“Capture and siphon.”
Her stomach churned, and she shrunk in her chair. “Exactly. I’d rather not hold a mage battle in the middle of the city if I can help it.”
A muscle in Klyde’s jaw flexed, and his blue eyes fixed on the crowd. “Are you cloaked right now?”
“Of course.”
“These Enforcers, what do they look like?”
“They are powerful mages, and the elite are the best in their guilds. You will know them by the sigil embroidered on their clothing, and they always carry amplifier crystals in their staffs.”
“Like that one?” Klyde subtly motioned with his chin to two men in black cloaks.
On their shoulders was the triad symbol of the Magos Empire, along with the mark of their rank. And leading them was her uncle. They idly passed through the crowd, headed for the front.
Lucenna’s entire body went cold.
Quietly, Klyde took her hand and led her back outside. It was a good thing, too, because she had frozen. He led her into a shadowed alleyway and moved her behind stacked crates, bracing his arms on either side of her head as he peeked over them.
She couldn’t even care that he had her back up against the wall. Sound muffled, and all Lucenna could hear was her heart pounding in her ears.
Magnus was in Dwarf Shoe.Why?
It was a stupid question, really. She knew why. Her father had failed to capture her, so they sent someone far better. And she feared Magnus far worse. She had seen him kill mages with a snap of his fingers. He should have been Head of the Lunar Guild but chose to work directly for the Archmage instead.
A fight against him wasn’t one she would win. Lucenna shut her eyes, forcing herself to calm down. Klyde stepped closer, and the shield of his body helped even her breathing.
“Lucenna,” he whispered.
“Yes?” she whispered back.
“Can you please change your face? This is really disturbing.”
She glowered up at him. “Casting glamor might have attracted them in the first place.”
Yet to her absolute horror, the glamor began to peel off.
Klyde glanced past the crates again and cursed. He pinned her to the alley wall and braced his hands on either side of her head.
Lucenna froze. “What are you doing?”
“Don’t kill me,” he whispered as his nose grazed her cheek, lips hovering so close to her mouth. “They’re coming.”
Her heart stopped when she heard footsteps and voices tinged with the Magos accent. Klyde angled his face to hide hers out of sight. His hand slid up her neck, cupping her face as his lips faintly brushed her jaw. Light as butterfly wings, only a sliver of space between them. Their eyes met and held. Her heart was pounding so hard, she imagined he could feel it.
If they were to sell this illusion, Lucenna told herself it was fine. She looked at his lips, deciding she would kiss him. Klyde stilled a split second, then his other arm snaked around her waist and hauled her tight against him. Heat spread through her from his touch. It warmed her skin, curling up her spine, revealing to her how close they stood to each other. Her hands landed on his chest, feeling the warmth through his shirt.
His eyes were bright and focused. “Your glamor completely dissolved.”
Lucenna gasped, touching her face.
“Don’t worry. They have already gone.”
Heat rushed through her cheeks, and she shoved him off. “You better not have lied about them coming merely to kiss me,” she hissed.
Klyde frowned. “I would never subject you to anything for my own pleasure.”
“If you ever did, I would cut off your favorite appendage with a dull knife.”
