The next person was shoved forward, but before Lessa could speak, the guard I’d compelled approached. Bowing, he set the tray on the table next to the young troll. Roland seemed so innocent from afar, cheeks curving with delight at the sight of Victoria’s sugar creation. He plucked the dessert from the tray and snapped off piece of the lattice, popping it in his mouth.

Crunch, crunch, crunch. I imagined the sound of his perfect white teeth chewing the sugar, and I tensed, drawing magic up from the earth even though I wouldn’t use it – all the power I needed was in that little crimson globe clutched in Roland’s pale fingers.

He snapped off another piece of lattice. Crunch, crunch, crunch.

My breath was coming in short little gasps, my heart pounding so loud I was surprised those around me couldn’t hear it.

Was I close enough?

Would it work?

Roland lifted the globe to his lips, licking the smooth sugary surface.

Then the guard spoke and Roland froze, all semblance of innocence falling away as the monster peered out, eyes flicking to the man who had stolen one of his treats. I clenched my teeth together, my skin burning hot and cold as I desperately wished I could undo what I’d said. That I could take it back.

Snap. The man’s head twisted in a full circle, and for a moment, he stood as he was. If not for the peculiar cant of his neck and the blankness in his eyes, it would have seemed as nothing had happened, for no one had moved. Then Roland smiled and blew a whimsical puff of air his direction, and the guard collapsed.

Someone screamed, but other than a collective flinch, no one in the room stirred. They were too stunned, too afraid, to move.

You killed him. I stared at the guard’s body knowing that I’d set him up to die, but unable to comprehend that it had actually happened. Murderer.

I dragged my eyes from the corpse in time to see Lessa shake her head, expression sour. She said something to Roland that looked like an admonition, but he ignored her, his attention back on the sweet in his hand. I took a deep breath, trying to regain my focus. There would be just one chance, and I couldn’t miss it.

My pulse roaring in my ears, I watched Roland lick the sugared globe once. Twice. Then he opened his mouth wide…

Something flashed past in my peripheral vision. Roland started, candy slipping from his hand to smash against the ground at his feet.

“No,” I breathed. “No, no.” Embedded in magic not more than a foot in front the boy’s face was an arrow, the fletching still shuddering from the impact.

“Who did that?” he screamed, and I silently asked the same question as I watched our plan fall apart before my eyes.