“Abaddon,” Cade hissed.

The carnosaur let out a choked breath, scrabbling forward at the sight and sound of Cade. The tomb scraped once again.

Only now did he see the horns on its head, sticking out like those of a bull. He knew what it was now. A Carnotaurus.

“Where is the missing treasure?” he demanded.

The little girl’s voice tickled his ear, so quiet Cade barely heard it.

“Trade me,” she whispered. “Remnants for information.”

“What do you want?” Cade asked, stepping deeper into the chamber as the beast’s neck squeezed a few inches farther.

“Cantelo’s gun.”

Cade shook his head. He shouldn’t be bargaining, he knew. But that gun would keep his friends safe if he failed to find the treasure. They could use it to fight their way out of the tomb.

“You don’t want that,” Cade said as casually as he could. “You’ve been dying to see that in action. First machine gun ever? What a waste.”

The Codex twitched in the air.

By now, the carnosaur had eased its arms through the gap, and it clawed at the ground for purchase as it pushed deeper into the chamber.

T. rex–like in its form, it was monstrous in size. So large, it was struggling to fit through the hole the slavers had dug. But with every wriggle, rubble tumbled and shifted, and it eased in an inch more.

Cade considered shooting the creature there and then. But he did not want to waste a bullet.

“Have my blade and my armor,” Cade said. “Take the pistol too.”

“No deal,” Abaddon said, louder this time.

And with his words, the girl materialized, just in front of the Carnotaurus. She mimed patting it on its horned head, and the beast’s movements became more frantic as it snapped at the diminutive hologram’s hand.

“What else?” Cade demanded.

He lifted the gun, trembling. The beast became more agitated by his movement, its front claws scratching furrows into the stone.

“The next round,” the little girl replied, her voice raised to be heard over the snarling of the beast in front of her. “We start it. Within minutes of your return to the keep.”

Cade froze, calculating the odds. But he couldn’t think it through. What would it mean for his plan? There were too many unknowns.

“Are we attacking or defending?”

“Deal is on the table for ten seconds, Cade. That’s the only countdown you’re going to get. Hell, I might just start it immediately anyway.”

The dinosaur wriggled again, and Cade heard the rumble of rubble.

“Deal,” Cade snapped. “Where is the missing treasure?”

“Atahuallpa’s tomb.”

CHAPTER

55

Cade ran, snatching the torch up as he did so. He skirted around the snapping carnosaur, and his stomach twisted as he smelled the bloodied breath of the monster and its heavy, animal stench.

He rushed through the door to the Inca emperor’s tomb and almost ran into a wall. There were no steps down; rather it seemed the emperor had been buried within a crack inside a cave.