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I reared back, prepared to make another jump. Bolts of lightning whizzed past my nose.

“Hey!” I threw out my arms, wobbling on my perch.

“Argh!” Kronk bellowed behind me.

He’d been hit. Panic washed over me until I remembered his skin was made of stone.

Still, no one messed with my brother. I spun in a circle. Where were those bastards? To my surprise, one of the boats had survived. While two of the occupants paddled, the third flung magical lightning bolts at those closest to the island.

I braced my legs, drawing power from my core. My hands warmed, and my illusion took shape. In the water beside me, an enormous sea monster broke through the churning waves. Razorblade fins, daggers for teeth, bulbus eyes—my baby was glorious.

“Go get ’em, boy.” I hurled my illusion at the boat, and my sea creature took off. Water rolled off its charging back.

“There! Over there!” voices yelled. “What is that thing?”

Halfway to the boat, my beautiful beast reared its ugly head and roared.

Screams rang out. Mr. Lightning Bolt blasted energy into the illusion. The other two began paddling, their movements erratic, their boat spinning in panicked circles. Apparently, paddling wasn’t in their skill set.

“One click,”that infernal voice warned.

“Move your sweet ass, Runa,” Drazen bellowed.

My feet struck the next stone with a tooth-rattling jolt. The next one as well. Then the next. My leg muscles burned. The sound of the others following behind me propelled me to move faster. Seconds remained.

I hit the sand and tumbled, rolling out of the way. My teammates followed, piling onto the beach.

Horns blared. Time was up.

Heart racing, I sat up. “Kronk, Drazen?”Custodis?

“All here,” the vampire answered, even though I hadn’t included him in my concerns.

“Nice sea monster,” Drazen praised.

I snorted a laugh. “It was. Wasn’t it?”

We glanced around the island. Cheering echoed from far away. Those infernal orbs hovered over our heads. Flark. I’d almost forgotten our audience. I was so focused on surviving. Plenty of the other competitors had survived as well. Pity.

I flopped back on the sand, catching my breath. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“Right,” Drazen growled, flicking droplets off his muscled arms. “Great fun if you’re a fan of water.”

He never had enjoyed being submerged, which made bath time as a youngling particularly entertaining.

Horns blew, and I tensed. What now?

Chapter Sixteen

VICTOR

Idris’smagic burst over my skin, the sensation like a thousand spiders skittered over my flesh. I savored the tantalizing sensation, some hollow part of me eager to soak it in. Oh, what I could do with that kind of power.

Beneath us, the ground rumbled and surged.

“Here we go again,” Drazen snarled.

I looked to Runa, and she met my eyes, her expression stark.