Kingdom of Ash

Darkness fanned through the room,
blocking the rain of fiery arrows that shot for
Maeve, and the queen dared to glance over a
shoulder to the red-hot fate that awaited her.
Maeve’s face went whiter than death.
Aelin rasped a laugh, and angled Goldryn,
gathering her power one last time.
But a flicker of motion caught her eye—to
the right.
Elide.
Elide stood there, terror written over her
features. She reached a hand for Aelin in
warning, “Watch—”
Maeve sent a whip of black for the Lady of
Perranth.
No—
Aelin lunged, fire leaping for Elide, to
block that fatal blow.
She realized her mistake within a
heartbeat. Realized it as her hands passed