the table. The table crashed to the floor, sending the gateway book sailing across the room to land at Conemar’s feet.
Arik exchanged blows with an Esteril Sentinel who flanked Conemar on his right. Lei came out of nowhere and swung her foot at Conemar. Her boot connected with his chin and he stumbled back.
Kale shot his stun globe at Conemar, but he threw up a shield to block it. The globe backfired and hit Kale, and he fell motionless to the floor. Jaran tossed his water globe, and the mini tsunami knocked Conemar to the floor.
“Give me the book,” Bastien said.
I handed it to him and he flipped through the pages.
“What are you trying to find?” My arm burned under the strain of holding the globe.
“A spell to contain him,” he answered. “Keep him busy.”
“Trust me. He’s busy,” I said, watching Conemar slip and fall before he got back on his feet. He wiped the water from his face and regained his stance.
Nick put his hand on my shoulder. “Remove the globe and we can hit him back with power.”
“No.”
“You have to release Kale from the stun before he stops breathing,” Bastien said.
Kale’s motionless body lay on the floor. I didn’t want to mess up with him again. I almost killed him the last time. This time, I could save him.
I let the globe recede until it was a small sphere in my hand and pitched it at him. The globe spread across him and he took in several deep breaths. Kale staggered to his feet and dived behind a table that was teetering on its side.
Swaying on my weak legs, I yanked out a wafer and shoved it into my mouth. It tasted like earth, but the result was like drinking three energy drinks. I instantly felt better.
Both Nick and Bastien shot a stream of energy at Conemar.
An electric ball swirled between Conemar’s hands. Bright blue and red light reflected in his evil obsidian eyes. I threw up another shield around Nick, Bastien, and myself at the same time Conemar shot the electric ball. The charge bounced off my globe and blew up a nearby bookcase. Splinters and books showered the pink sphere.
Conemar spotted Afton struggling to get to her feet, and in an instant, he was beside her, pulling her up by her arm. Afton screamed. He wrapped his arms around her, removed a dagger from his belt, and placed the point to her throat. No!
She froze in his grasp, her eyes wide.
“Here now, see what I’ve caught,” Conemar said, eyeing me. “Tell your Sentinels to back away.”
Nick pushed against my globe.
“Get me out of this thing.” Nick shoved the globe harder. “Let her go!”
Conemar looked at the book of libraries on the table.
“Get him!” I screamed. “He’s going to jump with her!”
I dropped the globe and Nick sprinted toward Conemar and Afton.
Arik tackled Conemar just as he was saying the key to jump through the book with Afton. The three of them fell into the book and disappeared into the open pages. The book flew up, landed on the floor, and slammed shut.
“Afton!” I yelled, sloshing through water to the book. I flipped through the dampened pages. “Help me! We have to find them.”
Bastien, who was clinging to the ancient charm book, slid to my side. We searched each picture in the gateway book. We didn’t find Afton, Arik, or Conemar within the photographs. With each flip of the page, my heart sank. Finally, at the back of the book, we spotted Conemar dragging Afton across the great hall of the library in Mafra, Portugal. But where is Arik?
Without thinking, I spoke the key and jumped into the photo. Bastien grabbed my leg and was towed in with me. We flew fast through the dark hole until it deposited us onto a marble floor. He landed on top of me and we tumbled across the floor together. We lay in a heap—legs and arms tangled. The book of charms Bastien held dug into my back.
We had landed in a rotunda that joined two great halls on either side of us. An elaborate cupola stretched overhead. About a dozen windows lined each of the long halls, the moon casting light on the white and gold arches. Each hall was the length of a football field but half the width, and their ceilings were extraordinarily high. There was no movement in either hall.
Bastien rolled off me and onto his knees. “Can you get up?” he asked.
“I think so.” I