Page 92 of Heat of the Everflame

The Ignios guards were mostly women. Small and lithe, quick on their feet. They darted across the sand with ease while we staggered and slowed.

They began to land small blows. A cut here, a slice there. Nothing grave enough to bring us down, but enough to leave us bleeding and off-kilter.

They were coordinated, well-trained, efficient.

We were exhausted, injured, outnumbered.

But we had one thing in our favor. We wanted tolive—and we fought like it, every swing of our swords fueled by a desperate will to survive.

And as it turned out, they wanted to live, too. They took few risks, retreated too quickly. I saw it in the annoyed glances they cast at their King, who lounged at his gryvern’s side, far from the melee. Whatever squabble he had with us, it was clear his guards did not deem it worththeirdeaths.

I needed some way to end this. The trickle of my returning magic had built to a shallow pool. If I used it wisely...

A break in the fighting dawned. I fell to my knees and slammed my palms to the sand, casting a barrier of blinding, silvery light.

Without saying a word, Luther understood my plan. He grabbed my hand, and we sprinted for the border.

“I’m almost drained,” I panted in warning. “I can’t hold them back much long—”

A shocked cry choked off my words as a wall of flame shot up at our feet. Though I felt only a tingle, Luther swore as the fire singed his sleeve, leaving a long red welt running up his arm.

The gryvern launched into the air behind us and flew overhead, setting down a few wingbeats later on the opposite end of the fire. The King sat tall on its back, smirking.

“Go,” Luther barked at me. “His magic can’t stop you, and he’s too much of a coward to fight you by hand. If you run, you can make it.”

My grip tightened on him. “I’m not leaving you.”

He looked at me, a dark defeat already carved into his features. “It’s too late for me. You have a world to lead, Diem. You have to go.” He pulled me in and pressed a hard, lingering kiss to my lips.

A kiss that felt a lot like a goodbye.

I shoved him off. “Not without you,” I hissed. “Together until the end, remember?”

His expression turned anguished, provoking a heavy knot of disquiet in my gut. “I believe in you, Diem. Don’t ever forget that.”

I shook my head, tears burning my eyes. “No, Luther, we can still fight—”

“Let me do this one last thing for you.” He caressed my cheek. “Go, my Queen.Live.”

“What’s the matter, Lumnos?” the King yelled mockingly. “Can’t your shield protect you?”

His smile curved wider and crueler, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of someone who had just unlocked a tricky riddle.

“Or is the problem—” He paused and raised a finger toward me as I braced for another assault. “—that it can’t protecthim?”

His finger twitched toward Luther, and a spear of flame lurched for my Prince’s heart.

“No,” I cried, throwing myself in its path. I gasped in relief as icy heat spread throughout my shoulder.

“I see,” the King chuckled. “Don’t bother with her. Set your blades on him.”

I tried to raise another flare of light to blind them. My magic guttered and went dark—along with the mysterious flames coating my body.

The King’s wall of fire began rolling forward. It licked at Luther’s back, forcing him closer to the guards. He was surrounded—and there was nothing I could do to help.

Luther looked at me, a farewell in his eyes. “I will always be with you, Diem. I—”

A blur of grey flashed in front of his face. We both froze—then another blur flew at his thigh and struck.

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