Page 31 of Hell Storm

It took me a moment to envision it, but then I recalled the path we’d taken the other morning.

“Yes, I’m on my way.”

The sound of the engine interrupted the peace and quiet on the grounds. However, I’d made it quite a distance from the main house and Julian’s estate. They’d be hard pressed to know it came from within the boundaries of the palace, and not one of the surrounding roadways.

One of the luxuries of having such a sprawling expanse of land.

The greenhouse came directly in my line of sight and I gunned it, barreling toward it at lightspeed, all while keeping watch for guards and hellhounds. At first, I saw neither, but then my eyes focused straight ahead and I drew in a deep breath.

“He sees me,” I panted.

“He does, but you’ll be okay,” Elle said firmly, as if she’d never believed anything more staunchly than she did in that moment. “Stay on the bike and go full steam ahead.”

I heard her, loud and clear actually, but I knew her plan would never work. If I charged at this guy, he’d clothesline me so hard and fast it might, literally, separate my head from my shoulders.

Elle was all questions when I put the bike in park and proceeded to climb off it.

“What are you doing? You can’t fight him? He’s stronger than you, Corina!”

She was right. Hewasstronger than me, but this wasn’t the first time I’d gone head-to-head with an Ianite. Granted, it was something I preferred to avoid, but in the instance that I couldn’t, I kept my father’s training in mind.

He taught me that, as long as I wasn’t outnumbered, it didn’t have to mean I was outmatched. His faith in me had gotten me through several encounters.

I relieved my shoulder of the weight from the bag I carried, setting it on the ground to remove two key items I’d packed inside it. Being careful to tuck them into the back of my waistband without the guard seeing, I stood to walk toward him. Now that I’d closed some of the distance between us, I noted how a dark smile turned the corners of his mouth upward. In his mind, this fight was already won.

In mine, that was still yet to be determined.

“I take it you’re already aware you don’t have permission to roam the grounds freely,” he declared once I was in earshot. “It’s my understanding that His Royal Highness didn’t intend for you to be let out of his sight.”

I nodded. “Both those statements are true.”

His smile grew. “Then, I’m sure youalsoknow that gives me the right to treat you as a trespasser on the property of the reigning monarchs, a crime for which the punishment is death.”

I gave another nod, discreetly reaching toward the surprise I’d hidden just for him. “I’m aware that this isalsotrue.”

His brow quirked when I didn’t beg for my life like he must have expected. I counted his steps, needing there to be no more than a few feet before reacting. Only, if I missed my window and let him gettooclose, this would be it for me.

Three.

Two.

One.

The internal countdown ended just as he extended both arms toward me, intent on capturing my neck. However, things did not go according to plan.

Well, nothisplan anyway.

A loud hiss filled the air as I pressed the valve of a hairspray can Elle had left behind. And then, holding the trigger of a lighter I nabbed from the nightstand drawer, the guard lit up like the grand finale at a fireworks display.

His cries echoed into the night, louder than any human could have screamed. The sound was sure to cause more guards to rush this way, so I was now under even more pressure than before.

Time was no longer on my side.

“Where on Earth did you learn to do that?” Elle questioned as I sprinted back toward the bike.

I didn’t answer until I’d re-secured my bag and taken off toward the greenhouse again. Even then, the response was vague.

“I must’ve just seen it somewhere. Now what do I do when I get inside the greenhouse?”

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