A tendril of smoke curled from the barrel of the revolver. “Help me...kill mortals,” Knox commanded. “They must die. Make it hurt.”

“Where. Is. Nola?” Bane cared about nothing else.

From a distance, Vale called, “Hey, beasty-boy. Look over here. Look at me. Yo, Bane. You want to talk about Nola? You’ve got to deal with me.”

With a roar, he pivoted to face her. Her words...truth or lie? One way or another, he would find out.

“Come get me, Bane.” She grinned and crooked her finger at him, before running off, calling, “This way. Yes, that’s it. I’ve got the one you seek.”

“Vale,” Knox whispered, his shock clear. “She lives. My valina lives!”

When Bane took a step forward, Knox did his best to stop him. This time, Bane sidestepped him, refusing to engage, and dashed after the woman. Along the way, he scented honeysuckle and jasmine, and nearly wept with relief.

But Vale turned in the opposite direction, moving away from the scent. Did he continue to follow her, in order to catch and interrogate her, or did he follow Nola’s breadcrumbs?

Nola. Always Nola.

He veered, sticking with her scent. He would find her. Nothing and no one would stop him. Then, he would begin the Blood Rite.

It was decided. He’d been a fool to wait. She would become strong enough to stab and kill him, as predicted, but he didn’t care.

He would rather have a few more minutes with Nola, than an eternity with anyone else.

“HE’S COMING.” ZION shot down the ladder, reentering the darkened tunnel. He grabbed Nola and scurried back up.

Her heart sped into overdrive. He—Bane? Dang him! Had he not read her letter? Did he not know she planned to save his wife?

Or maybe he couldn’t read English?

Crap! And yeah, okay, he’d once told Nola he didn’t want her to time travel, that he preferred a relationship with her, but come on! If Nola and Meredith were standing side by side, both alive and well, he’d pick Meredith, the nonroyal.

Lying to yourself now? You know he’s let go of his prejudices. “Where’s Vale?” she asked, her voice little more than a grouse.

“Helping Knox.”

They emerged into a total nightmare. Smoke thickened the air and formed a canopy overhead, creating a postapocalyptic setting. Throat itching, she coughed.

Zion set her down and took her hand. “This way.”

They made it five steps, only five, before a blur of motion plowed into them, knocking them both to the ground—no, not her, only Zion, who released her as he fell. However, momentum sent her stumbling backward, tripping over a rock and toppling. Impact packed quite a wallop, stars winking through her vision, sand filling her mouth.