Page 215 of The Dark Lord’s Guide to Honeymooning (and Other Acts of Tyranny)

“Just trust me.”

I closed my eyes, reaching for my magic. The light came first, as it always did—the healing power of my bloodline, bright and pure. But I pushed past it, diving deeper, searching for the darkness I’d discovered with Kazimir’s help.

There it was, waiting for me. Shadow and dominion, twisted together like lovers. I wrapped my will around it, drawing it up and out.

The Heirloom on my head grew warm, then hot, responding to my call. Power surged through me, far more than I’d expected, and I gasped at the intensity of it.

Show them what you’re capable of, a voice whispered in my mind. It wasn’t Kazimir’s voice, but it wasn’t entirely foreign, either. Break their pathetic defenses. Take what’s yours.

I opened my eyes, raising my hands toward the barrier. Shadow magic coiled around me, darker than night, shot through with veins of gold.

“Lady Arabella Evenfall,” I said, my voice echoing strangely in the still air, “daughter of this house, demands entry.”

The barrier shimmered, recognizing my bloodline, but held firm.

I smiled, a cold expression that would have shocked the girl I once was. “I thought not. Very well.”

I pushed, not with my hands but with my will, sending a surge of shadow magic against the barrier. It struck with the force of a battering ram, causing the entire ward to flare golden in response. For a moment, the two magics warred against each other, light against dark, creation against destruction.

Then I reached deeper, drawing on the Heirloom’s connection to the ley lines themselves. Power flooded through me, raw and ancient, and I shaped it with the techniques I’d learned watching Kazimir. Not brute force, but precision—finding the weak points in the ward’s structure and exploiting them, using dominion magic to command rather than destroy.

“Dissipate,” I whispered, my voice carrying the weight of absolute authority.

The barrier hesitated, as if the magic itself was considering rebellion. Then it unraveled, threads of golden light dissolving silently into the morning air like mist under sunlight. No alarms. No shattering. Just a ward that decided—or was convinced—it had never existed in the first place.

I staggered, suddenly lightheaded from the effort. Sebastian caught my elbow, steadying me.

“That was—” he began, then shook his head, apparently at a loss for words.

“Impressive,” Thorne finished for him, a rare note of approval in his voice. “Lord Blackrose has taught you well.”

“Let’s not stand around congratulating ourselves.” But as we hurried forward, I allowed myself to feel a moment of pride anyway.

We slipped through the gardens, keeping to the shadows. The palace grounds were eerily empty—most of the guards had likely been called to defend against Kazimir’s attack. Still, we moved with caution, aware that even a single alarm could doom our mission.

The service entrance was just where I remembered it, a modest door set into the base of the east wing, partially hidden by a trellis of climbing roses. Two guards stood watch, looking nervous and jumpy.

Only two—that didn’t bode well. I’d expected many more to guard the captive heroes.

“I’ll handle this,” Thorne murmured, drawing a pair of wickedly curved daggers.

“Wait,” Sebastian said, his voice barely audible. He gestured subtly, and I watched as tiny seedpods fell from his sleeve, landing silently near the guards’ feet.

Within seconds, the pods burst open, releasing a cloud of pollen that the guards inhaled before they could react. Their eyes rolled back, and they slumped to the ground, unconscious.

I raised an eyebrow at Sebastian. “Sleep pollen? That’s new.”

He shrugged, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “I’ve been experimenting.”

“Experimenting is Griffin’s job,” I said with a small smile. “But I’m not complaining.”

Thorne moved forward, checking the guards to ensure they were truly out. With a practiced motion, he slit their throats quickly and silently.

Sebastian winced but said nothing.

“Sorry,” I said, not really meaning it. “But we can’t afford to leave enemies at our backs.”

“I know,” he replied quietly. “I just… never mind. Let’s keep moving.”