Something Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter 53

Magic rocked the ground with a great explosion. Douxie knocked the pirates back, magic blasting concussively, denting the stone around them. The fae wizard yelled in outrage, eyes glowing brightly with his power.

Daisy's first mate, the taller dark-haired fae hissed defiantly at his new opponent. Douxie's nose wrinkled and he hissed right back, fangs flashing in the sunlight. The fae retreated back a few steps, recalculating. Jim was grateful for the temporary reprieve, readjusting his footing. He glanced at his brother again. Douxie looked half mad and completely feral. And also extremely pissed.

The other fae pirates were struggling to their feet, and were now being faced with the fact that the Trollhunters had a significant amount of back up. More of the Wild Hunt and fae guards were filing into the arena, and so were the rest of the Trollhunters, sporting new weapon since all theirs had been confiscated. Somewhere nearby Jim could hear a loud roar.

"Tell them to stand down!" Arawn shouted to Jim's left. Jim looked over his shoulder, unsurprised to see the king glaring down at Carter's psycho sister. "You're surrounded and outnumbered, girl. Stand down."

Carter was gripping tight to his sword, standing too close to her for Jim's comfort. Daisy seethed at the king, expression boiling with rage.

"You'll have to kill us," she hissed. "And we won't go down without a fight."

Arawn's silver eyes flashed with straight up murder. Jim did not like that look. "I don't have a problem ridding my kingdom of pests like you."

A sword appeared in his hand with a flash of light. He swung it with no remorse in his eyes. And that sword would have met its target, if not for the remaining bronze scimitar that came swinging to meet it—stopping it in its tracks.

***

Arawn's eyes snapped up to meet Carter's, shocked. "What are you doing?"

Carter pressed back against the fae king's sword, still determined to save his sister. "She's not dying today."

"Carter!" Jim shouted at him, but Carter ignored him. Arawn guessed the young king would have come running to diffuse the situation, but the fae boy struck—stealing his attention for the fight.

Arawn looked back at Carter, nose and brows wrinkling with anger. "Carter," he hissed. "She has murdered countless innocents! My people, Douxie's people! And you want her to live?"

Carter looked at him, dark eyes filling with confliction. "I... she's my sister. She deserves a chance to be free of him."

Arawn looked down at the demigod at their feet, pinned to the ground with Carter's second sword. She looked shocked. He looked back up at his wyr's lover. "She isn't like you, Carter. She doesn't have your heart."

"Only because he beat it out of her!" Carter pressed, arms straining against Arawn's sword. He did not have his usual strength. His sister had beaten that out of him. Carter was too good, too kind. And she did not deserve his mercy. "Please, Arawn." He begged. "Let me try. I can show her more, that she can be more than the weapons our father turned us into."

"Moron," his sister hissed.

Carter ignored her, keeping his eyes on the king. "Please," he asked again.

Arawn sighed, pulling his blade back. Carter's shoulders sagged when the weight was taken away. "You can try. But when— if she turns out to be a lost cause, I will end this." He glared at the girl. She glared back at him. "My people will not suffer at the hands of vengeful mortals again."