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“ D id you hear that?” Kirat raised her torch higher and peered into the darkness behind them.

They’d been walking for 1,572 steps since exiting the last zone. Kirat had been walking ahead with Armand while Valen and Evelyn took turns helping Granny Lucy navigate the subterranean terrain. For the last 780 steps, they’d been on an incline with shallow stairs carved into the floor at uneven intervals. Those stairs were more of a stumbling block than a help, and they’d slowed down to make sure no one twisted an ankle.

“I didn’t hear anything.” Valen helped Granny Lucy over a particularly awkward step. “What did it sound like?”

“Voices. They were faint, but I could’ve sworn I heard them.”

“I’ll fall back and listen,” Evelyn offered. “It’ll be easier to tell without our noise on top of it.”

Evelyn let the others move ahead, and her heart was warmed by watching Valen’s gentle attention to Granny. He’d really grown on her. Time and again he’d proven his willingness to put himself in harm’s way to help her. He looked back at her as though sensing her thoughts, and she waved. Soon the light from their torches faded along with their voices, and Evelyn was left alone in the dark again.

That’s when she heard it. There were people coming up behind them. Several, by the sound of it. Kirat had been right. They were getting closer. Evelyn extinguished her torch and listened.

“…not far ahead.”

“Good. We need to… her before…”

“…the witch.”

Evelyn had heard enough. She ran back to her friends.

“Kirat was right. There are people behind us, and they’re moving faster than we are.”

“How many are there?” Valen asked.

“I couldn’t tell. At least three. One of them said something about a witch. I think they’re looking for us.”

“Lybbestre?” Granny Lucy looked afraid, which did nothing good for Evelyn’s rising panic.

“I don’t know, but we should hurry. How much further is it?”

Armand fumbled with the map. “I don’t know for sure. It’s hard to tell down here. We could be close, but… I’m not certain.”

Evelyn reached for Granny Lucy’s bag to lighten her load.

“There is no need to run, witchling.”

Evelyn froze. A woman’s voice. It was… familiar. “We need to go! Now!”

Armand and Kirat pushed ahead at a jog. Valen was already helping Granny Lucy, so Evelyn got on her opposite side to provide extra support. Between them, they practically carried her up the incline.

“You won’t escape us. We are everywhere.”

There was a sizzling sound and then a bolt of electricity arced over Evelyn’s shoulder and struck Armand. He cried out and slumped to the ground, his body spasming uncontrollably. His torch skittered along the floor for several feet before stopping.

“Armand!” Kirat knelt beside him and tried to stabilize his head. He stopped moving. “Can you hear me?”

Another sizzling bolt arced through the group, narrowly missing Granny Lucy.

“What the hell is that?” Evelyn asked.

Kirat looked grim. “Magic. Here, take this.” She shoved the map at Evelyn. “You have to go ahead. You have to get out.”

Evelyn shook her head. “You’re coming with me.”

“No. I’m staying with Armand. You’re the one they want, anyway. Take the danger with you, okay? We’ll be alright.” With Valen’s help, Kirat dragged Armand’s lifeless form down a side tunnel. Without a lit torch to reveal their hiding place, they were nearly invisible. “Go! Now!”

“I’m staying with them.” Granny Lucy joined them in the side tunnel. “I can’t run. And like she said—you can take the danger with you. We’ll be fine.”

Tears filled Evelyn’s eyes, but she couldn’t argue with their logic. She grabbed Armand’s lit torch and ran up the incline at a full sprint. Valen kept pace behind her. Farther back, she could hear more running footsteps as whoever was pursuing them matched their speed. The tunnel suddenly opened out into a larger room with multiple tunnels branching off it.

Evelyn opened the map and tried to figure out which tunnel was the right one, but she had no idea what she was looking at. She should have left the map with Kirat. It was useless to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know which way to go.” The tears in her eyes blurred her vision, and she blinked them away. They’d come so far. She grabbed her great-grandmother’s amulet and begged. Please, Nana. It grew warm in her hand, and she chose second to the left. Just as she darted into the narrower tunnel, another bolt of lightning arced toward them, this time striking her right shoulder. Her arm went limp, and she grabbed it with her left hand to keep it close to her body as she ran. She smelled something burning and realized in horror that the strap to the satchel was burning. She let go of her arm to reach for it, but she was too late. The strap broke apart, and the bag slid from her body to clatter to the floor.

“I’ve got it! Keep going!” Valen scooped up the satchel without breaking stride and urged her forward.

Evelyn kept running, hoping she’d chosen the right tunnel, hoping her arm wasn’t permanently paralyzed, hoping they would make it out somehow.

She rounded a corner to see the door ahead across another open cavern, and relief flooded her body, pumping new life into her legs. She dashed into the room. They’d made it. She was going to get out. Escape New Orleans. Get the book to safety. She wondered what the weather was like in the hills of Tennessee, what the nuns would think of her story.

“Hello, Evelyn.”

That voice. She recognized it now. Evelyn immediately retreated into the labyrinth in her mind, constructing new twists and turns and false walls.

A woman stepped out of the shadows, her flowing gray gown moving with a mind of its own. “No need for that, witchling. I kept my word about your privacy before, did I not?”

Evelyn tried to reach for her obsidian powder, but it was in her right pocket and that arm still wasn’t working. “What do you want?”

She laughed, her white hair practically glowing in the low light. “I want what is mine.”

“I don’t have it. I lost it.” Technically true.

She felt Valen step up behind her, and she was glad he was there. Maybe between the two of them, they could get past her.

“It’s here.” Valen brushed past Evelyn and handed the satchel to the woman before taking up position beside her.

No . Evelyn’s mind couldn’t process what was happening. Impossible.

Valen met her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

It couldn’t be.

“I don’t understand.” Evelyn felt like the floor was tilting beneath her feet. After everything they’d gone through together… she was going to be sick. She squeezed her limp arm with her good hand. There was still a chance she could make it out of this, but she needed her arm to wake up. She wasn’t ready to deal with Valen, so she focused on the woman. “Who are you?”

She smiled, her pointed teeth menacing in the torchlight. “I am Lynorra, Sage of the Lybbestre Coven. And, as luck would have it, the rightful owner of the book you stole.”

Valen looked uncomfortable, as well he fucking should. He stood with his hands clasped behind him and his head down. Coward.

Sorrow washed over her like a wave, but what she needed was rage. “No one should own that book.”

The woman laughed. “Except for you?”

“No! Not me. No one.”

She stepped forward, and Evelyn fought the urge to retreat. Instead, she stood her ground. Her arm was starting to wake up—and so was her anger.

“Tell me something, witchling. Why does an untrained, uncovened, daughter of darkness spend her nights stealing magical books?”

“Daughter of darkness?” Something released in Evelyn’s chest.

“Ah, I see.” Lynorra placed one pale hand on Valen’s shoulder. “You have much to learn. I assumed as much. But I remain curious about you, little witchling.” She pulled the book from its hiding place, and Evelyn felt the full strength of its dark pull once again.

It whispered to her, humming under her skin, begging to be read. Its false-bright shine was nearly blinding in the low light. Evelyn turned her head away. Feeling was slowly returning to her arm. She wiggled her fingers. Just a little longer and she’d be able to reach for the black obsidian powder. All she had to do was stun them both long enough to grab the book and escape through the door.

“Don’t try anything.” Valen’s voice sounded strained. “Please, Evelyn.”

Rage simmered in her veins. Almost there. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Oh, fuck you very much.” Evelyn forced her tingling hand into a fist. Closer. “Why didn’t you just take it from me? You could’ve overpowered me at any point. Why pretend to be my friend? Pretend to care? What was the point?”

“I…” Valen started to answer, but the Sage cut him off.

“Valen was doing as he was told, nothing more.” She ignored the resulting growl from her sidekick.

“Whatever you say.” Evelyn needed a distraction, something to draw their attention so she could reach for the powder.

“Oh, darling. I admire your gumption, but it won’t work.” She was smiling again. “Not this time.”

Before Evelyn could respond, Lynorra snapped her fingers and the back of Evelyn’s head exploded in pain as though she’d been struck by a brick. She wobbled on her feet as black spots filled her vision. She blinked slowly, stunned. She had to protect herself. She retreated into her mind again, taking refuge deep in the labyrinth she’d constructed before. Hiding in the hedges. Her knees started to buckle. Her body went limp, and she felt herself begin to fall to the ground.

Valen rushed forward and scooped her into his arms. She vaguely registered his breath on her hair.

“Forgive me,” he murmured so only she could hear.

“No,” she managed weakly. “Fuck you.”