Page 85 of The Shadow Heir

“No one touches her,” he said. “No one touches any of them.”

36

Zara

Istaggered forward, my vision sparkling gold at the edges. "Cas!" But my word was a garbled moan.You came.

He knocked a fae back with a single punch, and the rest slowed their approach. A second figure materialized beside Cas, and he whirled as if to attack but quickly stopped. Alba's dark dress and long hair fluttered in the strong wind. Cas shouted something at her, but I couldn't hear her words over the breeze.

A female fae, a blond with ropes of braids, rushed from the stands and hurried to Samuel’s side, pressing a kiss to his cheek. I’d seen her walking the halls with him a time or two, and now it made sense. My eyes darted back to Cas. He turned until he met my gaze.

“This way,” Ivy said, indicating the stairs. She pressed her lips together and urged me forward. “Let’s get you inside. You’ll need stitches.”

Cas never broke eye contact with me as the fae departed from the terrace, some into the air and others into the mountain. Ivy’s words meshed with the breeze and the mutterings of thedisappointed fae, and I was left with nothing but my thoughts screaming at me to go to him.

But what if I was wrong? I’d been wrong so many times. I’d misread men. I’d convinced myself that they’d had feelings that were never really there or intentions that were entirely fabricated by my own hopeless longing.

He took a step toward me, and my heart shot into my throat.

Then a shadowy figure holding a sword swooped down in front of him, severing our eye contact. Magic buzzed in the air and I rushed toward the stairs with Ivy.

“The mortal nurse in the infirmary can stitch you up,” she said, her words finally cutting through. She was almost shouting at me.

With the hand that wasn’t pressing down on my wound, I indicated for her to lead the way on the stairs, heart hammering as I followed. The snap and flash of magic drew my attention back to the terrace, but I couldn’t see Cas amid the flying shadows. I placed my shoulder against the rock wall, taking one step at a time.

Each step was agony, even though the cut wasn’t deep. The blood just kept coming, oozing between my fingers and soaking into my dress. Each breath stretched the wound a little, and I was so lightheaded by the time I reached the top of the stairs that I had to take a moment to steady myself.

Ivy helped me along the long, black hallways and shuffled me toward the stairs that would lead down to the infirmary. I slowed, not wanting to return there. The carving on the wall beside me caught my attention and I stopped walking. It was the carving of the dragon—the one that led to the secret passage. Ivy tugged on my arm.

“Zara, are you all right? It’s not much farther.”

“Wait.” A voice echoed from the end of the hall.

We turned and saw Alba racing toward us, her black dress covered in white sparkling stones that looked like snow falling.

She stared hard at my wound, then glanced up at Ivy. “Come with me,” she demanded.

Neither of us moved.

Her expression sagged a little. “I won’t hurt you. Cas told me to make sure you were safe. He’s…he’ll…” She seemed unable to finish her sentence.

“He’ll be okay,” I muttered. Her gaze flicked up to meet mine and in it I saw the smallest flash of relief at my words, but it was quickly replaced by a tightness around her eyes that whispered of fear.

Then, to my shock, she clamped both hands over her face and spoke from behind them. “I’ve never seen him more adamant about anything.” Her hands fell away. “He wants me to take you all away from here. Please, come with me?”

Ivy and I exchanged a glance and without a word, Ivy turned to follow Alba.

“But…” I whispered, unable to move. Leaving here would mean never seeing Cas again. As much as I’d wanted to escape this place, now that I had the chance, I couldn’t bring myself to go with her.

I leaned against the wall once again, taking a moment to rest. Then my breath caught as Cas whirled around the corner, his white shirt a crinkled mess, parted in the front to reveal dark lines snaking across his chest.

“Cas!” I shouted, the effort punishing my body. I groaned and pressed my back to the wall. In a breath, he was there, a step away, as if he hadn’t even moved.

His eyes flicked to my wound then back to my face.

“Take her,” he said without looking at his sister. “Take them all. Find a door that leads as far from here as you can and go.”

“Cas, I’m not leav—” protested Alba, stealing my own words.

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