Hugo offers me a tight smile as he stops beside a door. He doesn't bother to knock before he slips inside, pulling me along with him.
It's dark, a striking resemblance to my father's poker room, all dimly lit, smoke filling the air, and alcohol on the tips of everybody's tongues.
The leaders of the four other kingdoms sit around the table in the middle of the room with Viola.
“I think it's time to invoke the Kingdom's Champion and put this to rest once and for all,” Mallen, the leader of the first kingdom, states.
Before I can even consider asking my brother what that means, the Fourth Kingdom leader retrieves an old scripture, rolling it out as silence descends on the room.
“Inciting the rights of the Kingdom's Champion. We?—”
“We are not at war with The Fates,” Professor Viola interjects.
“But we are,” Polasara retorts, and our professor shakes her head.
“You have already used the Kingdom's Champion to gain control of your own kingdoms,” Viola reiterates, and Deandra slams her fist down on the table, but before she can speak, the leader of the Second Kingdom beats her to it.
“And what if I want control of it all?”
“Leonardo, you want the world to be Water Protectors only. What about everybody else?”
He shrugs at Viola’s question, malice crossing his lips as he smiles, and I still when his gaze meets mine.
“I’d make room for her,” he muses, swiping his tongue along his bottom lip. “Hello, Ivy.”
I gape at him, but I don't dare speak a word as I feel the magic simmering through the air.
It sets my phoenix on high alert, and I take a few subtle breaths to calm the rising nerves inside of me.
The leader of the Third Kingdom clears her throat, standing, cigarette in hand, as she glares across the room. “The point is?—”
Leonardo's eyes dart to the interruption, his hand coiling in the air as the woman claps her hands over her throat, choking and spluttering as her cigarette is long forgotten and tears spill from her eyes.
My heart races in fear for her life, but before anything can be done, it stops.
She splutters, falling back into her seat with a gasp.
“I wasn't done,” Leonardo gripes, his eyes returning to mine, and I falter.
Movement in the shadows makes my heart race, but when I glance to the sides, it's only to find my hated mates are here.
Fear sears through me.
No harm can come to them.
Not because of him.
Not because of me.
Hugo takes a step, blocking me from Leonardo's view, and my heart races even faster, fear of putting him in harm's way morphing with the distress inside that’s already brewing.
“Get her out of here,” he mutters, and the door opens behind me.
I'm maneuvered out into the hallway, my feet barely touching the floor, before I’m rushed down the hall.
I can't catch my breath, but thankfully spot a ladies’ room down to the right.
“I need a moment,” I mutter, slamming to a halt before I shove the door open and stagger inside.
