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We had one advantage. They didn’t know that Jade blocked my power. They had no idea how special she was.

I couldn’t see her, but I heard her. Jade cried out as the soldiers let go of her. Serefin was next, but he was already fighting. The guard behind him still had a grip on his sword.

So I sent my own into his chest.

Jade ran toward me, and I caught her in my arms.

“Stay by me,” I whispered. “Do everything I say.”

I turned my attention back toward Silas, who still knelt on the forest floor, and to Serefin, who now had his sword aimed directly at Silas.

“Give me the order,” Ser barked. “Say the words and he’s dead.”

Battle littered the air around us. I couldn’t think straight. Couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded again and again in my chest, faster than I ever thought possible.

“It’s no use,” I muttered. “Let’s get out of here while we can.”

Serefin hesitated for a moment. I knew he was registering the shock of what I had just said.

But I couldn’t explain now. I couldn’t explain it all.

Silas couldn’t be killed.

At least, not in any way that I knew how.

Jade’s power was on the verge of losing control. I felt it in my own body, rumbling and begging for release.

I sent another wave of power toward Silas, keeping him on the ground moaning in pain as the three of us began running toward the castle.

Not before Jade’s father jumped out of hiding and brought his sword down on Silas.

CHAPTER37

Jade

My blood froze as my father’s weapon pierced Silas’s flesh.

“Father!” I yelled. I ripped myself from Mal’s grasp and ran toward him. His sword was still sticking out of Silas’s back, but he wasn’t moving.

Neither of them were.

“Father, what are you doing? Come on!” I yelled. “We have to get out of here!”

“I’m not leaving,” he said. I felt Malachi’s power rumble through the ground, aimed at Silas to keep him down.

“There’s no time for this. If you stay here you’ll die.”

“You are my daughter!” he screamed. The chaos of battle seemed to fade in the distance. “I will not run while there are monsters like him trying to kill you!”

My body trembled with emotion I couldn’t even understand.Why was he doing this? Why now?

Malachi yelled my name behind me, but I ignored him as I grabbed my father’s arm and began pulling him with us.

Serefin yelped in pain. When I turned to see what was happening, he and Malachi were both on the ground.

Three hooded figures approached.

I knew exactly who they were from the chilling in my bones.