What have I done? Why didn’t I tell them to stay in the forest? Or take cover somewhere or… something. My eyes sting. I try to blink the shame away and look for Jhamal.

I-I did not think this through. There are too many of them.

Panic grips my throat. Magic zips past in a streak of light and I halt, stumbling backward. I turn but there’s magic coming from that direction, too. Cornered, bodies barrel into me. I hold my wound with one hand and fire darts of magic at the shooters.

Jhamal sprints toward us. His arm is streaked with red and he holds his elbow.

“Rahk.” Jhamal greets him with some special handshake.

“All the others I was with have fallen,” Rahk says to no one in particular, but his stare is fixed on me. “What should we do?”

Jhamal throws his blade; it swivels and whistles over my shoulder. Somewhere behind me someone groans before hitting the ground. Rahk covers himself with his shield, the ferocity in his eyes dimming. The ground is a sea of carnage and ash on both sides.

“What should we do?” Rahk asks again, his gaze darting between us. Jhamal looks at me too.

“I—” I break out into cold sweat.

“Jelani?”

“I, uh—” My heart races. “Go back through the forest. We need cover. You all do. Get inside Yiyo Peak. Bar the door shut. I’ll finish them off out here.”

“What?” Jhamal cuts in, but Rahk doesn’t wait to hear. He runs off to grab the others.

“Jhamal, go with them. Defense isn’t enough. Without you all armed with magic, it’s— I missed the moment I needed. Having you out here now is too big of a risk.”

“No.” His jaw flinches and he deepens his stance, his mug mean.

“You have to listen to me!” I grip his arms. “You will die out here, you hear me? GO!” I shove his chest. “Listen to me, dammit!”

His nostrils flare.

“Please.”

He doesn’t move for several moments. We cut down three others, back-to-back, before he pulls me to him, presses his lips to mine, and retreats into the forest.

I sense the Chancellor before I see him.

“It’s finally just you and me then, Jelani.” His eyes flick to my gleaming wrists and I swear he licks his lips. I raise my arms, summoning my magic. A ball of light glows brighter between my shaky hands.

Magic flickers on his fingers, but I react first.

“Ah!” I fire at him.

But the world goes lopsided.