Kaelen pov
Guards rushed toward the three women, weapons drawn. Corvain rose from his seat, his face twisted with rage.
"Seize them!" he commanded. "They're aiding a condemned criminal!"
But Tiara raised her hand, and a wall of wind slammed into the advancing guards, sending them sprawling across the marble floor. Joanna's water magic formed a protective barrier around Kaelen, dissolving the suppression runes on his chains with precise control.
"Can you stand?" Serenya asked, appearing beside him so quickly it seemed like she'd teleported.
Kaelen nodded, rising to his feet. His wrists were free, but he felt strange. Hollow. The Aether around him was there, he could sense it, but something felt wrong.
"We need to move," Tiara said, deflecting a fire spell from one of the magisters. "Now."
