Silvie saw her move a split second before the weapon was in Miranda’s hand. She whipped a gun hidden in her loose slacks like a striking snake and leveled it at his head.

“Can the chosen one dodge bullets?” Miranda asked sweetly. “I don’t think so. No one moves, or he dies.”

A dull thumping beat at the air then swelled to a pounding that buffeted the night.

Miranda smiled. “We’re going to find out just how much power these books have. If Darsal was right, the world as we know it is about to change.”

A helicopter rose over the edge of the pool—how it had remained undetected or from where it had come, Silvie didn’t know, but she could see that Karas was dumbfounded.

Two warriors in black hung from either door, their weapons trained on Silvie and Karas. The flying beetle hovered ten feet from Miranda, who smiled gently.

“Do something, Silvie. Let me send at least one of you to join Darsal.” And Silvie knew she would at the slightest excuse.

Miranda walked to the table, scooped up all of the books except the one she’d brought, and stepped back, maintaining her sights on Johnis.

“You can keep that blue book; it’s worthless. Into the bird, baby.” She waved the gun at the helicopter. “Now!”

Silvie knew she had to do something. But it was all happening too quickly, and she half-expected Karas to stop the tramp! Silvie stood rooted to the ground, her mind blank. Johnis stared, pleading for her to save him.

“Teeleh’s lair,” he said.

Miranda lowered her gun a few inches and pulled the trigger. A projectile tugged at Johnis’s jeans, but he did not move, did not even flinch. Blood seeped from the superficial wound.

“Go on, Silvie,” Miranda sneered. “Go for one of those knives in your pocket. Move, Johnis, or I go higher.”

“Teeleh’s lair, Silvie,” he said. “Tell Karas every—”

“Silence!”

Johnis turned and walked to the helicopter.

Silvie took a step forward, her heart hammering, ready to throw herself at the woman backing to the bird.

“No, Silvie,” Karas said. “Not now.”

“No, Silvie,” Miranda cried over the slicing blades. “Not now, not ever.” She slid into the cabin, and the aircraft rose. It chopped higher into the night sky and faded into the darkness, leaving them speechless.

“We’ve lost the books,” Karas said.

Silvie whirled on the young girl who’d grown up overnight. “The books? You have all the power in the world, and you let this tramp into your house to take Johnis?”

“Easy . . .”

“How dare you?” she screamed, trembling from head to foot. “How dare you let them take him? He’s all I have!”

“Your emotions, Silvie.” Karas walked up to her. “Please, I’m sorry . . .”

Silvie felt her hand move before she could stop herself. Felt the sting of her palm as it struck the older girl’s cheek.