Samantha shuddered. “I hope I never have to destroy demon energy again.”

“I’m still too weak to travel, but in a few days’ time I’ll accompany Samantha and Nick back to Paloran,” Julian said. “I can only hope dealing with my father won’t be as difficult as dealing with Aurora.”

Mara laced her fingers with his. “Perhaps King Tomas will be in a better mood when we tell him our news.”

“News?” Samantha asked.

Julian’s smile lit his face. “Mara has consented to be my bride.”

“A wedding? How wonderful!” Samantha exclaimed.

Nick slapped Wills on the back. “You’ll be hitting the road for Insolitia soon, I take it?”

“Indeed I will.”

Samantha cleared her throat. “My parents will hear of your bravery and daring, Wills. I don’t know how we can ever thank you enough.”

“You saved my life as well, Princess. Seems to me we’re finally even.”

As Wills nursed a tankard of ale in the Tavern of Fae, melancholy descended. He planned to leave for Insolitia at first light, but this time he was to travel alone. Although he was looking forward to seeing Joe again, their carefree relationship would be forever altered.
Good for Joe. I like Nan and I’m happy he’s found a mate.
The upcoming nuptials of Prince Julian and Princess Mara were even more reason to celebrate.
Then why am I so unhappy?

Nick sat down at his table with a tankard of ale. “Mind if I join you? Looks like you could use a friend.”

Wills chuckled. “I’m fine, thanks, but I welcome your company.”

“You’re not fine. Anyone can see that.”

“Lingering effects of the mud demon poison.”

“Nonsense.”

“You’ve another theory?”

“You’re in love with my cousin.”

“
You’re
in love with your cousin.”

“Don’t be flippant, Your Highness. I don’t deny I find Samantha exceptionally attractive. And if she showed the slightest interest in me, I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”

“She’s a demon.”