Page 18 (2/2)

"Have you accessed any of the ancient knowledge?" he asked, but she didn’t answer "Ariana?" He tried to lift her into his arht fast by an invisible force

Another bolt flashed and Kougar spun, Ariana tucked within the curve of his body Whatever held her to that pool allowed him to turn her, but not rehs

Goddaht the next one across his left shoulder The fourth tore through the back of his skull He could barely think, barely breathe His entire existence, his purpose for living, narrowed down to one thing--keeping the bolts fro the woman in his arms

How many attacked him, he didn’t know Time ceased to exist He was so dazed with pain that he didn’t realize the attack was over until Ariana collapsed, nearly falling to her knees before he caught her

With a wary, cautious breath, he swung her up into his arms, then leaped clear of the pool before another bolt could flay theet her the hell out of there It occurred to him that he had no idea if she’d learned what she needed to know

But at that moment, Ariana’s safety was his only concern

Chapter Twelve

Ariana rose to consciousness slowly, disoriented, her body ablaze with pain Kougar’s farounded her, dispersing her fear, and she sank against the warmth of his chest as she tried to re upward Cli stairs Twisty, spiral stairs

The te in his ar herself up with a blast of pain "Kougar, no! I can’t leave It’s not done I’ve learned nothing"

"It attacked you"

"Morwun deo back"

But he wasn’t listening, and her strength had never been a match for his Especially now She hurt, as if every cell in her body had been lit on fire Her head, too heavy to hold up, fell against the side of his neck as he took the stairs at a fast cli to prickle in the way they did when the darkness inside her grew hungry

In her dazed mind, small memories popped forth like warm puffs of air The metallic smell of her oarm blood as she cut her wrists to paint her body for ritual The pleas and screaers around the traitor’s heart and pulled it from her chest The sweet pleasure of release as she rode a nize Because the memories weren’t hers, but those of the queens who’d coht prove to be of some help if she could h the warded door and into the upper of the queen’s chaht and airy compared to the one below Melisande stood where Ariana had left her, ankle deep in the floor, while Jag fought back would-be invaders at the base of the upper stair, his bare back gleaar’s arhtened around her "They followed us down here"

"I can seal the door" How she knew that, she wasn’t sure, but she began to whisper the ancient chant that ca and his opponents

The Feral sprang back in the nick of tiony filtered through the wall as his hand, sticking out through the solid stone, dropped its useless knife to clatter on the floor below

Jag whirled, his expression fierce until it landed on her "Did you do that? How about a little warning next ti, but wasn’t that our only way out?"

"You’ve acquired neledge," Kougar ainst her te his words He pulled back, and she h Not all"

"You don’t know that"

"Yes I do I have to go back"

The air felt queer, alar’s neck, exciteic that trapped Melisande" Closing her eyes, she let the knowledge flow into her "It will trap any Ilina turning froar’s gaze "Which is why it didn’t trap ic before Now I can I can block it" Softly, she began to sing one of the Ilina songs of enchantic in the chaeness leave the air "It’s done"

"Fail" Jag nodded toward Melisande "Peter Pan there is still trapped like an ex-Mafia boss in ce at her feet Wrapping one large hand around her ankle, he gave a sht fast" He looked up at the mist warrior, whose complexion had turned pasty white "Are you sure your feet are still in there?"

Melisande scowled "They’re in there And theyou in the balls"

"Yeah, yeah, that’s what all the girls say"

"I don’t have the knowledge to free you, Mel, but no one else should get caught If I co htened his hold on her "He’s right"

Melisande’s gaze shot to Ariana’s "You can’t let thehed "Call Getrill, Melisande You’re a lot aze, fear written all over her face She was afraid Ariana was mistaken, that Getrill, too, would become trapped Ariana could see that truth in her eyes, even if she didn’t say the words out loud

"Call her, Mel"

Melisande frowned but did as she asked, and a moment later the freckled Getrill safely foraze took in Melisande’s entrapment and Ariana’s weakness, her face turned hard, her hand going to her sword

Ariana raised a hand, reading her thoughts all too well "The Mage set the trap, Getrill The Ferals protect us"

Theback to Feral House--"

"No" Kougar interrupted her "Jag won’t be of any use by the tiets back here" He turned to Getrill "Knock on the back door of Feral House and tell Lyon I need a pickax and a sledgeha to Ariana, who nodded in agreement The Ilina turned to le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>