The king moved his hand to trail a finger down my neck to my collarbone. “Your being a willing participant is not a requirement, darling.”
I had never hated him more. And I couldn’t use my magic despite my skin glowing and pulsing with every beat of my heart, but I sure as hell was not about to just stand there and watch him murder my husband either. I couldn’t fight like the powerful Enchanted I was, the gauntlets had made sure of that. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t fight at all. I wasn’t just an Enchanted princess, I was a Nerede princess.
So I leaned in, just to be sure I was close enough. The king stalled, likely in confusion over why I was leaning in. His eyes dipped to my nightgown at my cleavage just as I had hoped, and that was when I spit, right into his face.
The king jerked back, stunned, but then started groaning in pain. He brought his hand not holding the sword to his cheek and eye, and then backhanded me across the face with it.
With the weight of the gauntlets and weight of the blow, I fell to the ground, but the guard holding the chains to my gauntlets jerked me back to my feet. The pain of the iron slicing into my skin at my forearms made me gasp.
But I noticed the silver magic on the king’s face, in the process of apparently scalding him. I hadn’t just used my spit, I’d used magic. And though my tears had been known to carry magic, they’d really only healed things.
I’d just used my magic. Where else could I use my magic from? I was under the impression the Enchanted had to use and wield their magic with their hands. But there was plenty of magic glowing and at my disposal. I just had to figure out how to send it out of my body without my hands. It was easier to use my tears or spit as those were closely tied to my emotions. But if I focused hard enough, was it even possible to send it out of my body a different way?
The king gestured to the guards to bring Krew forward to the dais.
Instinct moved me forward also, but the guards moved in to stop me. Keir was also struggling but getting nowhere.
The king stood sideways next to his throne, facing Krew, who was brought forward and shoved to his knees before the king as he faced the windows.
As I spun, trying to jerk free of the guards, I noticed how my bare feet were entirely lit up with my magic, ready and willing to help. I slammed my eyes shut.
Please work. Please work. Please work.
I stomped down hard, willing my magic to get the guards away from me, willing it to find a way to leave my body somewhere other than my hands. To find a way out and help us out of this situation which was becoming more dire by the moment.
Though it took far more energy than using my hands, so much so I already felt slightly dizzy, my silver magic rippled across the ground. Keir and I both, along with our guards, were knocked to the ground.
I quickly got up and saw the king raising his sword toward Krew. “Don’t worry, my son. I will be sure to take care of your wife.”
Krew was glowing as brightly as I was, and I saw him close his eyes.
I love you, Jorah.
I didn’t respond because I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t watch this. I couldn’t lose him like this.
I wouldn’t.
I sprinted forward.
I was going to be too late. The gauntlets were slowing me down. And though if I focused hard enough, I could apparently release magic from my feet, I couldn’t take the time or risk the chance that I’d knock myself to the ground again. Not when my whole world was tearing at the seams.
So I ran.
CHAPTER44
Ithrew up my gauntlets just as the king brought the sword down diagonally on Krew. The side of the sword slammed into my gauntlets, and I was thrown backwards, hitting the ground hard. Purple magic shook the ground and raced up the sides of the wall, followed by a trail of silver.
The queen’s magic. And my own?
My ears were ringing, my shoulder blades sharp with pain, but I slowly brought myself up to sitting. The blast had knocked everyone to the ground. The king had been thrown backwards into one of the windows as shattered glass now sprinkled the ground. And all over him. His crown was rolling along the ground away from his body. In the power of the blast, the silver throne itself had even toppled over backward, laying crooked and on its side.
I reached for Krew next to me and that was when I realized my hand was free. My fingers were reaching for Krew, not the gauntlets.
My gauntlets had shattered in the blast and lay before me open at my feet. I was free.
I was free.
Before the king got back to his feet, I quickly moved, my eyes immediately going to the bald guard on the ground who had the keys.
