And none of them had green eyes, but they did have one thing in common. Terror.
Tristan stopped in the center of the room.
The three men started shouting for him to free them.
Kizira appeared out of thin air, floating inches above the stone slab. Flames shot up in front of the stone, then spread out until it formed a wide moat of fire surrounding her.
Evalle suffered her first real doubts about escaping the Maze of Death alive.
The Medb priestess waved a hand at the three men, silencing them and setting the bar for her witch powers.
Tristan addressed Kizira. “I’m here. Release the Alterantsandmy sister.”
“Nice to see you again, Tristan. I missed you.” Kizira had a debutante’s voice that scraped across Evalle’s nerves.
“Can’t say the feeling’s mutual, Kizira. Where’s my sister if you want to deal?”
“Our last bargain did not end successfully. You still owe me for that one.”
Evalle fingered her dagger at the sour note in Kizira’s accusation. That priestess had tried to use Tristan a week ago in a fanatical plan to kill all the Beladors.
The scary part was that it had almost worked.
But Kizira had abandoned the Kujoo and Tristan the minute things had gotten dicey.
Tristan countered, “I fulfilled my part of the agreement and got shipped back to South America when you disappeared on us. The failure was not on my end. Release these Alterants and I’ll come to you willingly. You don’t want to cross me.”
The pale blue robe and hood gave Kizira a saintly look, but any sweet image ended there. She had the heart of a snake, too small to be anything but deadly. “I agreed to exchange these three Rías for you. Your sister’s not part of that deal.”
Evalle cocked her head.Rías?What did she mean by that distinction?
Tristan replied, “Thenmakeit part of this deal. My sister is of no use now that I’m here.”
“But I want something else in trade for her.”
“I have nothing else to offer you but me,” Tristan said as though it was obvious.
Kizira laughed, a tinkling sound of delight. “Oh, that’s not true. You have something lurking nearby that I want as much as you want your sister.”
“What?”
“Evalle Kincaid.”
TWENTY-NINE
Evalle froze.Kizira wants to trade Tristan’s sister for me? Is Kizira bluffing about knowing I’m here?
Tristan hadn’t given Kizira an answer yet.
He might be willing to exchange his life for those other three Alterants, but he had no reason to risk anyone to save Evalle.
Especially not his sister.
Kizira called to Tristan, “I have made you a fair offer, Tristan. Evalle for your sister.”
He said, “Show me my sister.” Then he came into Evalle’s mind.I can only shield my mind from Kizira and talk to you at the same time for seconds. If I can get my hands on my sister, you take her and find your way back to the subway wall. When you run late, Storm will figure a way to get someone to you.
Evalle blinked. He wasn’t throwing her to the Medb?
