Reality slammed home with a rush.
She sat up, her head spinning.
“Take a deep breath,” Kalin said.
She blinked and turned. The Kurjan sat on a stone floor, his hands behind his back. Oh. She’d been resting on his leg.
Brushing her hair from her face, she looked around the underground cavern where the peace talks had been held. Without all the occupants, the room seemed hollow and somehow dangerous. Unnatural. Right now, only she and Kalin occupied it.
“How did we get here?” she mumbled, not quite understanding.
“Helicopter and then lift. The demons blew the Realm headquarters to hell,” Kalin said without any inflection.
Panic jolted Janie wide awake. “Who survived?”
“I don’t know. Depends entirely on how well enforced the underground headquarters were.”
Zane. God, Zane. Janie rubbed her eyes. He’d been shot in the chest, and he’d been in a weakened condition. “And Zane?” she asked, her voice wavering.
Kalin swallowed. “I don’t know, but he didn’t look good. He never moved.”
Zane couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t. Janie bit back a sob and tried to focus on getting out of there. The walls seemed to waver around them. “What’s going on?” she asked.
Kalin sighed. “The quantum physics are failing, and the center fire went out.”
They’d all be incinerated. Panic threatened to choke her.
Janie rubbed her belly, which didn’t move. Was the baby all right? She tried to focus in on his essence, but fear inhibited her. She slowly stood. Four of the five exits had been barricaded with heavy rocks, and only one remained. Over to the right, the Prophesies of Arias spun eerily, bright flames dancing on the heavy leather cover.
The sheer sight of it sent chills coursing down her back.
“Yes. I suppose that is why we’re here,” Kalin said, shoving to his feet.
Janie turned and frowned. “I’m probably here for the book. Why are you here?”
Kalin shrugged. “I don’t know, unless Suri has a plan.”
Janie focused. “What’s your plan, Kalin?”
He pursed his lips. “Immediate plan or long term?”
“Both.”
“For the moment, I plan to listen to Suri. If he wanted me dead, I’d be dead, so he must have an offer. I’ll negotiate, maybe kill him, and then you and I will go to a secondary Kurjan headquarters.” He spoke calmly, as if already seeing the future.
Janie swallowed. “That’s quite an offer, but I think I’ll head home.” She turned to study the barricades, seeing rocks all the way back. It appeared as if the demons had filled the entire passageways, except for the one lift. “Looks like there’s only one way out.”
“Your home was destroyed,” Kalin said, wandering over to the now demolished entrance he’d used during the peace talks. “Time to let fate have her way.”
Janie shook her head, anger fighting with focus inside her head. “Fate can kiss my ass.”
Kalin chuckled, and kicked a smaller boulder out of his way. “That’ll be my job.”
Janie swallowed and turned to face him. “It’s not going to happen.”
“Sure it is. From day one, you were meant to be mine.” Kalin wedged his hip against a rock and shoved. “I don’t suppose you can unbind me?”
Janie glanced at the silver handcuffs. “Not without a key.”
