Who are they?
“Run!”Finn shouts, interrupting my thoughts.
We hurry together back toward Damien’s chambers, but we’re not fast enough. Two of the enemy soldiers catch up with us. I lose sight of Finn as someone yanks me from behind.
We both scramble. My attacker lands on top, and I’m clearly outmatched. I thrash and claw at his face as he struggles for something at his waist—a blade. His face is obscured by the hood. I’m screaming, kicking…
Instinct takes over. My Talent barrels to the surface, and I hear a scream that might be mine as the power explodes through my hands.
Rough and quick. That’s all I can do. Ifeelthe explosion, rather than see it, as I will his insides to oblivion. Hot blood and guts spill over me, and I roll over and vomit, overcome. I spit out the sick and shove the corpse off me. The soldier’s cloak flops as his body rolls, and that’s when I notice it.
His ears. They’re tapered like mine.
These are my people.
There’s no time for self-punishment. No time to orient myself in this tumbling landscape of enemies. The only thing I can trust is Finn, who is already rising to meet the next batch of attackers.
How are there so many?
I tear after him.
Then something happens that I don’t understand at first. The floor seems to be moving under us. Finn seizes my arms, and we struggle to stay upright as the world wobbles around us. It’s an earthquake. It must be. It takes me several confused moments to process as another blast rattles the castle.
“They’ve got drakesbane!” Finn shouts.
Another blast hits near us. We both lurch to avoid it, but the flames catch on my skirt. I roll and thrash as the fyre crawls up my legs, searing my calf—
Then Finn is there, smothering the flames with his boots.
“Are you hurt?” He seizes my shoulders. “LYRIA.Are you hurt?”
I shake my head even though the pain is overwhelming.
He tries to scoop me up, but we’re tossed back by another blast. Finn lands on top of me, crushing me. I blink, squinting through the smoke and dust. There’s something warm and sticky on my face. My fingers find my cheek and draw back covered in blood.
Finn struggles upright, and I follow.
We finally burst into Damien’s chamber, vaulting over the fallen guard at the threshold. Within, the scene is harrowing. The window is shattered, glass strewn over the floor. Scattered amid the shards are easily half a dozen bodies. My gaze finds Daisy backed into a corner, gripping a fire poker like it’s her lifeline against drowning. She’s half dressed, as I am, andcovered with blood. Shaking, dazed, petrified but unharmed. I nearly weep with relief.
I don’t notice Damien at first. It’s Finn who rushes toward him where he sits bare-chested amid the wreckage. He doesn’t have a weapon I can see. He’s crouching, doubled over with his head in his hands. Finn embraces his brother, dragging Damien upright.
I look away when I realize the younger prince is sobbing.
My stomach twists. Tonight, the world seems uncertain about just who is supposed to be my friend or my enemy. I’ve been so wrong about so many things since I arrived at the castle. Maybe I was wrong about Damien, too.
Daisy seems to snap out of whatever trance she’s in. The poker clatters out of her hand, and she stumbles toward me. I’ve never seen a person so ashen.
“Are you all right?” I ask, surging toward her.
She nods vaguely. Her eyes are unfocused, and they keep darting back to Damien. “I’m…I’m okay.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No…Damien…he…he…” She struggles for words.
“It’s okay.” I wrap my arms around her. She’s trembling.
We both look up as the clatter of oncoming footsteps sounds from the hall. Finn and Damien sink into defensive stances, weapons drawn, and I lift my palms for the fight.
