Three things happened all at once.
Every window around us shattered, sending shards of glass flying toward Ember, Magnus, and me. Masked figures leaped through the broken panes, adding to the chaos. Instinctively, I threw myself in front of Ember, shielding her from the sharp fragments that hurtled in our direction.
Magnus was faster. He placed himself in front of both of us, absorbing most of the glass with his own body. The ballroom erupted into a frenzy. Panicked screams echoed from every corner as people scattered, some sprinting for safety, others collapsing to the ground in terror.
Through the disarray, I spotted some of the masked intruders brandishing guns. My heart lurched as the deafening sound of gunfire filled the room. Everything was moving so fast that I barely registered
