Fake-me lunged off the ground, pulled a dagger from the strap around her ankle, and slammed the weapon into Cyrus’ shoulder. My eyes widened. I reached out and gripped Hester’s arm and shook my head. Fake-me pulled her dagger out, then tried to stab him again, but Cyrus’s blue magic hit fake-me and sent her crashing back to the snow.

“MARÍA, NO!” Sweyn screamed, her red eyes wide and wild.

Everest grabbed Sweyn’s arms and dragged her backwards, but his blue and white eyes were locked on fake-me. “BACK INSIDE! FALL BACK!” he ordered to everyone else.

“We grabbed her and your Everest to test what you’d do.” Cyrus, and I was fairly certain that was the real Cyrus and not a projection, pulled the dagger from his chest and pointed it at fake-me but paused. “We were prepared to let Thomas take the fall for the actions against the human, but your loose cannon attacked a Coven Leader. She leaves me no choice.”

He pulled his arm back, then flicked his wrist and the blade seemed to fly in slow motion.

“LOOK AWAY!” I shouted in Spanish. Fake-me’s body was turned away from Sweyn so she wouldn’t see my mouth hadn’t moved.

Everest turned toward Sweyn just as Cyrus’s dagger sank into Fake-Me’s throat. My fake-body twitched and gasped for a second, then went limp. The Empress jumped forward and flicked her wrists. Bright orange flames drenched fake-me’s body. I cringed and shuddered, my gaze returning to Everest. He did not look.

“MARÍA!” Sweyn shrieked.

“NO!” Everest was dragging Sweyn to the castle. “She made her choices. Do not endanger the rest of us because of it! Let it go.”

Elizabeth walked up to stand beside Cyrus. “Keep your ticks on a leash, Sweyn, and we won’t have reason to return.”

Sweyn screamed but Everest pulled her into a shadow and they vanished from sight. The rest of the vampires sprinted back into the castle. The Sun Card threw his hands up and sent a wall of sunlight to stand between The Coven and the castle.

In seconds, we were alone on the front lawn. The archway was just ahead of me. I frowned and glanced around. We were outside the land of Avolire, so our magic was at full power and ready to be used.

“Did you get what you needed?”

I jumped and spun around. My jaw dropped. This shouldn’t have shocked me, I’d seen Willow at work, yet here I was shocked stupid. The entire Coven stood behind me with a row of dragons behind them. All of them just watching. I glanced over my shoulder. The Cyrus and Elizabeth over there sure did look real, yet I knew the ones behind me were not projections. It was impressive magic.

“Tower?” Elizabeth’s voice was soft as she gently touched my shoulder. “Did you get what you needed?”