When he reaches for my hand again, I pull away. “Dommik…”
Fearful exasperation fills his face. “Malina, we can’t bring her, dammit!”
I look over his handsome face with a despair that clings. It latches onto me, squeezing my skin, cinching my throat.
As I stare at him, at a loss, his expression falters. “Malina?”
“I…”
A Stone Sword comes from out of nowhere.
He lets out a noise of surprise when he notices us, but quickly recovers and moves to attack. With his sword raised, he flings himself forward, so it’s very fortunate that my assassin is so skilled.
Even being caught unawares and without a weapon, Dommik reacts in the blink of an eye. Body swiveling, he turns, blocking me from harm and jerking to the right so that the sword’s trajectory misses.
Turns out, Dommik doesn’t need his shadows to assassinate, because his movements are fluid and wickedly fast even without them.
I can barely track him as he ducks and spins, avoiding another swing before he turns and kicks out the soldier’s knee. The soldier cries out in pain and falls to the snow, and Dommik launches himself at him.
Dommik wrests away the sword from his grip, and I start backing up several steps, looking away as he slices the fae’s throat.
When it’s done and the soldier lies bleeding out on the snowy ground, Dommik turns and looks at me. “Queenie?”
It takes great effort for me to speak past my fisted throat. “If I commanded you to do something, would you do it?”
A frown forms between his brows as he pants out breath. “What? No.”
My heart fills with desperation. “If Iaskedyou to do something, would you do it then?”
He takes a step toward me, but I take another one back. His gaze drops to my feet before flicking back up. “What are you doing, Malina?”
I shake my head. Tongue thick, I drag out the laden words. “Please,” I beg. “Go get her.”
His eyes flare with frustration. “I told you, she can’t come with us! Not without my shadows, and not if we have any hope of getting away!”
“Please!” I shout, my voice gone shrill, drowned out by the wind that’s begun to whip. “I need you to goget her!”
“Fine!” he hisses through clenched teeth and glaring eyes. “You stubborn, foolish fucking woman. I’ll go get her. Wait here!”
He turns and hurries back the other way, and I hold my breath as I watch him go. He pauses for a moment as he peersaround the corner. Then he shoots me a look over his shoulder and darts away.
I turn and run.
I’m entirely aware that I only have mere seconds, which is why I don’t hesitate. Dommik will be confused when he comes back and I’m not here, and then that confusion will turn into fear.
But I couldn’t allow him to follow me, and no amount of explaining would’ve deterred him. He wouldn’t listen to me if I asked him to stay behind.
This is the only way, and this is my only chance. The fae told me,don’t waste your chance, so I won’t.
Forgive me, Dommik.
My vision blurs, but I run through the snow faster than I’ve ever run before, making it to the back of the castle and then darting around the corner. I don’t let myself think, I just go. Racing alongside the edge of the world as the fog rolls like clouds of threatening thunder.
Straight ahead, I see the bridge, see the Stone Swords now cleared away from it, the army giving it a wide berth. With my heart pounding in my chest, I leave behind the cover of the castle and start sprinting out in the open, aiming straight for the entrance.
The fae spot me.
Their heads turn in my direction, their shouts tossing into the air. Panic and pressure build up inside me, pushing me to go faster. To not be caught.
