Kiva tore across the ballroom toward them, her disheveled appearance eliciting gasps and murmurs from those she passed. When Caldon caught sight of her, he halted mid-dance, offering an apology to his partner before striding to meet her partway across the room.
“What the hell happened to you?” he asked, eyeing her from head to toe.
“Where’s Jaren?” Kiva panted.
Caldon rolled his eyes. “Seriously? You two need to —”
Kiva grabbed the lapels of his jacket, shaking him fiercely. “Caldon, where’s Jaren?”
The prince turned alert. “Last I knew, he was with you.”
Kiva closed her eyes, wondering if Jaren had waited for her, just as he’d promised. “Have you seen Zuleeka?”
“She was just here, asking where to find you,” Caldon said. “Someone told her they saw you and Jaren heading to the River Room a while ago.” Seeing Kiva pale, Caldon added, “Naari followed her — she can’t get into any trouble.”
Kiva didn’t need to hear more, already turning to sprint back the way she’d come.
“Hey — wait!” Caldon called, his long steps catching up easily as she bolted out of the ballroom and toward the nearest staircase. Keeping pace at her side, he demanded, “What’s wrong?”
“Zuleeka’s dangerous.” Kiva didn’t slow as they climbed to the next floor and barreled along the hallway. “She has magic. Evil magic. And she has a dagger that —”
Kiva and Caldon burst through the doors of the River Room before she could finish her warning. And then she couldn’t speak at all, because the moment she saw her sister standing with Jaren by the window-wall, a wave of blackness speared toward her, rooting her feet to the floor.
It wasn’t like when the queen had encased Kiva’s ankles in ice. Instead, it was as if her very bones had fused together, her legs forced apart, her arms stretched out to the sides, her mouth sealed shut, pain tearing through her as Zuleeka’s dark magic manipulated her muscles and tendons to her will.
Beside her, Kiva was aware of Caldon locked in the same position, the two of them entirely trapped by Zuleeka’s magic — as was Jaren across the room, his body immobile while his eyes blazed with fury.
But Jaren wasn’t looking at them. He wasn’t even looking at Zuleeka.
His gaze was fixed on the floor.
Where Naari lay.
Eyes closed.
In a pool of blood.
Kiva’s heart stopped. But then she saw the slight rise and fall of the guard’s chest.
Alive — she was alive.
If Kiva had been in control of her own body, she would have buckled with the weight of her relief.
And then she realized something else: Naari had felt Zuleeka’s magic before.
Darkness swirled in my vision and my limbs just wouldn’t obey me, the guard had said when recounting the day she’d lost her hand. It was terrible, not being able to control myself.
If only Kiva had known about the dark magic sooner; if only she’d —
“Sister, so good of you to join us,” Zuleeka purred, interrupting Kiva’s woeful thoughts.
A fireball surged from Caldon, making Kiva wonder why Jaren wasn’t using his own magic. Her terror flooded anew, but he didn’t appear to be injured — nor was there any sign of the dagger.
Before Kiva’s alarm could grow, Caldon’s fire hit Zuleeka square in the chest —
And did absolutely nothing.
Zuleeka slashed a grin, fishing something out from beneath the high collar of her navy ballgown.
Kiva’s remaining breath fled at the sight of the amulet.
Her amulet.
But how —
Inhaling sharply, Kiva recalled the long embrace she’d shared with Zuleeka that afternoon, when her sister had been whispering assurances in her ear, her hand on the back of Kiva’s neck the whole time.
Working at the clasp.
Kiva hadn’t realized. Even when she’d donned her ballgown and looked in her mirror, she’d been so startled by her transformation — and so exhausted from healing Torell — that she hadn’t noticed it missing.
“Thank you for the gift, sister,” Zuleeka said, stroking the powerful crest. “I never would have made it this far without its protection.”
Jaren’s eyes shot to Kiva, disbelief and uncertainty emanating from him. She wanted to scream that Zuleeka was lying, to even just shake her head, but she couldn’t move.
“I don’t have long,” Zuleeka said, returning the amulet beneath her dress. “I have business in the western palace.” Another slash of a smile, and then she pulled up her skirt and removed a dagger — the dagger — from her thigh holster.