Bab 99: royal flush [the house always wins] (1)

Tia almost broke her cover when the church exploded in flame and shadow.

Every instinct in her body screamed at her to race towards that inferno, to find Damian and pull him to safety. This entire idea—working with her father, joining with those revolutionary zealots—was fraught with danger, and although she'd acted confident with Prince Leon, the reality was far different. Tia considered Damian her friend, especially after the events of the last month, and besides, she was partly responsible for him plunging headfirst into her father's schemes.

Still, Tia forced herself to remain hidden, partially cloaked by a veil of Deepshadow. 

Her heart was in her throat, and her knuckles white as she watched the church burn. The network of shadow that would otherwise connect her to the building's inside was severed almost immediately. Moments later, dark smoke billowed out of the church, carrying a flurry of ash—and the unmistakeable rot of charred flesh.