Capture the Crown (Gargoyle Queen #1) -Jennifer Estep Page 0,149

on his face, eager to cut me down. I lifted my dagger and reached for my magic, determined to at least kill the captain before the guards swarmed me.

Right before Wexel would have reached me, the double doors abruptly swung shut, leaving him and the guards trapped on the other side. A wide, heavy iron bar anchored to the wall also swung down and dropped across the doors, blocking them from this side. I reared back in surprise. How had that happened?

A flicker of movement caught my eye, and I glanced up. Leonidas was standing next to the second-floor balcony railing. Delmira was there too, her arm around his waist, supporting him.

Leonidas looked even worse in real life than he had in his ghostly form in the workshop. His skin was pale and sweaty underneath the black bruises, and he was swaying on his feet, as though he was about to collapse.

Somehow, despite his injuries, Leonidas had found the strength to block the door with his magic, to stop Wexel from killing me. I might have felt gratitude, perhaps something else, something far deeper and much stronger, if I’d had the time or space for any emotion other than determination right now.

Go, Leonidas’s weary voice sounded in my mind. I’ll delay them as long as I can.

I stared at him a heartbeat longer, then started running again.

Desperation spurred me forward, and I sprinted through corridor after corridor, and up first one flight of stairs and then another, steadily climbing higher and higher through the palace. As I ran, all the doors swung shut and locked behind me, falling into place like dominoes in a child’s game. I had left Leonidas far behind, and his magic had vanished, but the doors kept swinging shut—thanks to the liladorn.

The vines twisted and writhed as I hurried past, shoving the doors closed one after another. Helping, that presence whispered in my mind.

Thank you, I replied, and ran onward.

Wexel’s frustrated screams and the guards’ answering shouts soon grew faint, but I didn’t stop running. Instead, I reached out with my own magic.

Grims! I’m on the fifth floor. West section. Guards are chasing me. I’m going to find a window and climb outside.

On my way! he replied.

I reached a crossway and slowed down long enough to orient myself. I wasn’t too far from Leonidas’s library, and I remembered walking past a row of floor-to-ceiling windows near there, so I hurried to my right. Sure enough, I rounded the corner, and the windows came into view, along with something, or rather, someone else.

Milo.

I skidded to a stop.

The crown prince stood in the hallway, a ball of purple lightning sizzling in his hand. Fury sparked in his gaze, matching the crackle of magic on his fingertips. “You’re not going anywhere, Glitzma—”

A large shadow punched through the glass, shattering the whole row of windows. Milo shrieked in surprise and stumbled away, covering his head with his arms to protect himself from the flying debris.

Lyra landed in the hallway, putting herself in between Milo and me. The strix winked at me, then let out a loud squawk, flapped her wings, and hopped to the side, as though she was turning to face an enemy. One of her wings stretched out wide and clipped Milo, knocking him down to the floor.

“You stupid bird!” he hissed. “Get out of my way!”

Lyra ignored his yells and kept hopping around, as though she was searching for an enemy to fight. I started to run away when another dark shadow zoomed through the opening and landed in front of me.

Grimley.

My heart soared, and a wide grin stretched across my face.

“Gemma!” he rumbled. “Let’s go!”

I stuffed my dagger into my pocket, darted over to the gargoyle, and climbed onto his back. Then I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tight. I have never been so glad to see you in my entire life!

I love you too, runt! Now let’s get out of here!

Milo scrambled back up onto his feet and shoved Lyra out of the way. Another ball of lightning popped into his hand, and he reared his arm back to throw his magic at us, but Grimley growled, charged forward, and spun around.

Thwack!

The stone arrow on the end of the gargoyle’s tail sliced across Milo’s cheek, drawing blood and making him scream and stagger back. The sight filled me with malicious glee.

Hold on tight! Grimley roared.

I leaned forward again and grabbed the bases of his wings. The gargoyle galloped toward