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A loud chanting broke into the air, but it wasn’t the sorcerers. At least it wasn’t the sorcerers in the room. A booming voice sounded from next door. Rothbart’s voice. Casting a spell so powerful, the magic filtered in through her bones.
Every sorcerer dropped to the ground, unmoving.
The guards standing by them jumped, backing up, looking spooked. Torsten’s jaw fell, but he quickly clenched it closed as he turned to face Odette.
She gave him a sad smile and reached into her dress, pulling out a portal bean. “I guess the game is up. Forgive me, Torsten.”
“How dare you.” His voice shook with emotion. “Guards!”
She tossed the bean along the back wall and it opened up to the room next door. She saw Kilron’s motionless body lying on the ground and she sucked in a breath. Rothbart also lay on the floor, no longer moving. She raced through the portal, willing it to close behind her before anyone could follow.
Except they’d all beheld the room. They knew where she went. She glanced at the side door and breathed a sigh of relief that Rothbart had shoved the desk against it. They had some time. But the other door. She dashed over to the desk and threw open the drawers, praying for a key and feeling grateful when she found one. She rushed over to the unlocked door and rammed it in, only taking another breath when she heard the lock click. That would keep anyone from entering. But not for long.
“Odette?”
She turned to the plush chair in front of her. Zoya blinked, confusion on her face. She moved to her, wanting to take the girl in her arms, but stopped at the fear that seeped into Zoya’s expression. Odette glanced at the knife still in her hand and the blood covering her.
She dropped the blade to the floor with a clatter. “I’m not going to hurt you, Zoya.”
“You know who I am?” She glanced down at her hands, realizing she was no longer disguised. “What is happening…”
“The queen is the one who has been trying to kill you all this time. Rothbart and I stopped her. She’s… dead.”
Zoya looked around the room, bewildered. “The queen tried to kill me?” Panic flashed across her face when her eyes landed on her brother. “Rothbart!”
Odette swallowed at the sight of Rothbart’s unmoving body. Had he not healed himself? Perhaps when he fought with Kilron, he didn’t have enough time. Agony shot through her. What if this was Bash all over again? She was afraid to check.
Zoya rushed to his side, sobbing and shoving him onto his back. He had an amethyst crystal clutched in his fist, and his eyes were closed.
Zoya slapped his face and screamed. “Wake up! You can’t leave me too, Rothbart. I FORBID it.” She slapped him again.
“Ow, Zoya,” Rothbart murmured, his eyes opening.
Odette pressed her hands to her face to hide the sob that rose in her throat. Zoya didn’t have any such qualms. She threw her arms around her older brother, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Banging started on the side door. Someone would barge through soon.
“You need to go,” Rothbart said.
“What about you?” Odette asked.
He met her gaze, and she saw the weariness there, though she was relieved to see that he must have healed his wounds, as there was a lack of blood gathering at his side.
“I used up my strength on the crystal. I can’t stand,” he muttered. “Go. They’ll be coming through that door any moment. Get Zoya out of here.”
“We’re not leaving you,” his sister said, aghast.
Rothbart’s brows drew together, his voice strained when he spoke. “Using the crystal on my own men was a treasonous act.”
“Meaning they’ll put you to death,” Odette said. Zoya was right. There was no way in hell they were leaving him. But what other option did they have? Odette’s mind spun ahead of her. Could she and Zoya get Rothbart through a portal before the men came in?
The door to the side room slammed into the desk, and it moved. Shit. Probably not.
She bit her lip. She had one more bean. She and Zoya could make a clean getaway. But she also thought about the evidence stored under her clothes.
She stepped forward and knelt next to Zoya. “There may be a way to save him.Youcan save him.”
“Odette…” Rothbart growled.
