Page 34 of The Moon's Fury

“But Soraya. And their mother.Fuck,” he breathed.

Jamil clasped his arm. “I’ll get them out and protect them with my life. I swear it. I have more time. They’ll come for Layna first.”

One breath, one heartbeat—and everything changed.

“Meet us in Sendouk.”

Without another word, he bolted to the palace.

The flickering lantern light washed over her as she read through her fifth scroll of the night.Last one. She rubbed her bleary eyes, folding her legs beneath her on the divan.Then, I’ll sleep. She read it once, twice, three times before casting it aside. Nothing useful. The hidden library, for all its knowledge, held nothing about the actual powers themselves, or how to contain them.

Which made sense, she supposed, since the Medjai seemed to murder the prophetic subjects to maintain “balance.” But was there not even one instance of a Daughter who had learned to control her light?

Layna reached for the next scroll, hoping to glean something useful.

The door slammed open, crashing against the wall, and a figure stormed in—a blur of swirling black fabric and shadow and steel.

Not a blur.

It was Zarian.

And she had never seen him so panicked.

When his frenzied eyes landed on her, potent relief passed through them. She blinked, and it was gone, replaced by burning intensity.

“Zarian, what is it?” she asked, their fight forgotten. She rose from the divan as he crossed the room in three long strides. He cradled her face, stark fear shadowing his gaze.

“Are you all right?” he asked, urgency coating his words.

“Yes, I’m—”

But he released her and began searching her chambers with chaotic speed. Layna could only watch, confused and anxious, as he left no corner unchecked. When he returned from the balcony, he grabbed her shoulders.

“The elders know about your powers. They’ve sent men to kill you. Too many for me to fight. We need to leavenow.”

Layna’s mind raced at his words. The power that made its home beneath her skin began to hum, the incessant buzzing growing louder in her ears. “How?”

“I don’t know. We have to leave, Layna. Please. I won’t be able to protect you from them. I can’t fail you ag—” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard. His fingers pressed divots into her shoulders, his eyes pleading.

“I can’t leave Soraya and Mama,” she said softly. “They’ll be in danger.”

“Jamil will get them to safety. He swore it.” Zarian’s breath came faster now, washing over her face in an anxious breeze, his fingers digging in harder.

“When would we return?” she asked, her voice small.

Zarian swallowed again, hazel eyes shining in the light. “I don’t know. When it’s safe.”

An eternity passed in the space between heartbeats.

“We might never return.”

Layna looked into his eyes and saw his love shining back so brightly, so fiercely, it was near blinding. He’d do anything for her. This, she knew better than anything else. His beautiful, hazel eyes, so filled with terror and hope and sorrow.

Trust me, they said to her. Chooseme.

So she did.

“All right. Let’s go.”