Page 45 of Night Fae

Zev didn't give him time to finish. With a gesture, he cast his illusion over both guards. Their eyes glazed, following phantom versions of Zev and Malik that existed only in their minds.

"Come on," Zev whispered, pulling Malik in the opposite direction.

They moved through the palace like shadows, Zev extending his power ahead of them to cloud the minds of anyone they encountered. Servants, guards, even a minor noble—all saw what Zev wanted them to see.

The magic flowed eagerly. It wanted to be used, to reshape reality around him, to bend the world to his will.

It prodded at Zev to make his illusions more terrible.

It had been born from fear and it wanted to strike fear in the hearts of everyone.

You and me,it seemed to whisper in his ear,we can bring the world to its knees.

And it will be glorious.

Zev did his best to shake the thought.

Was this how his grandmother felt all the time? Seduced by terrible potential?

Zev didn't want to know.

By the time they reached the outer wards of the palace, sweat beaded on Zev's forehead. Maintaining the illusions while moving quickly had taken more concentration than he'd expected.

"We're almost there," he told Malik, whose face had grown alarmingly pale. "Just need to get beyond this final barrier, and then it's a straight path to the forest."

Malik nodded, his jaw set with determination despite his exhaustion.

The outer ward shimmered before them, invisible to most eyes but glowing silver in Zev's transformed sight. He pressed his hand against it, feeling the ancient magic pulse.

CHAPTER 10

The ward gave way, creating an opening just large enough for them to slip through. Zev pushed Malik ahead of him, then followed, the barrier snapping closed behind them.

They emerged into the palace gardens, moonlight bathing the sculpted hedges and statues in silver. Beyond the gardens lay the outer grounds, and then miles of terrain before they'd reach the forest where Malik had been taken.

"We need horses," Zev said, pulling Malik toward the eastern side of the gardens. "The shadow paths are too far to reach on foot."

"But the stables will be guarded," Malik whispered, casting nervous glances toward the palace where lights were beginning to flare in the windows.

"Nothing I can't handle," Zev assured him.

His newfound power whispered reassurance to him.

There could be ten guards there, and he could kill them before they'd even notice him.

They moved through the gardens, keeping to the shadows of towering hedges. Zev's enhanced senses picked up every sound—the rustle of night creatures, the smell of the horses, the soft breathing of Malik beside him.

The stables stood at the edge of the palace grounds, separated from the main buildings by a wide courtyard. Two guards stood at attention by the entrance, their postures rigid and alert.

"Stay here," Zev instructed, guiding Malik behind a decorative stone wall. "This won't take a minute."

"Wait." Malik stopped him with a hurried whisper. "You won't kill them, right?"

Zev regarded the mortal silently.

Funny, until this interruption, he hadn't eventhoughtto spare the guards' lives.

But he didn'tneedthem dead either.