“Get up.”
“What about Jane? She didn’t accept you either, and she was family. Let me guess, you confronted her years later, and she laughed in your face?” Twisting my wrists, I felt the first give in the rope.
“Get up!” he roared, grasping my arm and dragging me upright. His fingers bit into my skin, and he shoved me against the wall, my head cracking against the glass.
Lights danced in my vision.
“My aunt was a fool. I was going to take what should have been mine. With my brother gone, I have a claim to the throne. I joined the agency to gain access to the castle, and I waited for the perfect opportunity. It was the perfect cover. Detective Chambers was searching for his sister’s killer, and I’d be the first to know if he came close.”
“But Ella ruined everything. She saw you with Helen, and then you spotted her at the ball. She was going to warn the prince.”
“Too bad for her, he switched masks.” Abrams sneered. “Some things just work out in your favor, don’t they? I followed her into the courtyard. The look on her face when I removed my mask was really something.” He chuckled and the soft sound sent a shiver of fear up my spine. “I liked you, Miss Daniels, I really did. You were a bit of an underdog, and who doesn’t want to root for that? But it’s over now. I’ll lay low for a while, go dormant until memories fade and I can walk freely among the kingdom again. You won’t be around for that, but I can guarantee your murder will make the front page of the Gazette. You’ll be as famous as your mother.”
His hands came up. I drew in a breath before they closed around my throat. My whole body bucked from the pressure, and I lost focus for a second as terror overwhelmed me. The pain in my lungs grew unbearable.
Abrams’ fingers dug deeper. I closed my eyes, and Derrick’s face flashed behind my eyelids. I couldn’t give up. Losing Sophie’s killer this way would break him, anddamn it, if I wasn’t tired of being on the front page of the blasted Gazette!
Magic sizzled across my skin, slicing through the rope. It gave away at the same time as my knees. With the last of my energy, I pushed my hands forward and shot a current into his chest.
Abrams flew back, and I sank to the ground, gulping in ragged gasps of air.
He was up before I’d caught my breath. I struggled to my feet too, channeling another beam of magic. He lurched, and I flung my fists out, launching a stream of sparks that went wide.
Throwing back his head, Abrams laughed. “You missed. Wow, you’re a terrible witch.”
The sparks engulfed a thick wall of withered vines behind him, catching fire. It spread quickly, racing up the walls, jumping from stalk to stalk. Not ideal! I tilted my head back as the flames burned all the way to the ceiling, smoke becoming thick and dark.
Abrams spun, his mouth widening at the inferno. “Foolish, witch! You’ll kill us both!”
Yeah, I could see that!This was why I shouldn’t use magic indoors. I coughed, covering my mouth, and dropped low to the ground. Above my head, there was a popping sound as the glass began to crack from the heat.
Abrams ran for the door. I couldn’t let him reach it first—he’d trap me inside.
Fighting against the smoke stinging my eyes, I focused my magic and splayed my fingers. A flaming vine snaked across the ground, wrapping around his leg. It jerked him down, and I heard the sickening fracture as his head smacked the stone tile. He didn’t move. Blood pooled beneath his head.
I skirted around him and lunged for the door. My hands shoved against the handle, but it didn’t budge. I slammed it again, panic disorienting me. As a figure appeared on the other side of the glass, my heart stalled.
Derrick’s stricken face sharpened into focus. “Tessa!” He wrenched the handle.
“It’s locked! Abrams has the key.”
I scrambled to his fallen form, Derrick’s voice ringing in my ears. My hands shook as I searched Abrams’ pockets. Empty! The pool of blood had spread, soaking his shirt. His eyes were wide-open and lifeless.
He was dead.
The key was gone.
Raking my hands through the leaves, I inhaled smoke that burned my throat. Glass shattered, raining down on me. It was too late. I’d never locate it among all the debris. Thick, black smoke clogged the air, making it impossible to see, and even harder to breathe.
Dazed, I made it back to the door. “I can’t find it.” I sounded so calm I scared myself.
Heat flared at my back, and I covered my mouth to cough into my sleeve before sinking to the floor. When I pressed my forehead against the glass, it was hot.
Derrick kicked the door, his boot leaving dirt on the surface. He shouted my name, and my lips trembled. I didn’t want him to watch me die.
“Go away!” I screamed.
He listened. The pounding stopped. When I looked up, he was gone.
