Seferin frowns. “What the f—”
His eyes flicker up instantly, as if he knows that whatever is wrong with him has something to do with me. I take that moment to swing the tip of the crystal upward and slam it into the side of his face. He howls, stumbling backward and clutching his bleeding face as I scream, “Analla, run!”
Analla shoves away from Maliek and bolts toward the door, but Maliek throws up a hand and wraps an invisible grip around her, hauling her backward.
“Youbitch!” Seferin snarls, lurching toward me and clutching the collar of my shirt. He grips hard and yanks me toward him, causing some of the threads in the neckline to snap. There’s a deep gash in his cheek, running from beneath his sharp cheekbone to the dip beside his left nostril.
“What?” I breathe. “Men like you have made a bad habit of touching women without permission. You placed your hands on me multiple times—you still are, in fact—and because of that, your magic has been muted.”
“What?” he hisses, grimacing.
I dig into my pocket, retrieving the empty vial I bought from the sorceress and dangling it in the air by my fingertips. “Muting elixir,” I inform him. “Only more enhanced, thanks to the tome. I’m certain you’ve heard of it.”
And fuck me, I didn’t truly think this would work.
Maliek slams Analla to the floor, stealing my attention. He uses that same invisible grip to keep her pinned down, then draws a dagger and reels his arm back, ready to launch it at me.
Seferin pulls away from me to throw up a hand and shouts, “Don’t!”
Maliek freezes.
“We need her,” Seferin says.
I don’t need any of this shit. I just need my sister.
My eyes dart to the door as I wipe nervous sweat from my forehead and signal the mindflare again.It’s now or never, Thane!
Seferin notices where my eyes have gone and says, “Don’t be foolish, Zaira.” His voice is eerily calm. “You’ll never succeed. Muting elixirs fade after time, and your weak attempt prior did nothing but draw a little blood.”
Maliek lowers his arm and sheathes his dagger, like it’s all over.
Come on, where are you?I wonder as Maliek takes a step toward me.
Finally, something hits the door hard, and it flies open. A body stumbles in backward and slams down on a glass table in the center of the room.
It’s one of the guards from the corridor. A deep slit is in his throat, and blood oozes from his mouth while his lifeless eyes stare at the ceiling.
Analla screams as two sharp bolts of gold zip above her, one slamming into Maliek while another blasts harder into Seferin. Maliek flips backward, tumbling on a wooden chair and breaking it, while Seferin crashes into the bookshelf behind his desk with a deep groan.
Grunting, Maliek pushes himself back up and draws his sword as he eyes his attacker.
I place my attention on the attacker, too, relieved to see warm brown skin under a mask and hood, and eyes sparking a familiar gold.
Thane.
My heart races twice as fast as he briefly carries his gaze to me, offers an assuring nod, and then charges for Maliek.
As he does, I sprint toward my sister.
Chapter 62
Maliek yells at the top of his lungs, and metal clashes as furious, strained grunts swell in the room.
“Come on, we have to go!” I grab Analla’s arm and help her to her feet.
Thane growls as Maliek soars across the room, slamming into the wall farthest from the desk and then landing on the floor.
Seferin is still on the floor, struggling to get up. I’m surprised that bolt didn’t kill him. I suppose it’ll take more than that.
