small green fruit starting to emerge from dense branches. I crossed the seating area and went to the next section of the house, where two long, wooden tables took up most of the kitchen. Instead of chairs, benches had been put in place for seating. One table displayed framed pictures of groups of people with garlands around them. I sat down on a bench at the other table and took off the shoulder bag. I stared across the gulf at the smiling faces in the pictures. Most of those wizards were now gone.
I touched my neck. I no longer wore the amulet. Matt insisted that I take it off and I conceded. I reached for the fabric bag and unbuttoned it, drawing out a wadded handkerchief. Matt had wrapped the Dragon’s Eye carefully after we’d left the rooftop. I set the wad on the table. I peeled off the cloth, being careful not to touch the chain or the gemstone. A simple touch would link me back to Vane.
I was surprised I could take off the necklace. Thankfully, Matt had removed the spell that locked it on me while we were in Athens. He never put it back. Biting the inside of my cheek, I debated what I was about to do. I took a breath. I had no idea where I was. It was as safe as it was going to get. I picked up the necklace and put it on. My body sighed with satisfaction as soon as the gemstone touched my skin. Something about it sent a visceral sigh through me.
Immediately, the gemstone heated. I gasped the intensity of the burn and clutched my forehead. Images flashed through my mind.
I was standing on a narrow ledge, surrounded by green hills and brown rock. Beside me, a waterfall cascaded from a rock outcropping overhead. The waterfall continued past the ledge and down into a small pool about fifty feet below. From my vantage point, the pool didn’t look deep enough for diving. Matt walked into the waterfall. With his palms, he felt along the damp earth of the hill. All of a sudden, a blast of water shot out from the rock, like a horizontal geyser. It tossed him into the air and straight across the ledge. I dove after him, but it was too late. Matt went over the side of the ledge.
Panting, my eyes snapped open. Vane was seeing a vision.
“Yes, DuLac, figure that out all by yourself?” Vane’s voice pounded in my head. He sounded out-of-breath and tired. “I told you it would work.”
“Blake is gone, Vane.”
“Yes.”
“He was your friend!”
“Emerson always wanted to be the hero, DuLac. We no longer have the luxury of heroes.” The words were merciless, but I sensed a trace of regret in his tone. His next words confirmed it. “It was not planned, Ryan.”
In the kitchen, I took a relieved breath at the small hint of the real Vane, hoping it meant he fought against the monster. I pushed for more. “How can you be working with Oliver?”
“I agree that was ill-conceived on my part.”
Ill-conceived. What a massive understatement. But it was also a concession. It wasn’t enough. I couldn’t let him dismiss Blake as if he meant nothing. “Vane—”
Vane interrupted, “Emerson—Blake, that is. He…”
Vane stopped as if he couldn’t actually verbalize his thoughts. Yet I could sense the chaos of emotions swirling inside him. In the kitchen, my fingers tightened on the amulet and I dared to have hope.
Vane read the thought. His voice hardened, “Emerson was one of the first, Ryan, and he won’t be the last, unless you stop resisting me.”
A harsh bark of laughter escaped me. “So this was my fault?”
“No.” There was a pause. “This is but merely a taste of what’s coming. We need to figure out what that is.”
“Is that how you justify attacking us?”
Vane made an impatient noise. “I’m not justifying. I’m explaining.”
I pictured the green eyes of the monster. So far, I’d adamantly held onto the belief that I could defeat it. After today, my faith was shaken. “So, this is how it’s going to be?”
“We don’t have to be on different sides.”
“You can’t have it both ways, Vane. I won’t let you do this again.”
“You won’t be able to stop me.”
I closed my eyes. “I will find a way.”
He sighed. “Then you’ll destroy this world. My brother was very clever to use Excalibur against me, but only the sword-bearer may wield it properly. You’ll have to do better, if you