“No!” Amira called out, her voice barely audible over the fire crackling around her.
Spinning in a circle, Elyssa tried to extinguish the flames, but Wryen’s fire was strong. He grinned at her, knowing he had trapped her.
The fire was starting to burn through her shoes. She needed to get away—
The flames went out so abruptly Elyssa almost stumbled over her own feet. Her eyes darted to Wryen’s shocked expression before going lower, to the blood drenching his beige shirt. Looking past Wryen, Elyssa saw Amira had freed herself, the knife in her hand, the hilt in Wryen’s back.
The princess pulled the knife from Wryen’s back, and before either of them could react, Wryen spun around, twisting Amira’s arm that was holding the knife and pointing the blade at his sister’s throat.
He forced Amira back to the ground. Elyssa rushed forward, meaning to pull Wryen off her, but he extended his free arm and threw fire at her that Elyssa barely dodged. A shield of fire stood between them. Through it, Elyssa could see Amira’s haunted eyes, a tear running down her cheek as the blade nicked her skin. Fiery heat blew in Elyssa’s face, reminding her of the danger. Her arm tingled where she had been burned.
Elyssa couldn’t stand by and do nothing. If she had to literally walk through fucking fire to—
“Stop!” a loud voice screamed, and Elyssa spun to see Tarnan in the doorway. Wryen’s gaze left Amira’s as he glanced over his shoulder.
“This is my business, Tarnan. Walk away,” Wryen bit out. The blood on his face made him look even more sinister.
Tarnan’s eyes landed on Amira, her eyes pleading with him. “You’re killing her, Wryen.”
Wryen didn’t let up. “She is mine to do whatever I want with.” His tone was more than possessive, it was mad.
“If you kill her now, I won’t stay quiet,” Tarnan said sharply, glancing behind him as if considering calling in guards. “You’re inmypalace. You should leave before I feel the need to start rumours.”
For a few endless seconds, nothing happened. Then Wryen dropped his fiery shield and pulled back, releasing Amira as he slowly rose.
He walked up to Tarnan, hunched over as his hand went to his wound on his back. His shirt was drenched in red. The bloody knife was still in his hand. “So be it, but Amira is leaving with me first thing tomorrow morning. And you’d better send a healer to my quarters—discreetly. I have allies, Tarnan. Do not cross me.” Wryen twisted the knife in his hand before crushing the blade into the doorway, inches from Tarnan’s face. Tarnan watched him closely, holding his ground.
Before Wryen left the room, he glanced at his sister one last time. “We’ll continue this, count on it.” He turned to Elyssa. “So will we.”
Elyssa’s hands formed fists, her teeth clenched, and she forced herself not to attack. But one day, Wryen would wish Elyssa had never entered his fucking life.
As soon as Wryen left, Tarnan rushed inside. His hands landed on Amira’s shoulders as he looked her over. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Amira nodded, but Elyssa spotted the tiredness in her eyes, the shock. Yet she could see that this hadn’t been the first time Amira had experienced something like this.
“Why the fuck did you let him go?” Elyssa asked, storming towards Tarnan.
The corners of Tarnan’s mouth dropped, guilt swirling in his honey-coloured eyes. “Politics are a tricky game. I can’t arrest a king without the risk of starting a war. No matter how much I wish I could.” He looked at Amira. “Your father would be very disappointed in his son.”
Amira sighed. Her exhausted amethyst eyes met Elyssa’s. “Your arm,” she said, looking at her burned sleeve. She had escaped the scorching ground before it had badly burned her, but her arm had blistered.
“It’ll heal, don’t worry,” Elyssa said, forcing a smile even as the pain overwhelmed her. Her gaze snapped back to Tarnan. “She can’t go with Wryen. You saw what happened.”
Amira interrupted her. “I can’t let him hurt you, both of you, and he will if I don’t go. The wedding…I can’t put it off any longer. I have to return to Turosian.” She seemed anything but thrilled, but they had known this day would come. Yet somehow, Elyssa had hoped they could steal more time.
Amira let out a tired breath before she addressed Tarnan. “I need to sign a blood contract with you.”
Elyssa stepped in front of Amira. “Are you batshitcrazy?” she yelled.
Amira’s expression turned panicked. Tarnan was collected, as always. “I take it you know about Amira’s secret then?” he asked.
What the actual fuck was happening? Was Amira seriously considering signing over her goddamn life to Tarnan? Becoming his personal witch? She needed an explanation.
“Tarnan knows I’m a witch,” Amira admitted. “I know it’s not ideal, but I have to go back to Turosian, and if Karwyn finds out about me…” If she was bound to Tarnan for life—until his death, which would kill Amira too unless he freed her from it beforehand—she couldn’t be bound to anyone else.
Tarnan put a hand on her shoulder. “I will only do this if you truly want me to, Amira. To make certain Karwyn can’t bind you to him.” His amber eyes sought out Elyssa’s. “Karwynwilltake advantage of her. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his gain.” His tone suggested there was more to it.
Elyssa took a step closer to them. “Do you know something we don’t? Because this is the goddamn time to spill it all.” Her voice came out harsher than intended, but the stakes had never been higher.
