would have healed during her transformation. The dress’s bodice was torn, and its skirt was rucked up, revealing the length of her long, strong legs. Olwydd was smirking, his mouth stretched in a familiar vicious grin. A blue glow surrounded them, flowing from the circle of sigils on the ground.
Oh, God, it’s a nullification spell. It’s blocking her magic. She can’t shift. Conal’s fingers tightened on Darkbane as sickening fear knifed his belly. Remembering the grind of tearing pain and the troll’s laughter…
The jet engine roar of Essus’s power died, along with the eagle’s glow as he landed on Conal’s shoulder. “I’m going to kill that troll son of a whore,” Liam spat. “Catch me.”
Conal lifted his free hand, and Essus held out a talon, dropping the stiletto into his palm. The minute the knife touched his skin, power stabbed into his brain in a white-hot explosion of magical energy. The death deity’s voice filled his mind. We’ve got to get her back. Now.
Whatever it takes, Conal agreed.
Birk’s eyes widened and he jolted forward, lifting his sword. “Give me that weapon!”
“Oh do,” Liam purred. “By all means, hand me to him.”
“How long would it take you to make him blow his brains out?” Essus asked, as if only mildly interested.
“That weak fool? Fifteen seconds.”
“A Sidhe lord? Surely thirty.”
“Care to wager?”
Birk took a step back, paling. “Keep him, then. It doesn’t matter anyway -- you’ll never get past Siobhan’s shields without me.”
“You underestimate me,” Liam purred. Light flared as he shifted into the Desert Eagle. “Let me shoot him, Conal. I’m tired of listening to his teeth click.”
Conal lifted the pistol, aimed him between Birk’s eyes, and smiled darkly. “It’s a thought.”
“That wouldn’t be wise at all,” Birk said quickly. “Your wolf and Olwydd are inside a null circle. She’s at his mercy.” He laughed, though the sound was less smug than nervous. “I do believe you know exactly what that’s like. I understand you had quite a night together once. He remembers you fondly.”
“Shut your treacherous mouth!” Essus roared in a voice Conal had never heard from him before. “Or I’ll shut it for you!”
“Only if you want to watch Olwydd crush her skull. Or worse.”
“That’s enough,” Conal managed, despite the need to kill howling in his brain. He owed this fucker. For Helena. For his sisters and himself. “I’ll come with you.”
Birk bent in an elaborate bow, gesturing toward the gate with a flourish. Conal raised both Darkbane and the Desert Eagle and stalked toward it. Don’t worry, boy. We’ll make the bastards pay.
Liam filled his mind in a ringing psychic presence that he would have ordinarily found chilling. Now it was a comfort. That’s a vow I’ll hold you to, gun god. He had to get Helena away from Siobhan, whatever it took. If that meant sharing his head with the God of Death, he’d do it. Hell, I’d be delighted.
Conal had always known it would come to this. Siobhan did not take defeat well, and he’d outmaneuvered her thirty years ago. She’d sworn to have her revenge -- and that was the only kind of promise the psychotic bitch kept.
Essus launched from his shoulder and immediately burst into flame, circling back behind Birk, who hastily stepped forward, almost treading on Conal’s heels as he entered the gate. Magic rolled over Conal in a great wave, feeling even more intense than his last visit to the Mageverse, years ago. Liam? Probably. He broke step, catching his balance against the psychic impact of all that magic. Essus winged past him to spiral around the throne room, trailing fire like a comet before darting upward to disappear among the baroque gilding that ringed the great dome ceiling.
Conal knew if he concentrated, he’d be able to see through the eagle’s eyes. It was a trick they’d used before. None of these bastards will be able to sneak up on you, Essus thought in satisfaction.
Then they saw Helena, and that moment of triumph vanished. She sat trapped in Olwydd’s lap as the huge fucker lounged on a wooden chair. The glowing hemisphere of the spell circle surrounded them in a cold blue light. Helena’s eyes met his through its alien shimmer, dark and desperate. The troll’s huge hand gripped her throat and jaw so hard, he doubted she could breathe. Olwydd had done that to Conal often enough, he knew exactly how it felt.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Lips tightening, Conal scanned the throne room, mentally pinpointing targets and searching for exists.
My God, it’s