“Through what?” I say from the backseat, unable to see ahead from the odd position I’ve braced myself in.

“Fence!” Alver shouts a split second before metal screams over the hood of the car, tinkling on the glass windshield, and then scrapes down the back.

I don’t look back, though. I’m looking ahead to an open field. In the glow of headlights, Sebastian is wrestling with a uniformed officer, trying to take his gun. Though he’s outweighed by a solid sixty pounds of muscle and outmanned by desperation, the officer is doing his best to hold on to his weapon.

I see Yvette and Zoey, helping each other up from the ground. They’re both limping, wincing with each step as they try to get out of the danger zone.

“Zoey!” I yell, beyond thankful to see her alive but horrified at the swelling bruise on her face and her painful movements.

Barnes brakes hard, the car not even sliding to a complete stop before he throws it in park and is out.

“Freeze, Turner!” His voice is hard, cold as ice, and authoritative as he holds his gun steady, aimed right at Sebastian. Barnes takes slow, careful steps toward Sebastian and the officer, who are still struggling for control.

I’m fighting the door despite knowing it’s locked from the outside and I can’t get out. But I have to get to Zoey, an overwhelming need to help her giving me strength I don’t usually have.

Alver bangs on the glass with a hard fist to get my attention. “Calm down so I can open the damn door without you knocking me down. I ain’t as young as I used to be!”

What? Alver’s going to let me out?

I still, though every cell in my body is buzzing with energy, ready for release.

True to his word, Alver opens the door, eyeing me hard. “Go get her. Stay out of the way.”

I heed his warning, taking a loop around to the right so that I come up on the back side of Yvette’s car. Face to face with Zoey, I finally feel the smallest hint of relief.

She’s okay, or she will be.

“Zoey!” I hiss, not wanting to draw Sebastian’s attention to the women getting away to safety. She’s hunched over, her and Yvette holding each other up, but at my voice, her head jerks up in surprise.

“Blake?”

The relief I see in her eyes guts me. I don’t want her to ever consider for a second that I wouldn’t come for her. No matter what. No matter what dragon she’s slaying, or what superstition she’s fighting, I’m here for it. Here for her.

“Come on, we need to get you out of here.”

She takes two steps and then a loud bang makes us all instinctively duck for cover.