Behind us, the shadow flew at Kaine in a blast that ripped up the floor.
“Done! The poison is in the largest diamond,” Ma’qas cried, then fled.
Ari took the necklace by the clasp. “I’ll save Ysabel. You get out of here.” There was a grim set to his mouth, like a hero making a sacrifice. I knew full well he did not expect to make it out of the building before it collapsed. Before I could stop him, he twisted one of his rings, becoming invisible. His footsteps trailed away from me.
More pieces of ceiling came down. I would not run away and leave my loved ones to die. Not this time. Instead, I charged straight at Kaine.
The usual Dark Lord Kaine would have heard me coming a mile off. His reflexes or a few hundred abilities could have protected him. Whatever was going on with him, he did not have enough control to use his powers or his body properly. He didn’t even resist as I grabbed a wooden beam off the floor and smacked him over the head. Holy shit, that worked?
Kaine dropped without a sound. The Living Shadow sailed over his head, embedding in the wall. The energy coursing through the room ceased.
Ysabel went slack. A certain invisible someone yanked the sword from her hand, then dragged her away. I tried to pick up Kaine and leave, too, but he was heavier than a heifer. Oh dear. I couldn’t leave him, but I didn’t think it was a good idea to stand here. A falling chandelier struck right next to me with a sound that shattered the air. I yelped like a child and dodged the glass shards.
“What?” The duchess gaped, too fixed on Kaine to even notice her hostage getting away. She repeated, “What?” Her gaze locked on me. “You know, of all the people I hate in the world, I think it might be you the most. The stupid little farm girl who always ruins everything. Constantly making a fool of me. I’m going to kill you.”
“I’m s—” Nope, no apologies. I bared my teeth. “You hurt my sister. That’smyline.”
From the doorway, a young girl’s voice called out, “What’s going on? Why is everyone running away from here? Ari?” It was Queen Antonia.
NO!
Unfortunately, that was the precise moment when the roof came down.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Iactivated the shield on my ring, as Ari had taught me. Kaine was close enough for me to shield him from the blast. But what about Ari and Ysabel? Had they gotten out of the building in time? Desperately, I prayed that Antonia hadn’t gotten hit by the rubble. She hadn’t stepped inside the room yet, but she’d been dangerously close.
The impact flung me up in the air, then I bounced off the ceiling. My gift still worked even when I was under the magic shield. Huh, I learned something new.
We careened through the air, hitting the ground and then flying again. Kaine slammed into me a few times, but my power protected me. As for him … hopefully he was tough. He’d married my sister, so he must be. Shards from the crumbling building and dust rained against the surface of the shield. I couldn’t see or hear anything beyond it. When it stopped, I lowered the shield and staggered out. Knee-deep wreckage surrounded me. “Ari! Ysabel! Antonia!” I screamed. All my efforts would have been for nothing if they’d died. The massive pileup around the doorway prevented me from seeing Antonia, but since she’d been outside the building, she was the most likely to be okay. It did bother me that she hadn’t replied to me yet.
“Over here!” Ari screamed.
I ran toward him. He grabbed my shoulders and examined me. “Are you injured?”
“No, forget me,” I said impatiently. “Ysabel?”
“I bandaged her with a scrap of my shirt.” He pointed at the ground. I dropped to my knees in front of my sister. When I touchedher forehead, it felt feverish. Ari had tied her hands together with another bit of shirt.
I was confused for a moment, then I realized. “She’ll obey the Blood Duchess’s orders if she wakes up.”
Grimly, Ari said, “Worse. She was ordered to kill herself if the Blood Duchess gets hurt, and that’s happened. I’m afraid of what she’ll do when the paralyzation wears off.”
Regular Bora wanted to panic, but I was still Villainess Bora. “Do you remember how the Blood Duchess ordered Ysabel to do it”—I could not say the words out loud—“if she died? Then she changed it to seriously hurt? The Blood Duchess’s gift must not work after she’s dead.”
“Of course.” Ari snapped his fingers. “Magic rarely lasts after the user dies. If Hedri finally took her rightful place in hell, then we’d be safe.”
At that exact moment, the rubble groaned. A tendril of shadow poked out. Then it flopped over, limp.
“Or she used the Living Shadow to shield herself.” Ari groaned. “I’m going to kill the Blood Duchess and end all of this. Please protect Antonia and Ysabel.” He started forward, holding his sword. Light danced from one of his rings and ran down his hand.
The Living Shadow erupted with a howl. Ari met a tendril with a sword.
In the distance, I could hear bells. If the guard was coming, they weren’t close enough. Should I help Ari fight? I’d just defeated Dark Lord Kaine! I could do anything, dammit! Okay, realistically I’d be useless, but I could provide moral support.
On second thought, Antonia needed to be my top priority. I absolutely hated to leave my sister lying on the ground, but I couldn’t abandon a missing little girl, either. It felt like my heart was being torn in two. Grunting, I lifted Ysabel onto my back. Damn, she was heavier than she looked.
I stumbled over the fallen chunks of tile, calling, “Antonia?”
