Page 95 of To Save a Kingdom

Zadé twirled, her fists crunching noses left and right. “Just means more fun fer us!” She dropped to a crouch and swung her leg out, tripping the man in front of her. “Princess! Where’s th’ rest o’ the prisoners?”

“In the back!”

The clang of swords brought her attention to where Elessan and Brooks were locked in a brutal fight.

A balding head with thin strands of frizzy hair standing up in all directions blocked her view.

“Your Majesty!” Jalius bent over her wrists and hissed when he touched her shackles. “Cursed antimonite. Let’s get these off you, shall we?”

“I don’t know where the key is,” she said as he lifted the chair off her. Her eyes danced around the room. Knowing her luck, one of the nobles had it on them when they’d ran off. Having little choice being tethered to it by her two ankles and one wrist, she plopped into the seat as he righted it. “We may have to smash them.”

More sun elves streamed in, adding to the chaos.

Jalius disappeared for a heartbeat then returned, brandishing the fire poker. “I think I can use this to brute-force it open.”

Aliya bit her lower lip. If he missed, or the lock broke, he could spear her hand straight through.

He winced at whatever he saw in her face. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

An elf and human soldier slammed into them, nearly knocking her and the chair back to the ground before their momentum carried them away. If she stayed here much longer, she’d be dead. At least with the cuffs off, she’d be able to defend herself.

Meeting Jalius’ eyes, she nodded. “Do it.”

The gnome placed the poker’s tip into the keyhole and braced himself. “Be ready!” He leaned all his weight into it.

Something inside snapped as Elessan cried out.

“El!” Aliya whipped around as the manacle popped open and her wrist came free.

Elessan had stepped back, his jaw slack. He’d opened a deep cut in Brooks’ bicep. The tissue gaped, but instead of blood, bits of ebony mist wafted from the wound, dissipating like tendrils of fog.

He was bleeding…shadows.

What in the name of the mages had the inquisitor done with the grimoire? The hairs on the back of her neck prickled like a ghost had passed by.

“What’s goin’ on?” Zadé called, glancing up from the pile of unconscious bodies she’d managed to collect at her feet.

“I don’t know!” Elessan said. “But it’s not looking good!”

That was an understatement.

“Brooks did something, a spell from that book!” Aliya said as Jalius snapped the shackle locking one of her ankles to the chair. One more to go.

“What, exactly, did he do?” Elessan asked, daring to sneak a glance at her before turning his attention back to Brooks.

She shook her head as Jalius aimed the poker at the final lock. “I don’t know! He said something, the flames turned black, the air prickled, then everything went dark until you burst in.”

Jalius raised an eyebrow. “Said some words? You can’t be more specific?”

Elessan grunted as Brooks collapsed to his knees.

The shackle broke free. Aliya’s magic flooded back to her in a heady wave that left her head spinning and her ears popping. She clutched the chair arms to steady herself. “Woah.” She inhaled, the scent of ozone mixed with blood and ash filled her nostrils.

Elessan grabbed Brooks’ hair with one hand and yanked his head back, exposing his throat.

Brooks’ magestone flickered black.

The same gem she’d shattered a few minutes earlier. Her face still burned with the cuts from the shards.