elevator in search of Scarlett.
Guards patrolled each floor of the King’s Palace, so I remained vigilant, knowing my bound wrists would raise suspicion.
In the training room, several Kinetics warmed up on dummies, sharpened their blades, and built up their energetic magic in designated areas. I disregarded them as I jogged past. But paranoia soon set in as I felt each set of eyes land on me. Their scrutinizing stares slid over my cuffed wrists as I ran in a haphazard frenzy. Time was running out.
Scarlett said she’d be where the blades were stored, so I cut through the aisle leading to the weapons. I had been held up with my father and Grim for almost an hour, well past the timeframe I was due to meet up with her. I prayed she was still there.
The blades were stationed at the opposite end of the training room. I couldn’t help but wonder what I looked like to the random Kinetic, with sweat smearing my makeup and dried blood caking my skin. My hair looked as if it housed a family of armadillos—not exactly a princessly look.
I reached the end of the training room. To my right, a stout warrior—with pink and white dual-toned hair pulled back into a low bun—stood watch. He spotted me and paused his movements with an unnatural grace for a man his size. Neither of us flinched. We stood frozen in silence, daring the other to make the first move. I noticed the sword strapped to his back and glanced down at my cuffed wrists.
Fuck.
“Gray!” Scarlett’s voice snatched me from the silent standoff. “Oh, for shit’s sake! Where have you been?” Scarlett spun me around by the shoulders to face her. It only took a glimpse of my stiff posture for her attention to land on my wrists.
With a quiet curse, Scarlett grabbed my biceps and dragged me away.
“Hey!” the warrior called to our backs.
We didn’t stop, not even to glance over our shoulders at the skeptical warrior looming behind us. “Stop!”
“Fuck off, you brute!” Scarlett said without hitching a step.
A low-grade burn simmered on my skin, like a light sunburn but soon built into agonizing pain. I stumbled and cried out, dropping to a knee.
Scarlett, still holding onto my arm, fared little better. She gritted her teeth, a pain-filled groan escaping her. “Fucking ultraviolet magic.”
In my desperation to escape, I never noticed the red currents dancing up the warrior’s arms. The burn on my back continued to increase. “I can't do…anything with these fucking cuffs.”
Scarlett clenched her eyes shut as she withstood the pain.
The warrior descended upon us. Metal rang out as he withdrew his sword.
My mind raced for a plan, but the heat on my back threatened to melt the silk dress into my skin. I battled the gut-wrenching scream that fought to erupt.
The warrior’s shadow loomed over me. Blue glowed from the sigils on his sword, illuminating the surrounding floor.
I braced for the impact—for my death.
A burst of violet electricity shot past me, slamming into the warrior. Scarlett’s magic forced him to release control of his power, allowing the ultraviolet burn to ebb in its intensity.
The high voltage locked up the warrior’s body in uncontrolled convulsions. His eyes bulged from his skull as he forced out guttural grunts. My insides twisted at the sound.
Scarlett continued to unleash her visceral power onto him, even after he collapsed to the cement floor with a thud.
“Scarlett!” The warrior’s eyes glazed over with lifelessness. “He’s dead. Stop!” Scarlett would expend all her magic on a godsdamned corpse; she was lost to it. Some Kinetics’ powers were more addictive than others due to the volatile nature of its energy source. Scarlett’s was one of them.
I shifted my attention from the body wrapped in purple volts to Scarlett. Her green eyes were unfocused, lost in the trance of her nuclear-powered magic. Violet streams of electricity poured from her outstretched palms into the dead warrior. My shouts fell on deaf ears. “Scar!” I tried again. “Let it go!”
All the commotion attracted the attention of the surrounding Kinetics in the training room. Voices drew closer, and my only option was to snap Scarlett out of her trance. The warrior’s body smoked from the electricity charring his flesh, and its stench made my stomach roil.
Scarlett’s magic attacked anyone who touched her skin while she wielded her power. I braced for more pain as I swung my bound hands into her jaw. Upon impact, I seized up in my own electrical onslaught. Purple volts bridged my fists and her face while she still unleashed upon the warrior.
My body spasmed as I grunted from the high-voltage currents; my veins and arteries fried. I had seconds before I succumbed to her power, considering I had no way to fight back.
The pain came in quick waves as the electricity moved to my organs. I wanted to either climb out of my skin or freeze in place, which created an insufferable dichotomy.
The irony that I would die by Scarlett’s hands while trying to flee from my father didn’t escape me.
Scarlett suddenly collapsed to the floor in a pool of red hair. The purple volts receded back into her currents. Sweat glistened on her skin from the fluorescent lights, indicating the amount of effort she used to wield her magic.
I crumpled to my side, weakened from the pain and strain of my muscles. A whimper fell from my lips at the sight of a pair of polished black boots that stepped into view. Through my hazy vision, I focused on the Kinetic in front of me.
I imagined Grim standing there, ready to haul me back to the interrogation room one level below. I was too weak to fight back. Too much had happened in such a short time.
I lay on the cold, hard floor, waiting for another round of agony to kick-start me alive. Erratic breaths clawed their way from my lungs to keep me afloat. Miraculously, I remained somewhat conscious.
The man squatted in front of me. I barely made out his silhouette, but the sleek boots were at the forefront. Gentle fingers pressed on my carotid artery for several beats before they retreated. But then, the Kinetic moved to my cuffed wrists.
A flash of white hair caught my attention. “C—Cotton?”
There was no verbal response, but I felt his hands fiddling with the manacles. I was still in pain from the warrior and Scarlett’s magic, but I’d heal faster once the cuffs were removed. They didn’t entirely suppress our healing abilities; instead, they only slowed them down.
Cotton jiggled my wrists, not even bothering to be gentle. My body protested; every fiber screamed in torment. He didn’t appear apologetic about it. He simply offered a shrug.
My wrists finally broke loose from the magic-restricting cuffs. A firm hand grabbed my forearm and yanked me to my unsteady feet. With my magic freed, my healing abilities kicked in and began to cool the burned areas of my body.
Cotton bent down to scoop Scarlett up and started toward the elevators. Curious gazes landed on us as we passed, but we avoided them on our trek. I wondered how much time Cotton had bought us with the guards.
Scarlett lay limp in Cotton’s arms while we waited for the elevator. I bounced on the balls of my feet, impatience gnawing away at me from precious seconds wasted. I fought off the growing urge to panic at the slow elevator. I hated that the fate of our lives hung in the hands of an inanimate object.
No one approached while paranoia swallowed us whole. Every few seconds, one of us would glance over our shoulder to ensure we weren’t being followed.
The elevator finally sounded its arrival. Cotton’s breaths grew labored from carrying Scarlett’s dead weight as we stepped into the lift. His physical strength hid behind his tall, slender physique, and the hardness in his facial expression gave people pause. Yet, it seemed Scarlett was the only one able to break through it.
I soaked in the brief quietude that always existed in Cotton’s presence. He appeared calm and composed, but the heaviness in his eyes exposed his anxiety.
We were safe for the moment, but I wasn’t sure how long it would last. I used the reprieve to take deep, slow breaths and to savor my magic’s return.
I shook my wrists where the cuffs had bound me. Plan A was an absolute failure. I was only meant to prevent Forest from sending a search party after me while Cotton held off the guards and Scarlett got weapons, but that plan got turned sideways with Grim.
The elevator came to a standstill.
I braced for any surprises waiting on the other side of the doors. The doors ground open, and…thank the gods, no one was there to ambush us.
Cotton glanced at me and nodded, signaling for me to take the lead. I didn’t hesitate.
Running feet sounded levels below. But with our limited time, we were clear.
Ascending to only a few floors below the King’s Suite, I knew we were on Cotton’s floor, where the higher-ranking Kinetics resided. After having left his suite only an hour earlier, I recognized that the door at the end of the hallway belonged to him.
Struggling to balance Scarlett in his arms, he typed in the code on the keypad to his suite.
Once inside, I followed Cotton into the guest room, where he laid Scarlett on the bed I’d previously occupied.
“Is she okay?” I asked, walking up to the bedside and taking in her unconscious form. The reality of what we had just gone through hit me as I gazed at her.
After one final scan, Cotton nodded and exited the room. He beckoned me to follow him with a wave over his shoulder.
Cotton padded through the spotless suite to the main bedroom. Like the rest of the King’s Palace, it was lavish, with a white marble kitchen floor, high-end appliances, and fine furniture from the renovations pre-Devolution Day. It was much smaller than the King’s Suite but larger than the commoner’s because of his inquisitor position.
I stopped in the doorway of his bedroom, observing his living space. Like the guest room, it was bare of anything with personal value.
I didn’t comment as he rummaged through his closet. Moments later, he reappeared with a stuffed duffel bag and shoved it in my arms. He nodded to the bag, indicating for me to inspect the contents.
I found black leathers, cowls, and fingerless gloves that I usually wore for missions. Scarves, thin hoodies, and combat boots were shoved in there to accompany them. Mixed in were comfort clothes like leggings and tees I’d need to blend in amongst humans. They’d also stuffed other essential amenities within the smaller pockets. Hidden at the bottom were my weapons of choice: Kinetic daggers and throwing knives designed to weaken and kill Elementals, along with magnetic bracelets to hide my nature.
I looked up at Cotton, relief pouring through me. Cotton dipped his head in response before brushing past me into the kitchen. I trailed him to the counter, where he scrawled on a pad of yellow paper.
The guards are cleared. I threw them off course. Told them to watch the east exit. At least, that’s where they were heading before I found you in the training room. You need to leave now.
I nodded in agreement but noted the ruined dress that clung to me in tatters. I needed to change. Cotton understood and pointed in the direction of the bathroom.
Rummaging through the duffle, I snagged the leathers and mission gear before jogging to the washroom. After about five minutes, I was finished and returned feeling much more capable of facing whatever obstacles lay ahead.
I studied his profile. His light olive gaze found mine. Hardened lines ingrained his forehead from frowning in thought as if he was always looking between the lines. A silver scar marred the crease of his lips in an inward arc. It was the first time I’d noticed it, and I wondered what the cause had been.
“Is it possible for me to absorb some energy before I leave? I have a feeling I’m going to need it,” I asked, redirecting my attention back to his intense gaze.
Cotton furrowed his brows and looked up at the ceiling. He pointed a finger at the lights as though questioning whether that would suffice or not.
I nodded. “Yeah, that’s perfect. Thanks.” Scarlett would need his energy to help heal once she regained consciousness, so I didn’t blame him for not wanting to energy-share.
Taking a deep breath, I focused on the light waves that emitted from the LED bulbs in the fixtures and absorbed them. The lights in the room flickered and dimmed before blacking out for several breaths. I turned my focus to the ultraviolet light streaming in from the windows until I felt another rush of energy rejuvenate me. Sunlight was always a potent source, but I had the unusual luxury of being able to absorb different forms of energy on the spectrum to replenish. And finally, I listened for the hum of the electricity and drew it into my aura.
With my energetic magic fully restored, blue currents sped up and down my arms.
I let out a sensual moan at the euphoric feeling, forgetting where I was. I peeked an eye open. Cotton sported the smallest of smiles, which transformed his face into the attractive man he truly was.
I cleared my throat and looked away. Cotton’s knowing smirk teased me, furthering my embarrassment. “Okay,” I said, holding up a hand. “Just because you’re exceptionally great at reading people doesn’t mean you can taunt me like that. It’s been a while since I’ve had a good fuck.”
Cotton bit his bottom lip while running a hand over his mouth to hide his smile. This would be the second time within a three-hour time span I’d gotten aroused in his presence. He was going to get the wrong idea if I wasn’t careful.
Selfishly, I wished he could talk so I didn’t feel compelled to. Squeezing my thighs together, I looked at the door as if it would save me from this humiliating situation.
But reality doused me with ice water at what awaited behind that door. Cotton’s expression returned to its stern intensity, washing the attractive smile from his face.
“I’m leaving. Wish me luck. I appreciate your help more than you know.”
A quick nod is all I got in response.
I met his perceptive eyes. “Let Scar know I said thanks for everything.” Another nod. “And tell the king I forced your help if he suspects anything. Don’t get in trouble on my behalf. Convince him I’m the reason she’s unconscious.”
His furrowed brow deepened with confusion.
“I’m sure, Cotton,” I promised. “He already wants me dead. That won’t change. Having you two on his list doesn’t help matters at all. Just…do it, okay? Swear it.”
Cotton dropped his gaze to the floor, not fond of betraying me to the king after all he’d sacrificed to help me flee, but he conceded with a clenched jaw and an upward tilt of his chin.
“Okay,” I said, blowing out a breath. “Thanks.” I hoisted the black duffel over my shoulder, striding to the door without another glance.
Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, I focused on my freedom. I centered on my magic that kept me anchored. And I imagined returning one day to finish off the king. Not only for his demise and my revenge but to retrieve the few Kinetics I cared about.
I reached for the darkness that was bred to exist within me. As a child, the damaged part of myself formed a mask to hide my weakness. But that mask soon morphed into a cold and vicious being of its own. When called upon, its wrath knew no bounds.
May the gods help anyone who stood in my way.