“You think Evelyn married you just to commit treason?” Damien yelled at Leo. “Ritter tricked her! He fooled all of us!”
“But that’s over now,” Haydn said. “We can be honest with each other. And, truthfully, I don’t need kings alive any longer. The continent is better off without them.”
Haydn let go of Evelyn and conjured another deadly ball of light.
“Stop!” Evelyn shouted.
She clutched at Haydn’s arm, but he had already started to throw the Energy. Evelyn’s intervention only knocked his aim off course.
The magic sank into Simon’s chest instead of Leo’s.
Simon’s eyes went dark before he lurched forward and hit the floor. Evelyn screamed and lifted her hands, but Haydn trapped her in his arms.
“I already told you that you aren’t allowed to save anyone else with your magic,” Haydn chided.
“Let me go!” Evelyn shrieked. “He’s my friend!”
“No. I warned you and you didn’t listen.”
Evelyn went limp and sank to the floor.
Simon is dead, and his only crime was being my guard. This is all my fault.
Haydn lowered himself beside her, hugging her comfortingly as she cried. “Everything will be okay, my love. After this, we’ll get married, and I will give you everything you desire.”
Evelyn forced herself to look up at him. “Haydn,please. If you really love me, stop this.”
“My innocent bride.” Haydn traced her jawline. “It’s too late. The kingdoms will be ours by sunrise.”
“You don’t need to reign over a continent!”
“But I want to, just as much as I wantyou, my love. I’ve done most of the work for us already. I convinced the Legislative Council to give me the highest position in Lochmatten. I’ve built connections in all nine lands. I killed the Kennedys in Carrowmore, plus the king and first heir of Gryon.”
All the air seemed to be sucked out of the room.
The first heir of Gryon. Prince Christopher.
Leo let out a strangled cry, which was nothing compared to the guttural wails coming from his mother.
Haydn acted like he couldn’t hear them. “The kingdoms are in chaos, ready for new leadership. I have been planning this for so long, and then you showed up. You were the missing piece that I needed. You and your Fire. There is nothing I can’t do with adragonat my side.”
Haydn forced Evelyn to her feet. “I’m not heartless. Fontaine will live. I’ve always liked him, and he will be valuable. You can keep your other guard, but all the heirs have to go. You understand, don’t you?”
“No! I—” Evelyn swallowed her fear.
Arguing isn’t going to get me anywhere. Haydn will kill them faster if I make him mad.
“Give me another Bargain.”
Haydn’s mouth curled into a smile. “What is it you want, love?”
“Don’t kill them. They can all forfeit their claims to the throne and leave the continent. Just keep them alive!”
“In exchange for what? What are their lives worth?”
Evelyn took his hands. “I will be yours! I won’t fight you on anything else. I’ll go where you want me to go. We can get married today and I will give you all of my magic. I will doanythingfor you.”
“Evelyn, no!” Leo yelled.
