Page 136 of The Last De Loughrey Dynasty

“The prophecy named a Kingstone to end the De Loughrey Dynasty. It was never me who was destined to end her life, was it?”

Kane gritted his jaw, fighting the urge to keep the truth, but in slow movements, he shook his head. “You were all just muppets, boy. The prophecy has grey zones.”

A chill ran down my spine. “The prophecy always spoke about a Kingstone heir. He was born a Kingstone. He’s technically as much of an heir as I am.”

I looked at my friends and a moment of fear passed between us. “It was Chadwick all along.”

“He—I—I saw Kane in the maze. I saw—oh my God,” Mai started to breathe heavily, grabbing the edge of the desk. “I sawsomeone holding theBook of Shadows. I figured it was Kane.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Chadwick said we’ll meet at the maze. He went to search for Doe and I—I just trusted him. Nathaniel—ah!” She gasped in pain, falling to her knees. Jesse and I caught her before she hit the ground. Mai clutched her side, cringing in pain.

“What’s the matter?” Naomi asked in panic, taking Mai’s hand in hers.

Tears started running free from Mai’s eyes as she started to push me away. “Go! They’re in the maze. Hurry, Archer!” She cried in agony through the pain that wasn’t hers.

I squeezed her hand one more time before I jumped to my feet and ran.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

ARCHER

“Archer, love, I’m so sorry.”My mother caught me by the arm as if I weren’t in a life-or-death situation right now. But for obvious reasons, she didn’t know that.

I just had to cross the ballroom to reach the door leading to the backyard. To the maze.

I pushed my mum’s hand away from me, not bearing to look at her. “I don’t want to talk right now.” The short explanation had to do it, but instead of letting me pass, she started caressing my cheek.

“All I ever wanted was for you to live your life in happiness. I’m sorry. I’m so terribly sorry, my baby,” she covered her mouth with her hand, attempting to hold back a sob.

While I hated seeing her like this, I really didn’t have the time right now.

I opened my mouth, but the dark voice of my professor came to words before I could, “Mrs Kingstone, if you’ll excuse us, I’d like a word with Archer about something urgent,” Kane had his hand on the middle of my back, pushing me away from my mother towards the door. He smiled at her, not waiting for my mother to reply.

The others joined us as we walked civilly out of the stuffed room to avoid gaining any unwanted attention.

“You let him go?” I hissed in Naomi’s direction, who nodded over to Mai.

“Maisie said he’d be helpful.”

“Well, her visions haven’t been helpful in the slightest lately,” I muttered as we finally reached the door leading to the backyard.

Maisie made a choked sound, her hands trembling at her sides, “it’s not my fault, it’s Chadwick’s. He poisoned everything.” Tears still coated her cheeks, and the concern seemed to almost steal all the air from my lungs.

“Did you see Doe?” I almost didn’t want to ask because I feared what she might tell me.

I wish I’d known, I wish I’d questioned everything more, and maybe then we wouldn’t be in this situation.

Mai’s chin trembled as we ran down the stairs. She didn’t look at me.

I stopped her for a second, taking hold of her face, forcing her to look at me. “What did you see?”

“I saw Nathaniel,” she sobbed.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

DOROTHEE

“This way!”I told Nathaniel, pulling him through a gap before it fully closed.

We had been running for almost ten minutes, and it felt like we kept going in circles. I couldn’t tell where exactly we were—whether it was around the centre or almost at the exit.

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