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“Why?” I demanded. “What will they do with her?”

He laughed, but pain laced every sound. “They’ll do what they wanted to do with you. They’ll use her power for themselves. The balance must be maintained.”

Serefin’s sword came down once more, and the leader flinched as his last shred of hope died along with his last companion.

“We’ll kill anyone who tries to take her,” I declared.

I didn’t wait for Serefin to kill him. I pulled my own sword from my hip and brought it down, hard, on the last of our unwanted guests.

When I finally looked up, everyone was staring at me. Watching me. Waiting for our next move.

“Keep this to ourselves,” I said to the guards. “Serefin, begin preparing our army. This is not the only time we’ll be hearing from the Paragon.”

“They’ll come for her,” Serefin replied. Something harsh crossed his features. That was rare for Serefin. “We need to protect Jade. It’s too dangerous for her here.”

I considered his words. “Jade’s been running for a long time, Ser. This is her home now. Spread the word. If anyone approaches this kingdom with intent to harm my wife, they will be struck down on sight.”

CHAPTER23

Jade

Malachi stormed inside and, without looking at me, grabbed me from where I had been listening just within the castle doors and began pulling me along with him.

“Malachi,” I said, careful with my words. He had just killed them. The messenger from the Paragon, he killed them all. Adrenaline buzzed through my body. “They’re coming for me, aren’t they?”

“Nobody’s coming for you, Jade.”

We passed dozens of guards in the halls, everyone now moving with a certain seriousness that I hadn’t noticed before.

Would they stand for me? Would they protect me? Lay down their own lives for me?

“Mal, maybe I should–”

“No,” I interrupted. The grip on his arm tightened as he pulled me into an emptier hallway. “Don’t even say what I know you’re about to say.”

“It’s just that if we–”

“Stop!” he argued. Malachi spun me in his grip, moving to press my back lightly against the stone wall of the hallway. “I’m going to say this once, Jade, so you better be listening. You’re not going anywhere. I’m not letting anyone use you for this stupid prophecy, okay? Esther can’t have you, the Paragon can’t have you. Saints,nobodycan have you. Is that clear?”

My stomach flipped in excitement. Malachi protecting me was nothing new, but it still shocked me that he was willing to give up everything for me. Ahuman.

His wife. His queen. The peacemaker.

I stopped myself from thinking anything more. At the end of the day, I was still a human.

Malachi’s eyes scanned my face, searching for any type of reaction.

So I answered in a way that words couldn’t. I moved my hands to his face, gripping tightly and turning his head so his eyes were level with mine. “If you are willing to risk your kingdom, your reign, and your people for me,” I paused, staring into those deep forests of eyes, “I won’t stop you. But I don’t think I’m worth saving, Mal. It’s too much trouble–”

Malachi shut me up with a kiss.

His mouth moved against mine, the warmth from him moving across my entire body. His hands slipped around my waist, holding me tightly to him as he continued to kiss me.

Was this how it was going to be from now on? Desperate kisses in the shadows of the castle?

When he pulled away, his eyes were serious. “You are my queen, Jade Weyland. I will protect you with my life.”

My heart erupted in a love I could not even fathom.