Her braids were gone, her hair now a billowy halo of tight black curls. She wore a flowing golden gown and beaded ceremonial chest plate. Beside her, on a pedestal, sat a gold and bronze crown. Its needlelike spikes glinted in the dimmed light.

“Thank the Gods you’re here,” Delta growled. “Though you should have been here with Lina, not after her.”

She stood in front of Saika, her thin sword gripped tightly in her hand. Across the room, Darrow and Tem had their weapons drawn too, guarding the locked door. They all jolted as something collided with the doorframe. Fists pounded and the wood groaned.

“They attacked hours ago,” Delta continued, briefing Bri as if she were a soldier under her command. “At least fifty of them. We fell back to the royal chambers, but it won’t be long until they breach this door.”

“Do they have witch magic with them?” Bri asked, scanning Delta up and down. She stood rod straight, a soldier ready for battle, but Bri didn’t know how well she’d hold herself in this fight, having only recently recovered from her surgery.

Delta shook her head. “Not that we’ve seen.”

Even without magic to contend with, fifty fae soldiers were too many to handle on their own. Where were the castle guards? Why hadn’t they been prepared for this ambush? Had they known their attackers? They needed to buy time until Bri’s other friends reached the door.

“Shit,” Talhan muttered as he fell across the broken glass. In her panic, Bri had forgotten he was behind her. “Thanks for the help.”

Waving him off, Bri held her gaze on Lina’s. “Rua’s here. We’ve got the Immortal Blade now.”

Lina’s eyes stormed in a swirl of emotions that made the rest of the room pause. Bri didn’t know if Lina heard a word she’d said. She opened her mouth, eager to say the words rolling through her mind, but Delta spoke.

“They attacked the guards from all sides. So many masks . . .” Delta glanced sideways at Bri, guilt on her face. “We left them out there to fight off the attackers.”

“We were preparing to die.” Darrow’s throat bobbed, his voice quavering. “I don’t understand it.”

“But now we are saved.” Tem’s voice was barely a whisper as he peered across the room to Lina. “We should crown you at once, Your Highness. Let this be your first victory as Queen.”

Something in the way he said it made Bri look at him twice, and her heart plummeted to her feet. Bile rose in her throat as she eyed the purple flower in Tem’s breast pocket.

Blooming amethyst.

“You,” she breathed, her limbs filling with fire as the shock blanketed her skin.

“What?” Tem’s brow furrowed.