A husky, echoing laugh left me. His comment—as twisted and wrong as it was—helped me pull all that power back inside. I pictured the shimmering web fading, and when it did, I shut down my senses, and the silvery-white glow faded from my skin.

I stared at what was left of the attackers, searching for any sign of remorse, but all I found was a sense of sadness for a life wasted. These people, the members of the Unseen, could’ve chosen anything for themselves, and they had chosen this—actions based on one-sided beliefs of bloodlines and a fake prophecy.

“You okay?” Delano’s soft question intruded on my thoughts.

I looked over at him and nodded. “You?”

His pale eyes searched mine. “Yes.”

“Gods.” Emil’s lip curled as he dragged a hand over his face, wiping away the greasy blood as he stared down at the ashes and piles of oily dirt. “What did they really hope to accomplish?”

It was clear to me what they wanted.

Seeking out Casteel, my gaze locked with his. His eyes, like vibrant chips of glacial topaz, held mine. “They don’t want me to take the Crown,” I said. “They failed. So will anyone else who thinks they can stop me.”

A razor-thin smile appeared on Casteel’s face. “Damn straight.”

Chapter 35

“It could’ve been someone in the inn at Tadous,” Emil said as we rode on, watchful for more attacks. He and Naill were now in front of us, which I found…strangely amusing. They rode in a manner to protect me—Casteel and I—and I thought that perhaps I should be riding in front of them. “Or it could’ve been someone who saw Arden on his way to Evaemon and assumed he was bringing word to the capital of our arrival.”

I hoped that Arden had made it to the palace safely.

“Hey,” Casteel said quietly. I looked over to where he rode beside me, noticing then that Kieran and Delano had spread out a bit, giving us space. “What you did back there? You did the right thing.”

“I know.” And I did. “We could’ve kept fighting them, but someone would’ve gotten hurt, and I wasn’t going to allow that.”

“You’re amazing,” he replied, and I laughed softly. “I mean that, Poppy. Actually, you may be a deity, but you looked like a goddess.”

“Well, thank you.” I smiled at him. “I’m just glad that I did and could control it.”

“Same.” One side of his lip curved up. “That kind of ability will come in handy down the road.”

I thought of the Blood Queen.

Yes, it would.

A moment passed. “Those Unseen? They don’t represent Atlantia. What they think or want is not who the kingdom is.”

Our gazes met. “I know.” And that was…well, I wasn’t sure if that was true or not. I’d met many Atlantians who’d been welcoming, friendly even. I’d met some who’d been wary and reserved. But there had been at least two dozen Unseen among the Gyrms. How many were out there? How many people could they have infected with their beliefs that I would destroy Atlantia?