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Lia’s orders have holes I can exploit. She commanded me not todefendmyself, but leading an attack isn’t the same thing.

I gather my magic in my palms.

I might only have one chance at this. I better make it count. I level my gaze on the approaching monster.

“Annihilate.” I shove my power out at the creature.

It hits it square in the chest?—

BOOM!

The spell shatters the monster and launches sharp sherds in every direction. I barely have time to throw up a hasty ward before bits of the creature blow back at me.

Across from me, Lia shrieks as hundreds of the sharpened fragments drive themselves into her with unnatural force.

This is my opening.

I dash for the exit.

“Stop!” she shouts.

My feet pause midstride, and I want to shriek in frustration. The door out is mere feet from me.

“Iforbidyou from using your magic again tonight,” Lia says hoarsely.

My power dries up, receding back into my body.

“Creature,” Lia continues as she heals her various wounds, “repair yourself, then attack the witch.”

My stomach hollows out, and I try not to panic as I stand there immobilized. I blew the monster into a thousand pieces. Surely it can’t come back and hurt me?

But even as I think it, I hear broken bits of pottery scrape across the ground behind me. They clatter as they fit themselves together.

The thing is going to reanimate. Then it will hurt me, and I still cannot defend myself, and I cannot use magic. I might still be able to attack it, but I cannot move my legs.

I hear the thing behind me drag itself to its feet. Its heavy steps have me bracing. Once I see it, I’ll try to smash its arms.

Only, it never comes within my line of vision. It stops somewhere close to my back, and the momentary stillness is hellish.

The hit comes seconds later, the monster’s heavy fist driving into the side of my skull with so much force I go sprawling.

I can’t see through the pain, but then the creature is there, kicking my side.

I grunt as the air is forced out of me.

Another kick, this one sliding me into nearby debris.

It lifts its foot, the bottom of its boot aimed at my head.

“You’re not to kill her,” Lia instructs calmly from the other side of the room. “Just hurt her—badly.”

The monster crouches and takes one of my forearms into its hands, and?—

Snap. I scream as bones break. Almost mechanically, the monster moves its touch to my upper arm and?—

“No, please, no?—”

Snap.