Crow slammed into his mind again. And again and again.

“Come on, I can’t fight three on one like this,” Han said. “Do you want to get me killed?” He screamed as one of Micah’s fiery blasts grazed him, setting his clothes aflame. Frantically, Han beat at his clothing, then with a gesture, turned the street under Micah and Fiona into a mudpot. They sank to their waists.

“Kill them, Alister,” Crow whispered in his ear. “Or they’ll kill you.”

“Kill them yourself, you sponging goat-swiving huff,” Han said, putting up a shield to hold off a series of small tornados embedded with shards of glass. “I’m not going to fight your battles for you.”

Why didn’t Crow kill them himself? He knew more magic than the three of them combined. Surely he could come up with a death charm the Bayars couldn’t counter. His flaming attacks seemed to go right through Micah’s defenses, but every blow had missed or been deflected or somehow not connected. Han, Micah, and Fiona were doing more damage to each other than Crow had done to anyone.

A suspicion kindled in Han’s mind.

Crow changed strategy. As Micah and Fiona struggled their way out of the ooze, Micah staggered backward as if struck, his eyes widening in surprise. He stood stock-still for a long moment. Then, gripping his amulet, he turned and extended his hand toward Fiona.

“Micah?” Fiona blinked at him. “What are you…?”

“Fiona! Look out!” Han shouted, pushing Fiona to the ground as Micah launched his charm and flame roared over their heads.

“Micah!” Fiona screamed, rolling to her feet. “What are you doing?”

Micah’s next shot blistered Fiona’s arm before she could leap aside.

While Micah focused on burning his sister to a cinder, Han tackled him around the waist, sending them both flying face-first into the mud. “Run, Fiona!” Han shouted, spitting out mud. “Get out of here or he’ll kill you.”

“I’m not leaving my brother!” she screamed at him. “You’ll kill him!”

“This an’t your brother!” Han shouted back. “Can’t you tell? He’s possessed.” Han ripped Micah’s hands away from his amulet for the third time.

Fiona hesitated, her hand on her amulet, hand extended, unable to get a clear shot at Han without striking her brother.

“Kill me, and you’ll never get out of here,” Han shouted, exasperated.

Micah struggled and kicked, doing his best to rid himself of Han so he could hush his sister. But Micah had a lot to learn as a street fighter.

Han wasn’t sure how to evict Crow without killing Micah. But he had a theory.

Keeping a tight grip on Micah, he yanked off Micah’s amulet.

Crow materialized again as himself, mad as a cat in a downpour. Moments later his consciousness slammed into Han again. And failed again to penetrate.