Page 149 of Shadows of Ruin

“But you won’t be.” The king’s voice came from behind us.

I turned as guards poured into the room.

Followed by Kade. The second he saw us, he shoved forward. Guards approached Raya, Storm, and me, circling and blocking us from Kade.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Kade shouted. “Lana?”

Storm struggled to undo the last of his chains behind me.

“I’m okay,” I answered, unable to look away from him.

“Oh, not for long, my dear,” the king said. He flicked his wrist as he ordered his guards. “Seize them.”

Kade stepped closer. “I don’t think so,” he said, his tone menacing and dark as he stared down his father.

The king showed no sign of concern. “You will stand down, son.”

“You will not touch her. You will let all of them go.”

The king stepped around Kade. “I said, take them.”

Kade turned, shuddering, and I knew what was about to happen. I pivoted throwing myself at Storm and Raya. “Hold on to me,” I shouted.

Kade’s shadows cocooned around me, and I gripped them tightly. Darkness covered the room. I clung to the others, too nervous to let go without knowing if we were safe.

But I heard silence.

There was nothing.

Arms wrapped around me, tugging me away from both of them. Only then did I open my eyes. Storm and Raya stood unharmed in front of me.

Kade spun me around, touching my face, my neck, my arms.

“I’m not hurt,” I reassured him. “I’m okay.”

He pulled me into a hug, and I saw over his shoulder. The deadly explosion from Kade hadn’t even given the guards a chance to scream before the shadows destroyed their bodies.

Except they hadn’t killed everyone. Laughter echoed freely in the room, and I tensed, making eye contact with the king.

Who stood unharmed.

Jax ran through the doorway, taking in the destruction as he entered the room. His eyes flared wide as he took in the four of us, and then the king.

The king who should have also been destroyed and yet stood untouched by Kade’s shadows.

He laughed again. “Did you think the darkness I molded could destroy me?”

Kade’s lip curled, and he gripped me by the waist, holding me close to his side. His shadows relentless as they frantically jerked around him, spidering out in the room.

One of them curled around my leg, and the others calmed slightly at the closeness but didn’t retreat.

“What are you talking about?” Kade asked.

The king ran a hand over the front of his robes, walking toward a pile of dusty ash on the floor and kicked it.

He ran his foot through the resettling ash. Bile rose in my throat. That pile had been one of his loyal Guardians. Kade had not hesitated to destroy all of them.

All because they tried to come for me.

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