“What are you doing?” Braizen hisses as I crawl from under the table and scramble to my feet.

“Stop.” My demand flies out of my mouth before I know what I’m doing.

The Lady, in all her glory, turns to face me. “What is this?” She muses, a golden-flaked eyebrow arching.

I hold my hands, my palms pulsing with heat, in front of me and narrow my stare.

“You won’t hurt one more person! I won’t let you.” I wonder if her magic casts the fire that roars through me. But The Lady brings a finger to her chin and laughs.

“Are you threatening me, child?” She lifts her free hand towards me.

Braizen quickly positions his body in front of mine. He yells at the goddess. “Don’t you dare touch her!”

I hear his mother cry out. From the corner of my eye, I see King Vaskis wince at his son’s outburst, and he shakes his head.

The Lady, however, is amused.

“Look at how he cares for the girl already,” she titters. “Do you see, Kings? Do you now understand what you have done? Your Kingdoms would have thrived under their rule and grown as a great, unmovable tree. But now? Because of your unrighteousness and inequities, they will never get the chance to bloom.”

She raises another flat palm, and Braizen flies across the room. I scream as he slams into a table.

“I curse your children, the blood of your blood, the heirs to your thrones. I curse their love, and I take no pity on them!” she proclaims. She glances between Braizen and me, and a mocking smile creeps across her face.

“Don’t touch her, he says, don’t you dare touch her.” A flick of her wrist and my body constricts. Invisible limbs circle me, and I can’t move.

The Lady raises her arms and cries, “Should Idalia Hyland and Braizen Brader ever touch, they will die, and their Kingdoms will fall with them.”

I scream again; the heat in my palms is now a raging fire. She can’t do this! She won’t! The hold around me is intense, but my body’s call to let the fire loosen the invisible chains is stronger. I break free and barrel towards Braizen as fast as my leaden legs will carry me.

“Braizen!” I reach out my hands. I’m almost there. His fingers stretch towards mine. I can almost touch him.

A heavy body falls on mine, and I’m flat on the floor, my breath knocked out of me. I look up to see my father. His eyes are filled with tears.

“No, Idalia. You can’t.”

I shake my head and fight against him, but he’s too heavy, too strong.