Page 87 of House of Embers
“That’s a relief that Laurent has no issue with my reign.”
“You brought us all those dragons,” René said. “Who could argue with your reign?”
“As much as I would like to take credit, it is my love, Kerrigan, who managed to bring us all these dragons.” Kerrigan opened her mouth, but Fordham held a hand up. “I’m sure she would say that it was her dragon, Tieran, and the dragons themselves who make their own choices.”
“Either way, you are the rightful ruler. You sent them on the mission. The sun shines brightly upon the Ollivier family in these tryingtimes.”
Kerrigan thought this was all well and good, going exactly how it should before the entire court—except Barron Laurent hadn’t said a word. He was just observing, letting René take over for the family. Prescott had said that Barron wasn’t going to compete, but she found it hard to believe he could rein in his ego.
Fordham must have felt the same way, because his gaze shifted to Barron. “Have anything to add?”
Barron smirked. “Did you think I would contest your precious throne when there are dragons to be had?”
Fordham held his hand out to his enemy. “It is good to see you have come to your senses.”
The silence stretched between them as Barron didn’t raise his hand. He was no longer looking at Fordham but past him—not to Kerrigan but as if he were seeing through the house of his enemy.
He took Fordham’s hand a second later, and a breath of relief filled the space—but then Barron yanked Fordham closer, putting a hand to his back. His voice was so low that Kerrigan couldn’t hear what was said.
But between that second and the next, Fordham ripped backward with a shouted, “No!”
Kerrigan reacted on instinct, rushing forward toward him. But it was not Fordham that Barron had his sights on. A powerful ball of energy, as hot as the fiercest burning fire, erupted from Barron’s clenched hand, and with precision, Barron shot the lightning directly at Prescott.
The world erupted into chaos. Kerrigan’s screams were drowned out by the rush of activity. The terror at the use of Barron’s power not for the denouncement but for an innocent bystander—none of this made sense. None of it fit.
Kerrigan pushed through the fleeing masses and dropped to her knees at Prescott’s side. Her hand went to his neck. For a second,there was a fluttering heartbeat. His skin was raw and black, burned to within an inch of his life. His eyes opened to stare at her in pain and horror.
“Prescott!” she gasped. “Stay with us. We’ll get you help.”
But pandemonium was all around her. Amond was still suffering from loch withdrawal, and Darby hadn’t wanted to bear witness, which left Audria.
Kerrigan’s head whipped up. She tried to orient herself with everyone running around. It was the moment she realized that Barron’s real challenge had just begun. Fordham squared off with him, his ceremonial cloak already discarded in the grass as his shadows consumed him.
He could handle himself, but his only cousin was going to die if they didn’t get help.
“Audria!” she cried, seeing the Fae female watching the spectacle with a trained soldier’s eye.
Audria whipped around, her eyes widening as she pushed through the crowd. She dropped to her knees before Prescott. “Is he breathing?”
“Barely,” Kerrigan said.
Audria assessed him. “We need someone more experienced. Amond is too far.” Water poured into her hands from a pouch at her side. The healing magic went to work, healing wounds at his chest where the strike had originated. “I’m going to try to keep him stable.”
“Ker—” Prescott coughed out.
“Don’t speak,” Kerrigan told him, taking his hand. “We’re going to get you to a healer.”
“It’s okay,” he managed.
Tears came to her eyes. “It’s not.”
“I wasn’t…living.” He shook as Audria worked. His eyes went glassy as he said, “It’s time to see Arbor.”
Kerrigan swept his hair off his face. “Stay with us. Please, Pres, we need you to live. You were getting out.”
Audria’s water dropped into the grass. “He’s gone.”
“No,” Kerrigan gasped as she put her fingers back to his throat.
