Kai heaved, and Bethan heard Kai’s hand thumping against his chest, as if he were trying to knock air into it.

Kellan’s eyes flicked to hers, his mouth hung open. Those lips formed a grin, and Bethan realised it was because she was the cause of Kai’s injury.

‘Something I learned from being married to a Rennigan is that they always get what they want,’ Sunni mused, her tone was silky smooth. ‘Best to give up now. And spend the little time you have saying goodbye to your prince.’

Bethan wasn’t sure when Sunni managed to slink onto her side of Kellan’s flames.

‘If you stop whatever you’re doing to my husband,’ Sunni said, ‘we will make it easier for you.’

Bethan lowered her hand, and Kai, likely minutes from death, was released from her strange magic. Kai was brought to his knees to relieve the searing pain he endured. His breaths were ragged, and Elnora pitifully ran over and helped her father to his feet.

Julius and Kellan were no longer fighting, but Julius looked at his watch again.

A smile appeared on his lips as he looked to Tharin, who Bethan forgot was in the corner with High Councillor Edington.

Tharin removed something from his belt; whatever he was holding, it was concealed by the ends of Tharin’s jacket.

Once Tharin raised his arm, Bethan knew precisely what he was holding. She recognised it well as the last and only thing Kellan had from his father. The dagger forged from Aegean steel gleamed underneath the down lights.

Kellan’s beloved dagger found itself inches from slitting Edington’s throat. The flames shielding her subsided as Kellan’s hold on his powers faltered.

‘There can’t be anything in this for you,’ Kellan said as if almost pleading.

‘Our master has promised us absolute power; that was all our family truly wanted,’ Julius said.

‘That’s all? Power?’ Kellan scoffed. ‘You do realise that it won’t be you who gets that power if you’re the ones who are following orders. If anything, you’re his lapdogs.’

‘Our master only wants one thing, and once he gets it. He will leave us with everything.’ Kai sounded so proud and strong, even though Elnora was holding him upright.

‘He’ll leave you with nothing,’ Kellan said, his tone chilling her. ‘I imagine you will be left with only the scraps of his destruction.’

‘Krete will be no better than the Old Kingdom, and everyone in the realm once again will have to find a new land to settle and destroy.’ Bethan raged.

Edington tried to shift and move away from the dagger pressing into his skin by Tharin’s hand.

In a desperate plea to save not only herself but Edington and Kellan, Bethan looked to the Rennigans and asked.