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She flicked her wrists and erected a massive shield, one that spanned nearly the width of the street. People all around her gasped, some even applauding, as if it were some party trick. But there was nothing playful about the vile look in Ymaritis’s blue and silver eyes.
“Go!” she shouted.
From the corner of her vision, she saw Manny nod, and then dash away.
Hopefully she had made the right decision, keeping the eternal rose with her instead of sending it with Manny. But if she had given it to him, she would have put a target on his back. The best chance of keeping the rose safe lay with her.
“You don’t want to do this.” Elyse bent her knees and readied her hands, preparing for a fight. “Someone might get hurt.”
Indeed, everyone on the street had stopped and was now staring at the two of them. A few people murmured, maybe even placing bets, but most were silent.
Ymaritis held out his hand before him and produced a shimmering dagger of light. “I’m counting on it,” he growled, right before he pounced.
Chapter 36
- Killian -
Killian paced the small bedroom of the inn, his boots hammering on the wooden planks. The sun had set fully, casting no light through the lone window. He could hear the debauchery on the streets below, which only served to add to the noise crowding his mind.
Sera lay stretched across the bed, inspecting her nails. “Would you stop that already?” she asked, sounding aggravated.
Killian ignored her. Admittedly, he’d enjoyed parts of their outing, especially their walk back to the inn. It had been pleasant getting to know Sera better, something he ought to have done weeks ago. Yet as soon as they’d returned to the inn, his impatience had returned. Jaime wasn’t in his room, which didn’t bode well for anyone. On top of that, Sera’s troubling words about their future haunted him. She’d had no words of comfort, instead conveying with a raw sense of dread that she knew nothing. The harrowing look in her eyes festered in his mind, growing into a demanding restlessness, which only worsened the longer he waited for Elyse and Manny.
“Working yourself into a frenzy won’t do them any good,” Sera uttered. She narrowed her violet eyes on him.
He was too worked up to care. Soon they would know if their plan had failed or succeeded, and he couldn’t rest until he knew which one. As a lieutenant, he had always been involved in missions. Lounging on the sidelines was a foreign feeling.
The door to the room swung open, breaking Killian’s train of thought. He looked up, expecting to see Elyse or Manny. Instead, Jaime beamed at them.
“We did it,” Jaime said, coolly running a hand through his hair.
Relief flooded Killian’s ribcage, but it was suppressed by his anger. “We?” His brows furrowed as he took in Jaime’s attire—the dark, lavish suit. “Did you go to the auction?”
Jaime opened his mouth to answer, but a commotion out in the hallway caught all of their attention. Killian shoved past him and into the corridor.
Manny, his appearance still altered, was sprinting up the stairs. “Killian!” he shouted. Sweat dripped from his dark hair and clung to his temple. His lanky body hurled him down the hallway. “We have to go,” he ordered as he barreled into the bedroom. “Where are the potions?”
Sera leapt from the bed and rushed to him. Her hands roved against his chest, her wide eyes searching him for injury but finding none.
“Where’s Elyse?” everyone asked at the same time.
“She’s in trouble,” Manny sputtered. “No time. Where are the potions?”
Killian snapped into lieutenant mode, his head clearing instantly, even as his lungs seemed to clear of air. He grasped his friend by the shoulder and forced him to meet his gaze.
“Manny, slow down. Where is she?”
“Someone followed us,” he panted, his eyes crazed. “She’s fighting him off, but we have to help her.” He broke off and scanned the room. “Where are the fucking potions?”
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
His stomach clenched as fear for Elyse shook him. Someone had followed them? Who? Judging by Manny’s state of distress, it had to be someone bad—someone powerful. But Elyse wasn’t just some two-bit witch. She was a gods-damned warrior. She would be all right.
“What potions?” Sera asked, her voice trembling slightly.
