“I think we need to go,” Cove said, tugging on Louisa’s hand that felt like a death grip. She stood rooted in place.

The heavy ballroom doors busted open with so much force the chandeliers rattled, shaking the tiny light rays. Soldiers with no distinguishing emblems poured into the room. Cove and Louisa were farthest from the source of overpowering warriors.

Her hand instinctively pulled out her sword. “Louisa let’s go!” But she didn’t budge.

“Come on, I need you to get to safety!” Louisa stayed in place. “Covelle, the escape plan. You must go.”

The escape plan. Her parents created it for the Royal children. “I won’t leave you!”

“You have to. I love you and your siblings.” With that, Louisa pulled out a long, thin sword that Cove didn’t even know where she hid it and pushed Cove. “Go!”

Cove moved on autopilot. Pure instinct. Protect yourself, don’t let the opposition see your blind spots. She swung her sword, deflecting an attack close to hitting her. Kicking out the soldier’s foot, she brought the backend of her sword into his forehead.

In one second, she observed the fight around her. Nowhere was Della, Kent, or Amerie. She honed in on her mother’s bright dress. There was her mother and father, fighting back to back like they always did.

Louisa had fought through the crowd closer to them. Cove had never known their doctor to be a highly skilled fighter. The grace and ease even with her age, only confirmed a past in training.

Someone collapsed at Cove’s feet. She immediately kneeled down and caught a glimpse at the Allaver symbol. “Shell!” She has a large gaping gash bleeding profusely from her abdomen. White light flowed from her hands as she pressed down hard on the wound. The heavy breathing turned to a gasp as her wound healed. “You’re going to be ok, Shell.”

“Amerie got away safely,” Shell managed to croak out. “You need to go.”

Cove continued healing with the battle going on around her. She looked up and in slow motion, she could see what was about to happen.

“Mom!” She cried in warning. A woman with a bow strapped on her back and a spear in her hand got close to her mother. Her father preoccupied with a trio of opponents. Cove could never make it in time.

Louisa saw this too. She threw herself in front of Cove’s mother, the queen but also her best friend.

Cove went to run into the fray when arms circled around her waist, stopping her. “Cove, the escape plan. We have to leave now.” Thorne grabbed her hand, sword in the other and began to pull her away. “No Louisa’s hurt, I can help her.”

“The most important thing to her is that you and your siblings make it out, Cove. That’s it.” She glanced back as Thorne dragged her along. Seeing Louisa so brave, running felt cowardice.

A white light came from Louisa. Cove blinked and realized Spade got to her and was attempting to heal her. He brought up his dagger to stop an impending slash. The enemy was bigger and stronger. He had to use both hands to push back, halting her healing. The escape plan meant all of them ran. Not all but Spade.

She resisted Thorne’s direction. “Thorne, I need to help my brother.”

“You are the most crucial one to escape. We can’t help him now.”

“I’m supposed to protect him, protect them all!”

“You can’t save everyone, Cove,” Thorne said, forcefully grabbed her and swung her so he was where she was standing. He fought off a hatchet who got much too close. Thorne shoved the person back and stabbed them in the stomach. Fatal if not treated.

Cove sidestepped Thorne and let the light take over. After exactly six seconds, he ripped her away from the dying person. “Cove, you are the heir. If the king and queen die or are taken hostage, you are queen.”

That word jolted her. She was Queen. Or most likely at the moment. She needed to leave for her people. A quick look at her opponent, Thorne struck down. From his coloring and even breathing, he would live.

When Thorne gripped her arm, she went voluntarily this time. She knew the destination, but the journey unclear.