Page 40 of Courting Envy
"Run!" I yelled, pushing Rava behind me and directing my focus to Kyveli. "Get her to safety."
"No, I can help," Rava said, her voice firm.
"You're still recovering from your trip through the portal," Kyveli said, words of wisdom I'd never have been able to come up with. "We can't risk you, or Lucien will kill us all."
"Lucien isn't here, and I'm the queen," Rava replied, standing her ground.
"Please," I said, flicking my gaze to meet hers. "Now is not the time to make a stand. There's not so many that we can't handle this. Just go, save your magic for when we really need it. I've got this." To prove my point, I extended my body so that I towered over her and withdrew my sword, ready to fight as soon as my fellow guardians reached my side and our enemy were within reach.
"Stay safe," she hissed at me before turning to run with Kyveli. I could only hope that they'd meet more warriors along the way who could hustle them to a safer location.
My brothers reached my side and spun to meet the fray with me.
Chapter twenty-four
Rava
Werandownthecorridor, gathering a few extra guardians along the way. Kyveli held my hand, feeling as solid as I needed her to right then. Other guardians had gone back to help Reon take down the attackers.
I didn't know where these enemies had come from, but I probably should have expected it. Kyveli had literally told me that we would be in danger, or at least, that Lucien was – which meant I was too. Our court and rulership of this place was in question. Had they waited until Lucien left the circle before launching their assault on the castle?
Another horde of attackers came screaming down a flight of stairs. Kyveli pulled me to the side, letting the guardians surge forward to defend us. I couldn’t believe that there were so many enemies here, multiple groups, multiple angles, all wearing the same red on their bodies.
"Come with me," Kyveli said, leaning close to my ear in order to be heard. "I think I can get you out of here." She gripped my hand harder and I turned toward her, trying to see where she thought we might be able to go in this weird little alcove. We certainly couldn’t get past the fighting bodies ahead of us.
But there was nothing but stone.
"I'm not like you," I said, unable to keep the trill of fear from my voice. I couldn’t pass through the wall, couldn’t become shadow like her.
"I know, but I think...” Desperation clouded her features. “Just let me try," she said. Her face twisted into panic as she scanned the area. Her shadows thickened then spread, reaching out until she was so insubstantial that I was sure I'd be able to put my hand right through her. The thought was strange, hard to swallow, but it was the truth. She was so much to me, always there to hold me together, and yet now it seemed like the slightest breeze would blow her away. "Come with me," she hissed as she tried to move me, to take me with her through the wall. I could feel the pressure of her fingers against my skin, drawing me towards the wall
The cool stone was hard against me though. This wasn’t going to work. Panic edged up my throat, the desperate need to vomit if we couldn’t get this to work. I reached inside myself, tried to summon some of my magic but there was just the barest tingle of it along my skin. Not enough. Nowhere near enough.
Kyveli had been right; I was too exhausted to use it.
"Just go," I said, turning toward her. "Be safe, promise me? I'll be okay." I tried to pry her off me, but she was like mist clinging to my skin. “They need me,” I said, trying to shape my face into something sure and steady, anything that would mean she could escape this place safely.
"Rava!" A voice boomed over top of the other noise and I turned to see Ragnar wading through bodies towards me. The crowd seemed to part for him, his sheer size sending others crashing away.
I turned back to the wall. "Go. I know he won't hurt me," I told Kyveli. I couldn't be sure he had exactly the best interests in mind, but I knew he wanted to unlock the circle, and that meant keeping me intact. "Tell Lucien what’s happened!"
With that I pushed myself off the wall, launching myself towards Ragnar like I genuinely thought he was there to save me.
And perhaps he was. All I knew was that I needed a way out of this place right now. I couldn't wait for my magic to recover to save myself.
I could only hope that Lucien would return quickly enough to help me and that Kyveli and Reon would be safe.
Ragnar wrapped an arm around my shoulder, using his body to shelter me from the chaos in the hallway.
“Come with me,” he said, his voice strong and confident. “I can break the curse, somewhere safe.”
I just hoped that his version of safe was at least something like mine.
Chapter twenty-five
Kyveli
Shewasgone.Withthat fool. I loathed the way he had draped an arm around her shoulder and drew her in protectively. Hated the fact that he was touching her at all. He didn’t deserve that. Wasn’t worthy of her.
