Eyes glowing gold, Thane strides toward Seferin, the man he really came for, but Maliek doesn’t stay down. He growls as he shoots back up and pounces on Thane, tackling him.
Maliek presses down hard on his sword, trying to cut him with the edge, but Thane uses his to block it. “Go!” he says in a strained voice.
With a hard grunt, he shoves Maliek off.
“Who the shadows is he?” Analla asks, bewildered.
“Long story,” I murmur.
I glance over my shoulder as I lead Analla to the window. Thane and Maliek are fighting again.
I look at Seferin, but my heart drops as I watch him crawl toward a hidden door between one of the bookshelves. Panic rolls through me in a frigid wave as I look at Thane again, wanting to get his attention, but he’s too preoccupied with Maliek.
We have to get out of here before he calls for more help.
A few more guards enter the room just as Thane slashes Maliek across the face, then lights him up with a powerful burst of gold.
“Zaira! Go out the window!” Thane shouts as he launches a shimmering shield to block the swift bolts of magic from the guards—bolts aimed right at Analla and me.
As Thane resists another strike, Analla and I climb out the window, work our way down a trellis, and run away as fast as we can.
…
I can’t believe my plan worked.
And now Thane is risking everything so my sister and I can escape.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m stillextremelyupset with him for what happened at the temple, but I’ve never been happier to have him at my side than now.
In Gadonia, I spotted him lingering by the shore close to Irina’s inn. I kept replaying what he said about the tome in my head over and over again.
I’m sure there is a spell in it that I can use to break your sister’s curse…
I kept wondering how I could trust him again after what he did. Then I figured the only way I could gather even an inkling of faith in him again was if he joined me while sailing to Meriva without me having to say a single word.
If he saw me board the ship alone, I hoped he would know for certain that I was about to face Seferin on my own, and he’d show up to make sure that never happened.
Because if he did that, then I’d know he actually cares and wants to help me.
Actions will always speak much louder than words.
After poring over the tome on the ship all night, he was able to find a spell to increase the effect of the muting elixir, but it required a few items from the sorceress’s shop. Items he grabbed himself.
A sorcerer as powerful as Seferin wouldn’t go down with a simple muting elixir. We needed something stronger. I knew if Seferin still had full access to his magic, Thane wouldn’t be able to take him down, and I wouldn’t be able to save my sister.
While Thane went around the keep taking out as many guards as possible, I stalled Seferin to have enough time to mute him. The only issue was that I couldn’t quite do that to him until Seferin freed Analla from that cell, seeing as his magic controlled the locks.
After he released her, I could mute Seferin. Thane could kill him, like he wanted, and I would have my sister back.
It seemed like a good plan—until I realized Maliek was around. He was an obstacle I didn’t account for, but Thane has defeated him many times. With some of the spells from Azidel’s tome, I hoped it would be easier.
I was ninety-nine percent certain the plan wouldn’t work and that I’d risk my life, Analla’s, and Thane’s for nothing…but like Thane said before, I have way too much optimism. He couldn’t stand it at one point, yet this was one of those rare moments when we needed it most.
And because I held on to hope, a miracle has happened…
But we aren’t safe just yet.
Chapter 63
