Chapter 32
Seraphina didn't wait for Rhydian to move. Her instincts took over, and flames burst from her palms, spreading around her like a wildfire.The ice along the ground melted instantly, steam rising in thick, swirling clouds.
The scream—weak but unmistakably Irene's—echoed through the trees again.
Rhydian shot her a sharp look, crimson eyes narrowing. "Seraphina—"
But she was already gone, fire propelling her forward with unnatural speed. The ground seemed to crackle under her feet, frost seeping into the earth as her magic battled to balance the fire in her veins.
Branches whipped past her face, and her heart thundered, each beat a scream of urgency. Irene. Was she hurt? Had they taken her?
She broke through the treeline into a small clearing, and there—
Irene.
The girl was on the ground, her dress torn, bruises already forming on her pale skin. One of the attackers had her pinned down, his knife pressed against her throat.