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Over our heads, a blazing ball whistled. I followed its path, and my heart jolted to a stop.

“No,” I moaned before it slammed into the lodge where Yaga was staying. The ground trembled with the impact. Fiery sparks exploded into the sky.

Panic charged through my veins. The flood of fear soaked into my bones. Tunnel vision blinded me to everything but the woman who’d raised me. Eyes locked on the burning lodge, I raced into the street.

“Idris, you bastard,” I screamed. “You will not take her from me, too.”

“Runa, wait. Your glamour,” a voice shouted.

From out of nowhere, a sword slashed. Metal glinted, slicing toward my neck. For some reason, it failed to connect. Grunting and curses rang out behind me. I stalked forward, blind to anything but the burning building.

I ditched my shovel, reaching for my preferred weapon. Power flared in my palms, and a terrifying creature I was far too familiar with flashed through my mind. I launched my duskcat illusion into the world. Around me, half a dozen monster kitties took shape. Screams rang out. Soldiers scrambled for higher ground. One of the braver souls swiped his sword through the chest of one of my illusions.

“They’re not real!” he yelled. “The sorceress is here. Find her!”

That I’d been outed so quickly didn’t matter since I’d reached the lodge. Heat from fire seared my flesh.

“Dammit, Runa. Don’t go in there!” a familiar voice shouted as I threw open the door.

Inside, a hellish scene greeted me. The thought that Yaga was here, suffering, forced me to thrust one foot in front of the other. Smoke clung to the ceiling, flames licking the walls. My lungs burned, and I grabbed the hem of my skirt, pushing it up over my face.

“Yaga!” I shouted, heading for the second floor.

“It’s too late. You’re going to get yourself killed,” that annoying voice bellowed.

Behind me, timbers groaned, then crashed. A pained shout rang out, and I glanced back to find that part of a wall had fallen in, blocking the door. No matter, Yaga and I would find another way out.

Up the steps, I raced. At the top, thick smoke drove me to my hands and knees. Tears streamed from my stinging eyes.

“Yaga!” Fear threatened to overwhelm me, and I choked out a sob. I’d never find her in this. Except I didn’t have to see her to find her. Yaga said as much about locating the temple guardian. Yaga herself was a powerful entity.

Forcing the panic aside, I closed my eyes, throwing out my senses. At first, there was nothing. Then, a small glimmer of life sparked in my psyche.

“Yaga?” I coughed, crawling to a closed door, turning the knob.

An iron vice gripped my ankle, dragging me away. My outstretched hand popped off the door.

“Got her!” a gruff male shouted. “Here. I found the sorceress!”

What? No. Not when I was so close. I kicked out with my free leg, and another hand grabbed that one as well. There wasn’t time for this.

Terror squeezed me in its sickening grasp. I clawed at the door frame as I was dragged backward.

“Let me go!” I screamed.

My chest expanded, power swelling.

An illusion of fire erupted over my body. My captor screeched, releasing the image of my burning flesh. I lunged for the door, turned the knob, flung it open. A very real inferno exploded from the opening, throwing me back. Hungry flames consumed the oxygen around us. There was no possible way Yaga could have survived.

I pushed my senses out. Nothing answered. Yaga’s spirit was a black hole of nothingness.

“No. Not her. Not her!” I shoved my elbows beneath me, crawling. My head swam. Smoke filled my lungs. The acrid scent of burned flesh permeated my nose, scraped down the back of my tongue, and lodged in my throat.

The edges of the burning room drew closer. Black dots spattered my vision, and my will to go further washed away on a thin exhale.

Chapter Thirty-Three

VICTOR