With the barricades of the dead and wounded, it was easier to control the number of assailants attacking at once. The room thinned as more and more bodies went down. Clusters of fighting broke out, fractioning off from the giant melee.

“Look out!” Lina shouted, and Bri whirled just in time to block Tem’s blade.

The courtier’s face was scrunched into a look of rage. He stabbed at her again. “You,” he seethed. “You Eagles ruin everything.”

“You planned to play the mourning widower, didn’t you?” Bri blocked his next blow, surprised by his strength. “Too bad your ruse was discovered.”

“Not yet,” he said, slashing at her side but only nicking the fabric.

He laughed as Bri stumbled backward, feigning a misstep that made him lower his guard. She lunged forward, and he narrowly missed her strike.

“If I’m the lone survivor when your friends arrive, they’ll never know.” He ducked under her swing. “They’ll find me crying and heartbroken and give me my crown. The West will still be mine.”

He was reckless but skilled, attacking with the desperation of someone knowing that they had to win. He faked a kick and Bri bent to drop out of striking distance, just as his fist collided with her jaw.

Spots flashed in her vision as blood filled her mouth. Instinctively ducking, she narrowly avoided the killing blow, feeling the blade sweep across her hair.

“Bri!” Lina screamed, hacking her way toward Bri, but another two soldiers got in between them, redirecting her attention.

Slashing blindly, Bri landed her dagger down on Tem’s forearm. He yelped out a pained cry as his leg smashed into her calf. Bri fell onto one knee as his shin collided with her ear. Her dagger dropped from her grip, scattering across the floor, and she lifted her arms, bracing for the strike.

Grinning, Tem lifted his sword. A blade slashed across his bicep and he turned to find Darrow holding up the sanguine sword. He lifted the tip and pointed it at Tem.

Tem gave Bri a kick in the guts, knocking the air out of her before turning to his father. “You would kill your own son?”

Bri dragged herself across the floor toward her dagger as Darrow replied, “If I must.”

“I knew I couldn’t bring you into these plans.” Tem scowled. “You were always too soft-hearted when it came to the Queen. I knew you would never come to the winning side.”

Bri’s fingers reached for the hilt, moving slowly so as to not draw Tem’s attention, but the dagger was still too far from her grasp.

“You have lost, Tem,” Darrow hissed. “How many fools from our household did you needlessly bring into this battle? The powers of the Northern and High Mountain Court are at our doorstep now.”