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“She’s the only good thing I can remember in my entire existence.” Seconds tick by while Madden stares longingly at Zaylee. His fingers flex. He anxiously shuffles his feet.
Deep sadness fills his icy eyes. It actually changes their color. They morph into a dark purple, and he blinks as he tenderly runs his hand over the glass.
“All right,” he relents with a broken whisper. “Give me some space while I open the lid.”
Smiling from ear to ear, I look at Kai. He’s grinning back, cautious but optimistic.
As Madden stands next to the box, he holds his palm out toward it. His face is pinched with concentration, and a thin crack begins to form along the top edge like an invisible laser is cutting it open. The line is so incredibly straight, you’d never know it was made with the mind of a man and not a machine.
I’ve never witnessed a power like his. Many fae can force objects into motion with telekinesis, wielding them like weapons. They can use them to do their bidding.
But Maddenisthe force. The elements are at his mercy. They don’t just move for him. They change at his will.
I wonder how far his ability goes and what his limits are.
What else could he build? A house? A castle?
Does he use his magic to keep this place clean? Is it just a matter of sucking all the dust into a ball and chucking it outside? Because, convenient.
Suddenly, the ground shakes, and an ominous rumble resounds through the temple.
Protective as always, Kai circles me with his arm and pulls me in close while lifting his sword.
With a quick backward swipe of his hand, Madden reseals the case and scowls over his shoulder. “You both need to leave. Right now.”
“What?” I gasp, my heart sinking. “No.”
“This is Armand’s work.” Paranoid, Madden’s gaze bounces up and around.
“Well, be quick about it then,” I insist. “Let her out of there while you can.”
“Don’t you see?” Madden radiates anger while also appearing a bit sorry for me. “Armand isn’t going to allow it. He was never going to let you have her.”
Another quake rocks the building, stronger and longer than the last.
“How do I know it’s notyoudoing this?” I stab a finger at him.
“Because I would never intentionally put Zaylee in danger, and a roof caving in on her is certainly not safe. Armand is going to level this entire building if you don’t get out.”
As if speaking the prediction makes it come to fruition, the wooden beams along the ceiling groan as the floor trembles under our feet again.
“Sunny, I’m sorry, but we must go.” Kai picks me up, getting my toes a couple inches off the floor so he can carry me toward the exit.
“But—but Zaylee.” I kick and squirm as he walks down the aisle away from my granddaughter, but it’s no use fighting him.
If Kai wants to move me, he can. He will.
I resort to begging. “Kai, please. Please, don’t do this.” I pet his face, his beard, and his neck. I’m desperate, and I’m hoping my touch will convince him to stay. “Wait just a few more seconds.”
When his eyes lock with mine, he’s sad but resolute. “Madden’s right. Armand is interfering. The timing is too impeccable to be a coincidence.”
“Why would he lead me to Zaylee just to make me abandon her?”
The answer is in my question.
Armand reunited me with my granddaughter for the sole purpose of forcing me to walk away from her.
I was right when I said Zaylee is part of the second challenge, but the test isn’t about figuring out how to rescue her—it’s about the heartbreak I have to endure because I can’t.
