Page 119 of Rebellious Royals

My shadows hit the ripple, evaporating it and protecting the rest of the school, but the bitch in the middle shot something hot at Pascal, refusing to stop. Flames licked off the ice, making some of it melt. Another attack came after that, then more. Aspen focused on keeping Pascal safe, which gave the attackers a little too much of an advantage.

"Morrigan!" Jack called again, making another dive toward the four assholes who were already cornered and couldn't win. Then he grabbed the hand of one. "Rain!"

Shit, hands. Reaching up into the air, I grabbed shadows from nothing and sent them that way. Four people. Eight hands. I could do this, and I had to. I wanted something fast, like a sparrow. Something small that would get through theirprotections. I just wanted to make this stop, and the only way to do that would be to prevent them from conjuring anything else!

The first one slammed into the fist of a guy slinging a conjuration at Aspen. Like tar, it coated his hand, then solidified. The next caught someone else, but one of the girls realized what I was doing.

"You should not pick sides!" she screamed, rushing at me as she reached into her pocket.

There wasn't much room. I wasn't armed, but by her second step, the girl had pulled out a knife. I braced, ready to deal with this the way my zez had taught me. I knew it would be bad, but I didn't exactly have anything ready to handle this. I had to rely on me instead of my magic.

"Keir!" I begged, hoping he'd have a shield that might work.

"No," Torian said, reaching his hand before him, and then merely clenching his fist. "That crosses the line."

The girl dropped, grabbing her throat.

"Rain, make more or he'll kill them," Hawke warned.

I started throwing shadows as quickly as I could, but the main girl realized Pascal was untouchable, and we'd just become the real threat. Turning, she thrust both arms out at Aspen. The moment the magic flew, I recognized it. This was just green. It was raw Summer power, unleashed without any intention except harm. It was the same thing Harper had thrown at me so long ago.

So I shifted into the path, intending to absorb it. Torian gasped and slung something at the girl. Wilder brought down both arms, invoking a bright white shield, and Keir put up his around all of us. Only Hawke didn't react to that. Instead, he rushed the girl on the ground. The one Torian had forgotten about, released the moment his attention wavered.

"Hawke, no!" Torian snapped just as Hawke grabbed the girl around the neck.

I hurried to send the last of my shadows, realizing that was the best thing I could do even as Hawke held the girl on the ground, panting hard.

"I'm just holding her, Tor."

But both of her hands were now encased in those shadow mittens that had worked for me before. All four of these idiots were secured like that, yet the attackers were still trying to do something about it. They pulled, slammed a hand against the wall, and tried to find a way out, ending up looking like nothing more than rats trapped in a cage.

"Someone get Pascal," I said as I called more shadows, letting them pour from me.

A pair of bears formed at my side, walking like guard dogs. Seeing Hawke respond to Torian like that made me think of it, and now these things were about to be the sentries that held these four in place.

"Jack? Can you get Ms. Rhodes?" I asked.

"She's on her way," Mr. Green said timidly as he peeked his head out again.

"Good," Torian said as he stormed over to the girl on the ground. "And you..." His sneer looked predatory.

"Civil," Hawke said softly, making it sound like a reminder.

"She tried to take what is mine!" Torian roared, turning his anger on Hawke. "He is undermyprotection! Mine!"

"Yes, Your Highness," Hawke said, holding Torian's eyes.

The rest of us were perfectly still.

"And he's not even Winter!" Torian yelled next. "Pascal carries Summer magic, not that I care! Anyone who tries to destroy the Winter Court, Winter users, and Winter magic in any way ismyenemy.Mine!"

"Why?" Keir asked, shifting closer as if ready to deal with Torian next.

And Torian turned on him. "Because an attack on the remaining Winter fae is an attack on me," Torian said. "It is treason against the Summer Court. Do I make myself clear?!" And his eyes dropped to the girl on the ground.

"Highness..." she breathed.

"That'sYourHighness," he corrected. "And whoever sent you to do this? The person you vowed not to mention in any way? They are trying to destroymypower. They want to invalidatemysister. They are a fool! One who is too stupid to understand the damage they are doing toallof our magic, using half-baked propaganda and lies to make students do their bidding, or..."

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