“You!” she told Haydn.
Evelyn fell to her knees and coughed as the magic released her. She couldn’t help but look at Leo now, whose face was set with rage. The captors behind her friends and family didn’t hide their laughter at Evelyn’s humiliation.
A brief pain burned on the back of her leg from the tattoo disappearing.
The deal is over. I’m not his fucking genie anymore. That means I don’t have to be nice.
“You asshole!” Evelyn yelled at Haydn. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I think we proved that you enjoy me the way I am.”
Haydn hauled Evelyn up again. Flames burst from her fingertips, then simply rolled over his body and disappeared. Evelyn clawed at him, but Haydn caught her wrists.
“Should we show everyone what you like me to do to you?” he purred. “Maybe Fontaine will take up my offer to join us this time. Would you like that?”
Evelyn thrashed. “Let go of me!”
“Oh, you probably don’t want your father to see. That’s okay. I can pluck his eyes out like I did with the other king.”
Evelyn’s blood turned to ice. “You… You killed King Gerard?”
“Youmurdered my father?” Leo roared.
Haydn was pleased by their reactions. “I did! It’s such a relief to get that off my chest. Secrets are quite cumbersome after a while.”
“Did you kill all of those guards?” Evelyn asked.
“Of course! I couldn’t risk getting caught. Impaling a body is a lot of work.”
“Where is the last guard?” Simon demanded. “There’s one still missing.”
“Thank you for reminding me!” Haydn snapped his fingers.
The final missing guard appeared on the floor, as carved up as the others had been. The stench of him filled the room. Evelyn covered her nose and mouth as best she could with her one free hand. Everyone else with a sword to their neck could only gag. Even the captors’ eyes watered from the smell, and they struggled to hold the weapons steady.
Simon stared at the dead guard with obvious recognition and grief.
They were friends.
Without caring that it broke tradition in this kingdom, Evelyn used Fire magic to engulf the rotting body. The flames were so hot that it took only moments for the guard to burn to ashes.
Haydn’s wild smile returned. “I cannotwaitto have that magic of yours.”
Evelyn slapped him. He reeled back and raised a hand to his reddened skin. His expression twisted into something sinister Evelyn had seen only once before.
“You shouldn’t have done that. I only promised not to hurtyou.”
Haydn conjured a ball of Energy light and whipped it through the air. The magic hit Hannah’s chest and she collapsed onto the floor.
“Hannah!” Evelyn screamed.
Her sister didn’t move or make a sound. The captor who had been with Hannah jumped back in surprise. King Tristan yelled curses and threats.
Evelyn tried to run for her sister, but Haydn caught her around the waist.
My hands are free.
Evelyn formed Energy of her own, remembering how Moeller taught her to revive plants. She pushed the ball of light into her sister’s back. Hannah’s body shuddered, then her chest began to rise and fall in shallow, almost undetectable breaths.
