Page 126 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

“Stay focused and answer my question,” Torin demanded.

“Yes, he came here with me, but I don’t know where he is now…” She trailed off as she stalked behind Torin, barely managing to put one foot in front of the other.

“He will be fine; I know my brother. We just need to get you out of here.” He surveyed the room to find the best route.

Just then, a booming voice sounded over the room, stopping them in their tracks. Rising through the screams and death, she heard, “Can I have your attention, please?” The voice was cold, but contrastingly upbeat. Familiar.

A young man took centre stage where the musicians had been; they, too, were now lying inpools of their own blood.

All of them.

Emara wanted to scream, but not at the people who were now lying dead on the floor, but at the man who stood over them; proud to have massacred his prey.

She wanted to scream, loud, because it was Taymir Solden.

Emara felt her knees buckle below her, but she pulled her muscles in tight. Taymir’s fierce eyes scanned the crowd as he couldn’t find who he was looking for. He was looking for her and she knew it—but why, she had no idea.

Was he responsible for all of this?

She had to go to him. She had to stop this.

She took a step forward, but Torin grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?” His eyes were wild with disbelief.

“Ending this chaos.” She yanked away from Torin’s solid grip. “He’s here because of me.”

Torin called her name again, but the whizzing sound in her head was too loud as she pushed her way through the crowd.

“Anyone that has sight of a pretty, dark-haired dream that goes by the name of Emara Clearwater, please, speak up. There will be a grand reward for the one who finds her first.”

The crowd watched him in shock.

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” Taymir mocked.

The violence stood still around them.

Only whimpers and crying could be heard. And the choking of the dying. Even the Hunters had stopped in the destruction of the demons to watch the Elite male. The dark army, too, didn’t dare to move, like he had commanded them to remain dormant.

Emara’s heartbeat thudded into her eardrums as she made her way to the front. It thundered so loudly that she couldn’t hear herself think.

“I am going to count to three. If you haven’t emerged”—a vile chuckle broke from Taymir’s mouth—“I will initiate the killing again.”

“You don’t have to do that.” The words escaped Emara’s mouth forcefully, and the crowd parted. “You know I am here, or else you wouldn’t be.”

Emara moved to the front of the crowd and stood strong, straightening her spine as she centred her weight on both feet. She dug the gold spear into the ground beside her, tightening her grip on it.

“Ah! There is my gorgeous wife-to-be.” A muscle ticked under Taymir’s eye as he gestured behind her. “And her overprotective bodyguards, I see.”

Emara hadn’t heard or felt Torin or Gideon behind her, but both brothers flanked her on either side. Torin was on the left and Gideon on the right. She didn’t know where Gideon had been in the ballroom, but he must have made his way to her as quickly as he could to stand by her side. She stole a quick glance at his face; he wasn’t hurt.

The relief was short-lived as Taymir spoke again, “You know, Emara, if you had been a good girl and just obeyed me the first time, this would never have happened.” He gestured to the destruction of the ballroom. “All the blood spilled here tonight? That’s on your hands.”

Emara shook her head and ground the spear into the floor. This was not on her, was it? This couldn’t be about their relationship. There had to be more to it; more that she didn’t understand.

The Blacksteel brothers growled behind her.

“Didn’t you learn your lesson the last time? I told you that the next time I saw you—" Gideon tried to finish but was cut short.

“Does it look like I listened to you, Hunter? Am I not standing here in the middle of your annual uplift, murdering the hierarchy of the magic community?” The arrogance glowed from Taymir as he flung his hands out ostentatiously and laughed.

---