“Drop your weapons,” Ander says.
“Mama,” whimpers Sinna.
“Let the princess go,” I say.
He must squeeze Sinna, because she squeals. More blood drips down her neck.
“Tycho,” gasps Lia Mara. “Tycho, do as he says.”
I don’t want to.If they’ve taken the royal family, they’ve taken Syhl Shallow.
If the king had his full power right now, all of these women and men would be eviscerated where they stand. I’m not as fast as Grey when it comes to magic, but I feel the stars in my blood, waiting for a command.
Ander narrows his eyes. “Now, Tycho.”
“I’ve fought at your side,” I say to him. “You’ve fought at theking’sside.”
“He turned his magic against our people,” he says. “There’s a reason Emberfall’s king slaughtered them all.”
Sinna whimpers.
“Sinna hasn’t done anything wrong,” I say. Somewhere behind me, I hear Callyn speaking tearfully to Nora. “You’ve already killed one child. The Truthbringers always claim to want the best for the queen. Her daughter—”
“Our queen married a magesmith,” says Ander.
“Da,” Sinna screams. Another stream of blood appears beside the first. “Da, help me.”
“He’s coming,” Lia Mara gasps. “Sinna, he’s coming.”
But he’s not coming. He’s not here.
These were impossible odds before we even got here. I knew. The king knew.
I think of the power Nakiis helped me pull out of the air. I think of the magic the rings allowed me to do.
I feel those stars spin in my blood, ready for action. I’m not practiced with large-scale magic. I’m not practiced with much more than healing.
But maybe that’s all I need.
“Put her down,” I say to him. “This is between you and the king. He came, just as you asked. Let Sinna and the queen go.”
“We’re not letting anyone go,” he says. “We’re ending the line of magic right here.” He jerks Sinna’s head back, and she cries out.
I drop my weapons and leap for him, magic flaring in my hands.
I don’t know if I’m going to be quick enough. Strong enough. Skilled enough. But I grab hold of his wrist just before he can use that blade. I send my magic right into his skin. Taking apart instead of putting together. The bones of his wrist begin to snap, just as a crossbow fires. Ander shouts, and I try to grab hold of Sinna. Instead, I feel the bite of the arrow. My magic dies. Sinna screams.
Again, I’m going to fail.
But then an inhuman screech splits the air.
Followed by a dozen others.
CHAPTER 58
JAX
At first I don’t know where the screams are coming from. My heart has been pounding so loud for so long that I almost can’t recognize anything else. I only have one arrow left, and the king has gone to his knees with yet another arrow in his leg. We can barely see past the press of soldiers. But for a moment, I catch a glimpse of a man on the hill with a little girl with red hair clutched against the front of his body. I see Tycho tackle him before taking an arrow himself.
