‘Stop!’ Gadreel roared as he saw the building crumble. ‘She has the key – we need it undamaged!’ A warrior at the altar passed on his urgent command through the speaking crystal. He stared down through the window, looking for movement. The city was like nothing he had ever seen before, filled with colossal towers and enormous roads, but bizarrely, it seemed deserted. Where had the woman – Wilde, his new servant had reminded him – gone? She could not have got far . . .

Sidona had turned her attention to the machine at the central altar. She clicked her fingers to summon Zan. ‘What is this?’

‘It – it is called a qi tracker,’ the Chinese told her. ‘It shows us the lines of energy flowing through the world.’ He seemed about to say more, but hesitated.

‘And what else?’ Sidona demanded. ‘Speak! If you are of no use to me, I will have you cast down to the ground!’

Zan looked at the floor. ‘It is . . . a weapon,’ he mumbled.

Gadreel snapped around. ‘A weapon? Why did you not tell me before?’

‘I . . . It is a secret. I would be betraying my people . . .’

‘You have already done that,’ the Nephilim leader growled. He ordered his men to keep watch, then strode to the translator. ‘How does it work – and what can it do?’

‘It can send a surge of energy to any point in the world, and destroy whatever is there,’ said Zan uncomfortably under the couple’s intense gazes. ‘But it has never been tried. We did not have anyone who could channel the energy. Wilde can, but she is not one of us. She is from an enemy tribe.’ There was no direct translation for country. ‘And we did not have any undamaged crystals.’

Husband and wife exchanged calculating looks. ‘Now you have both,’ Sidona told him coldly.

‘Then it is time to test your weapon,’ said Gadreel. ‘You need an undamaged crystal? The entire heart of this fortress is a crystal!’ He pointed to the mausoleum stairs. ‘Do what you must to make it work.’ A small smile at his wife. ‘Sidona is the most powerful priestess of the Nephilim. She will channel the energy for you.’ His expression became more predatory. ‘And send it to a worthwhile target.’

‘Ah . . . yes, yes,’ Zan stammered. ‘I will do all I can.’

‘Good,’ said Sidona. ‘Then bring it.’

The translator looked in dismay at the heavy machine, then strained to pick it up. Sidona led the way to the stairs, Zan waddling after her.

‘My lord!’ called one of the warriors. ‘There is a beast down there!’

Gadreel hurried to the window. At first he saw nothing but trees and strange buildings – then he glimpsed movement below the foliage. ‘Did you see it?’

‘Yes. A female.’

‘What colour was her hair?’

‘Red.’