Page 74 of The Cursed Crown

“I told you.”

She was fairly certain he hadn’t.

“It’s you and me, now. You die, I die—or get stuck again. I don’t want to find out which.”

Rissa shifted to her knees and crawled to Rydekar. He lay flat on the floor. She checked his pulse, and breathed out in relief when she found it. It was weak, but he was alive.

“My shield won’t last, and I can’t control her for long,” Tharsen said impatiently. “Are you ready?”

Fear coiled in her stomach. If Tharsen stopped whatever he was doing, Nyla would end them. Her power was too deadly. “Ready for what?”

“I can take care of the girl, but I need more power.”

He wanted to siphon her again. Rissa snarled. “If you think I’m letting you—”

Tharsen rolled his eyes.“Help me or die. Those are your two choices.”

Rissa looked at Rydekar again. What would he do?

The answer came automatically. Everything in his power, for the good of the realm.

If that was how she could help, then so be it.

She got to her feet and took the crazy prince’s hand.

“Mirror my position. You need to aim for her—nothing else, understood?”

She frowned, but followed his directives, one hand extended toward Nyla.

“What now?”

“Now you let go. Everything inside you. All your power.”

Everything?

Rissa rarely even scratched the surface of her abilities. She didn’t know what she was capable of. She’d never been tempted to find out.

She could feel a burning wave of magic emanate from Tharsen’s hand. Filaments of gold waved around his hands, his face, lighting up his skin. She knew this magic, soft and nurturing sometimes, but also harsh and unforgiving. She’d felt it on her face, and under her skin.

Rissa had never known how to access this power inside her, but as it came out of Tharsen, she instinctively connected to hers, copying him like an echo.

There it was, burning so hot she hesitated before calling it.

Rissa let go of Tharsen, and both of them lifted their free hands to join the one pointed at the sea queen.

Then there were screams, and fire.

* * *

Rydekar woketo the sound of screams. Jumping to his feet, ready to launch himself between danger and those he’d sworn to protect, he lifted his sword, only to lower it when the smoke dissipated.

The dais was on fire, thrones burning, but there was no one on it.

All of the sea soldiers had also disappeared.

Mere paces away, Rissa stood next to a stranger, glowering.

What was going on?

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