“Let me see,” she said after a reproachful tut at Cade’s silence. “You’ve already discovered the bomb after all, so it will cost you less. But … well … what good is it to you, Cade? I say this as your greatest supporter, you understand.”

Cade let out a bitter laugh, hoping it would mask the sudden increase in his heart rate. “I’d say the greatest weapon known to man is worth something.”

Abaddon pouted and took a ghostly seat atop the lap of the nearest mummy. “Well, it’s not much good if you can’t set it off remotely. I thought you were smarter than this, Cade.”

The girl’s voice was sweet, but it belied an air of suspicion beneath the surface.

“I thought maybe we could put it on top of a pyre of wood, light a fuse, and run for it,” Cade said, shrugging. “But I didn’t plan on using it in an attack. Only in defense.”

“Oh?” Abaddon asked.

“Let’s say some alien race attacks us and we’re down to the last man. The keep is about to be taken over. So we set off the nuke and blow everything to hell. Any enemies would be wiped out along with us. Call it a deterrent.”

The little girl clapped her hands and giggled. “Oh, very clever. But wrong. Very wrong. These bombs are not set off by fire and are not live unless a complex series of triggers are set off electronically. Lucky for you, I am willing to provide you with a remote detonator. One with a timer. For a price.”

Cade knew he did not need the timer. Knew he would set off the bomb while he was standing right next to it, using the Gray’s toy. But Abaddon didn’t know that. Logically, he needed to barter for this detonator.

“What’s your price?” Cade asked.

“Well, you find yourself in quite a predicament,” Abaddon said, gesturing behind him. “Slavers, dinosaurs, and mummies, oh my!”

Cade shrugged. “I have my gun,” he said, brandishing the pistol. “And a plan.”

The little girl rolled her eyes as Cade laid the gun beside him. “I’ll make you an offer,” she said. “All the treasures in the tomb for the plane and its bomb, the remote detonator, and instant teleportation for your soldiers and anything they can carry back to the keep. I need you there soon anyway for the next round.”

“Done,” Cade said.

Abaddon wagged a pudgy finger. “Not so fast!” she said. “This deal requires all the treasure to be left in one place. Every gem, every coin, every trinket. Bring it all here, to this room.”

Cade thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Okay,” he said. “Deal.”

Abaddon’s avatar receded into the gloom.

“Be quick, Cade,” the girl whispered. “And … good luck with that.”

She pointed, and Cade spun.

And saw the pistol, aimed at his face.

CHAPTER

50

“What are you doing, Atticus?” Cade whispered.

The man held the gun awkwardly, with one hand on the grip, the other slotting its fingers into the trigger guard. But it was pointed right at Cade.