Knife-man ran at me. As I recovered my balance, another man ran toward the road—Asian, about my age, short and muscular, with modern clothes. Shit! How many were there?

Knife-man whacked a fist into the side of my rib cage. I stumbled, then caught myself and whirled around, blade in my hand. The knife hit him in the shoulder. His eyes widened. As he fell back, my first thought was “Hmmm, didn’t think I hit him that hard.” Then another blade flashed in the moonlight. A sword, slicing up, as knife-man fell back, screaming.

I followed the sword to the hand of the newcomer.

He met my gaze, and brandished a wide smile. “Katsuo.”

“Oh, thank God,” I murmured. “Please tell me you have hellsbane potion.”

He laughed. “For two.”

At a noise from the end of the road, we both turned to see four shapes running at us.

“And not a moment too soon, it seems,” Katsuo said. “Catch.”

He tossed the vial. I caught it just as knife-man struggled to his feet. I kicked him back, then uncapped my vial. Both bird-man and the werewolf rushed me from opposite sides.

“Sorry, guys,” I said. “Gotta run.”

I dumped the potion into my mouth.

Chapter 46

46

I LANDED BACK IN THAT LITTLE ROOM WITH THE DOOR that led to the killers’ hell. Trsiel was there waiting for me. I knew he’d been worried, and he’d want to know what had happened, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. I brushed past him with a murmured “I got it.” He tried to follow, telling me I needed healing, but I hurried down the hall to another room. When I opened the door, Kristof was there, right where I’d left him.

For a moment, I just stood in the doorway, legs trembling, ready to give way under me. Kristof crossed the room in two long strides, scooped me up, and gave me a fierce hug. Then he closed the door behind us, carried me across the room, and lowered me to the floor.

I huddled there against him, shivering, unable to speak. I wished I could have strode through that door and shouted a triumphant “I did it,” forgetting everything that had happened. But I couldn’t. And this was the one place where I knew I wouldn’t have to, the one person who wouldn’t think any the less of me for sitting here, shivering, a heartbeat away from breaking down and bawling like a baby.