Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms 4)

“You wish to help your elder imprison me?” Kyan snarled. “You will fail, and I will gladly watch you burn.”

Jonas could barely think; the roaring heat was becoming too much to bear. “Olivia, tell me what’s going on!” he demanded. “Who is he?”

Olivia’s tawny complexion had grown dead and ashen. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I’m not as strong as Phaedra was.”

Jonas was about to respond when suddenly the outline of Olivia’s form began to shimmer, and the air before her shifted. Her clothes dropped away, crumpling to the ground, and from them sprung a golden hawk, spreading its wings and flying up past the ring of fire, into the sky.

“Coward!” Kyan roared after her.

“Kyan,” Lucia said softly, placing her hands on his burning arm. “We need to leave. She’s gone, and the rebel doesn’t have the Kindred. We’ll keep looking.”

But he wasn’t listening, didn’t even look at her. Instead, Kyan pulled his gaze from the sky and sent Jonas a look so fierce that he staggered back a step.

Beside Jonas, Nic frantically scanned the circle of fire. “We have to get out of here,” he said.

Lys nodded, her expression grim. “There must be a way.”

“You’ve been assisting an immortal in her quest,” Kyan snarled at Jonas, pulling away from Lucia. “You wish to see me trapped again? Tortured by my eternal imprisonment so lowly mortals won’t need to fear my wrath?”

“I have no fight with you, whoever you are.” Jonas held his hands up in a gesture of surrender, feeling the heat of the fire grow more intense behind him. “Honestly. I didn’t know what she—”

“More lies!” Kyan thrust his hands out and, with a violent push, sent a blast of fire magic searing directly toward Jonas.

“No!” Lysandra screamed, and she shoved Jonas out of the way, knocking him to the ground. On her way down after him, she was struck in the heart by the spear of flames.

And then it disappeared.

She gasped and collapsed to her knees.

Jonas grabbed her, searching her for signs of damage. “Lys! Are you all right? Lys, please! Answer me!”

Her face was damp with perspiration, her breath coming in small, rattling gasps, but still she managed to grin up at him.

“You were in my way, you arse.”

A wave of both blind fury and pure relief overcame him, and Jonas smiled back at her. “Do you have any idea how much I love you, Lysandra Barbas?”

“What?” She blinked. “You love me?”

“Yes.”

“And what about Cleo?”

He grinned. “Cleo who?”

“Nicolo.” Lucia’s voice was quiet but firm as she interrupted the tender aftermath of Kyan’s rage. “Get Jonas away from her before it’s too late.”

Jonas glared up at her. “You and your friend need to leave. Now. Hear me? Come any closer and I swear I’ll kill both of you.”

All the fight that had been glimmering in Lucia’s eyes was gone, leaving only a sad, bleak expression. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I know you won’t believe me, but I’m sorry. Nicolo, do it now!”

Without a word, Nic grabbed Jonas and yanked him away from Lysandra.

Jonas tried to break free. “What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“Jonas?” Lys reached out toward him, a smile playing at her lips. “I love—”

Her sweet words were snapped into silence as a nest of flames burst up and blossomed from her chest, flowing over every inch of her body like lava.