Page 51 of Court of Secrets and Flames

“Zale!” I slump to the ground beside him, desperate for something—anything—to staunch the flow.

I rip off a piece of my sleeve and hold it to the wound.

The material soaks through in a matter of seconds. There’s so much blood. He’s losing too much, too fast.

His eyes close. “I’m…s-sorry.”

“Stay with me, please! You’re going to be all right.”

But he’s already gone.

Footsteps pound on the cobblestone behind me.

I twist around and gasp. A cloaked figure steps out from behind the trees, his hood shielding his face.

“You killed him!”

“Unless you want the same fate, you’re going to come with me.” The cold, cruel threat vaults my stomach into my throat.

Think. Stay calm.

“Come with me without making a scene. Understood?”

I nod, rising to my feet on shaking legs.

“Good.” When he grabs my arm, I try to get a look at his face, but it’s concealed by the hood. “You’re wanted alive, but if you cause any trouble, I won’t hesitate to hurt you.”

Panic and fear morph into to fury. He killed Zale. Snuck up behind him and murdered him.

And he expects me to trot after him like a dog on a leash.

He leads me deeper into the gardens, away from the entrance. If there’s another gate or opening of some sort, I’m unaware of it. I walk beside him, complying with his demands.

“Keep behaving, and we can do this the easy way.”

Trying to be discreet, I reach for my short sword, only to remember I didn’t wear it this morning.

But I’m not defenseless.

I call on my magic, until it’s a living entity humming just under the surface. Flame rises from my hands. He reaches for me but jerks to a halt.

“What the hell?”

I use the distraction to spring into action.

Releasing a scream so piercing I hope someone nearby will hear, I unleash my magic. White-hot fire shoots from my fingers, headed straight for my attacker.

But he’s quick.

With a low growl, he darts to the side, evading the blaze I aimed at his face. “Fuck!”

Relentless and fueled by rage, I shoot another stream of fire at him. And then another. And another. On the fifth attempt, I hit my mark. Flames engulf the cloaked man. He drops to the ground, rolling around until he’s no longer burning.

He grunts, launching to his feet with surprising speed and agility for his size. Scorch marks decorate his cloak, and judging from the way he grips his arm, I’ve burned him.

Good.

“I warned you to behave. Pull a stunt like that again, and to hell with my orders not to harm you. You’ll be begging me to?—”

---