Then I heard Wen’s scream.
I released the assassin and spun around.
My mother was crumpled on the ground, unconscious, and my heart squeezed inside my chest at the sight, fury and worry running through my veins. And then I saw a man, a third assassin I had not seen, had grabbed Killian and was lifting him up, holding my struggling, crying son.
“NO! LET GO!” Killian was screaming, fighting with everything he had. “MAMA! PAPA! GRANDMA!”
Wen was running across the lawn, still too far away. “GET AWAY FROM MY SON!”
Then something impossible happened.
Flames erupted on the assassin’s arms. Real flames, burning hot and bright and vicious. He screamed, dropping Killian immediately.
“AHHH! WHAT...” He rolled on the ground, trying to put out the fire consuming his flesh.
Killian fell, landing hard on the grass. And then a portal opened right in front of running Wen. In mid-air. One second she was sprinting across the lawn, the next she was stumbling through a tear in reality itself.
She landed hard next to Killian, immediately pulling him into her arms.
“KILLIAN!”
Everyone froze. Guards, assassins, even Torin stopped mid-swing to stare.
Well. That was new.
“Your Majesty!” Guards were flooding in from every direction now, surrounding the assassins. “We have them!”
I shifted back to human form, ignoring my nakedness and my useless leg. “Take them alive!” I roared. “I want answers!”
But even as the guards grabbed the assassins, I saw them do it. Saw all of them bite down, their mouths foaming immediately.
“They’re swallowing something!” a guard shouted.
Poison pills. Of course. Because why would anything be easy.
All assassins convulsed once, twice, then went still. Dead before anyone could stop them.
“Fuck!”
I started toward Wen and Killian as fast as my useless leg would allow. Which was pathetically slow. Hopping naked across a garden full of dead assassins, very dignified and kingly.
Killian was sobbing, clinging to Wen. “Mama, I was so scared! The man grabbed me!”
“I know, baby. You’re safe now. Mama’s got you.” Her voice was shaking, her whole body trembling.
“Wen, are you...”
Her eyes rolled back in her head.
“WEN!”
I caught her just before she hit the ground, my arms wrapping around both her and Killian. My shattered leg screamed in protest. I did not care.
“MAMA?!” Killian was panicking, his hands on her face. “MAMA, WAKE UP!”
“She is alright, pup,” I said, keeping my voice calm even though my pulse was racing. “She just used too much energy. She will wake up.”
Around us, guards were checking the dead assassins. Healers were running toward Sorcha. Complete chaos everywhere.
