Elric grunted and bounded away, muttering to himself. “Those two and their silly tiffs.”
Zev crashed into her back and Lucenna shrieked as she went sprawling. He caught her arm before she hit the ground face first and steadied her on her feet.
“I got her,” he said, keeping ahold of her.
“Good,” Rawn said, his gaze following Cassiel’s receding form until he disappeared around the corner of the street. “We must join him and board a ship immediately.”
“Unhand me, Zev,” Lucenna snapped, dropping the invisibility spell. Electricity surged over her arm and he yelped, releasing her. “I cannot wait. I must leave before my father finds me.”
“Lady Lucenna, I understand your concern, but you must not flee on your own.” Rawn rested a hand on her shoulder. “We must stay together. We arestrongertogether. Whatever may come to pass, we are here by your side.”
Zev nodded in agreement. He must not hate her anymore. Surprised that they so willingly wanted to protect her made Lucenna’s chest swell with a knot of emotion. No other man besides her brother had done so.
Rawn glanced past her and he tensed. “Steady.”
A group of Azure Guards marched toward them. They stopped before them, and the leader stepped forward. A gold badge with the sigil of Azure shone on the lapels of his regimental blue coat.
“I am Commissioner Veron Moreland of the Azure Guards,” he said with a nod in greeting. “Lord Rawn Norrlen of Greenwood, I have heard much about you. It’s an honor to meet your acquaintance.”
Rawn warily nodded. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“It’s unfortunate that we should meet in such a manner.” The commissioner reached into his coat and pulled out a rolled document. “By order of the Magistrate, I have a warrant for your arrest and those in your company.”
Shock sunk through Lucenna’s body like heavy mortar, rooting her in place.
“On what charges, if I may ask?” Rawn said stiffly.
“Your crimes are conspiring with a man who has committed crimes against the Crown of Azure.”
“What man?” Zev demanded. The question hung in the air in the dead silence.
“Tarn Morken.”
Rawn inhaled a sharp breath before saying, “You are mistaken, Commissioner Moreland. We have done no such thing.”
“I have never met Tarn, and I’ll not be arrested under false charges,” Lucenna said. “Now, make way lest you wish for the flesh to melt from your bones.”
She conjured comatose spells in her hands, blue churning spheres crackling with power. While intimidating, the spells would only render them unconscious. But the Azure Guards didn’t react to her threat.
Commissioner Moreland observed her inquisitively, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “While I’m impressed by such bravery. I’m disinclined to heed your demand, Lady Lucenna of the Lunar Guild. Comatose spells are not fatal.”
She flinched at her name. That information hadn’t been on the wanted poster. To know who she was proved the commissioner not only knew of the Magos Empire’s secrets, he was in league with her father.
Lucenna’s hands crackled with electricity as dark clouds shrouded the sky, and a threatening boom of thunder rolled overhead. “Well, if you wished for death, you need only say so.”
“Wait!” Rawn shouted.
She refused to be taken. The women of Magos and the Liberation awaited her return. Being caught meant her mother died for nothing.
Veron swiped his hand sharply through the air. A force cleaved the Essence out of Lucenna’s very veins and she screamed in agony. Purple light hurtled towards his open palm, where he absorbed it within seconds. She fell back with a weak gasp. Rawn steadied her against him. The clouds parted and sunlight spilled back into the street.
What happened? He took her magic. The commissioner raised his hand, and his coat sleeve lowered to reveal the glowing bracelet made of amber beads on his wrist. Within each bead was a black clover.
A whimper escaped Lucenna’s lips, her shuddering body falling numb. She spent years searching for black clovers. Yet this man had a bracelet of them. No wonder they didn’t fear her.
“My lady, shall you invoke another spell, I’ll be forced to oppose you,” Veron said casually, his demeanor unruffled. “Therefore, I ask that you please surrender at once.”
Lucenna winced when her temple pulsed rapidly with Lucien’s call, and the orb throbbed in her satchel in tandem. She should have heeded his warning and left the city when she had the chance.
