I followed his gaze and noticed both brothers paled, and Noble grimaced.
The evil mage nodded. “And I’m cashing in now. For my first favor, I want my sister, Kalama, released from her lifelong servitude to the crown.”
I nearly choked on my own spit. “Kalama is yoursister?”
Rage sucked in a deep breath but stayed silent.
Surlama slowed the rubbing of her hands, and the green light started to fade. Another howl rose into the air, this one closer. Leaning forward, Surlama asked, “Do we have a deal?”
Ah, hello, rock. Meet hard place. It sucked to be Rage right now.
“Fine,” he growled. “Just get us to the Realm of the Dead!”
Dark shadows danced under the skin of Surlama’s face, and she shook her head. “I told you. Only the girl can go.”
Rage flicked his gaze to Noble and Justice, and they each nodded at him. Could they speak into each others’ minds? Had Rage just spoken to them?
“Nai?” Rage ducked down to look me in the eye.
I swallowed hard but nodded. “I’ll be fine. I can do this.”
I think. Hopefully. I was 50/50 on it really, but a glass-half-full had to be good enough right now.
“Fine,” he said to Surlama. “We have a deal.”
Huh. I figured he’d put up more of a fight about going with me, but I shook the thought from my head and faced Surlama. Honor was dead; every minute mattered.
The light flared green in her palms once again and then she raised her gaze to the entrance as a ghostly apparition of an old man walked into the garden. I yelped and jumped backward, knocking into Rage.
“Right on time,” Surlama purred.
At the same time, I muttered an apology to my mate, who was staring at me like I was crazy.
Rage grasped my arms to steady me. “What’s wrong?”
“Uh … there’s a … ghost.” I pointed at the spirit, my hand shaking. Pretty sure the boys didn’t know what my new “gifts” entailed.
“Over here.” Surlama waved to the ghostly man, and he floated toward her.
“You can see him too?” I asked the dark mage. “Do you have spirit magic?”
“I see all manner of things between worlds,” she replied cryptically. She produced her knife again and held out her hand to me. “Now, I need your blood. Just a drop.”
“No,” Rage growled.
I waved my hand toward the tent rooms. “You have a ton of it here already, use some of that.”
She shook her head. “It’s more powerful fresh and freely given.”
The ghost started to shake, his whole body quaking.
“We’re going to lose the chance to open a portal if you delay,” she shouted. “Give me your hand!”
Frick.
I gave her my pointer finger. “Fine. Just get me to Honor.”
She grabbed my finger and pricked it, squeezing a single drop of blood onto the tip of her knife, and then released my hand.
