Edan still wouldn’t lower his weapon.
Vachir’s blade pressed deeper into my skin, and I squeezed my eyes shut.This is not how I die—my throat slit by a Balardan!
My fingers slid slowly toward my sash, clasping my scissors.
Behind me, Vachir’s body tensed. He craned his neck to look at the sky.
A tide of clouds had appeared from nowhere, casting a great shadow upon us. Lightning crackled, and thunder broke. The ground trembled, and several of the soldiers fell to their knees. I raised my scissors and blindly stabbed Vachir in the thigh.
As he hollered in pain, I twisted out of his arms.
A pile of dead soldiers surrounded Edan, but he was running out of arrows. Vachir and his remaining men charged for us. Then the earth bucked beneath us, and the river began to rise.
“Are you doing that?” I shouted, picking up my dagger.
“No.” Edan pulled my hand, urging me to climb the rocks ahead. “They’re coming.”
“Who?” My voice trembled.
Instead of answering, Edan said, “Get to higher ground.”
I followed him, scrambling up the steep slope away from the river. The world spun, and with each step my head felt lighter and lighter, while my skin burned hotter. But I kept my eyes open and glanced below us. I soon wished I hadn’t looked.
Ghosts. I’d thought they were confined to Lake Paduan, but I was wrong.
A sharp shiver raced up my spine. I tugged on Edan’s sleeve, unable to speak.
He pulled me forward. “Don’t look. Keep going.”
I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the ghosts. I counted dozens, maybe a hundred. Most took the shape of animals—bears, foxes, and wolves, all with red eyes. But here they did not screech or even whisper; they sailed across the land with eerie silence, so that only the soldiers’ screams could be heard. The men slashed at the beasts with their swords and then shouted when there was no blood. “Magic!” they cried. “Ghosts!” These words were the last they uttered before the ghosts bared their teeth and encircled the men, folding over them—until there were no more cries.
One creature stood out from the rest. He was distressingly familiar, and more powerful than all the ghosts combined.
Bandur. The demon who had taken Sendo’s form in the Thief’s Tower. The one who had nearly killed me. He was horrible to look at in the light of the sun. All smoke and shadow, his eyes dark as dead blood. He wore armor today, and his amulet hung on his neck.
Bandur caught me staring, and with a smile, he vanished from the battle. Knowing I’d made a mistake, I hurried after Edan. Too late. I screamed when Bandur materialized, breaking Edan and me apart.
“You!” I cried. “I…I killed you!”
“Didn’t you listen to your Lord Enchanter?” Bandur mocked. “You can’t kill one who’s already dead, girl. Though I applaud you for trying. I do enjoy a good chase, and it has been too long since I’ve been able to leave that accursed island. Unfortunately, it will cost you.”
The dagger at my side trembled. Edan was calling it to him. It flew to his hand, then shuddered and shook—as if confused.
“Silence!” Bandur shouted. His mouth formed a cruel smile as Edan’s weapon clattered to the ground. “Your power is weak, Edan. You shouldn’t be so far from your master.”
Edan picked up his dagger. “You cannot have her.”
The demon’s terrible red eyes turned to consider me. In the wicked gleam of his pupils, I saw a reflection of the claw marks on my neck. “She is marked. You are a fool to open your heart while under your oath. She will not be free of me unless I will it.”
“Then tell me what you want. I shall pay it.”
“No!” I shouted. “Edan!”
The demon raised a hand to silence me. A low groan escaped my mouth, but my tongue no longer moved—I was frozen in place.
“Do not fancy that you have something I want, Edan,” continued Bandur. “You knew the price you would pay when you drank the blood of stars. You gave your freedom, and it will not be yours again—not in the girl’s lifetime. There is nothing you can give me while you are under oath. Unless…” Bandur retracted his claws. “I doubt you would sacrifice so much for a mere girl.”
“She is not a mere girl,” Edan spat. “I love her.”
