Page 125 of Queen of War and Ruin

All of these people were at my wedding, just months ago. Sitting at their elegant tables, drinking the king’s wine, laughing at the king’s jokes. Watching Malrik destroy Lilias’s life to justify the war he was about to wage.

Varitan’s magic burns through the air, hissing as it spins toward me. Toward every person in this world that I love.

I don’t think. I can’t. There isn’t time.

I lift my hands, step into the garden, and push back against Varitan’s attack.

Chapter 64

Lilias

DO NOT RUN

Ibarely make it out of the ballroom before the ground shakes again. Petrys grabs my arm, keeping me from pitching forward as we run into the garden. I turn to him, but he’s looking backward, over his shoulder. Back at the ballroom we just left, at the chandeliers as they tremble against the painted ceiling.

“Gods above—” he whispers.

And the entire world roars like a caged beast.

I spin around, my heart flailing against the back of my throat. Petrys stands next to me, frozen in place. And in front of him, his black cloak spread out over his shoulders, his empty hands raised toward the doorway like an offering, like a surrender, is Zarek.

Someone screams inside the ballroom. It’s a man, and even though I can’t see him, even though I’ve never heard him raise his voice, I’m certain that Varitan is screaming. There’s another roar, a low rumble.

And then, slowly, almost beautifully, the wall of the palace of Vsenrog begins to fall.

The last of the windows shatters with a sound like ice breaking beneath a leather boot. The groan and crash of crumbling masonry swells to fill the entire world. Dust rises, blotting out the warm flood of light from the falling chandeliers. There’s more screaming, but it feels dull and distant. It’s on the other side of the wall, some part of me recognizes.

No. It’s on the other side of the massive pile of broken stone and shattered glass that is now all that remains of the wall.

The man standing next to Zarek spins to face him. And then there’s another voice, one that’s louder and far closer. And somehow strangely familiar.

“What in the hells,” he screams, “did you just do?”

Dust covers his face and cloak, and his eyes are wide with rage and fear. Still, I know who he is. It can’t possibly be him, but still⁠—

“Gerard?” I gasp.

My brother’s guard nods at me.

“Hi,” he says, before grabbing Zarek’s shoulders and shaking him. “What the fuck was that?” Gerard screams in Zarek’s face.

Petrys lets go of my arm. And then he steps forward and punches Gerard in the face. Gerard stumbles backward.

“Stop it!” I cry.

Gerard spits, then scowls at Petrys. A thin trickle of blood runs down his chin from his split lip. His fingers curl into a fist. He rocks forward, but Zarek steps between the two men.

“We need to go,” Zarek says, his voice low and dangerous. “Now.”

Zarek looks pale. His hair flutters around his neck. Because he’s shaking, I realize. He’s shaking quite a bit.

Petrys and Gerard glare at each other.

“Oh, come on!” I snap.

I grab Gerard’s arm and drag him away from Petrys. When Zarek starts to run through the garden, we all follow him.

Alia is waiting for us on the far side of the stables. She’s standing in a dark doorway with a cloak over her head, staring at the wreck of the palace ballroom.