Page 154 of Shadows of Ruin

Kade looked around, catching sight of this father, still clutching the amulet in his fist. It hadn’t stopped glowing since Kade’s blood touched it earlier.

“If I can kill my father, his magic will be sacrificed into the amulet. It should be enough to ensure Thames remains contained, and the responsibility of keeping him that way falls to me,” he said quickly.

“He’ll kill you if he knows your plan,” I argued, frantic, knowing he would sacrifice himself to save us all.

Kade cupped my face. “If that happens, you run. Flee the palace.”

“No.” I shook my head. “We fight him together.”

“Our world needs you, Lana,” he whispered.

I slammed my fist into his chest. “It needs both of us. I don't have magic to fight the king.”

Kade crashed his lips to mine, tugging me in. The room fell apart around us in a bloody, never-ending battle, and yet my world calmed in this moment with him.

“It doesn’t need your magic. It’s you. With or without magic you will be the one to save our kingdoms.”

“No, Kade.” I fought to hold onto him, to keep him with me, but the bastard winked, pulling away.

“If I fail, grab the amulet and find a way out.”

I yelled after him again, uselessly. He jumped back into the fight with Storm against his father.

Kade landed an easy blow to the king, slicing down his arm. Dargan cursed, swinging for his son.

Guards flocked to him, piling on top of Kade. He’d used too much of his magic already.

His magic weakened as he did, even his shadows sputtered in and out.

I gripped the sword, running toward him, but the king’s magic wrapped around me, flinging me to the back of the room.

My head slammed against the wall, and I crumpled to the ground. I heard Kade cry my name. Scream it across the room. The noise rattled in my mind but sounded so distant.

I looked up from where I lay, my body feeling broken. Raya lay unmoving where I had left her at the side of the room. I wasn’t sure if I imagined her chest rising and falling or not.

Storm’s injuries from his torture hadn’t slowed him down, but as more Guardians fell into the room, hope sputtered out.

Jax was in his panther form, ripping and clawing at his fellow soldiers.

And Kade.

I lifted my head to see Kade held in front of his father, losing as he fought, outnumbered.

“Kade,” I shouted, pushing up from the ground where the king had tossed me.

The king laughed, five men pinning Kade as he thrashed in their arms, his shadows keeping three other guards at bay.

He’d run toward the king to stop him from this nightmare. To try to get that damn amulet to keep Thames trapped. Without hesitating, he’d risked himself. I couldn’t take it. The world quieted around me. My body shook, trembling.

Kade would live. He had to. Which meant I had to get up.

Determination clenched its claws around me, sparking, igniting, fueling something deep within that hadn’t existed before.

Get up. Get to Kade.

Or maybe it had always existed. Locked away.

With lover's touch, she shall ignite.

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