Page 123 of Hexbound

It ended swiftly, as he'd predicted it would. Madrigal simply countered everything the fellow threw at her, until a well-timed battle globe knocked him off his feet, setting his coat on fire.

"I yield!" he bellowed, crawling back along the slate as Madrigal advanced.

She paused, glancing toward Agatha.

"Madrigal Brown advances as candidate," Agatha called.

Lucien shifted uncomfortably as his wife stepped into the ring to take Madrigal's place, turning to face her opponent, whom Bishop finally recognized as Lord Darville, a pompous popinjay who was nevertheless very dangerous.

"She'll win it," he murmured to his half brother.

"I know," Lucien breathed, never taking his eyes off her. "She's good."

Ianthe was better than good. She countered everything Darville threw at her, though her face was paler than usual. The fight in the forest had taken something out of her, however, and she stumbled briefly as Darville hit her with battle globe after battle globe.

"Come on," Cleo breathed.

"You can do it," Verity said, at his other side, bouncing up and down on her toes.

Bishop watched the interplay. "She's not giving it everything she has," he murmured, watching as Ianthe deflected another battle globe of burning red. He'd seen her fight before. Knew she had more in her. He'd missed most of the earlier battle, but Ianthe should be stronger than this.

Lucien's lips thinned. "She's conserving energy," he murmured. "For Madrigal."

She had to get there first.

But it seemed his doubt was misplaced. Ianthe finally countered the second Darville took a breath, and he realized that this was what she had been waiting for: Darville to overextend himself. Ianthe's fingers wove her sorcery into glimmers of shadows that circled her skirts, and she muttered under her breath, watching Darville the entire time. Her shadows took shape and form: shadow constructs. They stalked toward Darville and he swallowed hard, taking a step back. Flames brushed against his coat, forcing him to look down. One more step and he'd be out of the circle.

"Curse you!" he spat, flinging a red-tinged mage globe that flickered weakly. It went straight through the shadow construct that leapt for him. They dove on him and began pulling at his clothes, dragging him closer to the ring of flames. Nothing he did made any difference. "Yield!" he finally screamed as they threatened to cast him into the flames.

Ianthe flicked her hand, and the shadows melted into the floor. Darville shot her a hate-filled look, but she merely turned and waited for Madrigal to enter the ring again.

Both women faced each other. Madrigal wore her usual white gown, overflowing with lace, and her coiffure remained elegant. Ianthe, on the other hand, looked like she'd been through a storm and back, but there was power in the cool expression on her face, and intent burning in her eyes.

"It's time for a new Order," Madrigal told her, settling into a defensive stance.

Ianthe merely arched her brow. "We shall see."

"Wait."

The lone voice echoed through the grotto and heads turned, here and there, to see who had cried out. Both women stepped apart, turning to face the newcomer.

Snow crunched beneath a man's boots as he made his way through the press of the crowd. Bishop could feel it in his belly; a knot of power, like a vortex hovering just beneath the stillness of the water. It was immense, threatening to crash and burn over the top of them all. The hairs along his arms rose and he saw Lucien look down in shock before their eyes met.

Sebastian, Lucien mouthed.

So this was what it felt like to be in the presence of both of his brothers. He'd been kept out of the action last month, when Lucien and Drake faced Sebastian.

Perhaps his father had feared even then what Bishop might do.

"I claim a chance to contend for the seat of the Prime," Sebastian called, and the last few people stepped out of his path, revealing a tall man with silver-gray eyes, short dark hair, and a sinister smile.

Madrigal's entire face paled. "I yield," she cried out, as if she'd seen something in those moments that terrified her.

Ianthe glanced once at her husband and Bishop saw her swallow. Even at her best she was no match for Sebastian's wild, unpredictable power.

"Don't," Lucien breathed, taking a half step forward. He too had paled.

Ianthe stared at him for another long moment before shaking her head grimly, and turning to face Sebastian.