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.“Faster,” I told Spikerail, and he broke into a trot, stirring up clouds of ash as we moved through the forest.The sounds of battle drew closer.And then the trees fel away, and we were gazing down on mass chaos.I’d seen the fey in battle twice now, but this seemed even more vicious, more desperate, as if hell itself hadbeen released onto the field.Troops swarmed each other like ants, hacking with ancient and modernweapons, blades and armor glinting in the swirling ash storm.Iron beetles lumbered through the mobs, thegunmen on their backs blasting away.Creatures plunged and dove through the air; an icy-blue dragon, itsscales streaked with red, landed on the back of an iron bug, blasted the musket elves with a deadly spray offrost before they could react, and swooped away again.A gryphon, darting by with an elfin rider, wassnatched out of the air by a clockwork golem and smashed against a rock.Two metal ic praying mantisesdouble-teamed a Summer knight, slashing at him with their massive, curved blades, until he slipped in the ashand was instantly beheaded.The battle wasn’t going well, it seemed.There was a lot more silver and gray on the field than green and gold,blue and black.“Looks like we got here just in time,” Puck mused beside me.“Ready for the ‘here comes the cavalry’ charge,princess?”“If we hit their right flank,” Ash said, observing the battle with narrowed silver eyes, “we may surprise themwhere their line is thin and tear through them before they can react.”I met both their gazes, fierce, protective, blazing with determination and love, and felt no fear.Well, maybe alittle fear, but it was swal owed by resolve and the almost painful need to win this fight.Drawing my blade, Iwheeled Spikerail to face the army—my army, truth be told—and looked out over the taut, waiting forces.“For Faery!” I called, raising my sword, and the rebels took up the cry.A few hundred voices rose into the air,roaring, cheering, stabbing their weapons skyward.My adrenaline soared as the crescendo echoed aroundme, and I howled again, adding my voice to the mix.With a shrill whinny, Spikerail reared, pawing the air, andplunged down the slope.Wind whipped at my hair and ash swirled around me, stinging my eyes.My ears were fil ed with poundinghoof-beats and the roar of the army behind us.We neared the ocean of battle, the rise and fall of soldiers likewaves on the shore, the scream and clash of weapons, and roared as we came in, like a hurricane coming toland.The false king’s army turned just as we hit them, their eyes going wide, desperately readying to meet thisnew threat, but by then it was too late.We slammed into them with the force of a tidal wave, swift and vengeful, and all hel broke loose around me.Spikerail plunged through the masses, blasting and breathing flame, powerful hooves lashing out at those whogot too close.I struck out from his back, stabbing at the false king’s army with my sword.Everything waschaos.I was vaguely aware of Ash and Puck fighting close to me, fending off attacks from all sides.I saw Ashstab one Iron knight through the chest and hurl an ice spear through another.I saw Puck throw what looked likea fuzzy golf ball at a group of Iron knights, where it erupted into an angry grizzly.Glitch whirled his spear in a deadly circle, lightning arcing from the tip, stabbing the point through the knights’ armor to fry them toblackened husks.Where’s Oberon? I wondered, blocking a spear thrust at my face, kicking the knight away.I had to find him, totell him that the rebels were not the enemy, that they were here to help.I spotted Glitch through a lul in thefighting and nudged Spikerail in his direction.If Glitch was there as wel , to explain himself and his actions,perhaps Oberon would listen.“Glitch!” I cal ed as we drew close.“Come with m—”A bel ow interrupted us, and a huge clockwork golem plowed through the ranks, swinging its club and sendingrebels flying.It caught Glitch by surprise, and the rebel leader tried to dodge, too late.The metal club caught his horse’s shoulder and knocked both of them several feet through the air.I screamed, but my voice was lostin the cacophony, and the golem lumbered closer to the motionless Glitch, raising its club for the killing blow.Ash suddenly wheeled his horse around and charged the golem, hurling an ice dagger that shattered off themetal skul , making its head snap up.Roaring, it swung at Ash, and my heart leaped to my throat as the hugeclub came swooshing down.But at the last moment, Ash sprang from his mount’s back and landed on thegolem’s arm, running up to its shoulder.As the golem pul ed back with a roar, thrashing and flailing, the IcePrince raised his sword and stabbed it through the construct’s neck.There was a flash of blue light, and thegolem bellowed, fal ing to its knees.Ash leaped off the giant, landing on his feet in the grass, as the golemshuddered and collapsed into a hundred pieces of frozen clockwork, rol ing through the ashes.“I’m not impressed, ice-boy!” Puck yelled, kicking away an Iron knight.“Do that again, only this time, make itdance!”Ignoring Puck, I turned Spikerail and hurried over to where Glitch had fallen.His horse lay in an ash drift,struggling to get up, and Glitch lay a few feet away, his spikes snapping feebly.“Glitch!” I leaped off Spikerail’s back and ran to the prone figure, kneeling beside him in the ashes.“Are youal right? 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