“Isolde!” a familiar voice called. A wave of relief washed over me, and I returned to my human form at the sound of Killian’s voice. I stumbled and fell, the arrows still protruding from my back.

“Stay still,” he said, but I jerked when he pulled each arrow free, my growl of pain coming out between my teeth.

“By the goddess,” he whispered, and I knew he was witnessing my wounds heal.

“She is not welcome,” I said as I rose to my feet and stumbled toward his horse. “We have to get to the castle.”

I mounted Killian’s horse and he followed behind me.

There came a point when we left the thick of the battle behind, and when we broke through the wood and I caught sight of High City, tears pricked my eyes.

Home.

I could not help thinking it, though right now it was possible everyone within those walls saw me as the enemy. But as quickly as my heart rose at the thought of claiming my throne, it fell at the sight of hundreds of soldiers lining the walls of High City.

Killian did not lessen the speed of his horse as he made his way to the closest gate.

I expected a fight, to be slain the moment we were spotted. That would have been more reasonable than what happened. We were allowed into an open gate—a trap, likely.

“Killian,” I warned.

“I am aware,” he said tightly. “Just…be prepared to show off some of your new skills. Things aren’t likely to go well.”

Once we were through the gates, we were surrounded by soldiers with swords and arrows, both from the ground and from above.

“This is quite a welcome,” I said.

“Queen Isolde,” said a voice, and my gaze shifted to a guard I recognized—Nicolae. “We’ve been expecting you.”

“You know, the army waiting for me at the border gave me the impression that you might be.”

Nicolae smirked. “Still so arrogant in the face of your fall from power.”

“A little presumptuous, as always, Nicolae,” I said.

“Isn’t that something,” he said. “It is almost as if you presumed you could come back and be our queen after fucking the Blood King.”

“I think you might just be jealous, Nicolae,” I said.

“Jealous of a blood whore?” Nicolae scoffed. “Fu—”

“Enough of this,” said Killian. “Take us to King Alaric!”

“You won’t be seeing him, Commander,” said Nicolae. “Neither will the queen.”

The creak of taut bow strings sounded.

This was more than a trap. It was an execution.

“Now, Isolde!” Killian snapped, but I could not leave him. And I could not survive an attack of this magnitude even with my abilities.

But I soon realized that no one was moving. Everyone was still, frozen.