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“I’m not sure.” She pinched the bridge of her nose as she started towards the barracks past the training grounds.

“The guards would’ve walked from the barracks to the conservatory and the gardens for the explosion to happen, which means their overcharged weapons aren’t exploding as soon as they’re picked up.

There’s probably about a fifteen- or twenty-minute window.

A guess, at best. The next one could occur at any moment. And where the hell is Filip?”

She couldn’t help the rise of panic inside of her. Surely, she would’ve come head-to-head with him by now. Unless he knew all along. Wherever he was, Yelena would be with him, and there was no way she was leaving her with him.

Four more guards appeared. They held their swords forward as they rushed for her. She lifted her arms, ready to unleash her golden whip.

“Are you all right, miss?” one guard said as he approached. “We’re not sure what’s causing the explosions, but we are trying to get to the bottom of it. You should get somewhere safe.”

Raising her brows, she found no words. She’d thought they were going to attack her. Seeing as they hadn’t, perhaps it meant Filip hadn’t told them he suspected it was her behind the explosions. She doubted he wouldn’t have figured it out, considering he knew how astral magic worked.

“We’re headed to the barracks.” Adelina found her voice. “I believe my teacher, Yelena, is already there for her own safety. I’m to join her. ”

The servants hadn’t been in the kitchens when she’d dashed through them to reach the prison cells beneath the castle, but she also wasn’t going to tell them she suspected most of them were probably crushed by the impact of the first explosion.

After all, it’d detonated through the back right wing of the palace, which would’ve ripped straight through the servants’ quarters.

The guard nodded. “Filip will be in the barracks too—it’s the safest place for you all. Go to him.”

Adelina grabbed Damir’s hand, then towed him away.

“Wait.” The guard lifted his arm to block them and frowned. “Aren’t you the prisoner?”

“Uh…” Damir cleared his throat. “The first explosion tore through the prison cells—I’m not sure how many prisoners survived, but I got out of there before the ceiling caved in. I’ll stay with Adelina—make sure she’s safe—until we have all clear to return to the palace.”

“Not happening.” The guard narrowed his eyes on Damir. “I’ll be taking you into custody—”

A thunderous boom! ripped through the air, shuddering the nearby trees. Large chunks of mud and grass hurtled around them. Stone and brick whizzed as the third explosion tore through the training room, the impact sending them crashing to the ground. Yelena.

Scrambling off Damir, Adelina forced herself onto her elbows, urging her eyes to focus through her blurry vision. The guard was unconscious, bits of debris lying across his chest.

Heart lurching in her chest, she forced herself up.

Damir was on his feet in an instant, taking a firm grip of her hand.

They sped along the lawn to the western edge of the property, where the barracks were located.

Most of the area hadn’t been impacted by the explosions, meaning she was right about her theory of the time it took for them to detonate.

“If there are more guards at the barracks, we need to get them away from us, or we need to get away from them ,” she said. “If they are holding overcharged weapons, they’ll have fifteen minutes or so before they explode, and we’ll be crushed.”

“Calm down,” he said. “The guards aren’t likely to remain at the barracks, are they? Not when they believe the threat is outside. They’ve no reason to suspect you.”

“If they’ve seen Filip, he would’ve told them. He doesn’t like it when I challenge him.” She halted, grabbing Damir’s arms. “You need to leave. Head to the stables, grab a horse, and ride to the forests on the Temauten border. I’ll meet you there.”

“I’m not leaving you.” His voice did not falter. “I don’t care if he comes for me—let him.”

“He won’t hesitate to kill you. I won’t risk losing you, too.” A thick lump formed in her throat, making her words sound hoarse.

“Besides, even if Filip suspects you, he would never order his men to kill you. It completely defeats his goal. He needs you.”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand. He murdered my sister because I opposed him. He will do the same to you. You have to go.”

He gripped her arm. “We’re both getting out of here. Right now. ”

“We get Yelena first.” As she prepared to push off in the direction of the training room, Damir tugged her in the opposite direction—towards the barracks.

“No. It’s not safe for you to go there,” he said.

“Yelena could be there.” Her thoughts spiralled. “I will not let her die.”

“Do you have any reason to believe she would hide there while you rescue me?” he said.

She dragged her hands through her hair, thrusting it away from her face. “No…I…She said she’d distract Filip while I got you out.”

“Exactly,” he said, a degree softer. “You already know this. Keep your mind on what is logical. She wouldn’t betray you.”

Sucking in a deep breath to steady her wild heartbeat, she climbed to her feet, joined hands with her husband, and continued to the barracks.

When they reached the rectangular shaped building, she braced herself. Having not seen Filip at all, she feared he was inside.

As she approached the entrance—the door a mere handful of feet away—Yelena came outside. A sullen smile spread across her lips.

“Yelena!” Adelina gasped as she lunged towards her.

Yelena tossed her the sword, and with a flick of her hand, she conjured a line of fire blocking her path. Adelina stumbled backwards, clutching the weapon. Her teacher didn’t have access to astral magic, so any form of fire magic would take its toll on her.

“What are you doing?” Adelina frowned. “We need to get you out of here.”

Through the tall, thrashing flames, Adelina’s gaze caught sight of a bunch of arrows in Yelena’s hand .

“Filip is inside. He’s unconscious, but he won’t be out for long—my magic isn’t enough to hold him. You need to go. Leave. Now,” Yelena said.

“No.” Adelina shook her head profusely as she scanned the fire, looking for a way through. She took a step forwards, prepared to walk through it if it meant saving her.

Damir grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

“Get off! We have to help her.”

“Adelina,” Yelena called, drawing her attention back to her. “I am so proud of you. I know your parents and sister will be too. Thank you…for your determination. And your friendship.”

“Wait!” Adelina’s scream was drowned by the final explosion.

A blast tore through the building, annihilating the walls. The roof caved in. Fire burst from the ruins, hurtling thick, black smoke into the air.

“Yelena!” Adelina screamed so hard it ripped at her throat.

“Adelina, we need to go.” He yanked her away from the fire. “You can’t help her.”

Tears fell from her eyes as she watched the flames engulf the building with her teacher, Filip, and anyone else who was inside.

With a firm grip on her arms, Damir practically dragged her in the opposite direction.

She swiped the tears from her face as he stitched his fingers together and bent. “Give me your foot. I’m going to hoist you over the wall. We’ll head to the stables from there.”

Unable to manage any words for fear she might vomit, she nodded. She placed her foot in his hands, and with all his force, she was pushed up towards the top of the wall.

Gripping onto the top bricks, she brought her feet up, then lunged to the ground on the other side. He climbed up. It’d taken him mere seconds to scale it, but it’d felt like an eternity to her as the image of Yelena disappearing in erupting stone, brick, and fire burned in her mind’s eye.

When he landed on the grass beside her, he grasped her hands and pulled her to the path. “I know you’re going through a lot right now. But I don’t know where the stables are. You’ll need to lead us there, so we can get a horse, and get the hell out of here.”

She nodded, forcing her attention onto her husband. She looked up at him—her eyes wet. But Yelena would not want her to cry for her, she’d want them to get to safety. Otherwise, she would’ve died for nothing.

“Natasha—She…” Adelina cleared her throat. “I sent her to the stables, so she didn’t get caught up in the explosions.”

“Then she will be safe,” he said.

“The stables aren’t far from the barracks,” she said, maintaining a tight grip on his hand. If she let go, she feared her legs might give way. “Follow this path.”

The route ran parallel with the perimeter of the palace grounds. A few strides ahead and they were at the paddock fence.

“Through here.” She pointed to a gate.

They made their way through, hushing towards the stable entrance, when Natasha popped out, towing a horse by the reins behind her .

“Natasha, why are you here?” Adelina gasped. “I told you to get away.”

“I didn’t want to leave you, miss,” she said, wide-eyed. “I made my way here as you ordered, but there were so many explosions. I feared you—”

“I’m fine.” Adelina squeezed her shoulder. “Me and my husband are both fine, but you should’ve gotten out of here. I’m not sure how many of the household staff survived. I haven’t seen anyone else.”

“What about Yelena?” Natasha asked. Perhaps it was easier to ask about the trainer’s life than the lives of the people she’d spent every day working with.

Adelina shook her head—the words lodged in her throat.

“She didn’t make it,” Damir said. “She brought the barracks down with Filip inside.”

“Filip is dead?” Natasha’s eyebrows shot skywards.

“There’s no reason for us to think otherwise. Nobody could survive that,” Damir said. “We should ride to Temauten, but we’ll need to stop to hunt. The explosions didn’t allow us any time to gather provisions for the journey.”

With a sharp nod, Natasha thrust the reins into Adelina’s hand.