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Madinia smiled, and her whole face changed, lit up with a joy I’d never seen from her before. Molten droplets wept from the disfigured thrones, sizzling as they splashed onto the marbled floor below.
My breath hitched. It’s not the entire castle, Wila. But I hope you’re watching. Wherever you are.
The heavy jewels were freed from their golden prison, several of them falling to the ground. Blood began to drip from Madinia’s nose.
“That’s enough,” I told her.
She ignored me.
“Madinia.” I grabbed her arm. “I need you to save your power. There’s something else I want you to burn.”
She ignored me. The flames were greedily scaling the walls of the throne room now, the smoke heavy and thick. I froze them with a thought, and Madinia whirled, lips pulled back in a snarl.
“Please,” I said. “This is important.”
She glanced back at the thrones. They weren’t entirely melted. But they were buckled, drooping, ruined.
The symbolism was clear.
Finally, she nodded. The knot in my stomach loosened, and I bolted toward the doors, allowing time to resume. Madinia staggered through the doorway behind me as I urged her to the right, bursting from the castle and into the courtyard.
Rythos’s gaze jumped to mine. A huge group of guards was gathered around him, sitting on the cobblestones and watching him attentively. Obviously, he’d already found Cavis and ensured his body would be transported out of the castle. My throat tightened.
“We need a few minutes,” I said.
“Pris,” Rythos warned.
“I know.”
I would use my power again if I had to.
I couldn’t explain the compulsion. But I had to do this. Beside me, Madinia panted. “You’re going for the sanctuary.”
“I want it destroyed.”
She smiled. “Done.”
Her upper lip was smeared with blood. She noticed my gaze and shook her head. “I’m fine.”
The sanctuary walls were made of white stone, which wouldn’t burn. But the chairs would. The light-blue cloth draped over the walls would. The wooden ceiling, etched with gold, would. As would the wooden floors. My heart pounded as the flames curled through the building, and we made our way outside, all while Madinia ensured even the smallest sliver of wood was burned to ash.
When it was done, the stone had begun to fall in places, the sanctuary crumbling where it stood. But blood ran freely from Madinia’s nose. I’d never seen her even close to a burnout like this before. “We need to get back to Rythos.”
“Prisca.”
“What?”
“You need to tell Lorian. About the seer.”
I shook my head. I didn’t need to tell Lorian anything, because he wasn’t going to die. The seer had clearly been tainted by the same madness that had gripped Vuena.
“Find the prince,” she’d told me. “Find him and meet your fate.” At the time, I’d assumed her mind was breaking.
Now that there was nothing left to burn…
It hurt. Oh gods, it hurt. Even just the thought of losing him was enough to make me…
I leaned over and vomited. Madinia’s hands were surprisingly gentle as she pulled my curls out of the way. When I was done, she grabbed my waterskin from where I’d tucked it into my belt. Handing it to me, she sighed. “Either you tell him, or I will.”
