With a flick of my wrist, I swirled the air around the dagger, lifting it off the floor and sending it flying at Kane. It sliced his arm and was in my hands before Kane could register the attack. “Be a righteous king and don't believe the lies that you're about to hear. Everything your mother has done has been to protect you.”
Kane screamed and shot a stream of shadows at me. I twisted away, swirling back through the passageway.
His scream echoed behind me, and footsteps pounded against the stone corridor. I flew into the queen's chambers, and before she had time to ask, I grabbed her by the waist and soared out the open window.
“What are you doing?” Moira yelled, grasping at my chest.
“Moira!” Anna screamed and slammed into the magical barrier, trying to follow us. Ella banged on the invisible wall, tears streaming down her face.
“Tallis, stop! Go back!”
“There’s no time. Do you have the stone from the lich?” If she did, we could at least finish the rest of this disastrous mission.
“Yes, but why are we leaving?”
A roar sounded in the distance, and I glanced behind us to see a black dragon chasing after us through the sky.
“Is that Kane?” Her voice dropped and she squeezed me tighter.
“Yes, and he’s gaining ground. Do you still have that transporter rod.” I flew closer to the mountain floor, zipping through the trees. The dragon flapped above us, spewing a black breath weapon.
Gripping my neck, she nodded.
“Picture somewhere safe and let's go. I’m going to fly us through that thick wood where it’ll be harder for him to get to us.”
She took the transporter rod out of her cloak.
Trees flew past. Twisting my body, I maneuvered us closer to the ground and around the forest.
“Now,” I yelled.
A portal appeared in the air, filled with green leaves and bright flowers. We flew in. As soon as we landed, I swung around. Moira's son, now a dragon, swooped down toward the portal.
He'd always had his father's eyes. And now they were filled with rage.
Chapter Seventeen
Moira
Pressing the activator rune, the portal closed just as Kane breached the distance, almost making it through, his massive maw snapping at us.
I stood there staring at the last place I saw my son.
How could so much have happened in such a short amount of time?
“Where are we?” Tallis asked, speaking quietly, his hand on my waist.
“Nightsong Jungle. We should be safe for a while.” I turned to him. “What happened?”
Taking both my hands, he held them tightly. “He believes you killed the king. He found the moonblade. There’s no knowing what he’ll do.”
Ripping my hands out of Tallis’ grasp, I covered my face, falling to my knees.
Kane . . . I can’t leave you.
“I should go back,” I said, staring at the blood still on my clothes. “I’ll explain everything. I’m still the queen.”
Tallis kneeled on the ground. “Not now. He won’t listen to reason, and I don’t want you to get hurt. What about this?” Tallis slid the dagger over to me. “Kane’s blood is on it.”
