Page 41 of Shadows of Ruin (The Broken Prophecy #2)

Chapter 40

Lana

K ade’s hand tightened over mine as we left Cassandra’s room.

“Are you all right?” I asked, knowing the moment between him and Cassandra at the end got to him.

He paused and smiled at me reassuringly. “I am.” He brought my hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss on my knuckles before pulling me alongside him again.

Neither of us spoke as we walked the halls with purpose. I knew it would be too risky to repeat anything out loud. Inside though, my mind churned.

Cassandra’s words to find her sister immediately made me think of Vivienne. The only other seer I knew of in either kingdom.

She had found us though, showing up at The Knotted Willow after I found the dagger, even if she had been trapped in one of her usual episodes.

I ran my fingers over it at my thigh.

Kade squeezed my hand again. I stared at his profile, focused and unyielding as he led us through the halls of the palace.

Cassandra’s comment to him about mates burned over my skin. An ugly, jealous rage blossomed inside of me at the mere thought of Kade having a mate. He hadn’t denied her words though.

No .

That didn’t matter right now. Even if the thought pulsated in my chest, threatening to knock me off my feet. The strange thrum of energy present around Kade now lingered as a constant buzz.

I inhaled deeply, rubbing my chest as if I could relieve the knot inside the center of me. It had grown last night, only settling when I awoke to Kade’s lips kissing up and down my body.

We burst into the training room, walking to the ring.

We were alone so far; the others hadn’t arrived.

“Well,” I breathed out, blowing the air purposefully.

Kade ran his other hand over his face.

“This Thames has to be able to communicate with Andras,” I said, the words Cassandra spoke replaying in my head. “Using Casimir to siphon magic into gems? It sounds like your father’s amulet is essentially the same thing.”

“Thames is trapped, according to Cassandra.” Kade frowned. “But it’s that or my father communicating with Andras, and I don’t believe that’s possible.”

“Let’s hope he’s trapped for now. We don’t know what your father is doing. The darkness is spreading with similar magics on both sides of the void."

Kade nodded. “I think you’re right.” He pulled me close to him, kissing the top of my head. “Whatever is happening, it’s you and me, Little Rebel. We will figure this out together.”

“The end of your prophecy.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Say it again.”

“Fuck, I know,” he answered. “Though evil will free and be bound no more, Fate still awaits one final war.”

The doors opened, and Jax and Raya jogged in .

“Storm?” Kade immediately tensed, shadows swirling around him.

“Fine, checking on something for the king,” Raya answered. Her eyes bounced back and forth between the two of us. Dark circles marred her face.

“How did it go?” Kade asked, and she turned her attention to him.

She shrugged. “He seemed angrier in my mind than he actually was. In fact, he barely cared for the details.” She closed her eyes and shook her head like she wanted to rid herself of her thoughts. “He’s too calm.”

She balled her hands into fists once, twice.

“I say we take that as a blessing. Maybe the Fates decided to let us catch a break for once,” Jax grumbled. “There’s nothing here. No rumors. No curious inquiries about where we were. Everything is merely continuing on as usual.”

Kade released a sharp breath. “That’s good. So right now, everything is okay.”

“What did you learn?” Raya asked.

“Nothing good,” I said. “Apparently there’s an evil being, worse than we’ve ever seen, trapped in the void. Desperate to take over the world.”

“Excuse me?” Jax asked. He rested his hands on top of his head. “We have our hands full with your mad man in Brookmere and our king here. Please don’t tell me we now have another evil creature to battle.”

“We don’t know,” Kade said. “Though we gained information, none of it is particularly helpful yet.” He paced a few steps. “We’ll go about our days. See what comes up. We need to think about trying to gain more Guardians to our side and discuss what to do about Brookmere.”

I stroked a hand over my chest, rubbing at the tiny ball of tension there. Kade stepped closer, staring at the movement. His nearness helped .

“You hear that, Princess?” Jax smirked, winking from across the ring. “You’re stuck with us now.”

Raya let out a grunt and her eyes whitened. But she came to quicker than the other times the king had contacted her.

“He wants to see you.” She stared straight ahead at Kade. “I would take Jax.”

“Did he ask for both of us?” Kade questioned.

Her nose crinkled, almost in disgust. “No, but he’s in a mood. You need a buffer.”

“Fuck,” Jax muttered. “Where’s Storm when you need him.”

Kade brushed a thumb along my jaw. “Stay with Raya. Don’t trust anyone else.” He looked at Raya. “Take Lana to her chambers, and wait with her, please.”

“Of course,” Raya agreed. “I’ve got her.”

I grabbed Kade’s arm. “Be safe.”

His lips turned up into a breathtaking smile. “You don’t need to worry about me, Little Rebel.”

I nodded, his confidence reassuring me. Still, an uncomfortable feeling returned the moment he and Jax left the ring.

“Let’s go,” Raya urged, pressing her hand against the small of my back as we left the training ring.

"He wasn’t angry last night?” I asked.

Raya shook her head, walking beside me. “No.”

I frowned. She seemed more approachable in Brookmere. Now it appeared she returned almost fully to her standoffish ways. “If you need to talk, I’m here.” I touched her arm.

She looked down to where my hand lay and inhaled. “Thank you.”

I walked straight at the first break in hallways, but Raya pulled me to the right. The opposite direction from my suite.

“I need to get more weapons,” she stated when I started to protest. “I’m not comfortable with only what I have. We’ll be quick. ”

“You’re uneasy.” It wasn’t a question.

Raya sighed. “Be on guard.” She froze, her body trembling once like a chill raced through it. Then, kept walking.

“What did he say to you?” I asked, knowing the king had to have said something to create this tension in her.

“He doesn’t need to say anything. I’m a Guardian. I'm always worried.”

I smiled. “True. You merely seem more worried than usual.”

We turned and two guards eyed us carefully as we walked by. I hadn’t been to Raya’s room, but if she resided in the barracks, I assumed we’d see more Guardians along the way.

Once we passed, the two peeled away from the wall, following behind us. Raya glanced over her shoulder before locking eyes with me. She looped her arm through mine and continued walking. We didn’t change our pace, but still, she held my arm tightly.

My pulse quickened. The heavy boots of the guards behind us echoed in the hall.

We took a few more turns, until I realized I had no idea where we were in the palace. Not that I had it mapped out in my mind perfectly, but I knew enough to know we were getting far from the safety of my chambers.

“Raya?” I asked as quietly as I could.

She shook her head once.

The guards behind us made no effort to stop us or speed us up. We turned again, a shorter corridor greeting us. The windows lining the hall overlooked the magnificent gardens. Yet I had no time to admire them.

Raya slowed, catching me off guard. I looked at her as her grip tightened on my arm. “Illiana,” she said, my name coming out of hers slowly. She grimaced and a trickle of blood pooled under her nose .

“Raya.” I tried to pull my arm back to help her, but she didn’t let go. “Your nose is bleeding. I don’t have anything?—”

I froze. Her hand grasped my forearm too tightly.

The bleeding. It came from fighting mind magic.

She stared at me unwavering, blood falling in a slow drip from the edge of her lip onto the stone beneath us.

I tugged at her, pulling to run, but the guards behind us closed in. Raya yanked me forward as a single tear formed in her eye.

She opened the door at the end of the corridor, forcing us through as the guards positioned themselves behind me.

Raya fought the king’s mind magic, but still, she led me along to whatever awaited me.

Fates above.

“Raya, please,” I begged. “You can fight this.”

She pulled me through, and the archway opened into a massive circular stone room. Half of it was lined with bookshelves, while the other half contained open windows. In any other situation, it would have taken my breath away.

Now though, I had no choice but to ignore the cavernous views from the window in favor of what lay before me.

Because along the far wall, next to the bookshelves, hanging from a pair of chains with blood pouring in rivulets down his body, was Storm.

Storm barely raised his head, but it was enough to see the terror in his eyes when he noticed me.

The man in front of him turned, even though I knew who it was already. The obsidian crown gracing his head remained firmly in place despite the evident signs that he’d been delivering brutal torture.

“Ah, the guest of honor has finally arrived.” King Dargan grinned wickedly, and Raya dutifully tugged on my arm, leading me straight to him.