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“You even twitch the wrong way, and my friend with the gun will take you all out.” The blunt warning came from behind and above us. The waterfall, as I’d guessed. “I should also warn you that your companions, at best, have half an hour before the effects of the poison become irreversible.”

It wasn’t Rogan speaking, but that didn’t really surprise me. He’d shown no propensity so far to be at any of these “interventions,” so why would he do so now, even if he was aware we were on to him?

But the speaker wasn’t a complete unknown, because I’d heard his voice in multiple visions. This was the man who’d discussed Jalvi’s capture with an unknown woman. The man who’d arranged the attack on Cynwrig’s sister at the start of this whole mess.

“What did you give them?” I said flatly. “And what do you want?”

“Oh, I think that second question is a little superfluous,” the stranger said dryly, “but the darts contain a variation of Dahbree that steals the ability to respond in any way. Given what happened the last time we tried to drug your mountain of a brother, we thought it best to be absolutely positive he could neither escape nor react against us.”

Fury burned around said mountain, and his fingers twitched into a fist, but the drug was doing what it was designed to do, and it would kill them if I didn’t comply.

Hell, it might kill them anyway. We were a long way from any sort of help.

“Dahbree is dangerous,” I said flatly, “and I’m thinking your boss probably doesn’t want either of them dead.”

“He might not, but I’m ambivalent. However, I do have the cure to hand, but you only get it if we get what we want. Where is the ring, Bethany?”

“What makes you think we found it?”

“If I have to dart and search you, I will. Of course, that’ll mean there will be no one left to administer the antidote, and I’m thinking you might not want to die just yet.”

“Don’t ever presume to know what I’m thinking.”

He laughed. “I don’t have to presume. I can see the turbulence around your fingers, and I have firsthand experience of what you’re capable of after our confrontation on Ben Nevis. Luckily for you, my priorities lie with our quest rather than gaining revenge for injuries caused.”

Meaning I’d unknowingly had one of the Looisearch’s generals up on Ben Nevis and had stupidly allowed him to escape.Fuck,fuck, fuck!

“What guarantee do I have that you won’t kill us the minute I give you what you want?”

“There’s never a guarantee in this type of situation, but my colleague believes it remains in our best interest to keep you all alive until we’re positive the Claws can do what we wish, and on this I do concur.”

I snorted. “You actually think we’ll willingly help you find another weapon if the Claws don’t work? You’re both delusional.”

“Oh, undoubtedly, but in my experience, people will go to great lengths to protect those that they love.”

My gaze flickered to Cynwrig, but I didn’t reply because it was nothing but the truth. Lugh was all I had, and I wasn’t about to lose him. Not to something like this. To a man like this.

I dug the black stone ring from my pocket and spun a protective shield of air around it. He’d no doubt be able to break through the barrier, but it would take time and effort, and I rather suspected he’d be more inclined to play the game as long as it remained the easier option.

“Ah, excellent,” the stranger said. “Put it on the ground.”

“Give me the antidote, and I will.”

“You’re in no position to bargain, dear Bethany.”

“You want the stone; I want my brother alive. It’s a fair exchange.”

He sighed. The sound rode the breeze, filled with a mix of frustration and annoyance. “I have already assured you—”

“Yeah, but you’re a murderous son of a bitch who has also said he’d have no qualms killing me.”

He laughed. “True. We shall do a swap?”

“I want to ensure the antidote works before I hand over the ring.”

“I could simply kill you. It really would be easier.”

“You could, but that would leave you without a seer to find an artifact that’ll work against the Annwfyn if the Claws don’t.”