Eventually, I was the last in line. Or so I thought. Footsteps splashed behind me, and I turned to ask for help as the girl had grown too heavy for me. And just when I’d thought we’d avoided Jael, there she stood, wearing a penitent’s robe and holding a sword. Her fury pressed on me like a wet blanket. Or was that her magic? This wasn’t going to end well.

“Side tunnel, now,” Jael ordered, indicating a left branch.

I headed into the tunnel, walking until the light dimmed.

“Keep going,” Jael said.

I pushed deeper into the darkness until ordered to stop.

“Put the girl down.”

Setting the girl on the ground, I knelt next to her. Her breath rasped in painful gulps. There was just enough light to see fresh blood had soaked her robe.

I turned to Jael. “I need to heal her.”

“No you don’t.” Jael stepped closer. “You need to stop interfering, to stop ruining all my plans. To just stop!”

“How did I—”

“These women were mine. I planned to rescue them and use them for my new army and you...you...” She sputtered with rage. “You. Need. To. Stop.”

I braced for Jael to suck my breath from my lungs or use the air to smash me against the stone walls. But she ran straight at me. I jerked in surprise right before the blade of her sword pierced my chest just below my right breast.

Pain exploded as my ribs broke. Air whooshed from my right lung. After she yanked the blade out, I collapsed to my knees, sucking in air laced with tiny needles. Fire burned around my heart. I keeled over on my left side.

Jael leaned over me. “That should stop you.”

And this time, I agreed with her.

Kerrick

KERRICK

Kerrick had to keep the smugglers from entering the aqueducts. Concentrating, he encouraged the bushes to thicken around the five smugglers’ legs, impeding their forward motion so the vines had time to wind around their ankles. Because it was the middle of autumn, he needed to use his magic to spur the sluggish vegetation.

“What the...” Jack swore.

“The vines!” Princess dropped her barrel and yanked her sword out.

Kerrick increased his efforts, hoping to trap them before they could cut the vines.

“Just calm down,” Sylas said.

But his companions ignored him. Dumping the barrels, they thrashed and swung their swords.

“Death Lily,” the third man cried out. “Has to be—”

“Not possible,” Sylas said.

“You lying sack of— Eep.” A vine twisted around the other lady’s sword arm.

They fought and struggled, but the vines soon ensnared them. While they accused and blamed each other for their predicament, Kerrick leaned against a tree, panting from the exertion.

What now?

He listed his options. One—keep them immobilized until Avry arrived. It’d work for a day, maybe two, but after that it would be cruel.