Page 37 of A Kingdom of Destruction

A search of the soldier brought her a dagger as well, and she tucked that one into the fabric roped around her waist before she patted her pocket.

Good, the wand was still there.

Aven made her way down the hall toward the staircase she knew would take her to the back door. A faster way of escaping than risking going out the front. No doubt the band of humans would try to muscle their way in through the gates. So Aven went in the opposite direction.

The perfect time to run.

She’d make her way out and then?—

And then… Well, she’d figure it out later.

It didn’t matter.

Just a few more feet and she’d be free.

Huh?

The alarm continued to blare, and the distinctive clank of iron bars falling into place sounded in a loud echo.

She couldn’t be too late.

Aven pulled up short, her chest rising and falling violently, searching for another way out. They couldn’t have locked theentire palace in, right? What if there were humans in here who had somehow made it past the gates?

Damn it. She had to?—

Suddenly, she noticed a shadow behind her. Arms came around her waist and yanked her off her feet in an eerily similar move to the one she’d pulled. She reacted on instinct, yelling and kicking back at whoever grabbed her. The person slammed her down on her feet with a jolt she felt all the way to the top of her head, her teeth clacking together.

“Thought you could try to run from us? Enterprising little princess, aren’t you?” Roran hissed against her ear. His hold on her felt like bands of metal, slowly constricting and stealing the breath out of her lungs until Aven gasped.

He squeezed tighter and tighter until she couldn’t feel her fingers and dropped the sword.

“We’re trying to keep you safe.” His ire shifted into a chuckle. “I should have known. I told him to keep an eye on you, but he wouldn’t listen.”

She screamed and slammed her head back, but Roran was faster, ducking to the side before he threw her forward. Aven landed on her hands and knees, swiveling around in time to see two men rush at Roran.

They lifted their weapons in the air.

He released her in order to meet their rush, throwing her a glance that told her to stay put. Aven bolted for the door but not fast enough to avoid a third man.

The look on his face… something wasn’t right.

The human reeked of sweat and days on the road. He reached out, and she was too slow to stop with these damned shoes. Her forehead met the bulky muscle of his forearm, and she skidded backward.

“Aven!”

She blinked, stars dancing in front of her eyes, then yelped when the human dragged her to her feet. He slammed his elbow into her side hard enough for the breath to rush out of her lungs.

“Stupid fae wench,” the man hissed out with a sneer.

Fae? They thought she was?—

Before she had a chance to retaliate and show this stranger exactly who she was, Roran was there. Bones creaked. Blood squelched. He filled her vision with his power and strength, his hair catching the dim light—short and silver, almost unnervingly perfect. That faint woodsmoke and autumn leaves scent hung in the air between them, unshakable.

“You’re coming with me,” he ground out. “Now.”

Her head spun dizzily, her side aching where the pointy elbow had dug into her ribs, making it hard to breathe normally. Roran whisked her out of the room and down a short dark hallway, his grip firm but not rough, his movements precise as he pressed his hand to a panel among the wooden walls.

The crackle of electricity filled the air before the panel swung open, and he pushed her inside.

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