Fiametta’s smile was slow, like a cat seeing something it wanted to pounce on. I crossed my arms over my chest and held her gaze.

The queen spoke to Lark, but her eyes never left mine. “I offered you my help, Larkspur. Not the world. Not the Tracker. And not even for this girl here would I step outside of the Pit.” Fiametta waved a hand at me, fire blooming over her fingertips.

Lark took a step toward the queen. “We saved you, Fiametta.”

The queen’s gaze sharpened along with her tongue. “And I would not throw that gift away for a battle that is not ours. You know that, Larkspur. You know this is not our battle.”

A change slipped over Lark, one so subtle I wasn’t sure at first what I was seeing. She turned and addressed the crowd that had gathered so quietly I hadn’t noticed them.

“The Terralings, my people, go to fight at the side of the supernaturals for the safety of this world. As elementals, do we not owe it to the world we sustain to protect it? Do you think the demons will stop with taking the humans down? How long before they turn their greedy eyes to us? How long before they decide to rape our women, and destroy our sanctuaries? To steal our magic and subvert the elements themselves to their whims?”

A low murmur rumbled through the crowd. A tall man stepped forward, his body encased in the same black leather as the queen’s. His hair was cut short, pale blond with hints of red slipping through it.

“Lark, I will stand with you against this threat. You saved our boy, and our family. I owe you my life.”

He dropped to one knee and Lark went to him, touching him on the shoulder. “Do not kneel to me, Brand. I am not your queen, nor do I want to be.”

Griffin leaned down beside me. “Show them what you can do with their element, little witch. Convince them you are one of their own.”

A few others stepped forward and spoke for Lark as I considered what I could possibly do to convince these elementals I was truly of their blood. I stepped forward, and at the same time, called the fire to my skin. It danced over me as I’d seen it dance over Fiametta until it lit me like a torch.

The weight of the queen’s eyes were the heaviest, but all of them were watching me. “I am of your blood, your queen has pronounced it. Yet I am the weakest of you, am I not?”

There was a low murmur of assent. The magic trembled over me. “And I will go into battle, and you will hide here and wait for the weakest of your own kind to keep you safe. You are cowards.”

I let the magic go and slumped to my knees. Griffin caught me before I could hit the ground. “Well done, yeah? How did you know that pride is their downfall?”

My body shook from the exertion it took to control that much fire. “I didn’t. I only said what I knew would push me to do something.”

He chuckled softly. “It’s not a guarantee, but I think you’ve given it the best you can, yeah?”

I smiled up at him, the edges of my mouth trembling with fatigue. “Yeah.”

CHAPTER 35

LARK

WE LEFT THE Pit, with only a few assurances of help. Brand and his family would be at the battle. At least that was something, I had to believe it.

That was it. Even the firewyrms were reluctant to commit, despite my cajoling. The fact was they’d barely stuck their noses out of the tunnel that would have taken us to their nests. Ungrateful bastards.

Frustration and fear nipped at me. I could feel the seconds ticking by, drawing us closer to the time I was to stand with Rylee and help her with the ceremony.

Unable to face another failure, I took us to the Deep. Queen Finley welcomed me with open arms. Her blue hair fell to her waist in long curling waves that brushed against her soft curves. She’d matured into a beautiful woman, with a confidence and grace that I knew she’d earned.

“Lark, I know what is coming,” she breathed into my ear as she hugged me. “My Seers have told me we must fight for our lives or risk living under the boots of the demons. We will be there. Even now, I have sent my best to gather at the place you have spoken of.”

I pulled back from her. “You always were wiser than your years, Finley.”

She waved a hand at me, bracelets tinkling against her ivory skin. “I have sent an emissary to the Eyrie.”

“What’s that?” Pamela asked.

“Not a what. A where. The Sylph’s reside in the Eyrie. And they don’t like me much,” I said softly. My last visit there had been catastrophic to say the least.

Finley nodded. “I remember. Which is why I sent a note to the queen, asking her to help on my behalf. She did promise to fight at my side if the time ever came.”

I swallowed hard. “Then we have done all we can. We must hurry.”

Pamela looked around us with more than a little awe. “I would like to come back here one day.”

Finley looked at her and then did a double take. “She carries our element.”

“She carries all five.”

The young queen gasped and took a step back. “Is she Requiem’s child?”

“No, no. She is a blend of the five elemental bloodlines. Though she is the strongest witch ever born to this world; not an elemental in truth.” Finley slowly relaxed and I understood all too well her fear.

Requiem was a monster from her past. I didn’t blame her for fearing his shade still. “Finley, I can take us all there in a matter of seconds.”

She looked at me, and my hand on the weapon at my side. “Been making things you aren’t supposed to again?”