There was no time to waste. If what the pages of A Practical Guide to Monsters said was true, and Evin had no doubt that it was, Sefron was about to transform himself into a powerful undead creature. And with all of Sefron’s power, he would be nearly invincible.

Next to Evin, Jorick raised his sword high and shouted a war cry. He raced at Sefron, blade glinting in the moonlight.

Startled, Sefron didn’t immediately react. Jorick barreled across the rooftop faster than Evin could have imagined, but just as the boy reached the wizard and brought down his blade, Sefron regained his senses.

“Eevik sueee eyeex!” he cried and he whipped his wand from his robes. A bolt of orange light exploded from the wand’s spindly tip. Jorick ducked the blast and veered right. He skidded to a stop behind the wizard, then spun, brandishing his sword.

Sefron held his hands up high, looking back and forth between Evin and Bet to the west and Jorick to the east, all three slowly advancing on the wizard.

“And what is this?” the wizard said coolly. “You three have escaped? Then whose blood has—” The man took in a sharp breath, and for a moment his calm expression faltered before he once again regained his composure. “My Hennea.”

“She’s dead, old man,” Jorick growled, not taking his eyes off of the wizard’s outstretched hands. “We killed her, just like we’re going to kill you.”

Sefron sighed, then smiled a sickly smile. “I suppose it’s for the best,” he mused. “In my new state, I don’t expect I’d have much use for a wife.”

“We’re not going to let you transform,” Bet called out from beside Evin. They took another step forward, bracing themselves, waiting. Bet held her wand at the ready.

“Oh, I wouldn’t expect any less of my little monster slayers than to try and fight me to the death,” Sefron shouted back, then laughed. “But I suppose the question is now: Who is faster?”

In one smooth motion Sefron reached down and grabbed one of the empty vials, then dived toward the cauldron.

“Stop him!” Evin shouted.

Evin and Jorick raced toward the wizard as Bet began to wave her wand. Evin pumped his arms, daggers clutched in both fists, his eyes on the man who’d stolen his memories, manipulated him, murdered countless people, and had unleashed a monstrous horde upon the unsuspecting kingdoms outside of the dome.

Sefron leaned back from the cauldron, his vial full of a deep red potion, just as a flash of green exploded from behind Evin. A bolt of magic illuminated the sky as it flew from Bet’s wand and crackled against the cauldron. The iron cauldron cracked and then crumbled, sending its gooey, crimson concoction flowing across the white stone of the keep.

At the same time, Evin and Jorick reached Sefron, their blades raised high.