I narrowed my eyes, and tried to swallow the bile rising in my throat. Why had I never been disgusted by how spoiled he was? Was I supposed to fawn over how generous and self-sacrificing he was being? How sweet of him to fetch my captured best friend for me and let her be a prisoner with me in a palace instead of the dark, horrifying dungeon he was keeping her in presently.

“That's all right, I think I'll just get her myself,” I whispered hoarsely, venom dripping with every word.

He smiled at me, a patronizing smile that let me know how little he believed in me as leader of the Resistance. Although, I didn't think my recent captivity was doing my case any favors.

“She's Ok, if you're worried about her. I mean, I know she is fine. Talbott has been finding any reason to get to Romania, so I know he is making sure they treat her fairly and that she is well taken care of,” Kiran babbled and my hardened eyes turned incredulous; what was he trying to accomplish?

“How's the wedding planning?” I asked, changing the subject to something as far from us as possible.

His eyes shifted uncomfortably, and he cleared his throat nervously before answering, “Good, I mean, I think good. I've only been apart of them the last twenty-four hours or so. Well, you know that....” He laughed nervously.

“Right....” I sighed, removing my eyes from his and searching the jungle for a distraction. Naima would know by now that something had gone wrong and would hopefully figure out what. I trusted the individuals of the Rebellion far more than I trusted myself in these kinds of matters and I believed they would adjust their plan and assume we were captured.

Not a whole lot changed as far as the chain of events would go. In fact, an escort into the palace made things much easier. Once inside, I would just continue with the mission according to plan and hope that was what everyone else would be expecting.

“Your aunt is all right, too,” Kiran spoke up again, more nervously than before. I snapped my head back to face him, my mouth falling open from shock, “I mean, don't worry, we don't have her or anything, it's just that, my father put a small detail on her, just in case you went home. She's fine, she isn't in any danger or anything....” I shook my head in disgust, and he cleared his throat nervously again, “She is with Angelica and my father will not cross Angelica. She practically raised him.... Besides, entangling a human is messy business.... I just thought you would want to know that she is fine, I didn't know if you talked to her recently. I'm sure you're worried about her and I didn't want you to-”

“I get it,” I snapped, cutting off his nervous rambling.

“I'm sorry, I just don't know how to be with you like this, without our magics....” he trailed off, and I realized that I was keeping control of my magic the entire ride. In his room, in London, I had not been able to even pretend to keep my magic from the magnetic pull of his, but today, in the daylight and having had the shock of seeing him for the first time wear off, I was able to hold myself together.

“You'll figure it out,” I mumbled, turning my attention back to the jungle and the palace walls interrupting the exotic vegetation and centuries old trees.

“I don't want to figure it out.” He leaned forward, across the distance that was separating us and whispered passionately to me.

We were entering the palace grounds, and the gates the elephants walked through. The gate was only wide enough for one elephant to pass through at a time. Gabriel was held prisoner on an elephant in front of mine, with two other Titans keeping their eyes secured on him.

“Eden, my offer still stands,” Kiran continued, “please reconsider saving our kingdom a different way. If you were my wife, if we stood together, we could make a difference, any difference that you want to make. I would be on your side.”

He reached for my hand, grasping it in his as he appealed his case and my magic was suddenly pulsating under my skin at his unexpected touch. His eyes smoldered, turning from turquoise to deep blue and I felt his magic sigh in relief at our connection.

“Sounds lovely,” I found my sarcasm, and a plan formed decisively in my mind, “but I think you've made those promises to me before and I would rather not go down that road ever again.”

I ripped my hand from his and stood up abruptly. My necklace tumbled from underneath my shirt and his face lit up with pride and victorious possession. I couldn't take it anymore, I couldn't stand to be in his presence. So, I took in my surroundings quickly and threw myself over the side of the elephant. We were just inside the palace walls; Lucan's elephant was the first one through and on its way to the stables. I shouted at Gabriel to follow suit and he did, jumping over the side of his elephant and landing gracefully on the ground.

Before I could think about it, I sent magic, zapping the feet of all of the elephants still carrying the angry Titans, sending them reeling in fear. They bridled up, like angry horses, sending the Guards and Kiran in every direction and jamming the entrance from more entering.

I forced more fevered energy into the melee and fueled the confusion. The Titans struggled to gain control of their animals and protect Kiran at the same time. The elephant gridlock, loud and dangerous, drew the attention of the palace Guards who waited for their king's arrival.

Gabriel pulled on my arm and we were off, sprinting across the palace grounds and into a hotbed of Titan activity. I learned a little bit about the palace over my stay in December, but not nearly enough to know where the prisons were or the best way to get there.

“Do you know where they would keep Avalon?” I shouted at Gabriel, while we ducked from some Titan fire, sliding through an arched doorway and using our magic to keep from slipping on the slick marbled floor.

“Of course,” he shouted back. “If you've lived as long as I have, then you have seen the inside of a few prison cells.” He looked back at me with a smile on his face, his eyes alit with intense surety and I couldn't help but smile back. “That was quick thinking, Eden, I am very impressed!” He half laughed at me, while we dodged more Titans, and turned down another long hallway.

“I just hope it works!” I mumbled.

Gabriel reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. I smiled, still finding the technology severely out of place, hidden in the long folds of his robes. He dialed while we moved and shouted instructions to whomever was on the other end. At least the rest of the team would know how to act now.

We were inside the palace.

We just needed to get to Avalon now, and then get out before the whole place went up in flames.

Chapter Twenty-Four

I followed Gabriel as he turned again and again. He seemed to know his way around the palace expertly. I trusted his direction, his innate ability, but I knew that even without him I would have found Avalon. There was not a part inside of me that was not conscience of his nearness.

Titans were everywhere, around corners, at the end of hallways; they pursued us with every step. I used magic as fast and as fiercely as I could. Gabriel was a skilled warrior, his priestly robes flowed out from behind him as we ran, and magic lead the way from his fingertips.

“How quickly can you take someone's magic?” he questioned loudly over his shoulder.

“Pretty fast,” I yelled back, throwing out more magic and missing a Titan by just an inch. I hit the marble wall instead with shocking force, sending shrapnel soaring and debris littering the hallway. I picked up the same debris with my magic in a whirlwind of energy and buried the Titan in a heavy heap of rubble. It wouldn't keep him for long, but it would buy us some time.

“When we get to Avalon, I have no doubt his cell will be Guarded by at least a dozen guards,” he continued to yell over his shoulder, while dialing a number on his cell phone simultaneously. “It would be best if you took all of their magic at once and immediately. That would be our best chance for survival.”

“Sure,” I replied confidently, inwardly freaking the hell out. A dozen Guards? At once? Immediately? Who was he kidding?

“Eden, I'm serious!” he shouted back, “If you cannot do it, we will never leave that prison cell.”

“I'll try,” I promised back, and then amended my words, “I'll do my best.”

“Then do it now!” he ordered and we rounded one last corner, finally entering the dungeon part of the palace.

Fifteen Titan Guards stood, ready and waiting for us in front of a long, dark hallway with wooden doors, evenly spaced, lining the right side of the corridor. I skidded to a stop, a little off balance, waving my arms and trying to stand tall. Gabriel stepped behind me waiting for my magic to take over. The Guards, however were not thrown off and immediately started to use their magic either against us or with objects against us. I dodged out of the way, by diving back behind the wall, landing on Gabriel who had the same idea.

“I thought you were going to take their magic!” he questioned me. The sound of the walls crashing around us was incredibly noisy and I struggled to hear anything.

“It's just not that easy!” I defended myself, throwing my hands over my head to protect myself from falling or flying debris.

“Make it that easy!” He shook my shoulders, forcing me to pay attention, his orange eyes flashing with unhurried intensity.

I leaned my head back against what was left of the destroyed wall and concentrated. I had to pull their magic, all fifteen of their magics. But I didn't have to be facing them. So I focused on the violent energy circulating around the room and began to draw it to myself. I couldn't count the individual magic I was stealing, so I continued feeling out the rest of the room, searching for more.

When I was confident that I was draining the room sufficiently, I stood up and nodded to Gabriel. We walked around the corner this time to find weakened Titans struggling to hold on to their power. All fifteen of them had taken a knee, begging me with their eyes to stop. They knew what was coming, they knew the fate that awaited them and that whatever whispered rumors they heard were true.

I wanted to have compassion on them, to find the bits of humanity that still resided in my soul and remember mercy, but my eyes flickered to the first, locked door behind the weakening Guards and I remembered Avalon. I couldn't be kind to men who would willingly torture my brother and turn their heads from tyranny.

I stomped my foot in anger, taking the last remnants of magic from the room and rendering the men unconscious with one collective blow. I tried to stand up straighter, to revel in momentary victory, but I was suddenly tired. Fifteen magics at once turned into the opposite of strength. I was suddenly weak, and frail. My body buzzed with the frantic energy of the newly acquired magic. All of a sudden, I felt as I did before I knew I was magical, before I knew what to do with my energy. I was too inundated with electricity to function. I needed release,and hoped Avalon's prison cell would be room enough to expel the excess energy.

I stumbled backwards, and Gabriel was there to catch me, “Are you all right?” he asked, pushing me forward, without waiting for a response.

“I'm fine, open the door,” I commanded, sending a powerful burst of magic down the long hallway. The back wall exploded into a million pieces, breaking a hole into an atrium of sorts. I felt better, not completely myself, but put together enough that I wasn't afraid of hurting Avalon.

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