Page 135 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

They’d caught Zarya’s trail, picking up the evidence of her route, assuming she was responsible for those patches of colorful tile. Yasen and Row had run as fast as they could, trying to catch up.

Abishek had followed her, too.

They entered the fortress just as Zarya broke the seal, and they watched as thousands of nairatta flowed from the earth and entered a shimmering portal.

Something told Yasen they were headed for Rahajhan. The demons had returned to sweep over the land like they’d done a thousand years ago. Why had she done it? She must have a good reason, but what?

Then she’d turned around, and Yasen’s heart stopped when Abishek hit her with a blast of fire. She flew several feet, landing on the stones, her body going limp.

Yasen was going to kill him.

Except Row obviously had the same idea.

He rushed past Yasen with a snarl and barreled for Abishek, knocking him in the back with his shoulder. The king went flying, landing on his hands and knees with a surprised cry.

Yasen took the opportunity to seize the mystic, wrapping an arm across his chest and pressing a dagger to his throat. He was much smaller than Yasen, fine-boned, and more of a thinker than a fighter.

“Don’t fucking move, or you’re dead,” Yasen hissed in his ear, causing the mystic to fall still. “I’ll snap your neck before you can blink.”

That left only the army commander to deal with. She could probably take them all one-handed, but the uncertainty in her expression had Yasen wondering which side she was actually on. Her gaze kept finding Rabin, who lay passed out on the floor, his chest rising and falling.

When their gazes caught, she raised her hands in a gesture of surrender while training a watchful eye on the king. Row now stood over a prostrate Abishek, his sword in one hand and his eyes brimming with fire.

“Turn over,” Row ordered, pressing the tip of his blade into the back of the king’s skull. As he began to roll, Row stamped his foot into Abishek’s ribs and shoved him onto his back. “What have you done!”

With the mystic in his hold, Yasen watched Zarya, who lay crumpled in a heap, her dark hair covering her face. Was she breathing? Gods, why was he stuck holding onto this windbag?

“Unhand me!” the mystic declared, trying to sound authoritative, but it only came out petulant.

Yasen considered his options. Zarya needed him, and he had no obligation to play the good guy in this situation. These assholes had started this. So, he grabbed the mystic’s chin in one hand and the top of his head in the other and neatly snapped the mystic’s neck with a crack. He dropped to Yasen’s feet, sinking in a heap.

Yasen blew out a breath and studied the mystic’s limp body before looking up to meet Ekaja’s slack-jawed expression. A moment later, her mouth snapped shut, and she nodded.

Yasen wasted no more time, crossing the cavern to reach Zarya. He rolled her over to feel for her pulse. When he detected nothing, he immediately laid her down and began chest compressions while blowing air into her mouth. From the corner of his eye, he watched Row keep his blade pointed at the king while he struggled to his feet.

“Zee! Don’t you dare fucking die on me!” Yasen snarled as he tried to get her heart started. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he worked, and he was trying very hard not to cry. Zarya would mock him until the end of time.

No one was taking her away.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder and shoved him aside.

“Move,” Rabin snarled. “I’ll take care of this.”

He looked like hell. He was all scraped up, his clothes ragged, his hair a mess, and dark circles ringed his eyes. What the fuck had happened to them?

Rabin sank to his knees and stretched across Zarya, burying his face in the curve of her throat. Yasen was about to protest so he could continue first aid, but Zarya began to glow, her skin shimmering as coppery beams of magic swirled around them both.

He remembered Zarya explaining that Rabin could bring her back to life as her paramadhar. Rabin pulled up, kissing Zarya’s slack mouth and eyelids, whispering as he clutched her hand and ordered her to wake up.

Row and Abishek were now circling one another, firing magic around the room.

“You think you can stop me?” Abishek hissed. They both reacted, attacking with blasts of fire. They ducked, missing each other’s strikes before they collided with opposite walls, sending a shower of stones raining down.

They kept trading blows as magic ricocheted off the corners, and Yasen moved in front of Zarya and Rabin, hoping to protect them from an errant blast of magic.

Ekaja watched Row and the king before her gaze again met Yasen’s. Another blast of magic struck high on the wall, sending more stones showering to the floor.

She quickly made her way around the perimeter and waved her hand. Yasen could now see the faintest outline of a barrier surrounding them. Rabin was still holding Zarya, whispering to her.