Tarnan stepped forward. “We should get started,” he said, his tone calm despite the situation.
What exactly had they planned for Karwyn? Rhay was about to ask when Amira and one of Lora’s friends laid black crystals in a circle around Karwyn. They must be preparing a spell to break Lora’s contract. Rhay swallowed his unease at the thought of witchcraft. As long as Karwyn and Lora would walk out of here alive, Rhay would have to let it go.
Lora stepped inside the circle, her gaze flickering to her lover, the fae who had punched Karwyn.
While Amira took out a beautiful ruby-red talisman—a crystal known to be cursed—Tarnan, Varsha, and Lora’s lover stayed on the edge of the circle. The King of Carnylen was keeping close to Karwyn on the outside of the circle, as if to make sure he wouldn’t escape.
Rhay, still reeling from his betrayal, merely watched. He had made his choice. There was no coming back from it now.
Chapter66
Amira
The sound of the door creaking open startled Amira as she focused her energy on the talisman. She hadn’t been in this room in the underground before, but it couldn’t be far from where they had found the artefact. Cirny had suggested the place.
Watching Elyssa enter the cave-like space, Amira felt a sense of relief. Elyssa’s cheek was bruised, and she had a cut on her brow bone, but other than that, she looked fine. Following her was Eyden’s friend, Ilario, who Elyssa had mentioned before and Amira had seen drinking with Rhay more than once. The fae sported a nasty wound on his arm.
Amira smiled at the two. Everyone was here; they had made it so far.
“Great, more people involved in this disgraceful betrayal,” Karwyn said, seemingly back to his annoying self. “More people I can have executed.” He turned to Rhay. “You can plan the execution party if I am somehow convinced to let you live.” Recoiling, Rhay turned away.
Tarnan didn’t react to Karwyn’s remark, keeping close without breaking the circle of crystals. Amira noticed that Varsha had taken out a small notebook and was sketching out the scene with no care for the tension in the room.
“You will not succeed. There is no loophole to this contract,” Karwyn snickered.
“Shut up, asshole,” Elyssa replied.
A faint smile graced Amira’s lips at the insult. Tarnan stepped forward and quickly gagged Karwyn. Only then did Cirny leave her hiding spot. Karwyn’s eyes narrowed at the witch.
“Should’ve brought more alcohol,” Rhay whispered, his tone more than uneasy.
She’d seen his panicked eyes before. Rhay was itching to remove himself from the situation.
“We should focus. There isn’t much time,” Cirny whispered, taking her spot next to Amira and Farren. Amira stared at Lora inside the crystal circle before closing her eyes, trying to channel the magic of the talisman around her neck. She extended her hands and met Cirny’s and Farren’s. Everyone around them seemed to hold their breath.
Slowly, she breathed in, holding on to the faint magic echo of the talisman and the other spelled crystals. She let their power feed her own force, focusing on Cirny and Farren’s energy. Their strength grew, harnessing power from the crystals and the talisman as they readied themselves to fight the magic of the contract.
Amira opened her eyes to look at Lora and then at Karwyn. She channelled all her energy into envisioning the contract breaking, just as Cirny and Farren had told her. She could feel Farren and Cirny pulling on their combined energy.
Karwyn tried to speak through the strip of cloth, but his words were unrecognisable. Amira tried to stay focused, but she felt the magical flame in her falter.
Then power bubbled up inside her, rising and rising. Amira’s body started violently shaking, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the same thing happening to Farren and Cirny.
“Do not let your life force get away from you. Hold it in. Channel the crystals,” Cirny shouted, her voice hoarse from the effort.
It felt like Amira’s body was being torn apart, reminding her of the worst pain she had experienced. When Wryen had beaten her to suppress her magic. But this time, she was in control. As her magic almost overflowed her body, she found the strength to rein it in.
Her power finally reached its full potential. She could feel it, ready to explode. With a sigh of relief, Amira let the magic flow out of her, joined by Farren and Cirny’s. The crystals lit up, the whole cave shining so bright Amira had to close her eyes.
Nothing seemed to happen. Everyone was silent.
“Are you feeling any different?” Amira asked Lora, her eyes turning to the crystals that were no longer shining.
“I can still feel the bond,” Lora replied, unable to mask the distress in her voice.
Amira furrowed her brows, encountering Farren’s dumbfounded look. “We followed the steps. With the talisman, it should have worked, shouldn’t it?” she asked as her heart tightened in her chest.
Was it her fault? Was she not strong enough? Had she messed up their only chance—
