“Almost sundown,” Al said from the darkness, his voice eager. “A few moments and I’ll be free. You were a fool thinking you could pin me in the ever-after by taking my summoning name. No one has ever gotten past that bitch of a statue. No one ever will.”

Sundown. He seemed pretty sure someone would summon him out. When they didn’t, he was going to be royally ticked, and I scooted back even farther.

A quiver in the middle of my chi started. I froze, my hand to my lower gut. I’d never felt anything like this hollow ache before. And it was growing worse. “I don’t feel so good,” I whispered to Trent, but it wasn’t like he cared.

Al made a harsh bark of laughter. “You shouldn’t have drunk that water. It had been exposed to the sun.”

“I’m fine,” Trent said, his soft voice darker than the warm air that surrounded us.

“You’re an elf,” Al said with disdain. “Elves are little more than animals. They can eat anything.”

I groaned, pressing a hand to my stomach. “No,” I said breathily, looking downward. “I really don’t feel good.” Oh, God. I’m going to spew in front of Trent.

But every muscle in my body shook as a sneeze ripped through me instead.

Minias? I thought as I wiped an arm under my nose. But there was nothing in my mind but my own thoughts.

“Bless you,” Trent said sarcastically.

I sneezed again, and the ache in my middle grew. My eyes widened and I flung a hand out to smack against the floor for balance. I felt like I was falling. My insides were falling. Panicking, I reached out to grip Trent. “Something’s wrong,” I rasped. “Trent, something’s really wrong. Are we falling? Tell me you feel like you’re falling.” I was going to throw up. That’s all there was to it.

From across the unseen hall came a roar of anger. “Damned mother of us all!” Al swore, then he swore again as he hit his head, by the sound of it. “You little whore! You stinking ashed little whore! Come here. Come here where I can reach you!”

Struggling to focus on nothing, I shrank from the sound of him hitting the bars and his fingers scrabbling for me. Every move I made seemed to be made a moment after I willed it, the neurons not firing as fast as they should.

“How did you get past the statue!” Al raged, his voice hurting my ears. “It’s not possible!”

“What’s wrong with me…,” I panted, and Trent made an ugly noise, trying to get my grip off his arm.

“You’re being summoned out, you little bitch,” Al spat. “You’ve got my summoning name. And it’s being used. How did you get my name! You’ve been unconscious all day!”