“She found me,” Marlak says. “Then defeated the Witch King. Temporarily, I think.”
“Temporarily?” I choke on the word, my hope quashed at once.
“Yes, and we escaped the ghouls. But then the giants got us.” He notices Azur’s hand on my waist. “You’retouchingher?”
“He found a cure,” I say. My words seem to appease Marlak a little, but my brother still stares at us in horror. I ignore him and ask the question that matters. “What happened to Astra?”
Marlak blinks, still clearly distressed. “We were in one of the giants’ cities, in a cage. Nelsin took her from our prison, andsaid he’d bring her here. He promised. But she’s not here. And where’s Renel?”
I sigh. “Renel went to the Crystal Castle, to rescue Tarlia.”
Marlak takes a deep breath and covers his eyes with his hand. “They were probably caught.”
“No,” I say. “They were on the way to the Misty Court, last time they wrote. I gave them my transcending note.”
“Misty Court?” He grimaces. “And I still don’t know where Astra is.”
“Marlak, reach through your bond,” Azur says, his voice grave.
“As if I hadn’t done that!” Marlak waves a hand in the air, his tone frantic. “I get nothing. Nothing, just emptiness.”
The anguish in his voice twists my heart and makes me worry for Astra.
Azur brings a hand to his chin, his expression thoughtful. “I might know where she is.”
ZIVEN
The Witch King is here, right in front of me. What a strange reality. I feel my heart beating and look around, searching for Mirella, and see her beside me. Too close to the old fae.
I wish my eyes were playing tricks on me as I try to digest this reality. The Witch King. Here. Walking into the castle. The air turns cold and strange and the light of the candles feel dimmed—but I can still feel some water in the air, and, more than that, I can still feel the water inside fae and people, even the Witch King, with blood and other fluids throughout his body.
My idea might be insane, but we’re screwed regardless, so it doesn’t hurt to try.
I focus—and freeze the Witch King, who falls on the floor. Can it really be that easy?
No, obviously, as the ghouls run in my direction. I pull Mirella close and create an ice layer around us, aware that it’s not going to last, surprised at my reflexes, but fearing the magic fatigue.
They hit the ice, likely desperate to avenge their master, while I feel like a powerless coward, and regret not running.
Mirella grimaces. “This is not going to work.”
“Do you have a better idea?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I don’t want to die yet.” Her tone is calm, resigned. I don’t even know how to reply, but then she adds, “Wait.”
“I’m not going anywhere, unfortunately.”
The ice behind me cracks, and as I elbow the creature pushing its arms through it, a gust of air reaches me.
“It’s back!” Mirella smiles, but then her joy fades. “But weak.”
The ice cracks, and a strong gust of wind around us keeps the ghouls away. I create ice on the floor, which makes some of them fall. More and more creatures attempt to breach the door, and then finally two guards advance, swords in hand, ready to fight them.
The Witch King’s still on the floor, frozen, his eyes open.
I create balls of ice to throw at the incoming ghouls, aware of the futility of it. Some fire here would be nice, but Renel and Tarlia are defending the other side.
I hear a loud crack, like something snapping. The advancing ghouls stop, and I realize there’s wind on them, not from Mirella, but from the guards. Then a powerful blast of wind reaches them and they fall back. Mirella’s magic returned, I realize. She runs to the door, unafraid, and pushes the creatures, then runs to theother side and the window Renel defended, and pushes them all away too. She creates a circle of wind surrounding the hill, dropping down any advancing ghouls.
