Wylde Magic | Book 3

Forty Seven: Parting Words

I nodded. 'You're right, I think we should find him. But, I'm worried about you, Spaulder.'

A horn sounded from far below the city. Schula walked over to the door, cracking it open again.

'What was that?' I asked.

'Hm. The wave was a lie, then the real plan of the Winter army must be starting,' Spaulder said. 'The time to act is now. I will fly you near enough to the treetops below when I have a sufficient distraction.'

'And we can slip into the forest and find Teyber!' Schula clapped her palms together. 'Brilliant.'

The sounding of horns again pulled all of us out of our excitement. Screaming now reached even our ears at the top of the city, and I paled as I raced for the door.

'What in the Wyldes is happening down there?' Schula asked.

'Time to go,' Spaulder grunted, standing and making his way around the cramped space to push through the door. 'Up you get, little ones.'

Even with his warning I barely managed to scramble up his side and to his back before he had pushed his great head through the door. The first thing I saw was two startled guards, but Spaulder didn't give them any time to react. He lifted his head up and roared, announcing his presence to all.

'Well, if they didn't notice before they will now,' Schula added.

'Don't we want to stay inconspicuous as long as possible?'  I held on for dear life as Spaulder bound out of the old barracks house and spread his wings wide.

'Normally I would say yes,' he answered. 'But today, we add an air of chaos to the field, for both sides that have wronged us.'

He cackled wickedly as he beat his wings, lifting us into the air as he took off. I looked down to where our guards were now staring upward, baffled, but unable to give chase in the skies above.

'Look!' Schula called out. 'There really is a battle going on down there.'

I moved my gaze from the guards around the fish pond below us to the greater picture around. Thank the Stars for my elvish eyes, because I wouldn't have been able to see what was happening in such sharp detail otherwise.

The field outside the city was littered with the fallen. The haggard and dirty uniforms of the Winter army were apparent against the shining gold of the Summer court. The battle had been so little effort for the Summer court that it did the one thing I had found the fae to be quite susceptible to. It riled up their egos.

Easy as it was to sway a fae to heightened emotions, the Summer creatures fell into it. Revelry, confidence, mockery for their enemies. Even with the grim task of shuffling the dead bodies to a pile for burning, the Summer court was merry at their work.

My eyes darted around, seeking out Peyorla and her trusted few that she let into her audience room with us before. Those worthy of witnessing her so called trial would likely be trusted enough to be part of her city's protection.

I knew I was right when my eyes fell on a male I somewhat recognized from the room. He was clearly giving orders, and it allowed me to see who else was around him. The outer walls of the city were dotted with stations that you wouldn't notice on a day to day basis, but this male made me see them in a new light, and sure enough, every section of wall held a space for the leadership to stand. It didn't take long to spot Peyorla.

Standing, leaning on the edge of a wall with a white-knuckled grasp as she stared down the battlefield. Her golden hair waving behind her in the hot summer breeze. Aithne and her companions were on the ground below the queen's part of the wall, speaking up to her.