Her cheeks heated. “I suffer from three conditions. One causes overactive nerves. One causes inflammation. Both of those cause tremendous amounts of pain, so I take pills to help me function, but they are addictive. Without them, I get a million times sicker.”

Pensive, he rubbed two fingers over his jaw. “If I acquire these pills, you’ll feel better even when we’re apart?”

“Yes. But you’ll expect something in return, yes? Like, I have to agree to your final two deal with Vale?”

“Nola?” Zion called her name, his voice reverberating through the jungle.

Bane stiffened and reached for a dagger.

Crap! “You’re right. Final two. Let’s go,” she rushed out. “Now, now, now.”

He grinned slowly, his anticipation palpable. “We will go. After I deal with Zion. His war has come to an end.”

“Just leave him be. He’s a good guy.”

“He is an obstacle to my vengeance. Obstacles get mowed down,” he snapped softly, fiercely.

Ah! Finally, a clue about the mysterious Bane of Adwaeweth. “What vengeance?”

He scowled again. “He owns a wand, and I want it. I won’t leave this place without it.”

Had she ever encountered such malice? “You want it. So what? Wanting something doesn’t mean you get to have it. You will take me from this dimension without argument.”

A vein bulged in his forehead, the volcano in his eyes about to erupt. Still he snagged her by the waist with one hand, and opened a portal with the other.

Oh, sweet goodness, she did have authority over him. Laughter bubbled up.

Bane stalked through the portal, into an empty house with boarded-up windows. He released her and gave her a gentle push toward a shadowed corner, remaining at the portal and palming two daggers. A single overhead bulb provided light, glinting off the blades.

The moisture in her mouth dried. “Where are we?”

“We won’t stay here. The portal will stay open for sixty seconds. I know Zion won’t let you go easily. If he’s fast enough, he’ll—”

Zion dove through the portal, slamming into Bane. Nola gasped as the two men rolled over a concrete floor and savagely, brutally grappled for dominance.

When they made it to their feet, Zion threw a punch. Bane ducked, the fist going through the wall, plaster raining down.

Staying low, Bane punted the back of Zion’s knee. At the same time, he shoved Zion’s head through the wall. More plaster.

Upon her next inhalation, Nola breathed in the particles and coughed.

The noise distracted Bane. He whipped around, his gaze concerned.

With a war cry, Zion punched his wounded shoulder—no, he punched through Bane’s shoulder, a bloody fist coming out the other side. Nola gagged as blood sprayed.

Bane threw back his head and roared a beastly sound of agony.

Afraid for his life, she shouted, “Leave, Bane. Leave now, heal and stay away from the other dimension.”