“Right,” I said.
I remembered Nylah explaining it to me that way. When I’d arrived here, it had all seemed so surreal, like part of a fairy tale. The more I became a part of this world, the more I realized it was all very real. And it had become real to me. This was my home now, after all.
“We have to be careful when we counter an attack,” Ren said. “With the Uprain Mountains in the middle, we’ll have to be careful about losing human lives. Palgia won’t hesitate to crush anything and anyone in its path, humans and fairies alike.”
“Why don’t we use the humans as shields?” Lucia asked.
My chest constricted. “What?” I demanded, breathless.
“If we sacrifice them first, it will wear out the Palgians. By the time we get there, we can win the war.”
“So…” I was struggling to wrap my mind around what she was saying. Blood rushed in my ears, and anger and indignation burned hot on my skin. “You’re suggesting we sacrifice the humans for the sake of an easy win?”
Lucia shrugged. “Once I’m queen, humans won’t keep the same liberties they now enjoy.”
“What are you talking about?” I shot back. “Some humans still exist as slaves in Jasfin. They don’t have any liberties.”
Lucia offered a sly look. “Enslaving the humans is the right thing to do, and it’s what the Fae have done for very long time. Palgia isn’t giving up that practice anytime soon. Humans are lesser beings. Why mess with the way things are? It’s worked for centuries.”
“Has it?” I challenged. “It’s easy to say when you’re not a slave.” My whole life, the Fae had oppressed me because I was alesser being. I’d had to fight for a roof over my head, food in my belly, my basic right tosurvivebecause someone had decided we weren’t good enough, while Lucia lived a carefree, comfortable life surrounded by luxury.
What would she do if she had to fend for herself, even just for a day? She would lie down and die.
Lucia shook her head, irritated. “Will you blame me for my birthright?” She put her hand on Ren’s arm, her eyes finding his. “It’s high time Jasfin makes all humans slaves again, instead of working toward their freedom.”
I couldn’t believe it. My chest was tight, and I struggled to breathe. My ears rang, and anger flashed red before my eyes.
“You’re a heartless bitch!” I cried out.
Lucia jumped up. “Careful how you talk to me, little rat,” she sneered. “I flattened you before. I can do it again.”
“I’d like to see you try,” I challenged. My ire was in control now. If she attacked me, I didn’t know what I would do.
Before I could act, Lucia slammed a powerful wave of magic into me. It hit me so hard, I flew back, my chair toppling over, and I hit the far wall of the room. Lucia was in front of me in the blink of an eye. She held her hands up, curled as if she were strangling me, but she wasn’t touching me. Her fingers were curled around air.
It didn’t feel that way. She was squeezing the life out of me. Her magic was so powerful, it forced its way into my body and caused every vessel to constrict. Lucia wasn’t only strangling my neck, she was strangling every inch of me with her magic.
Nylah and Ren jumped into action. Ren threw a powerful spell between me and Lucia, and it shoved her back. I gasped for air as everything opened again, and I could breathe.
“That’s enough!” Ren shouted, and he bound Lucia’s hands with magic.
She screamed, and I felt her fighting the bonds, trying to break it with her own magic. But she didn’t have enough of it—Ren was far more powerful than she was.
When he did, it was like a veil lifted. I could feel it drawing back, and Ren and Nylah both took a deep breath. They blinked as if they’d just woken up. They stared at each other.
Ren’s eyes were wide, but anger replaced the surprise, and his lips twisted in a snarl. “What have you done?”
He grabbed Lucia by the arm and dragged her out of the room.
“Are you okay?” Nylah asked, kneeling next to me. She looked at me, concerned, eyes flitting over my face and body to see if there was any damage she wasn’t aware of.
“I’m okay,” I gasped and coughed. “I just need a moment.”
Nylah nodded and sat back.
“Courageous to call her a bitch,” she said.
“Someone had to do it.”