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Xenon lunges forward with lightning fast speed, grabbing me by the arm and drawing a dagger from his side. He makes a precise cut in my palm. Stinging pain blooms as blood drips from the wound.

I suck in a sharp breath. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t move.” He slices across his own hand, then clasps my bloodied palm in his and mutters words that are foreign to my ears. Magic sparks, and a burning pain spreads down my arm. “It’s done.”

I gasp when he releases me. “What’s done?”

“A blood bargain.” He gestures between us. “Your life for theirs. When your body is lying prostrate over the eyril field, they’ll be released. Free to go.”

I gape at him, mind reeling. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

“A blood bargain can’t be broken. Even if I fail to keep my word, the magic between us will release them.” He casts the half-frozen group a wary glance.

An odd peace softens my dread. His words provide a small measure of comfort, assuring me that at least if I don’t survive this, I can die knowing the others will live.

A gust of salty sea air whispers across my face as one of the royal servants steps forward, handing Xenon a crisp white linen. The king snatches the cloth, holding it against his wound. Then he tosses it on the ground.

I ease backward, closer and closer to my friends.

Without warning, Xenon lifts his hand, using elemental magic to summon a whirling vortex of air around me. The wind lifts me off the ground.

Something snaps to life inside me, yanking me from my numb cocoon.

Pull your shit together!

My wings snap out, and I ride the gale. His eyes widen, a hungry, almost wistful expression etched across his face. His only answer is a fierce blast of air, targeted right at my head.

I dodge, missing the assault by mere inches.

Letting my magic ramp up, I hurl a ball of fire at the bastard. My aim is true. Flames engulf his leg, and he drops to the ground, cursing and rolling.

Xenon pops up with far more speed and agility than I’d expect from a man in his sixtieth decade of life.

Another blast of air. Another dodge.

I snap my wings flat to my spine and rotate to escape the blow. I drop lower before popping them open again.

“Enough!” Xenon roars while sending another blast toward me. It catches me in the gut and knocks the air from my lungs, causing me to plummet. “Youwilldie tonight. The prophecy dictates it. There’s nothing you can do to change my mind.”

I have the foresight to spirit my wings away about a second before I hit the ground. Lying in a crumpled heap, I gasp, but my lungs refuse to work.

Xenon stalks toward me.

With every footstep, my heart thrums, like it’s beating out the rhythm of my own personal death march.

“Foolish girl.” He towers over me as I writhe on the ground. “You’re making this much more difficult than it needs to be. You.” He points at Sterling. “Kill one of them.”

There’s no hesitation. No time for me to protest. Before I can even open my mouth to try, Sterling raises a lazy hand, and a wall of ice encases Nick’s neck and head.

Then he snaps his fingers, and with a sickening crack, Nick’s head pops off. His godsdamned head falls off his shoulders and hits the ground with an audible thud.

The stump of his neck is a congealed, crimson mess.

Bile surges up my throat. I bend over just in time to hurl yellow bile onto the ground.

“Excellent.” Xenon claps his hands together like a smug child. “If she doesn’t cooperate now, kill them.Allof them.”

No. Gods no!