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“Erin.”
“Yes?”
“Is there any way—”
A booming sound cut off his words. A second later, the walls shook violently, and Rick sensed the incoming pressure before he heard the whistle. Then an explosion shook him to his core, even while he reached for Erin and hauled her toward him. More explosions came, each one louder than the last until he could see nothing but darkness as the ceiling and walls crumbled around him. But his shield was there to cocoon him and his sister, preventing them from getting crushed to death.
The last explosion was the loudest, buzzing in his ears. Silence followed, prominent and eerie. Erin coughed.
“Are you okay?”
“If okay means alive, then sure. You?”
“Same.” He scanned the darkness, trying to find cracks in the debris. “We need to get out of here.”
“Let me take care of that.”
Frost hit him in the back, then the soles of his feet. It coated his shield and formed a thick, solid block of ice, matching the shield’s shape so as not to disturb it. He felt Erin brace, her energy building and building.
When she released it, it felt like salvation and death rolled into one, merciless in its core. It slunk in his bones and had him gritting his teeth, but there was a sense of triumph as he watched the first traces of light through the cracks she made in the debris. Seconds later, the debris was flying away in a frenzy and they could breathe more easily. But it wasn’t over yet.
Smoke filled the destroyed room, and it wasn’t just coming from the room. Their gazes met before they moved in unison, sprinting outside as fast as they could. What they saw had them stopping in their tracks as the room area opened to the bigger, wider hall.
“What?” she squawked.
There was chaos everywhere as the castle walls kept shaking and debris continued to fly around. He spotted Billicent shouting orders, then using an ice force to crush falling debris into smaller pieces. Jyss was leading Fae folks away while Yu went straight for Erin as soon as he glimpsed them. The pixie was talking in shambles.
“Attack. Billicent said no breach. All confused. Run.”
It had to be a breach, one so subtle that even their security couldn’t detect it. The screams and pulses of terror around him hurt his heart, but Rick hardened himself and stomped every bit of panic away. Realizing what needed to be done, he spun to face Erin and took her arm before she could move.
“You need to go to the safe room.”
Lavender eyes flared.
“Over my dead—”
“I have a natural shield. You don’t and I know you’re not sticking with me. Things are falling and everyone’s distracted. You’re an easy target.”
“But—”
“You and me dying will crush our people. We both have to survive and I’m guaranteed to. You’re not.”
“Rick—”
“I command you to go to the safe room.”
Magic bloomed, then glowed.
“Rick!”
“This is my first command as the crown prince, Erin, which I can enforce now that we’re at war. Go to the safe room. I’ll come back for you later.”
Oh, the fury in her expression was astronomical, but she was aware of the rules and what would happen if she disobeyed. When she still didn’t budge, he was left with no choice but to drag her there himself, the magic following them and waiting for her to make a mistake.
“I’m sorry about this,” he muttered.
“You’re an asshole.”
