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Thicket tucked her arms beneath Marcellus, hauling him upward.

“I will only slow you down,” he grunted, using all that remained of his strength to try and push Thicket away. “If you get hurt, then I took an arrow for nothing. Go.”

A cry resounded above them. The phoenix was back, wings bunched as it prepared to dive for them once more.

“Kit,” Bern warned.

Thicket scowled. “Even half unconscious, you are infuriatingly annoying.” She glanced across the pond. “Elian! Help me carry him!”

“No,” Marcellus ground out, but his eyes were heavy. The venom was taking over his senses.

Elian hurtled towards her. The first of the Desert Kingdom’s guards broke free of their binds.

There was no time to let Lavender get in her head. Thicket rose, grabbing one of the swords at Marcellus’ belt. She was no longer bound to a single weapon. If she couldn’t trust her magic, she could at least trust this. The sword felt different than before. Lighter. Maybe her training had paid off.

As the phoenix swooped, Thicket swung out with the sword. The phoenix pivoted away from the blade. She charged up the steps, intercepting the guard who had escaped. Her sword clashed against the polished wood of his bow. Her knees groaned as she fought to keep her balance on the slick steps but managed to shove away his attack, using the force to propel the guard into the pond.

“Yoa!” one of the guards cried. A crystal deer sprung from the waterfall, slashing with its antlers. Thicket brought her sword up, ready to block it, but her blade cut straight through the water. The force of the deer’s blow made her stumble, but she managed to catch herself. It reared up, preparing another attack.

Thicket grabbed Bern’s hand. “Let’s go.” She dragged her friend across the bridge as the remaining guards broke free of their binds. Elian let the bridge fall into the pond once their feet hit the opposing stairwell. More guards poured from the maze, tearing down the steps behind them.

“Zel!”

The ground beneath her shifted, shooting upward. Thicket narrowly dodged the spikes, diving down the remaining steps onto solid ground. She got to her feet and kept running.

Elian and Marcellus were already in the tunnel, quickly followed by Lotta. Thicket tore across the last few feet, expecting to hear Bern’s footsteps right behind her.

A scream split through the air. Thicket whirled to see Bern trapped by the stones. One of the guards grabbed her by her hair, yanking her towards them. She kicked and bucked wildly against their hold. One of the guards used the butt of his sword and struck it across her temple. Bern fell limp in their arms.

“Bern!” Thicket went to race after her but Lotta grabbed her. “Thicket, we have to go.”

“No, we can’t leave her. Bern!”

The guards were closing in, only a few dozen feet away now.

“It is too late,” Lotta said. “We need to go or we will all get captured.”

The guards shouted, arrows notched and incantations at their lips. Lotta was panting, sweat sliding down her face. She was nearly at her limit. Thicket glanced behind her to see Elian struggling to carry Marcellus’ weight. Her heart cleaved in two as she glanced back at Bern, slung across the guard’s shoulder. They would get her back. They would save both Bern and Alouette. They would.

But Lotta was right. If they wanted a chance at that, they had to avoid getting captured.

Arrows whizzed towards her, sharp tips digging into the stone wall beside her head.

“Zel!” Thicket cried.

The ground shook as the passage walls rearranged, sealing the gap between them and the approaching guards. The force was enough to make Thicket lose her balance. She steadied herself against the wall, glancing back at the garden, hoping to catch one last glimpse of Bern. All she saw as the dust settled was the russet stone of the passage, effectively cutting them off from one another.

PART TWO

After one hundred years of sleep, a daring prince

braved through the wall of thorns and woke

Sleeping Beauty with true love’s kiss.

Chapter Thirty-One

Lotta peered around the edge of the abandoned alleyway. Boots pounded against the ground as guards swarmed the streets, pushing past civilians in their search.