“What are you doing?” someone asks.
The owner of the voice is behind me a bit, to the right. The Grand Chancellor's son, Nathaniel and his intended. Why is he so close? Another anxious to see Zade die? Ignoring him, I pull out my gun.
The crack in the dome surrounding Zade is widening, right above his face. If I was next to it, I could slide my hand through and touch him. He's sweating under the blue light. Someone from the crowd behind me shoots a burgundy spell. The crack widens. Suddenly, the room plunges into darkness, save for the lights of the dueling spells.
It can't wait any longer, a hex is going to get through. My hands shake as I lift the gun. They're shaking too much. I'm going to miss.
I point the gun at the hooded figure closest to me. I take a breath and hold it. I squeeze the trigger. The gun recoils in my hand. A crack sounds through the room. I missed.
Except the gun is still spelled to show where the bullet went. The tan light nicks the warlock's arm. He drops his hands, weakening the light attacking Zade. His hand darts out of his robe and touches his arm, it comes away darkened with liquid. He whirls toward me, bloody fingers stretched out toward me.
I haven't saved Zade, only caused us both to die.
The other robed figures hesitate. Maybe it will be enough to give Zade a chance, even if I'm losing mine. I wish I could see their faces. Know who's trying to destroy us. I aim at all of them one-by-one, starting with the figure facing me, quickly firing until I've used my other five bullets.
None of them hit an attacker, but it distracts them. Their spell weakens as they look for the commotion. The crack in Zade's shield shrinks, though he looks weaker than before. A bright green hex goes flying toward him and slips through the crack, slamming into his leg. My chest tightens as Zade lets out a growling yell.
Out of nowhere, a yellow spell zips from beside me, toward the attackers. Nathaniel stands next to me, hand extended. His fiancee stands by his side. They're going to help? A cry comes from the crowd. I look up just in time to see a black-tinged, crimson spell flung at me. I flinch.
A whimper from the side. Nathaniel’s fiancee is on the floor. He crouches over her. One of the attackers moves toward us. Without a thought, I yell and leap for him.
He stops, but I don't. I force all my momentum into slamming my gun on his head. It hammers into him. We fall to the floor, his hood opening in the process. Father. I just hit Father.
For a moment, I can't move. He's unconscious. How many times has he done something similar to me? Deal with him later. I roll onto my back. He stays motionless.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see another attacker racing toward me. I turn to hit him or trip him or throw my gun at him. Anything, though it'll be too late. Before I can decide which to do, an aqua spell blasts into him from behind.
He searches for his foe. Zade's free, already casting another spell toward him, the other hooded figures are gone. The last one runs for the door, casting a tan wall behind him.
Zade saved me. Green spells fly from him, but hit the fleeing warlock's wall without doing a thing. Others from the crowd move to help, but it's too late. The attackers are gone.
Zade follows, but he's limping so bad there's no chance he'll catch up to them. He needs to come back here where it's safe and someone could look at his leg. Before I can go after him, Chadwick does. His servant should be able to bring him back. I search for Waverly, but don't see her on the floor where they left her. Did someone move her? Is she still alive?
A crowd of people have gathered around the fallen girl. Father is still beside me, several warlocks guarding him. I'd rather help the girl than deal with him. I heave myself off the ground and move toward her.
The crowd parts, not wanting to be by the girl with the gun, I suppose. Nathaniel is on the floor next to her. I kneel by him.
“How is she?”
He shakes his head.
I reach for her. Her skin is cold. Her chest isn't moving. Dead. She died because I stood up for Zade.
Why did they have to do this? I glance behind me, where I left Father. He's stirring, but Councilman Daniel, along with other warlocks, still stand guard. That will be sufficient, for now. I focus back on Nathaniel.
“I'm sorry I couldn't do more.”
“Don't be. You're not the problem here. Someone else is.”
“What is the meaning of this?” The Grand Chancellor shouts from above us, his white hair glowing under the lights, but his dark beard making the bottom half of his face seem too disappear. I swallow and stand.
He says, “I'm enjoying the gardens for a moment and someone kills my son's intended? Who has done this?”