Chapter 40
Jessiah
Heat whirled, singeing the tips of my wings. I pulled them back just enough to avoid the fire, but kept Rummy hidden as much as possible.
“This won’t save you!” I yelled. “You’re still the coward you’ve always been!”
“I’m not the one who needs saving,” he retorted. He raised his hands, and the flames on the ground rose until they created an entire wall around us.
Rummy and I stood back-to-back in the tight circle. “This isn’t good,” she yelled over the roaring elements. “We’re sitting ducks in here without our power!”
“Look at me.” I spun around and put a hand under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet mine.
“Nobody in this entire kingdom carries more power than you do right now, Rummy of Midgrave. You are unstoppable. We made sure of that. Any magic he’s using to block you right now can be combatted with whatever’s in here.
” I poked a finger at her chest. “Don’t be afraid. You have nothing to fear anymore.”
I felt a flutter through our bond—excitement, maybe? Nerves? But it was something. That meant the block wasn’t entirely obstructing our bond.
She felt it, too. Her eyes widened and her attention turned toward the two who now approached us slowly.
As if they already defeated us.
As if we would give up that easily.
Cornelius’s laugh pierced the hot air. “Matthias is not the only one on my side, either.” He turned and looked behind him. From the back of the gardens, two dozen fae emerged. No—they did not simply emerge. They appeared out of thin air like they had been standing right there the entire time.
Veil magic. One of them was a gifted fae who cloaked the entire group.
“You two can try to stop me, but I’m taking Rummy’s power whether or not you try to fight. If I were you, I’d stop resisting. Perhaps I’ll show mercy and spare your lives. Oh, try not to act so surprised,” Cornelius continued. “I told you I am not alone.”
One gifted fae, we could handle. But this? A small army of magic powers? We had no clue what skills they possessed. We couldn’t defend ourselves against them if we didn’t know what we were fighting.
A tiny stream of panic surged through my tether from Rummy. She wasn’t expecting this. We’d prepared to fight Cornelius alone.
The army of fae didn’t approach us—that was a relief. It was like they were on standby to intimidate us, to answer Cornelius’s call whenever he pleased.
We couldn’t fight them all, especially if our magic was being blocked.
But if they were distracted, we would have a chance.
Rummy would have a chance.
Getting her out of here was the only damn thing that mattered. My breath grew shallow as I weighed my options, but the decision was an easy one. Rummy was getting out of here alive.
Even if she was the only damn one.
I gripped Rummy’s wrist. “When I say run,” I started, “get out of here as fast as you can. Blast your magic—all of it. Kill every last fae in this damn palace if you have to. Don’t worry about what might happen.”
She shook her head beside me. “What are you talking about?”
“I love you, Rum. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you. Don’t ever let anyone steal your light again. I’m so sorry.” I kissed her on the lips hard and fast so she had no time to process my next move.
And then I launched myself through the fire—wings sizzling—and tackled Cornelius to the ground.
I felt Rummy’s terror through our bond before I heard her bloodcurdling scream.
Use this, I silently pleaded through the bond. Make them pay.
Cornelius and I rolled over one another until I landed on top of him. My angel wings splayed widely on either side of my shoulders to keep my balance as I pinned him down.
Rummy screamed again, but the power I felt through the bond told me Cornelius had been distracted enough to lift the block he placed on her.
“Now, Rummy!” I screamed. “NOW!”
She hesitated. I knew she would. Her past made her a victim to her own magic, and she feared hurting me. She feared me getting in the way.
But we had no fucking choice.
Both of us would not make it out of here alive. Not like this.
So while Cornelius struggled beneath me, while Matthias scrambled—likely about to use his own magic on Rummy—I simply did the last thing I could think of to get Rummy to wield that damn magic of hers.
I reached down and pulled Cornelius’s dagger from its sheath.
And shoved it into my own chest.