“Oh, it does,” he shot back. “How do you think Mother will feel when she hears about this little affair?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Duja’s eyes flashed red as her cheeks. Beside her, Imeria grimaced⁠—the princess was a terrible liar.

Pangil’s eyes narrowed. “I think you do, Sister. The moment Mother returns from the south, I’ll let her know exactly how you’ve carried on with your little traitor tart, Duja, then you’ll see⁠—”

The ground lurched before he could finish his threat. Imeria fell, scuttling back several feet. She cried out as her side collided with rough stone. A bright red glow flared up at the edge of her vision as heat, stronger than a thousand suns, flooded the courtyard. She rolled over to see Pangil, his palms raised above his head. A fireball the size of a small planet blazed between them. He aimed it straight at his sister.

“Duja!” Imeria screamed.

A column of earth shot up in the center of the courtyard. Duja ducked behind it. The fireball collided with the column in a mighty blast that shook the entire palace.

Pangil conjured a long fire whip, which he unfurled against Duja’s weakened column. It crumbled to dust at the impact. Duja scrambled to her feet. The ground between her and her brother split open with a deafening crack. She erected a jagged wall that spanned the courtyard, reaching nearly twice her height. Pangil didn’t relent. He bombarded her with an onslaught of flame. The wall groaned but absorbed most of the impact. It would hold⁠—but not for long.

Duja turned, chest heaving, and met Imeria’s gaze. “What are you doing?” she cried. “Run!”

But Imeria couldn’t run. Her eyes locked on the wall over Duja’s shoulder. Pangil had lobbed a fireball directly at the crisped earth at its center. “Duja,” she screamed again as the wall exploded into a thousand bits.

Guards and servants flooded the courtyard at the sound of tumult. Their terrified shouts filled the air.

“Your Highness. Oh, Your Highness, please!” they shrieked at Pangil. But the crown prince could not be appeased.

“Don’t you dare stop me!” Pangil spat, stabbing a finger in Duja’s direction. “Not when she would choose her over her own blood⁠—this filthy Kulaw traitor.”

With a snarl, he charged toward his sister, both hands ablaze. Duja didn’t have time to wield. She dived, dodging the streak of flame by inches. The fireball soared into the eastern wing. It gobbled up the front door, the antique giltwood sputtering as it burned to ash.

“No!” Duja’s terrified cry rang out over the sound of crackling flame.