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“You can’t stop me from taking my Maisie!” Hilfern roared, his voice hoarse but full of fury. Without warning, he lunged at Yvette, his hands reaching out with a wild desperation.

Yvette gasped, clutching Maisie tightly to her chest as she ducked just in time to avoid his grasp. She stumbled backward, the heat from the encroaching flames licking at her skin.

“Hilfern, you better step back or you’ll regret this!” she shouted, her voice trembling yet fierce. “If anything happens to this child, you’ll pay heavily for it!”

Hilfern let out a bitter laugh, his face twisted with deranged amusement.

“You think you can threaten me? Look around you, Duchess. There’s no way out of this inferno!” He spread his arms,gesturing to the flames that had crept closer, the walls of the room now glowing red-hot.

Yvette’s heart pounded as she glanced around, taking in the dire situation. The room was suffocating, the air thick with smoke. Sweat dripped down her temples, but her focus remained on Maisie, who clung to her neck with trembling arms.

“Give her to me, Yvette,” Hilfern said again, his voice softer now but no less menacing.

“You don’t have to die here with her. Hand her over, and I’ll make sure you get out alive,” he repeated.

“Never,” Yvette hissed, backing toward the door. Her resolve hardened as she looked into Maisie’s tear-streaked face, her little eyes red and puffy from the smoke. When Yvette didn’t move, Hilfern’s expression darkened, his fury returning in an instant.

“Then so be it,” he snarled, lunging again.

Yvette spun away, narrowly avoiding him, but the movement threw her off balance.

She collided with the edge of a table, the sharp corner biting into her side. She winced but refused to let go of Maisie, who whimpered softly in her arms.

“Duchess!” Maisie sobbed, her small voice breaking Yvette’s heart.

“It’s okay, darling,” Yvette whispered, her voice trembling. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Hilfern growled in frustration, coughing as the smoke thickened around them. His movements slowed, his footing unsteady.

Suddenly, he stopped, his gaze fixed on something beyond Yvette.

“Albina?” he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.

Yvette froze, glancing over her shoulder in confusion. There was nothing there but flames, yet Hilfern’s eyes were wide, his expression both awe and despair.

He staggered forward, reaching out as if to touch something—or someone—that only he could see.

“Hilfern, stop!” Yvette called, stretching out her free hand. But the words stuck in her throat as the ceiling above him groaned ominously.

A split second later, a burning beam collapsed from above, striking Hilfern and pinning him to the ground. His agonized scream pierced the air as the flames consumed him.

Yvette turned away, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment to block out the horrific sight. She had no time to process what had just happened; her focus had to remain on Maisie.

Without wasting any time, Yvette held Maisie tighter and bolted out of the room, but they were stuck there as fire had spread into the corridor, cutting off their escape route.

Flames licked at the walls on either side, and the heat was unbearable. Maisie buried her face in Yvette’s shoulder, coughing violently.

Yvette’s breath hitched as she surveyed the corridor, searching desperately for an opening, or a way out. But there was nothing.

The flames had surrounded them, leaving them trapped.

Her heart raced, each beat echoing with dread.

“Stay with me, Maisie,” she murmured, though her own voice wavered. “We’ll get out of this. We have to.”

Maisie rubbed at her eyes, her small body trembling against Yvette’s. The child’s coughs grew harsher, and Yvette felt panic claw at her throat.

“Please,” Yvette whispered, tears stinging her eyes as she looked around. “Please, someone… help us.”