He flung me into a tiny room, his arm flying up as if with the momentum of the throw, but it was little more than a shove. As I stumbled, I remembered the plan. My first thought was “to hell with the plan.” But before I could catch my balance, I realized I’d be a fool not to play along.

So I let myself fall, my head hitting the concrete floor hard enough to knock Paige’s chaos waves from my head. When I closed my eyes, though, they returned, washing over me, and I let them dull the fear, whet my senses.

Across the room, Paige’s cries had fallen to stifled whimpers. Jaz was talking to her, his voice low and soothing.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. “I need you, Paige. Think about it. You’re no good to me as a hostage if you aren’t healthy.”

I cracked open my eyes. Paige had her back to the far wall, pressed against it, Jaz holding her forearms, but standing far enough away not to spook her.

She’d gone still. Lulling him before she cast a spell? I thought about getting her attention, but if she looked my way, so would Jaz. Better for him to forget I was here…

I measured the distance to him. Could he see me from this angle? I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t risk it.

I needed to move fast and bring him down so Paige could cast her binding spell. As I drew my legs in, preparing to spring, Jaz crouched, pulling Paige lower until she was sitting on the floor.

“Okay, now you wait here. I’m going to check on Hope.”

I half closed my eyes. He started to turn. I quickly caught Paige’s attention and mouthed “cast!” Her brow furrowed.

Cast. Cast, damn you! Why aren’t you—?

He moved again and I shut my eyes, then cracked them open. He had his back to me. His hand was under his jacket. I saw that, and I knew.

I flew to my feet and ran at him. I saw the gun. An explosion of terror, almost knocking me off my feet. Beautiful terror. Sweet and pure chaos. So perfect…

He raised the gun.

No!

I clamped down on my lip and the burst of pain wrenched my thoughts free. I threw myself at Jaz. I hit him. The gun fired. And then, as we hit the floor, I felt it. A second chaos blast, this one so strong I blacked out.

The waves rocked me and that was all I could think about, all I could feel. And that was okay, because as long as I felt them everything was fine. Everything was—

The waves began to ebb. No! I clung to them, holding tight, but they were slipping away now, gentler, rolling over me, the edge of terror and pain gone, only the blissful aftermath remaining.