And right then, he was holding a unicorn horn.

He had a sacred horn.

Oh, by the great goddesses, how had he gotten hold of a sacred unicorn horn?

They were forbidden in every realm!

“Ungag her, we will need her pain,” Nath ordered.

Another one came up behind her, and she twisted her head this way and that, not believing she wished to keep the gag, but now she had an inkling of what they were up to.

She would almost certainly not survive it.

But that wasn’t the only reason she had to fight it.

Using every ounce of strength she had left, she struggled, twisting her body, kicking out with her bound feet.

Another man had to come to assist, and another.

“Control her, hold her down, and take the gag!” Nath shouted.

She was too weak, she could not fight them physically.

She gave up and closed her eyes in order to attempt magic.

The gag was released.

Immediately, she was struck across the face, closed fist.

And again.

A third time.

She shook her head, blinking away the stars, and ended with her eyes open.

He was standing above her, a foot planted at each side, the horn raised.

“No,” she whispered.

He brought it down in a vicious stab.

“NO!” she shouted.

It pierced the flesh and her breastbone, driving through.

Agonizing pain scattered from wound throughout her frame as she screamed her anguish and glittering white sparks mixed with the amethyst hue of Melisse’s own magic shot high and wide, lighting the area all around, all the way to the dusk sky.

“Yes!” G’Nath bellowed.

Through the draining pain, Melisse heard hoots, hollers, cheers.

She turned her head and her agony magnified as she saw the rift form in the veil from where she lay. Its edges sizzled white hot as it rose from the earth where she lay and expanded.

Up.

“No,” she whispered.

Out.

“No,” she breathed, her lids drooping as a weakness so profound, she knew she had no hope to fight it pervaded.

Up and out, she watched a rough two-foot square of the veil open.

Then three.

Four.

Five.

Seven.

No.

And then…

Melisse blinked at what she saw beyond the disintegrating barrier.

“What—?” G’Nath started in shock.

The gap was ten feet square and expanding.

But beyond it, Melisse clearly saw Ophelia sitting her steed.

Behind her, at least five battalions of Nadirii warriors.

Her eyes drifting open and shut, Melisse’s lips curled just as Ophelia released the Nadirii yell.

It was echoed by five hundred Nadirii sisters.

And the call of the Sisterhood rent the air.

It was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard.

And then they rode.

Even fading, she noticed that, as the Nadirii attacked, charging through the rift into Wodell, pressing the Go’Doan collaborators back and into disarray at this surprise attack, the hooves of every sisters’ horse flew over her, not a single one striking.