Cruel Is My Court: Wicked Realms: 2 by L.A. McGinnis

Author:L.A. McGinnis [McGinnis, L.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fools Journey Press
Published: 2023-11-19T16:00:00+00:00

32

ANARIA

Raziel lifted me off the horse, my knees buckling when my feet hit the ground.

I should put the bands back on.

I really should. But the thought left me utterly exhausted.

“That shouldn’t be happening.” I managed to loop my arms around his neck, but even that took almost all my strength. “What is wrong with me?”

“You healed me, you dueled with the Fae King, then you wiped out most of his ground troops.” He slipped his arm behind my knees and lifted me up. “You used too much magic, too quickly, and you’re close to burning out. I’d say that’s what’s wrong, to start.”

I didn’t have enough energy to remind Raz about the hounds, the mages, and the soldiers in the Caverns.

“I don’t regret what I did,” I told him stubbornly. “And I didn’t have a choice. The king, at least, forced my hand.”

“Magic isn’t endless, Anaria. Power has limits. You have limits. I’ve fought wars before, and…”

“I know, but I…”

“Listen to me, Anaria.” He stopped between the rows of tents, his voice quiet as he searched my face, his lips tightening at what he saw. “There are limits you mustn’t exceed, because there is too high a price to be paid if you do. This war is just beginning, and our hardest battles still lie ahead. If you burn yourself out now, you will not see the end of the war, do you understand?”

He buried his face in my hair, voice cracking. “You sacrificing yourself to save me…to save any of us is not acceptable. You going beyond your limits is not acceptable. This fight will be long and dangerous and you must always keep some of your strength in reserve. Right now, if the Mistress or the king himself were to appear, how would you defend yourself?”

“I would figure out a way.”

His chest moved as he snorted, but there was only pain in his voice when he answered. “Of that, I have no doubt. But I cannot defend you, Anaria. Not with the collar.”

“And if you take it off, Zor truly dies?”

“According to the king, the spell will kill him, yes.” He must have seen the flash of hope in my eyes because he added, “I’ve thought this through a thousand times, and the king had no reason to lie.”

I chewed my lip. “There is no way around the spell? Nothing that could undo the Shadow King’s magic altogether?”

“I’ve searched the libraries of every city and town I’ve ever been to, great and small. Zor’s blood was used to cast the spell, and you know how binding blood magic is. Break the spell, you break Zorander.”

He navigated the narrow corridor between the identical tents, where a few untended fires still burned. “The collar has to stay on. Only the king himself can remove it.”

“Have you tried asking him?” I asked, trying to muster a smile when his eyes flew wide in disbelief. “You never know, he might be in a good enough mood he’d agree.”

Raz snorted, flattening me against his wide chest.

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