Page 56 of Exiled Prince

Picturing exactly what I want the illusion to look like, I place my palms together and lock it in place.

“Now,” I tell Bane, and he gives Salem the signal.

“Three, two, one,” Bane counts down, and on the one, I let my palms go.

When I look up at the bakery, I see Salem step inside with King Bax, Silver, and Sage.

But really, Bax and Salem are gone.

“Fuck, you are so talented,” Bane murmurs, watching it all play out. I leave the fake Salem and Bax in there with Silver and Sage, letting them all taste some of the sweet treats before they exit, with the whole village watching on.

And then I get them to walk away, down the street and back to the castle gates with me following behind them, controlling the illusion.

Only when he gets past the guards and into the castle doors do I drop it.

Silver and Sage zip out of there.

Once I have dropped the illusion, Bane quickly hands me my gloves, but something goes wrong.

The magic pulls me in, trapping me inside the illusion. Panic fills me because this hasn’t happened before. I hear Bane calling my name as I try to bang on the invisible walls.

Looking down at my palms, I see that the lock is open, which means the illusion isn’t in place.

I’ve messed something up along the way, and I don’t know how the hell I’m going to get out of it.

Think, Saylor. Think.

Placing my palms together, I twist them the other way, counterclockwise, trying to unlock the illusion.

“Saylor!” I hear Bane calling me, so I follow his voice. The magic overwhelms me, my skin on fire as it tries to take over me.

“Saylor!”

The illusion unlocks, and I quickly slide my gloves on while I’m thrown back into reality.

Bane picks me up off the floor and lifts me into his arms. “Fucking hell, you scared the shit out of me. Please be okay,” his voice is a choked, almost silent plea. “Come on, let’s get you to Astrid.”

He zips me because I don’t have the strength, and I’m placed in our bed while he goes to find the healer.

Placing my hands on my stomach, I know that I’m fine, as is the baby. I’m just drained and tired.

The illusion didn’t lock properly, and I’m never going to make that mistake again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Bane

“They are both fine,” Astrid assures us as I hand Saylor a glass of water. “She just needs to rest. Her magic overwhelmed her, but she got out of it.”

“I feel like we were just here.” I sigh, scrubbing my hand down my face. First, the arrow, and now this.

“I’m fine, Bane,” Saylor promises, yawning. She takes a sip of water then slides down the bed. “Where are my brothers?”

“They’re with Bax in the tower,” I say, sitting down and taking her hand in mine. “He probably won’t be alive by the time you wake up.”

“That’s okay, I don’t need to see it. Just make sure they are safe, please.”

She closes her eyes and goes to sleep. I stay with her for about an hour and then ask Astrid to watch her while I go upstairs.

---