Perhaps if she went to him she would distract them somehow and buy him time to run??—
“Don’t fucking think about it, Yarrow.”
Sol immediately raised her dagger toward Cattya.
The wind whipped the woman’s hair all over her face in a frenzy as she stepped up beside her. She peered down at Sol. “Relax, I’m not in the mood to hurt you.”
“What do you want?” Sol stood, angling the weapon at her.
Cattya shrugged, “I wanted to watch the show.”
“Princess—” Jonah’s voice was laced with pain. He was now on the ground, blouse completely drenched in blood. They were out of time.
Ezra still stalked forward, an evil grin sprouting on his face at Jonah’s struggle.
Cattya braced her hands on her hips. “What a mess.”
“Please.” Sol lowered the dagger and turned to her. “Please help Cas.”
The woman looked from Cas to Jonah, a pout on her face.
“Queens don’t beg, Yarrow.”
“Even for their people?”
They glared at each other for a precious second, Sol’s desperation cooking into horror as the time slipped by, the very land beneath them shaking with Jonah’s effort.
Finally, Cattya sighed. “Jonah, beat it. Ezra won't collapse the bridge with himself on it.”
Within moments, the sparks of green magic beside them shuddered and disappeared, leaving Jonah in a mess of breath and blood. He looked up at Sol, but before he could protest or speak, she gestured to the small opening along the back wall that would lead him to safety. “Go.”
“I’m only giving him mere seconds.” Cattya stepped forward onto the bridge as her chest winked with flames. “That is going to have to be enough.”
Sol bounced on her heels behind her, feeling defeated and useless. She cursed her mother and everyone who kept thisside of her life hidden, leaving her defenseless and unable to help her people.
The inadequacy she had felt at the beginning of everything, the fear of never fulfilling her mother’s shoes, of not being good enough for her birthright. melted with each drop of sweat, transforming into a raw desire to prove her mind wrong. To prove everyone wrong.
She clenched her fists.
She would get out of these awful Vows and Settle, learn her magic, and hopefully never experience the total helplessness she did as she looked after Cattya.
The Fire Wielder stopped in the center of the bridge, almost directly behind Cas. She swayed her arms in a circle, materializing an incredible wall of flames. She pushed it forward as Cas Warded them with a swift wave of violet.
Then they ran.
Ezra and Cade disappeared behind the wall of fire, giving them time to flee uninterrupted. By the time they neared the end, rain began to pour. The flames extinguished with a sizzle and smoke, revealing Cade with his face toward the skies and a stream of blood trailing down his neck. When he met Sol’s gaze, his eyes glowed.
“Damn Water Dancers,” Cattya mumbled as she stepped into the safety of the mountain, not sparing a single glance at Sol before continuing to the exit. Jonah slumped near the opening, following behind Cattya only after assuring Cas had cleared the bridge as well.
Sol grabbed Cas by the arms, utter relief washing through her. Although he said nothing, she could tell the sentiment was shared as he also grasped her arms with a gentle squeeze. His silver gaze roved all over her, searching for wounds, or maybe just ensuring they had truly made it.
The rain drenched them both in a heartbeat, his hair falling over his eyes as her own swelled with tears.. “Let’s get out of here,” he whispered.
Sol nodded frantically and didn’t protest as he pulled her toward the exit, his hand sliding to interlace with hers.
“I don’t fucking think so.”
Sol was ripped from Cas’s grasp and slammed hard against Ezra’s chest, the smell of smoke still clinging to him. Before Sol could warn him, Cade tackled him into the exit, leaving her alone in Ezra’s hold.
