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Idris stopped. His eyes widened in surprise. “How?”

“The bracelet, it links me to them. I can hear murmurs, feel their desires.” Rieka took a step back. Maybe she could buy time. “I can help you.”

“Chaucer may have fallen for your façade, but that will not work with me.” He looked at her pensively. “I need your blood. Your state of living does not concern me.”

Another Atlantean she had foolishly trusted.

“That isn’t true. Otherwise, you would have killed me—you could easily have carried me.” Rieka winced at her own stupidity. Don’t give the psychopath ideas. “You need me alive.”

Something big landed behind her with enough force that it felt like a small earthquake. Rieka half-turned and wished she hadn’t. The serpopard was twice the size of the other ones. Dark brown, almost black, its pale spots glowed. A snow-white claw mark on its neck made it stand out from the others. That, and its bloodred eyes made it look like it belonged in the depths of hell.

A look of fear flicked across Idris’s face. He had not been expecting the animal.

The serpopard nuzzled her shoulder, its tongue flicking at her. This one didn’t carry the same scent of death and decay as the others, but it was still the most fearsome one she had encountered.

It purred. The sound vibrated through Rieka as its neck skimmed her torso. The movement was catlike and eerie. It felt like she was being claimed by the animal.

“Where is Chay?” Rieka asked as she stood still. Maybe the serpopard would get

bored with her if she didn’t react. “You are partners.”

“No,” Idris sneered. “He served his purpose. Just like you.”

Idris had to have some sort of support. “The Anki allowed you to work alone?”

“They have never left me.”

It sounded creepy and fucked on levels Rieka didn’t want to analyze.

“Did I tell you to stop moving?” Idris demanded.

The serpopard turned its gaze to Idris and hissed as the fur along its neck spiked up. If Rieka didn’t know better, she would have thought it was on her side, but that made no sense. It didn’t stop her from whispering athank you. Idris took a step toward them, hesitating in the face of the animal’s glare. The serpopard’s red gaze seemed to burn brighter in a challenge. Something else was going on. Idris was not in as much control as she had assumed.

Rieka took the opportunity to assess her new surroundings. A gigantic cavern opened beneath her, revealing a vast underground temple. Rieka looked across and even in the dim light, she could see there were hundreds of pairs of orange eyes watching her every move. Rieka swallowed as her eyes adjusted. Next to the animals, she could make out the faint outline of humanoid shapes. Idris had been lying to her. He wasn’t working alone; he had a small army with him. In the center, a violet flame danced in the air. Rieka stared at it, fighting the urge and need to touch it. She followed the flame…

Vandana’s tomb.

Violet flames danced along the tomb, the colors hypnotic, just like the smaller version she had seen in the foyer. Its pull was almost as strong as the pendant. But that paled compared to the pull Dante had woven around her. Even with the distance between them, she could feel the icy fire that burned through him. As if he could sense her, he looked up, his eyes neon. She blinked slowly as she bit back emotions. Dante was just here for the tomb.

“You were correct, Rieka,” Idris whispered.

She hadn’t felt him move.

“I don’t need you alive.”

Dantelost a piece of his soul.

The scream echoed through the cavern as chaos erupted around him. Rieka. Dante turned in horror as Rieka fell. He had never known genuine fear until this moment.

Save Rieka.

His body refused to move. He opened his mouth to shout, but nothing came out. Time slowed down as she continued to free fall. He strained against the invisible bonds that held him and watched as Rieka disappeared into nothingness.

Dante stumbled in place. Sweat beaded his skin. His mind was at war just as much as his body. He barely moved an inch.

“No,” Lucien commanded. A small tear of blood cascaded down his face. A surprised look crossed his features. “Your will is stronger than most.”

Lucien clicked, and Dante fell to the ground, his blaster skidding off the bridge into the chasm beneath them.