I reach up, covering the cut with my palm, and close my eyes. The tell-tale tingle sensation of magic moves through me, and I feel my body warm. The room goes completely silent, and I open my eyes to see a green leafy bandage forming around her arm. The glow of the green magic is visible as it swirls around her arm. Moving my hand, I sigh and look up into Zaria's shocked face.
In the reflection of her eyes, I see mine are glowing a vibrant green. The unexpectedness of it takes me by surprise, leaving me momentarily breathless.
“You can heal now?” Kian asks as he comes around the sofa and leans down to inspect Zaria’s arm.
“Yes.” I shrug.
“Holy shit,” Rayna breathes.
Feeling embarrassed and hating being the center of attention, I stand and clear my throat. “What happened out there?”
“Outcasts stormed the castle,” Raiden surmises.
“They were looking for something.” Rayna takes a seat next to her sister. “Moving from room to room.”
“Do we know what?” Kian inquires.
“Nope, but Madeline is dead, and so are a few other nobles.” Zaria’s words make me jolt.
I’m overwhelmed by a sinking feeling, as if a heavy weight has settled in my chest. Surprisingly, her death fails to bring me any sense of relief. “What?”
“Was she the target?” Tristan asks. “We suspected her of being Alivar’s spy.”
“Alivar wouldn’t kill his spy. They’d be no use to him dead, and I can’t see him working with the Outcasts either.”
“True, but if the spy was about to be discovered . . . ” Kian considers.
Maxon paces. “It just doesn’t seem like something he’d do.”
I frown, sensing Maxon’s inner turmoil. “You seem to act like you know him well.”
“We were close as children.”
My eyes bulge. “Really?”
“Yes, before the uprising. After your parents were killed, everyone settled on sides. The realm was divided. Seelie, unseelie, Outcasts . . . There was a line drawn, and we weren’t to cross it. Like I’d mentioned before, the Druids kept the peace.”
“But because of their fear of me and what I could do, they waged war?”
“Exactly.”
I see Asrai float up and land on Raiden’s head, holding onto one of his horns. Her orbed eyes take in the room before landing on me.
‘Madeline wasn’t the traitor,’she signs.
My pulse kicks up a notch.‘Do you know who it is?’
Asrai shakes her head and hides behind Raiden’s horn just as the doors to Maxon’s chamber bang open for a second time. Nolan strolls in, an air of urgency surrounding him. He draws up short, his eyes widening in surprise, as he catches sight of all of us, his face paling when he spots Maxon.
“Maxon, y- you're back?” he stammers.
We all frown at Nolan as he stands there. “Yes, I only just arrived as the Outcasts were fleeing.”
“The queen will want to debrief you about Escalle,” he replies, composing himself.
“I will get to her soon enough.”
My curiosity gets the better of me. “Why are you here?”
