One blink.
That's all it took.
One moment, I was standing over the prince's broken form, my breath steady, my aura still humming low and cold. The next, the world folded.
Space twisted, collapsed, and spat me out at the far edge of the training grounds. My boots skidded through dust as my vision warped back into focus.
Then came the sound.
A deafening crack, like the heavens splitting open. A shockwave rippled from where I'd been standing, so fast, so violent, it turned the air white.
I threw up my arms out of instinct. It didn't matter. The blast hit a heartbeat later, hurling me across the shattered tiles.
My boots skidded against the ground, and when the ringing in my ears finally dulled, I saw her.
Belle.
Standing exactly where I'd been a moment ago, one arm outstretched, her palm locked against something invisible. The air around her warped and screamed, as if reality itself was trying to run away.
