A flash of white light blinded me for a blink. Talons of ice wrapped around my throat and suddenly my feet left the snow as I floated inthe air.
Riyan’s eyes went wide. Helooked up.
“No!” Riyan yelled. He lunged forward but an invisible force held him at the neck. Riyan grabbed at his throat to fight off whatever held him back, but he failed to throw offthe power.
I grappled at my throat but felt nothing but my cold skin as I was pulled higher and higher in the air. As soon as I was at the height of Riyan’s head, I slowly spun around to find a pair of huge, glowing iceblue eyes.
I blinked as I struggled to breathe, taking in everything in front of me. Face as grey as a frozen lake. Snarling smile of sharp teeth. Scream of long, white hair. Necklace of bones over a tunic ofblackened hides.
Ganora. The Queen ofthe Giants.
Her voice was dark as the bottom of a well. “Look at this, another little sorceress.” She dangled me in the air with her invisible power, as if she were a cat playing witha mouse.
I gritted my teeth and channeled the magic of the diamond in my heart, but Ganora’s magic was so cold not even the hottest fire could dampen it. I kicked and thrashed in her grip as mylungs burned.
“Ganora!” Riyan choked as he struggled under her invisible hold. “Lether go!”
Ganora did not take her eyes off me. “Do you know what happens to little girls whobecome sorceresses?”
The icy talons tightened their hold on my throat. Tears leaked out of my eyes as I desperately sucked in bits of air throughmy teeth.
“Don’t hurt her!” Riyan cried.
Ganora’s glowing eyes snapped to Riyan. “Not so powerful now, are you? You took my giants—now I take somethingof yours.”
Her magic snapped my windpipe shut. My eyes widened as thestars danced.
“Please!” He begged through his gasps. “Anything you want, you can have it, just letSerafina go!”
The temperature plummeted as Ganora’s power ebbed around me—sizing me up, weighing my value. I clawed against the invisible talons around my throat, fighting with every glimmer of magic in my veins, but her power completelysmothered mine.
She smirked. “The biggest and strongest man alive is offering me anything I want for the little sorceress?How interesting…”
“Anything,”Riyan pleaded.
Ganora chuckled low in her throat. “I want you, Riyan Bloodstone. Dropyour sword.”
Endre’s Revenge hit the snow with a quiet thud. A second thud—Riyan had fallen tohis knees.
My head buzzed and the corners of my visionwent black.
“You can have me.” His voice broke but his throat was unobstructed. He was free from Ganora’s force. “Justspare her.”
My head lolled forward as the worldwent dark.
“Your life for hers?” Ganora crooned in delight. “It’sa deal.”
The talons released me. Air rushed into my mouth and filled my chest. My cape fluttered around me as I plummeted to the ground. My face hit the cold powder, but I only barely noticed the cold prickling my cheek as I struggledto breathe.
Riyan’s strong hands helped me to my feet. My legs were weak and trembling as he heldme up.
“I’m so sorry, Sera,” he said softly. Tears trickled from his eyes. “I was supposed to keep yousafe and…”
My hands trembled but my throat stayed frozen. I tried to fight back, but the magic in my blood dampened. Somehow, the power the Man of the Mountain had given me could not stop Riyan and Ganora’s agreement.
As if nothing could sever the bond Riyan had just made. His lifefor mine.
Even if no one could change what was about to happen, I still wantedto scream—no.
