Kizira had climbed too deep into this game to play it halfway. "I often speak on your behalf, but I assure you Roogre knows who contracted him."
Flaevynn disappeared and reappeared right in front of Kizira. The queen's image flared with light and power meant to intimidate, a successful effort at present. Flaevynn purred in a dangerously soft voice, "You of all people should know what I do to someone who betrays me."
Kizira's pulse shot off the charts. She couldn't stop her thoughts from racing wildly. Several images of torture came to mind unbidden.
Curbing her anxiety to manage a subservient voice, Kizira said, "I have been your loyal servant since taking my priestess training twelve years ago. I've done all that you've asked."
"Yes, you have, but you are also of my and Cathbad's blood, though I try to forget. He constantly tells me how intelligent you are and that you have a value. I never realized until now just how cunning you could be."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Kizira answered, though she couldn't see Flaevynn intentionally handing her a compliment.
Kizira believed she might be in the clear, until Flaevynn smiled. "I glimpsed Roogre's mind as you teleported him. I know where you sent him and his team, and what they will do when they arrive. You dare to steal what is rightfully mine?"
The blood drained from Kizira's head so quickly that she weaved with dizziness. She panicked and didn't have to pretend to beg. "I'm doing it for you--"
Flaevynn screeched.
Kizira went spinning head over heels in a blur. When she hit the floor and looked around, she sat in the same room Cathbad had endured for two years in the dungeon. "Noooo!"
Kizira would never leave here.
Flaevynn would win.
Quinn would die.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Evalle would kill for a sword to cut through the aggression thickening the night air. She took two steps, moving out in front of the VIPER team now facing off with Isak and his men, who had lined up side by side across the street.
Storm moved up beside her and growled softly.
Tzader yelled at her telepathically. Get back so we can throw up a united kinetic wall.
She answered, Please keep everyone back and give me a chance to talk to him.
If one finger twitches a trigger, they'll all die.
I understand. Then she called over to Isak, "I only asked for help finding the trolls. What are you doing here?"
After a tense couple of seconds, Isak swung his weapon across his chest in an at-ease gesture before walking across the narrow side street. His men still held their weapons at ready. When he stopped in front of her, he cut brutal eyes at Storm, who sent back an equally vicious look.
Then Isak took in the blood on her shirt. His face shifted with cold anger icing his blue eyes. "Who did that?"
"Trolls, but I'm fine, and we've got to get inside that building before they hurt anyone else. I appreciate the help in finding the Svarts, but why are you here?"
"You know what I do. You really surprised to see me?"
She ignored his question since he hadn't really answered hers. "We can handle this."
Isak's gaze swept over the men and women standing behind Evalle and Storm. "Everyone here nonhumans like ... you?" he asked Evalle.
Storm answered, "All of us."
She wanted to kick Storm, who Isak now eyed with even more menace. She said, "Thought we had a truce. Please leave so we can do what we came to do, Isak, or people will die."
"People or nonhumans?"
"They're people to me."
He drew two slow breaths, then said, "I'll stay out here as your backup."
He made it perfectly clear who he intended to protect.
Storm threw off a whip of dark energy that made it clear what he thought of Isak's declaration.
But Isak hadn't touched her, so Storm had to keep his word. Turning to Tzader and the team, Evalle said, "Okay, everyone. Isak Nyght loaned us the weapon Quinn's carrying that kills trolls. He and his team will stay out here and back us up."
Storm smiled.
She lifted a testy eyebrow in caution and his smile only broadened.
Tzader said, "How will they know who they can and can't shoot?"
Isak called back, "You got any more of your kind showing up here?"
"No."
"We've scanned all of you. Any other nonhuman who interferes will be neutralized."
Quinn came into Evalle's mind. Do you trust him?
What could she say to that? Sometimes you had to go with your gut feeling. Isak hadn't shot at them when he could have without a word first. She told Quinn, I have to trust Isak at this point.
Isak asked Evalle, "Sure you can handle these trolls?"
"With this many agents, yes." She hoped.
She'd asked herself that same question over and over after having almost died at the hands of Svarts on two occasions so far. The Beladors couldn't risk linking around this many Svarts, but this VIPER team had plenty of power besides Beladors. As long as they stuck together, they should be fine.
Isak unclipped his demon blaster from the elastic dummy cord clipped to his chest and handed it to her. He put his finger on a lever just ahead of the trigger. "Not that you need it, but push this up for less force--to stun something--and down to kill."
"What about you?"
"I'm always armed."
Before she or Isak could converse further, Tzader spoke out loud to the team. "Just got word from our man on the inside that the other Svarts the trolls were waiting on have arrived. We've got to go in now."
Before turning to join the team, Evalle told Isak, "Thank you."
He nodded at her and gave Storm one last threatening look that the arrogant Skinwalker countered with a taunting smile Evalle could only describe as possessive.
And she'd thought men were more trouble when they were just trying to kill her.
She kicked into Belador speed to reach the front of the team with Tzader and Quinn. She shouldn't have been surprised to see Storm match her step for step. One day he'd have to tell her everything he could do.
Just before Tzader entered the building, his power as Maistir rushed into Evalle's mind, meaning he spoke to all of his warriors. Vince just learned that the Svarts have a group of humans locked in the end of the building near Glen Iris Drive. He and the other nonhumans are at the opposite end. We have to split up and be careful around the humans.
Evalle's stomach flipped. That cut their power in half.
But no way would anyone on this team go along with bringing Isak and his men inside.
TWENTY-NINE
Even if her cousin and his snake people could find her in this building the size of a small city, Svarts might kill him. Lanna had really thought she could overpower the trolls, but these Svarts were nothing like anything she'd met before.
She tapped her fingers on the concrete and wrinkled her nose at the musty smell of age clinging to the basement. Angling her head over at Kellman, who sat next to her and the pole they were both chained to, she whispered, "Jurba has not left with girlfriend. Why?"
"Don't know. Maybe he's cutting another deal."
"I do not think so. Jurba is shaking and female troll looks afraid." When Kell had nothing to say about that, Lanna pointed out something else. "The Svarts did not talk so much until that one with gold band around arm showed up. They call him 'Lieutenant.' I think he is boss they were waiting on." To start feeding.
Kell must have heard something in her voice in spite of her trying not to sound afraid. He turned to her and lifted his free hand to her face, gently touching her cheek. "How's your eye?"
He had nice touch. She could still see through the swollen lid. "I am fine. And angry my majik fail me."
Kell gave her a small smile. It warmed her heart as much as his words did when he said, "It didn't fail you. You caused the truck tire to go flat. That bought us some time."
She had used a spell that called sharp objects to truck tires. Something final
ly struck hard enough to cut tire. Making spell work from inside of truck had not been easy. It had taken a while to do. She could have done more and quicker, but that would have meant drawing hard on elements, which would have caught Grendal's attention.
Once Jurba drove the truck again, he did not drive long enough for her to flatten a second tire.
She could not believe she escaped Romania for this. "My majik should have hurt Svart bad. Not make him crazy."
Kell's fingers grazed her cheek again, giving her chills that had nothing to do with the cold basement. He said, "I just wish the bastard hadn't realized who sent the cement block flying at him."
"I can heal from bruise, but troll took phone I borrowed from unconscious man."
"Jurba would have gotten it if he hadn't been too stupid to search for phones. These Svarts don't seem to make those kinds of mistakes. I've never seen trolls that hard to take down."
"Me either. Now we must give cousin time to find us. He will not come alone." She couldn't tell Kell about the snake people ... VIPER, but she did relax a little, surprised at how talking to this boy made her feel better. Of the two boys, she would have thought the joking Kardos would be the one to lift her spirits.
"I'm sorry you got caught with us," Kell said.
"My fault." She could not blame the boys when she chose to follow them. With the power she possessed, she could get them out of here if not for fear of Grendal. She could not risk tapping that level of her power unless she had no other option. Even if she could break her chain, could she break all the chains fast enough to save everyone? "I will think of better plan."
"No!"
She held her breath at Kell's outburst and shifted her gaze to the Svarts, who had all stopped talking to look at Kell and her. She didn't breathe until they resumed talking. Without taking her eyes off the Svarts, she said, "Do not shout."
"I know."
"Then why did you?"
When Kell said nothing, she shifted her attention to him, but he just shrugged and looked away.
What did that mean?
She understood Kardos, who flirted even to hide fear in this place and had no control over his mouth. But Kell did not act without thought.
A shrill scream sent chills crawling up Lanna's spine. She jerked her head up to see a Svart grab Jurba, who was howling in terror. The Svart ripped Jurba in half.
Dead-troll stench hit Lanna. She covered her nose, the hideous smell making her eyes tear up.
Jurba's girlfriend kept screaming as if her heart had been clawed from her chest.
The troll ripped off one of Jurba's arms and hit the girl troll with it, spraying blood all over her and knocking her out.
So much blood. The memory of that night in Romania rushed in at her.
Lanna started breathing faster. She had to calm down and hold control of her power, but her heart pounded harder until she could hear it in her ears. Noises and smells blurred into a hideous cloud around her.
"Lanna?"
Her body shook with tremors.
"Stop whatever you're doing," Kell ordered. "Now."
Her vision cleared. She jerked her head up and blinked. Kell was staring at her.
What had she just done?
Kardos leaned forward, shock on his face. "Did you do that?"
She looked around. Hundreds of chairs that had been neatly stacked to the side were now toppled in piles. Loose debris from the cracked ceiling had scattered across the floor. Two support beams were bent.
She might have killed all of them. "I am sorry."
Man she borrowed phone from who had been unconscious in the truck now stared at her, but the trolls looked around, confused, then zeroed in on the captives.
All except the Svart who had torn Jurba apart. That troll squatted over Jurba's body with his back turned to everyone like a dog attacking his first meal in days.
Then the troll called Lieutenant stared straight at her. His look said she had just moved to the top of his menu.
Cloaking herself right now, even if it worked again, would be of no use with her still chained to the pole. And she would not leave Kellman, Kardos or the others to these trolls.
Kardos whispered in a jittery voice, "Just what are you, babe?"
She admitted, "I do not know some days."
Her cousin must show up soon or she would be forced to try something. And once she was out of here, she would not let Quinn out of her sight until they talked about how to fix her powers.
The Lieutenant barked something at his men, then started toward Lanna.
Time had just run out.
Kellman leaned forward to talk across Lanna to Kardos. "Got any spells that work inside?"
Lanna said, "Do not anger them more. They will hurt you."
Ignoring her, Kardos assessed the Lieutenant, shaking his head. "Nothing that will touch this bunch. Mine are better outdoors, but we can try the Halloween one I did last year."
Could they not hear her? "Do not be stupid."
Kell gave her a withering look and muttered, "Says the person who followed two witches into a troll trap after I tried to send you away."
Kell was only angry because he worried for her, so she teased him, "Good thing for you I have not time to turn you into bug."
Kardos piped up, "You mean a frog, princess?"
His brother said, "Shut up, Kardos."
"More like toad, in your brother's case," she muttered, then said to both of them, "I can not stop Svart if you interfere. Be quiet or you get me killed."
Kellman shook his head. "Don't."
"Listen to me. I must give my cousin time to find us. Trust me. I can do this and no one gets hurt." Except maybe her.
In spite of the skeptical look in his eyes, Kell said, "You're sure?"
"Yes. Be ready and do what I say."
Lanna took a deep breath and whispered the chant for her cloaking. What she was about to do would lead Grendal to her. Mattered not. She had to help the others. But how long until he found her once she drew hard on the earth's power?
She whispered a second chant and forced energy into the chain holding her and Kell. When the links snapped, she grabbed his arm and watched him vanish.
Kardos sputtered, eyes rounded with shock.
The Lieutenant stopped mid-stride, staring at where she had sat seconds ago. He roared with fury, then looked up and down, turning in a circle.
"Do not let go of me," she hissed, dragging Kell with one hand, using her other to grab the chain holding Kardos and the man who had been unconscious in the truck. Pushing her power into the chain, she watched it fall apart.
The man whose phone she'd used jumped up and ordered, "Get out of here while you can. Beladors are coming."
Was he Belador? Had to be. He meant for her and Kell to leave because they were invisible. But she would not leave Kardos, and neither would Kell.
Svarts charged across the room.
The Lieutenant swung around to attack the Belador man yelling at her. This crazy man lifted hands and shoved at the air, which stopped the Svart. Kinetic power.
His kinetics slowed the Svarts, but he was losing ground.
Lanna ran down the line of captives, breaking chain after chain. Prisoners jumped up and ran in all directions.
The Svarts beat back Belador man's kinetics, forcing him into corner.
She started toward him. Her cloaking failed.
"Grab her now!" the Lieutenant yelled, pointing at Lanna.
Kell and Kardos rushed over to each side of Lanna, ready to fight with her.
She felt light-headed from tapping her powers, but she needed them again to put strong force behind the spell she had in mind. Raising her arms, she began chanting Russian words.
The boys picked up the singsong words as she repeated them and joined the chant.
Lightning crackled, shooting across the room, popping against every surface.
Svarts froze, looking around until their leader shoved past the group, not worried about the ba
d weather inside.
His face twisted with rage.
Anything more violent that Lanna could call up might kill everyone inside. She looked into the Svart's eyes and prepared to die. She said to Kell, "I have new plan. You and Kardos dive away when I say."
That might give the boys a chance to survive.
"No." Kell squeezed her fingers, then released her as the Svarts created a wall enclosing them, moving cautiously toward her after that lightning display.
Power exploded into the room.
The Svarts wheeled around as one unit and chaos erupted.
Lanna sagged with relief. "I told you cousin would come."
"Evalle's here, too," Kellman said absently. "And she'll want us to stay out of their way."
Sounded good to Lanna, who had lowered her arms when the Lieutenant had turned his back to face the incoming threat.
He swung around and moved fast as a lightning strike, grabbing Lanna by the throat.
THIRTY
Beladors and VIPER agents scattered across the basement, attacking in teams of two, but not linking. Too high a risk that a Svart might rip off a head and kill all the linked Beladors with one strike. Evalle held the Nyght weapon, ready to blast a troll the minute a team had one beaten back. The weapon used a laser-delivered technology that entered the body and raced through the blood system, exploding internal organs. But it moved from one living thing to the next if two or more beings were connected, killing everyone that touched the target.
A Belador shouted telepathically and she wheeled to find a Svart pushed back by four Beladors shoving a kinetic wall at it. She squeezed the trigger and the Svart turned rigid and shook as if he'd been hit by high-voltage current.
She searched the room quickly for Kellman and Kardos but couldn't see past the battling trolls and agents to find them or a young girl fitting Lanna's description. Fourteen captives had raced out, screaming that the trolls were feeding.
Evalle couldn't be too late for the boys or Lanna.
Quinn had been told to search any troll mind he could, but from the strain on his face he wasn't having much luck.
One troll tossed aside two VIPER agents he had by the throats and howled, turning until he spotted Quinn.
Then Quinn grabbed his own head.
The minute the troll dove for Quinn, Evalle blasted the nasty creature to pieces.
Screw intel.
Shaking his head, Quinn staggered but gave her a thumbs-up that he was good for the moment.
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