A rider sat between the creatures shoulder blades, his white armor pristine and shining, not a drop of blood on him. Rowan. "Well, well." The older prince sneered at Claire from the back of his lizard mount. "Here you are again. The wayward princess and our traitor prince. Dont move, Ash," he warned, shooting his brother a dark look. "One tiny move, and Thraxa will snap up your beloved half-breed faster than you can blink. You dont want to lose another girl to wyvern poison, do you?"

Ash already had his sword out, but at Rowans threat he paled and shot Claire a haunted look. He lowered his blade and stepped back.

"Good boy. This will be over soon, dont worry." Rowan raised his fist, and a dozen Thornguards emerged from the trees, weapons drawn, trapping the trio between them and Rowan. "It shouldnt be long now," the older prince smiled. "Once the courts are done tearing each other to pieces, the Iron Kings armies will sweep in, and everything will be over. But first," he continued, turning to glare at Ash, "Ill need that scepter. Hand it over, little brother."

Ash tensed, but before he could do anything, Puck stepped between them, an evil grin stretching his face. "Come and get it," he challenged. Rowan looked over and sneered.

"Robin Goodfellow," he smiled. "Ive heard so much about you. Youre the reason Ariella is dead, arent you?" Puck frowned, but Rowan went on without pause. "A pity Ash wont ever take his revenge, but believe me when I say this will be a pleasure. Thraxa," he ordered, sweeping his arm contemptuously toward Puck. "Kill."

The wyvern hissed and snaked its head down, baring needle sharp fangs. It was frighteningly quick, like a viper, and its jaws snapped shut over Pucks head. Puck exploded in a swirl of leaves, leaving the wyvern blinking and confused. As it drew back, huffing and scanning the ground for its victim, a huge black raven swooped out of the trees, aiming right for its face. With a screeching caw, the bird sank its talons into the side of the wyverns head and plunged its sharp beak into the slitted yellow eye.

She tenses as she watches Puck, frightened for his safety.

The wyvern reared back with a scream, beating its wings and shaking its head, trying to dislodge the bird that clung to it. Rowan, nearly thrown from the saddle, cursed and yanked at the reins, trying to regain control, but the wyvern was panicked now, screeching and thrashing about in anguish.

The raven hung on, jabbing and clawing, until black ichor spattered the wyverns face and the eye was a popped, useless mess. With a caw of triumph, it broke away and swooped back to them, changing to Puck in an explosion of feathers. He was still laughing as he rose to his feet, drawing his weapons with a flourish.

"Kill them!" Rowan screamed, as his mount decided it had had enough, and leaped skyward. "Kill them all and get that scepter! Dont let them ruin everything!"

The Thornguards started forward, closing their deadly half circle. There were a lot of them, seeming to melt out of the trees and bramble. Ash, was still holding both the scepter and his sword in a doubleweapon stance.

Lightning flickered, bright and eerie, and between one flash and the next, a white creature appeared at the edge of the slope. At first, it seemed it was a horse. Only it was smaller and more graceful than any she'd seen before, more deer than equine, with a lions tail and cloven hooves that barely touched the ground. Its horn spiraled up between its ears, beautiful and terrible at the same time, destroying any preconceived notions of the word unicorn. It regarded her with eyes as ancient as the forest.

Grimalkin sent me. The voice whispered in her head, soft as a feathers passing. Hurry, Claire Chase. With a toss of its head, the unicorn turned and vanished down the slope.

She quickly follows it at a sprint.

"Claire!" Ash called, taking a risk and tossing her the Scepter. "Get it to Mab!"

She catches it, continuing to sprint after the creature.

"Hey, Prince," Puck called over his shoulder, "uh, you can join in anytime, now. Whenever youre ready."

A shriek echoed over the valley, and a dark shape wheeled toward them on leathery wings. Rowan was coming back.

The Thornguards charged with a roar. Ash spun toward them, blade flashing, as Puck gave a whooping battle cry and plunged into their midst. The scepter burned in her hands.

The unicorn waited at the bottom of the hill, almost invisible in the mist, its horn more real than the rest of it. Even though the unicorn stood perfectly still, watching her, it was akin to walking up to a tiger that was tame and friendly, but still a tiger. It could either kneel and lay its head in her lap, or explode into violence and skewer her with that glimmering horn. Thankfully it did neither, standing motionless as a statue.

She runs up to it, scepter in hand.

A piercing wail rent the air above them, and the shadow of the wyvern passed overhead. The unicorn jumped, flattening its ears, trembling with the effort not to bolt.

"Thank you." She says softly before looking around the field for Mab.