Bane tightened his grip. “Dream...yes. You are a dream, and a nightmare, just like Adwaeweth. You are my salvation and my damnation, rolled into one beautiful package.”

He thinks I’m beautiful?

Ugh! That was what she focused on? “How can I be your salvation and your damnation? Actually, how can I be either one?” she asked, and dang it, every time he exhaled, she inhaled, breathing in all that spice and musk. Her belly quivered, and heat pooled between her legs.

I’m experiencing arousal without an upset stomach. How wonderous! But why here, why now? Why him?

Did he feel arousal, too? He must. As they stared at each other, awareness charged the air.

Again, he pretended she hadn’t asked a question and chose to ask one of his own. “How did you reach me without Rifters?”

“I honestly don’t know. One second I was wondering if you’d help me, the next I was here.”

For some reason, her response infuriated him all over again. “Already embracing our capabilities, I see. Typical royal,” he muttered with disgust.

Royal? Capabilities?

“Tell me to heal,” he commanded. “Tell me to grow a new foot as quickly as possible.”

“You mean I should whisk you to a hospital, using a supernatural ability I might or might not have and definitely don’t know how to use? Sure thing. Why don’t you watch as I pull a rabbit out of my invisible hat, too?”

His golden brows drew together, a crease forming in the middle. “Hospital...a medical facility. No. You will aid me here.”

“How? My phone is dead, and there’s no way I can carry you.”

“Tell me to heal, Nola. Exactly as I requested.”

Annoyed, she said, “You didn’t make a request. You made a demand.”

He squeezed her nape until she whimpered, more with surprise than pain. But even now, she wasn’t afraid of him. “Tell me. Now.”

“This is protecting me?” she snapped.

Immediately, he loosened his hold. “Please,” he rasped.

Why not humor him? “Heal,” she said. “Grow a new foot as quickly as possible.” For the briefest glimpse of time, she felt warm, feverish, but the feeling ceased abruptly.

As soon as the last word left her mouth, he threw back his head and roared with agony, his entire body seizing. Now fear descended upon her. She wrenched away from him, chanting, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” What had she done?

“Do not leave,” he shouted. “Nola, don’t you dare leave.”

Too late. The cave—and Bane—vanished, the jungle reappeared. She jolted. Once again, she’d transported to a new location in a mere blink of time, with no idea how she’d done it.

Transported...or teleported?

“Zion,” she called.

Birds took flight, but no response was forthcoming. So. No Bane, and no Zion. Great!