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The air continued to spiral around the demon By the time they reached the lake, there were only a handful of Synestryn left, and all of the around in the water in a futile effort to put out the sunlight flames

When the last demon fell beneath the water, Paul whispered, "Okay You can stop now"

Andra let out a long breath and her head fell liainst his shoulder "Air is heavy," she panted

Paul grinned and kissed her tereat"

"Get the wounded inside," bellowed Angus

Joseph was yards away, but his deep voice rang out, easy to hear "Sanguinar are setting up cots in the dining hall Anyto see how the Synestryn got in"

Fortunately, there were only a handful of injured an had a nasty cut across his brow, but he wiped away the blood and lined up near Joseph

Paul told Andra, "I’ you back inside so you can rest for a few minutes"

"Are you sure you don’t needHe set Gilda down and slid it out of his ruy face twisted with a snarl "Is there any sign of where they took her?"

"No," said Gilda, her black eyes going ith shock

Angus laid his hand on her head, offering co to live?" he asked in a thick, barely controlled voice "Do what you can We’re on our way"

"What is it?" asked Paul

Gilda pushed herself to her feet and tried to run toward the building She ave out and she fell

Angus hurried to her side and helped her up She fought against hiht "It’s too late," he told her "You’re too weak to do anything right now"

Gilda stopped fighting and clung to her husband Gilda’s shoulders shook with silent sobs Paul had never seen her cry before, and soht She’d always been so strong and stoic, no us cradled her in his ar He looked ready to kill

"What’s happened?" asked Paul

Angus’s eyes closed in re "The fight was just a distraction They got what they really wanted"

"What?"

"Sibyl"

It took Paul a us bit out "And there’s no sign of where they’ve taken her" Paul thought he saw a sheen of tears in the older an smelled Cain’s blood and found him half-dead He said there was no scent trail to follow"

Even if there had been one, it probably would have burned off at sunrise "Was there anything left behind? Did Cain draw blood from one of them?"

"No None"

"We have to find her," said Gilda Her voice was high and desperate against Angus’s shoulder She looked up at hi down her sue memory of a rumor Paul had once heard tickled his mind, but he couldn’t remember what it was

"We’ll find her, love" It was a vow, and Paul felt the power of it cous in waves

"How?" demanded Gilda "The same e found Maura?"

Maura? He’d heard that name before when he was a child, but couldn’t recall who she was

Angus’s body tightened like he’d been punched in the gut "That won’t happen again"

Joseph had apparently seen the co on?" he asked

"Sibyl was taken during the fight," said Paul to save Angus froht now We’ll find her before sunset"

"There’s no trail," said Angus

"Says who?" de of all hope His shoulders drooped a little oing to be able to hold out as leader of their people

Andra had been silently watching this exchange, keeping her focus on Gilda and Angus She pushed against Paul, signaling she wanted to stand on her own Grudgingly, Paul put her down, but he kept her body tight against his side