Page 88 of Joined By Magic

Pure, incandescent rage lit up my nerves. I spat on the scorched ground. “Fuck you, you filthy piece of shit.”

The blow from the guard knocked me sprawling into the dirt. I struggled back to my knees, pain throbbing through my cheek where the slap landed.

The king shrugged. “I’ll fuck that dirty slum-rat mouth of yours either way.” He flicked a hand at the guard. “Fetch the device.”

Panic clawed at me. Device? For what? If the king wanted us dead, we already would be. Torture? Liv shuffled closer, lips pressed together in a thin line, and whispered, “Are you okay?”

I nodded. What could I do? What could I fucking do to stop whatever horrible thing was about to happen?

Motion behind me. I twisted, but a soldier gripped my hair with wrenching force, lifting it up. I cried out as the guard fixed something to the back of my neck. Liv yelped. She’d suffered the same thing. I flung my head from side to side but couldn’t dislodge whatever it was.

The guard returned with a black device on a tripod, like a camera. He set it up facing Liv and me. “Ready, Your Majesty.”

“Activate.”

I flinched as the guard streamed energy into the device. For a moment, nothing happened, then Liv gasped. I followed her eyeline. Images of Liv and me hung in the air, several times larger than life and tinted red through the shield. The king spoke, and his voice boomed out, amplified to be heard even over the fighting.

“Boys, it’s time to stop this nonsense.” He faked a bored drawl. “I’ve got your women here. I don’t know if you care, Adante, but Leopold does and he’s much stronger than you, so I suggest you follow my instructions. I’ve got them wired up. This one”—he held his left hand up to the camera, displaying a small box with a red button—“connects to your so-called wife, Leopold, and this one”—right hand—“to the jumped-up palace slut. One press and they’re flooded with enough electricity to stun a horse. One of them dies in sixty seconds unless you both surrender. No tricks.”

The king waved and the image disappeared from the sky. He approached, staring down on us in disgust. “I have no idea if they’ll do it. It’ll make my life easier if they do, though. What do you think? Will my sons risk themselves for two whores?”

“You’ll kill us anyway, won’t you? Like you did my mum.” I choked out the words.

The king shrugged. “Her, certainly.” He waved a hand at Liv, who stared him down with unexpected ferocity. I thought she’d be sobbing by now. “You, though, I could be persuaded to keep.” He smiled a reptilian grin. “You’ll just have to work hard.”

He was hideous—a true monster. No wonder the prince could be cruel and brutal. It was a miracle he had the capacity to be anything else.

I played the upcoming scene out in my head. I’d seen the way Leopold looked at Liv. He’d hand over his life for hers without a second thought. He’d do as the king asked and bring the prince along with him, by choice or by force. They’d appear, allow the king’s soldiers to suppress their magic, and die. And then the king would murder Liv and make me his fuck-toy until he grew bored of me. The prince’s sacrifice would be for nothing.

Sweat trickled down my back despite the cold. The stony earth bit into my knees, and the patch on my neck itched. Anger scorched my soul. He’d murdered Mum, and he was going to get away with it. Going to win.No.Fuck that. Fuck him. He didn’t get to win.

“They’re here, Your Majesty.”

“Drop the shield.”

The red shimmer dissipated. I whipped my head around. Leopold and the prince stood together, glaring at the king. Leopold looked unhurt, but the prince’s hair was matted with blood and one eye swollen closed. He’d taken a hit. I fought the urge to call out to him and focused on the king.

“Ah. Good to see you. A real family reunion. It’s been too long.” The king’s voice was bright with triumph.

One chance. That was all. One shot to get it right. If I was going to die anyway, I’d take the bastard cunt of a king with me.

“My men will—” I thrust my leg forward into a lunge and sprang up, barreling headfirst into the king. I aimed for his right side, the button that connected to me. Maybe Liv would be spared. Maybe neither of us would. I didn’t care. As I shot toward the king, I thought of Mum and the shocked expression on her face when the magic ripped through her.

Pain. It blazed through me like liquid heat, erasing everything but itself. Then, nothing.

Chapter Forty-Four

Liv

Mybodywentrigid,breath stopped and mouth open as Talia slammed headfirst into the king. Death. I was going to die. I—

Talia jerked, convulsing in wild spasms. A male voice howled, and twin bolts of magic tore through the king. Purple cut his throat, and blue severed the hand that held my button—the one that meant instant death. Magic caught it suspended in the air, safe.

The king’s body hit the floor, and blood spurted from the gaping wound at his throat. His eyes were open, face slack. I forced in a painful breath, unable to look away from the corpse. Nausea gripped me, and I shook as shock took hold. I couldn’t think or move.

A shout brought my head up. Orange shot from one of the king’s soldiers, and a wide bright beam of blue engulfed him, burning him to nothing in an instant.

Leo’s voice rang out. “The king is dead. Surrender or die.” The remaining soldiers dropped to their knees. “Signal your companions. The fighting ends now. We’ll give amnesty to everyone who lowers their weapons.”

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