Cerulean fire wrapped around Cassiel as he shot into the sky for the Celestials flying his way. There were so many of them.
“You said they wouldn’t come here,” Dyna murmured to Sowmya.
“Assassins have no borders, my lady.”
All this. To kill her.
“Should we help him?” Keena asked worriedly.
Dyna glanced at Zev, and he grimly looked back at her.
“No.” The Lieutenant shook her head. “His Majesty would want you to stay here, where it’s safe.”
Dyna turned away from the window and sat on the edge of her bed, having no answer for either of them.
For three days,Cassiel was out there in the cold rain without food or shelter. Celestials came by day and the Shades came by night.
Cassiel slayed them all.
Why?
Why stay?
Why stay and fight for her after she tossed him out?
Dyna wondered as she stayed in her room, standing by the balcony. The estate was quiet. The guards stood on alert, nearly everyone watching Cassiel’s battle from the windows.
Seeing all of this made her realize what kind of danger her life was truly in.
There was an inaudible awe in the air. All rendered speechless by the destructive beauty of his flame, turning everything to dust. Grass no longer carpeted the path. There were no more trees. No moregreen. Only smoke and ash.
But even the High King needed rest.
Cassiel stumbled as he cut down the last Shade. His legs wobbled, and he sank to his knees, breathing heavily.
Dyna moved to the balcony doors but halted with her hand on the knob. She closed her eyes. If she went to him now, she would never be?—
Dyna gasped at the sudden tremble in her chest.
The bond.
Outside, on the charred path, Cassiel collapsed.
CHAPTER 49
Lucenna
Lucenna had little patience for pitiful things. Crossing her arms, she glowered at the matted High King covered in soot. His filthy clothes were torn, and he reeked of smoke. Curling her nose, she nudged his boot. He didn’t stir, still unconscious where Zev had dumped him on the dusty bed last night.
Scowling, Lucenna kicked Cassiel’s leg next. He woke with a jolt, looking around at the small cabin before noticing her.
“Lucenna…” He rubbed his forehead and winced. “What happened?”
“You collapsed. Exhaustion will do that to you.” She tossed a waterskin and a dry bread roll onto his lap. “You’re fortunate a part of her still cares. If it were up to me, I would have left you out in the rain.”
Cassiel had nothing to retort back. Sitting up, he shifted his legs over the edge of the bed and raked the messy black hair out of his face. It was longer now, falling past his jaw. “Where am I? I half expected to end up in the cell again.”
She would have liked that. But after he took down those Shades, it would be bad form to lock him up again. A tiny voice in the back of her head suggested perhaps Cassiel may have been justified, because the threat against Dyna’s life was very real.
