by Linsey Hall
“Perfect.” I turned toward Karth. Lachlan gripped his shoulders, keeping his butt pressed down into the chair. My target’s face was a mottled red as he spat words at me. I was sure they were insults, but I still couldn’t hear him. “All right, Karth. You’re going to tell us who you sold Arach’s heart to.”
Lachlan’s magic lifted.
“You bitch!”
“You should be more worried about that than you are.” I smiled sweetly. “Tell me who you sold Arach’s heart to.”
His mouth twisted, as if he were trying to keep the words in, then he spat. “Didn’t sell it.”
“You didn’t?”
“No.”
“What’d you do with it, then?” I asked.
“Delivered it to the Extractor.”
“Who is that?”
He shrugged, a dumb look crossing his face. “The Extractor. I don’t know who she is, other than that she’s called the Extractor.”
“That’s a weird name. Does she wear a brown cloak?”
“No.”
“Do you know someone who wears a long brown cloak?”
“No.”
Hmm. I wonder if the cloaked figure had used an intermediary to hire Karth. Probably.
“Where is the Extractor?” I asked.
His face twisted, but finally, he spit the words out. “She’s got a shop here in Grimrealm. Other side of the main market. It’s named after her.”
Okay, this was good. We were really getting somewhere. “Who hired you to do this?”
He snapped his mouth shut, desperate not to speak.
“Come on, who hired you?”
“It was—”
“Incoming!” The comms charm at my neck blared to life. “Three demon guards, headed your way.”
My gaze darted to the door. It burst open, and three massive demons charged in. Each had the dark red skin of a fire demon, and their suits bulged with muscles. Large black horns extended from their heads, each decorated with silver spikes.
In unison, they hurled blasts of flame at the three of us. I was standing close to Bree, and I threw out my shield, blocking both of us.
It flickered briefly, almost failing to appear, then it burst to life, forming a white barrier that protected us from the flame. The fire crashed into it, making my arms shake, but the barrier held strong.
Karth wasn’t so lucky. The blast slammed right into him. Lachlan, who’d been standing behind him, lunged backward, avoiding the worst of the blow.
Karth lit up like a torch, but his screams were silent. Lachlan blocked them, thank fates, hopefully buying us more time before more guards were alerted to the scene. I’d have felt bad for Karth if he hadn’t been the one to steal Arach’s heart.
We had two seconds max before the fire demons recharged.
I drew my dagger from the ether, then dropped my shield and threw the blade at the nearest demon. It thudded into his neck, and he keeled over backward.
Bree drew her sword, lunging for a second attacker. Lachlan was fast. One second, he stood there as a man. Magic swirled around him, flashing bright, then he was a black lion, leaping toward the third demon. His long claws swiped across the demon’s throat, sending blood flying.
The demon collapsed. Bree’s opponent thudded to the ground, missing a head.
In a flash of light, Lachlan shifted back to human. He turned to our target, then sighed, clearly disappointed. “Questioning is over.”
Karth was nothing but ash. He’d be waking up back in hell soon.
“We need to get out of here.” I knelt by the nearest demon and patted down his pockets.
Bree did the same. I came up empty, but she held up her hand. “Jackpot! Transport charm.”
“Perfect.” I stood.
Lachlan checked the last demon, but he, too, came up empty.
“At least we have a clue.” I sidled up to the door and peeked out.
At the end of the hall, Claire gestured wildly. She’d used magic to change her hair to red, but I’d recognize her anywhere.
“Come on, guys,” I said.
We sprinted down the hall toward them. Rowan and Caro waited with her, and Claire led us on a twisty route through the back of the casino.
“If you took out the demons, you should have a bit of a head start,” she whispered.
“What about you?”
“I don’t think my cover is blown. No one has seen me back here, and I was only on the main floor for a minute.” She led us to a door. Next to it, a man slumped against the wall, asleep. No doubt courtesy of Claire. She pushed open the door, revealing an alley, then slipped outside.
We followed.
“Guard us while we change,” Claire said.
My friends stood with their backs to us while Claire and I stripped, trading clothes.
“You sure you’re okay?” I asked her.
“Fine. Don’t worry about me.” She pointed to her head. “The hair glamour helps. I’ll be fine.”
Claire was a pro, so I trusted her. You didn’t live as long as a mercenary and not know your way around a sticky situation.
“Did you get what you needed?” she asked.
“We have to go to the Extractor. Do you know who that is?”
She shook her head. “I’ve only ever heard of her, but I don’t know what she does. But she’s expensive, and only works with the worst of the worst.” She looked around, shrugging. “Which pretty much goes for everyone in this hellhole.”
“Be careful, okay?” Bree said.
“Always. You too.” She saluted. “I’ve got to get back in now. Pretend to act normal and all that. And wake up the guard.”
“Thanks for the help,” I said.
“Anytime. Come by P & P to tell me this story sometime.” She hurried back through the door.
I tugged the cloak up over my head, cringing at the feeling of spiders skittering over my skin, then turned to my friends. “Ready?”
“Let’s do this,” Rowan said.
We hurried out of the alley and into the market, pushing our way through the crowds that heaved between the stalls. As Karth had directed, we headed straight toward the other side of the market. A few minutes of searching led us down a narrow alley, where there was a simple black door with the words The Extractor written on it.
A man stood out front, his green top hat tipped jauntily on his head.
“Can I help you?” His voice carried a sibilant hiss.
“We’re here to see the Extractor,” Lachlan said.
“I’m certain you’re not,” he said.
“We are.” I stepped forward. “I’m certain I’d know our intentions.”
“Be that as it may, she does not have an appointment with five cloaked figures today.”
That was fair. And smart. Because I was probably going to try to kill this woman, if she was messing around with Arach’s heart.
Lachlan raised his hand a few inches, clearly about to freeze the guy in his tracks. But the doorman was too fast. Magic swirled around him, and a half second later, he transformed into a giant snake.
He lunged at Lachlan, knocking him off his feet, then wrapped around me like a giant boa constrictor. I gasped, my air totally cut off.
Bree leapt forward, swinging her sword for the snake’s head. She sliced it right off, and it thudded to the ground. But the body stayed wrapped around me, slowly crushing my muscles and bones. I tried to suck in air, my vision fading, but nothing entered my lungs.
Lachlan lunged upward, grabbing the snake around the middle. He heaved, veins standing out at his neck, and pulled the snake off of me. The beast uncoiled, then flopped to the ground.
Gasping, I stumbled away and choked out a word: “Thanks.”
Lachlan nodded, searching the area around us. “I don’t think anyone saw .”
He was right. The alley was suitably dark and abandoned. “Let’s get inside, then.”
Lachlan pulled open the door, and the five of us hurried inside. The shop within
was entirely unassuming. It was a medium-sized space with shelves cluttered full of objects. Honestly, it looked a bit like Ancient Magic, except for the fact that it was dripping with dark magic and made my skin crawl.
I shuddered at the feel of the place. It was just as bad as my cloak, if not worse. This whole underground area stank of evil and desperation. No wonder Aerdeca and Mordaca had left and refused to return.
I stepped a few feet into the space.
A man wearing another green top hat entered the room from a door at the back. “Can I help you?”
“We’re looking for the Extractor,” Lachlan said.
I stiffened as a sense of familiar magic washed over me. It was coming from the door behind the man. I stepped closer, desperate to get another hit of that magic.
“She is not in, I’m afraid.” The man eyed us warily. “Sibbie let you in?”
I had to assume that was the doorman. I stepped closer and nodded absently. “He let us in.”
What is that magic?
I took another step forward, getting a stronger hit of the magic. I nearly stumbled backward, gasping. “Arach.”
“What?” Bree’s voice was sharp from behind me.
I pointed to the door behind the man. “There.”
Then I sprinted full out, determined to get to her. Arach’s heart was back there. I could feel her magic, crashing over me in waves. I’d never forget that feeling.
“Stop!” The man lunged for us.
My friends raced after me.
“Master!” the man shouted, right before he turned into a giant snake. He shot for us, his long fangs glinting in the light. Venom dripped off them, green and shiny.
“I’ve got this!” Rowan hurtled past me, sword raised. She sliced off the snake’s head before it reached her, then dived away from the body.
We sprinted around the remains, then straight through the door that would lead us to Arach’s heart.
As soon as I entered, I skidded to a halt, horror opening up a well inside of me. “Holy fates.”
I’d never seen anything like it.
A mad scientist’s lair, complete with a pit full of snakes.
14
“Holy fates, what is this place?” Bree muttered.
I studied the huge space, which dipped down like a perfect round amphitheater. At the bottom, in the middle, Arach’s heart was hooked up to some kind of crazy contraption that shot light straight into it. It was suspended over a basin of some kind, but I had no idea what the purpose was.
Wide steps led down to the heart, but each was covered with massive snakes. They writhed, guarding their contraption. Overhead, lightning struck, making the room glow eerily. The noise was thunderous, echoing off the walls.
Bree raised her hands, her magic surging.
It was clear that she was trying to call upon the lightning, a gift from Thor, Norse god of lightning.
Her brow creased as she focused. The lightning struck, a dozen bolts heading straight for the snakes. It lit them up, and they writhed, twisting around in the amphitheater pit. They lunged toward the lightning bolts, drinking it up.
“Holy fates, they like it,” Rowan said.
Oh crap. She was right.
The lightning seemed to be feeding the snakes.
Bree let her hands fall. “Well, forget that.”
She dragged off her disgusting cloak, letting her wings flare wide. They gleamed silver and bright. She shot into the air, flying over the pit of snakes, headed right for Arach’s heart.
She was going to get it!
Then one of the snakes lunged out of the pit, leaping for her. It flew through the air, over twenty feet high, performing a feat of acrobatics that should have been impossible for an animal without legs.
What the heck?
What kind of dark magic made that possible?
Right before Bree reached Arach’s heart, the snake’s head plowed into her. She screamed, flying through the air and landing with a thud on the pile of serpents.
Lachlan leapt forward, throwing out his hands and freezing them. “I can’t hold it long!”
Bree scrambled to her feet, drawing her sword from the ether. Her silver wings looked bent and broken, the fall having crushed them beneath her weight. “I can’t fly, but I can fight!”
Three tiny blurs streaked by me, racing for the snakes.
“The cats!” Rowan cried.
She was right.
Somehow the Cats of Catastrophe had appeared! They had a knack for waiting until I really needed them, and now was definitely the time.
Muffin, Bojangles, and Princess Snowflake III leapt into the pit of snakes.
“What are you doing?!” a voice shouted.
My gaze darted from the snakes to the edge of the amphitheater. On the other side, an irate woman was charging toward us. She wore a vibrant green dress that looked like snake scales, and her hair was a silver cloud. Manic light gleamed in her eyes, and the scent of her magic was dry and reptilian.
“The Extractor,” Caro said. “I’ll take care of her.”
She raced for the woman, sprinting around the side of the amphitheater.
I charged after the Cats of Catastrophe, Rowan at my side. As I neared the first step down, Lachlan’s magic faded.
“That’s all I’ve got!” he shouted.
The snakes burst to life, writhing and slithering.
I leapt down onto the first stair, joining Muffin, who was going for the eyes of one of the great beasts. I stabbed one in the neck with my sword. It hissed wildly, then exploded in a burst of black dust.
They were magic! Not real.
Good.
I preferred destroying magic rather than animals.
I lunged for another, leading with my sword.
Lachlan hurtled past me in his lion form, ripping and tearing at any snake that got in his way. He cleared a path, so I followed, passing by Princess Snowflake III, who was coated in the black snake dust. She leapt onto another serpent, Bojangles following close behind her.
I darted past one attacking snake, but was stopped by a second. It was too quick, wrapping itself around my middle before I could stab it with my sword.
“Lachlan!” I cried.
He spun around, hurtling back toward me on enormous paws. His massive jaws sank into the snake’s side, and he yanked, pulling the creature off of me.
Panting, I ran past him, nearly to the platform at the bottom of the amphitheater. Arach’s heart called to me, the magic crashing over me in waves that seemed to give me strength and speed. I darted around one and stabbed another in the throat, narrowly avoiding the sharp fangs that headed straight for my shoulder.
On the opposite side of the amphitheater, Bree battled her way toward Arach’s heart. Above her, Caro fought the Extractor, who whipped out at her with her tremendously long arms.
Holy fates! The woman had snakes for arms.
Caro beat them back with concentrated jets of water, holding her own. With one enormous blast, she took out the Extractor altogether, sending the woman flying back a dozen feet.
Caro laughed, her hood thrown back from her head to reveal her shiny platinum head, then dived into the pit of snakes, ready to keep fighting.
I beat my way past one last serpent, then stumbled onto the platform where Arach’s heart was hooked up to the crazy contraption.
A sharp beam of light was shooting straight into the stone heart, fueled by the lightning from above. A single drop of pearly blue liquid dripped from the bottom of the heart into a basin below.
Those bastards!
I didn’t know what they were trying to do with her heart, but I knew it was bad freaking news.
I touched the stone heart, the light sending shockwaves of pain through my hands and arms. Tears sprang to my eyes at the unbelievable burning sensation, but I gripped Arach’s heart and yanked it out of the light, stumbling backward.
Magic burst out from the heart, some kind of unfamiliar spell igniting at my touch.
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What the hell?
In the distance, a roar sounded.
I glanced up.
The cloaked figure!
He’d just appeared, no doubt called by the spell that I’d just ignited when I grabbed the heart.
“Ana!” Bree shouted.
She’d fought her way down to the platform and stood on the other side, about fifteen feet away from me.
“Bree! Get this thing out of here! Use the charm!” I threw the heart at her, and she lunged, snagging it out of the air. “Go!”
She didn’t hesitate, just dug into her pocket and grabbed the transport charm she’d stolen from the demon, then chucked it on the ground. She lunged into the portal, taking the heart with her.
To safety.
The cloaked figure roared, a sound of rage unlike any I’d ever heard.
“It’s gone!” I screamed. “You lose!”
I sprinted for him, realizing that the snakes were racing away in the other direction, desperate to escape him. The direction I was throwing myself toward. Lachlan, Rowan, and Caro joined me.
Together, we ran for the cloaked figure, sprinting up the stairs, dodging the fleeing snakes. We neared him at the same time, slamming into a force field that held us tight. Frozen.
Then the ether sucked us in, tearing us away from the Extractor’s lair. My head spun as I rocketed through space, heading toward the unknown.
When the ether spit me out into the darkness, I fell to my knees, gasping.
Heart thundering, I scrambled upright. We were in a field that smelled of wheat, and the night was cool and dark.
“Where the hell are we?” I asked.
“No idea,” Rowan said.
But the cloaked figure had brought us here. My friends stumbled to their feet. The cloaked figure raised its hands, sending out a blast of magic so strong that it sent me flying off my feet. I smashed into the ground about ten yards away, my insides feeling like they’d been pulverized.
It was magic like Bree’s sonic boom, but instead of being one direct hit, the blast had radiated out from the cloaked figure in a complete circle, taking out every one of us.
My skin chilled. That was new. And powerful.
I staggered to my feet, my muscles shaking.
Beside me, Caro raised her hands, shooting the cloaked figure with a blast of water the size of a semi-truck. Thousands of gallons shot toward the figure, slamming into him and throwing him back.