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“JackO’Lantern.”Poppyitched for a pouch to wipe that weird leer off its gourd. “Watchout for its?—”

Stalktentacles whipped out, coiling aroundRök’slegs.

“—stalk tentacles.”

Rökdodged an ax blow, then swung his sword to sever the stalks.Theygrew back in a flash, lashing out at him.

WithPoppytucked against him,Rökevaded another ax strike, then slashed the pumpkin head.Twoorange halves thudded to the stairs, seeds oozing out like brain matter.Themisshapen body and stalks collapsed and withered.Rökkicked free and sidled past the remains, sheathing his sword.

Poppy, dogged, kept at him. “HowcouldIhave a say in this—denying you or not—ifIdon’t know my options?”

Cradlingher in his arms, he vaulted over a series of missing steps. “I’mlaying everything on the line now.Iwantyou.Forall time.”Neverslowing their flight, he held her gaze. “Ismy entire life’s objective—the most important mission of them all—doomed to failure?”

Heran down the steps.Theystared at each other.Heran.

“Well,Red?Don’tleave me hanging.”

Herchin tilted up a notch.

“Hell, yeah!” he exclaimed. “Let’ssurvive this night and then sort our shit out.”

“It’sa lot of shit to sort.Youleft me hanging for years!Whatwere you thinking?Whendid acting noble ever work out for mercs like us?”

He’dgiven her time.Theone thing she hadn’t wanted from him.Nowshe feltout of time.

“Noblewon’t happen again, love.”

Alanding appeared!Whenthey reached the floor, she wanted to kiss it.Threedoors awaited them. “Whichone?”

Rökchose the closest. “Thislooks good.”

Fromthe other side, a whispery sound slithered into her hearing.Killkill kill puh puh puh.“Wait!”

Rökhad already opened the door, coming face-to-face with the gigantic camp slasher.Behindhis mask, a murderous hunger burned in his eyes.Themachete he carried glinted in the dim hall light.

RökdroppedPoppyand readied his sword.Whenthe machete flashed out,Rökblocked the blade with his own, then doubled back for a swift hit.Hissword struck true; the slasher’s hand and machete flew into the air.Neverslowing his momentum,Röktargeted the madman’s legs, severing them above the knee with one gory sweep.

Bloodspurted as the slasher collapsed to the floor.

“Comeon,Poppy, keep moving!”

AsRökurged her away, she glanced back at the writhing slasher.Hegrunted manically, a thrill killer denied his prey.

Howcould that thing be connected to her?Whythiscurse?Whynightmares?Wasit because she’d always liked spooky stories?

Withmore caution,Rökopened the next door.Nobogeys awaited them.HeandPoppydashed from the castle, only to be greeted by a thorny wall of hedges in an outdoor courtyard.

“Outside, finally!”Röktried to trace them, but they didn’t budge. “We’restill within the castle’s boundary?”

Sheglanced up at the rain pattering against an invisible barrier. “Lookslike.”

Rökjerked his chin at the sole opening in the dense hedge. “That’sa labyrinth.”

“Witha twist.”Poppyrecognized that thorny species.HersisterSagejoked that itsLatinname should beSittingusDuckingus. “Thosebriars carry a paralytic agent.”Thoughthe plants appeared to have been dead for some time, their thorns would still be toxic.

“Ican vault over them.”

“Onescratch for either of us, and we’d be helpless for hours.”Sittingducks. “Let’shead back.Thelanding had a third door.”They’djust turned in that direction when children’s laughter sounded, accompanied by the tip-tap of little shoes. “Shit!Anneliseand her friends are back.”