Page 102 of Kingdom of Locks

With a sudden movement, he jerked his hands upward, palms facing the ceiling. There was an almighty crack, and an entire section of stone fell away, raining down on the group by the door.

Amell gave a cry, throwing himself instinctively over Aurelia and Imelda, who stood together beside him. It seemed that the power he’d received from Aurelia’s core still lingered in him, because the rocks bounced harmlessly off an invisible shield over his head. It was a good thing, too, because even without being struck, Amell’s shoulder was in agony. He was fairly sure he’d reopened the wound.

An ominous rumble announced that the structure of the building had been compromised, and a moment later a further chunk fell at Cyfrin’s feet, forcing the enchanter to jump back or risk being struck by the deadly missiles. Bartholomew and the other guild member were also forced to flee deeper into the library, as the falling stone cut them off from the rest of the group.

Scrambling to his feet again, Amell heard the last sound he expected amidst the chaos. A familiar, delighted laugh.

“I did it!” Tora declared. “I actually did it.”

Amell looked over, perplexed, to see his sister shielded by Furn’s body, just the way Amell had been shielding Aurelia. They seemed to have missed the worst of the falling rocks, for which they could be thankful, given Furn didn’t have magic working for him like Amell did.

“I wasn’t even trying to put myself in danger this time, and I still managed to get in a situation where you were driven to protect me, Furn!” Tora went on brightly. “Did it work?”

Amell groaned, putting a hand over his face.

“Did it…work, Your Highness?” Furn’s voice was a strange mixture of caution and confusion.

“Did saving me from imminent death make you realize your feelings for me?” Tora asked matter-of-factly. “Because I’m practical enough to realize that if that didn’t do it, nothing will, and I’ll just have to give up.”

Furn’s face burned, and for a moment he mouthed wordlessly, looking like nothing so much as a beached fish. “Princess, I…” he stuttered. He tried again, his voice quieter. “There’s nothing to realize. My feelings are…no secret to me. As I think you’ve known for some time.”

Tora’s eyes lit up, but Amell could only stare at his usually unflappable and dedicated guard, who seemed to have entirely forgotten that they were in the middle of a life and death situation. Amell glanced at Aurelia and Imelda, both of whom were staring at the princess and the guard in utter astonishment. Movement on the other side of the room caught his eye, and he realized that Cyfrin was emerging from the wreckage, apparently satisfied that there wouldn’t be further collapses.

“Tora, Furn,” Amell said sharply. “It’s not the time.”

“Sorry,” Tora said, not sounding in the least repentant. “Life-threatening situations don’t come up all that often, though. I had to make the most of it.” She followed Amell’s gaze and noticed Cyfrin, her frame suddenly stiffening where she still crouched behind Furn’s body. “That doesn’t mean I think we should repeat the experience, of course,” she said darkly.

“Stop,” Amell told Cyfrin, in his most commanding voice. “You will answer for your crimes.”

Cyfrin’s derisive laugh was cut off by a shout from behind Amell. His father had arrived, and the guards who’d accompanied him poured into the ruined room.

“Dragon’s flame,” the king said, his eyes passing from Cyfrin to the chunks of stone everywhere, then to his children and their companions, half of whom were still crouched in protective poses. “The guild really is under attack.”

“King Bern,” said Cyfrin, bowing with a flourish. “Don’t be dismayed. What you see before you is simply an example of the power your kingdom has available to it. I look forward to working more closely with you in my role as Head of the Enchanters’ Guild.”

The king stared at the enchanter in evident shock. “Are you mad?” he demanded.

“Certainly not, Your Majesty,” said Cyfrin smoothly, sounding not quite pleased. “I am nothing more nor less than the greatest enchanter Fernedell has ever seen. As everyone in this room will soon be brought to acknowledge.”

“No.” The quiet voice seemed to fill the whole room as Aurelia stepped out from the line of guards and royals, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on the man who had imprisoned her for her whole life. “I for one will never acknowledge that.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Cyfrin pinned Aurelia with a glare that would once have frightened her into hiding behind her mother. No longer. She held his gaze steadily, a fire burning within her that no amount of his anger or criticism could quench.

“Nor will I,” agreed Mama Imelda calmly, stepping up beside her.

“How dare you defy me?” Cyfrin breathed. “You’ve both forgotten your place.”

“Our place was never in that tower,” Aurelia contradicted. “And you will never control us again.”

Cyfrin gave a nasty laugh. “You think you have control just because you’re out in the big wide world? You were born a princess, Honeysuckle. That means your life will always be controlled by others. Ask your precious prince how much freedom he has.”

Aurelia felt Amell step up on her other side, and her heart swelled at his support.

“I have the same freedom every man has,” said the prince calmly. “The freedom to choose what kind of man I will be. You chose poorly, and I’m done letting others suffer for that choice.”

A shuffling noise made Aurelia flick her eyes to the side of the room, where the two guild members were climbing their way back to the group by the door.

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