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Leander

(Author’s Note: If you haven’t read Book 1, Fae’s Captive, you’re going to want to do that before starting Road to Winter)

Fire scorches across my back as I twist away fromy vision

“On your right!” Gareth leaps for her, sword swinging, but she disappears in a black plulee

“You taste like pointer king” Her voice whistles through the trees “Old, strong roots Cold wind and the delicious bite of fresh snow”

I stuht as I follow my mate’s scent Her fear is acrid inher past ht froone when the other changeling began to yell

Gareth keeps close to ain, but now the stakes are even higher I can’t lose Taylor

“So sweet to try and save your poor, poor mate” The voice comes from everywhere and nowhere

“If you’ve harmed her, I will—”

“No” A shadohips to ht “I won’t harm that one That wouldn’t do Don’t you knohat she is?”

I sense the attack co out with lances off her obsidian skin, the blow jarring up my arm

“She’s a changeling, foul witch,” Gareth growls and throws out his hand, sending a wild blue fireball crashing into her

But she’s an Obsidian Fire cannot har the flaain

Her cackle sounds from behind the next tree I rush forward and stab the spot, finding only air Another slash of fire opens across my back, and I whirl as the dark creature dances back, her feet not touching the ground Gareth rushes her, swinging for her face, but she vanishes before he lands the blow

“A changeling?” The cackle grows to a cacophony that echoes around us “Fools”

There’s only one way to destroy an Obsidian witch, and it alht until my last breath This sacrifice will be worth it

“Draw her ahead of us” I back up to stand next to Gareth Blood drips down a nasty gash on his face If he’s not careful, he’ll have another wound to ht cheek

“This one gives even better than the last one we killed” He spits blood “It will take all you have Can you do it?”

“I have to Be ready”

He grimaces “You shouldn’t—”

“Secrets ht besideis there

Gareth limps ahead of me, his sword down He’s exposed The witch won’t be able to resist Dirty fighters, they take their prey however they can get it

Her sharp claws click, each tap like a crack of lightning Gareth drops his sword and trips, falling onto his knees

The darkness grows around him

I close e warm air, the hint of brimstone, the flowery scent that pervades these woods But when I open round freezes beneathof frost as I focus on the darkness that circles my second in command

“Sleep noarrior Sleep and knoill take you with me Back to my cave You will join my beautiful bones Your flesh ilt until I’ behind him, her claws drawn back

I focus on her as everything inside h me in a rush that almost knocks me off my feet We only have one shot at this, one chance to destroy her before she kills all of us

She slashes doard, her black claws glinting, and I pushthe icy bite of the winter realm in all its beautiful terror

The witch screeches, but the ice does its work, freezing her stone skin and locking her into a prison of frost I keep ainst the winter’s hold Beads of sweat coat my body, and my wounds bleed like a ic is spent to cage the witch Her struggles slow, her body freezing into a e and fear When the ice is thick around her, I holdall of it on her Just like any stone, freezing makes obsidian brittle, prone to crack and shatter Her skin provides the perfect armor … until it’s chilled by the heart of the winter realm

Gareth grabs his sword and rises “Al back, he aims to shatter her

“I relent!” she screah frozen lips “I relent and shall not harm any of your party!”

Gareth pauses and glances ataway My radius of ice blasts outward, coating every tree and flower in sight with frost I h to her rotted heart before he can strike I’ into every dark nook and putrid cranny of her being

“A boon in exchange for my life” Her voice is a wail, her black form frozen in a sea of white ice “Please, my lords A boon for your mate! Spare my life”

“Leander?” Gareth still holds his sword high, ready to splinter her into nothing lass It’s the only way to kill her