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Raider had his scimitar in hand, but he was swaying badly. Seth was already lunging for him as he collapsed. He caught Raider under the arms and hauled him back—just as a long, red, forked tongue flicked into the passageway.
Through the narrow opening, Seth glimpsed glossy black scales forming a lipless mouth.
Seth dragged Raider up the rough slope away from that seeking tongue.
The tongue withdrew. The arcane lamp offered a glimpse of the snake’s moving body—then it slammed its head against the opening again. Rock broke from the ceiling, crashing down to block the hole.
Seth scrambled back, pulling Raider farther away from the falling rock, dragging him up the rough slope. When he reached a flat area, he stopped, listening for the snake, but all he could hear was the sandstorm raging outside. The passageway, thank the gods, was not a dead end. Farther up, it opened to the desert. Dust filtered down the slope from that outlet.
Seth unhooked the lamp from his belt and held it over Raider. His skin was pale, his eyelids fluttering. He was trying to stay conscious, but he was losing that battle. The quicksilver had retracted from his left arm. Seth flicked Raider’s kaftan open, hunting for injuries. He found none on his torso, but his right pant leg was soaked with blood.
Shit.
Seth set the lamp aside. At the bloody tear, Seth ripped the cloth further, exposing a slash across Raider’s thigh—and traces of a clear fluid that Seth had a very bad feeling was venom.
CHAPTER 25
RAIDER WOKE TO PAIN. Someone was cutting him.
Someone was always cutting him. Taking him apart. Putting him back together.
He snarled and wrenched away. The cutter held him down. Raider struck out with a fist, and the cutter fell back.
They had forgotten to strap him down. He was free! He made it only a few inches off the table before they pinned him down again.
A scalpel loomed out of the darkness. The blade glinted as it descended with cool detachment: smooth, fluid, unhurried.
Please, Raider begged, straining against the hold. Don’t.
“Stop fighting. It’s all right. I’m trying to help you.”
Arcane light limned a face, but not the one Raider expected. This face was broad and strong and handsome. The expression was intense, the green eyes burning under lowered brows.
Help me, Raider said, or tried to.
But Seth didn’t reply. Seth was gone. Everything was gone.
***
Raider lifted his head off the table—and screamed.
He had been cut open. His skin had been peeled back to lay bare every muscle and tendon and bone. Silvery liquid shimmered, branching through the raw interior of his body like a network of pearlescent veins.
He screamed and screamed and screamed until he was released, mercifully, into the dark.
***
Time passed, maybe.
Raider swam up into a lighter darkness. He hovered there, shivering, cold.
So cold.
Weight pressed down on him, draped him. Something tucked around him.
“It’s all right,” someone said. “It will pass.”
Raider opened his eyes to a vast darkness. A sound of fear escaped him.
