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“Does it have something to do with that sword you had? She told you to take it to the cliff… but you didn’t. I saw you go into the castle.”

Her heart fluttered, but she didn’t deny it. If she did, he might sense her lie.

“I can hear your heart beating oddly. That sword has something to do with it.” His burnt skin was already healing.

The dagger.Thane had given her the weapon for a moment just like this. With one hand she pushed his face away, and with the other she pulled her dagger, angled it against his back where Thane had shown her, and shoved it in.

He reared back, wailing. “You bitch.”

Wiggling free, she got up again. Her magic coiled through her, and her palms emanated a fiery heat. The sun beat down on her, warming her skin, intensifying her power.

He stood, frost curling around his palms. The skeleton creatures conjured out of nothing, five on each side of him. “You know what you fight fire with, don’t you? You might have had a chance against me if you trained how to use that power of yours in combat, but you never did.”

Angry tears burned. Her mind went to Thane, and how she wished she could see him one more time.Thane. If I don’t see you again?—

I’m almost there.

I just wanted to say?—

Tell me when you see me.

Atlanta appeared in a cyclone of water, taking a stance between them. Whatever injuries he had were gone. “Enough,Synick.” He held up his hands to both of them. “We have a bigger problem.”

Distant hooves pounded in quick succession. Synick’s smug expression fell away as he looked over her shoulder. “So, we do. How did they find us?”

She whirled to a black horse careening down the hillside, his rider with a glinting sword in hand…Thane.

Just behind him was another rider on a winged horse. Shadows rolled in waves all around her like a black thundercloud. Beside her Hel flew on white wings. She choked on a sob and ran for them. Before she could get five steps, Atlanta had her. He twisted her arm behind her back until she was sure it would break and gripped her around the neck. “You’re hurting me,” she whimpered.

“I know the little whore inside you wants to run to him, but you belong to me.”

Phantom reared up as Thane pulled back on the reins and he leapt off, sword pointed at Atlanta. “Release her.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Atlanta boomed in the same condescending tone he used when he spoke to the servants. “What you’ll do is allow me and Katana a way through the barrier keeping us trapped here.”

“And me,” Synick added.

Full of fury, Valeen stepped up beside him, weapon in hand. “I swear I will tear off your limbs before I take off your head if you don’t let her go.” Hel landed on her other side and tucked his wings away. He didn’t look angry but there was something frightening about his smirk.

“Katana for passage through the wall,” Thane said.

“No.” Atlanta tightened his grip.

“Take the deal,” Synick said quietly. “They are immortal again. This is not a fight we will win right now. I know my nephews and I know her.”

“I will not give her up.”

“Fool, live to fight another day,” Synick muttered.

“I’d rather see her dead than with him.”

Katana gulped. She believed him.

“You’re on your own then, Atlanta.” He and his skeletons backed away slowly. By the sounds of their footsteps, they started running.

“He can’t get out,” Thane said. “We’ll get him later.” Then he glared at Atlanta. “Let her go.”

Thane, Synick knows the Lightbringer sword has something to do with the magical barrier.