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Karvanak barked again, a laugh so crude that it made me sick to my stomach. "You really believe we'd leave you alive? Stupid girl. You had your chance to live, and you declined. When Shadow Wing overruns this world, when we take control and enslave the herds of human sheep, then maybe your soul will look out from the dungeons of hell, knowing that you had a very special part in making our victory complete."
I struggled against him. He was going to kill me anyway. I'd rather go out in battle. "You can kill me. You can kill my friends. But there are others who will fight you to the end. There are still six spirit seals left. You can't hope to find them all."
Karvanak shrugged. "Let them come. Let them come in droves. Jassamin, Vanzir, kill these fools. I'm off to present our gift to Lord Shadow Wing." He polished the seal on his chest and looked at it, a glint in his eye.
"Oh, and Vanzir," Karvanak said, turning to the other demon, "this is your last chance. Fuck up again, and I'll send you over to Razor's. And you know what he'll do to you."
With that, he tossed me toward the dream chaser and turned toward the door. He'd barely gone two steps when a burst of noise came from the cave entrance. "Shit." Within seconds, Karvanak had shifted, and now he looked for all the world like Chase's identical twin. He raced toward the entrance.
"They're in there, the demons, and they're killing Camille!" His voice was the same timbre as Chase's as he disappeared out the mouth of the cave.
Before I could scramble to my feet, Smoky burst into the room, followed by Delilah and Menolly. Morio was hot on their heels.
"That wasn't Chase, that was Karvanak, under an illusion." I swayed but managed to remain standing. "He has the seal! Stop him!"
Smoky immediately headed back out the door, followed by Menolly, Feddrah-Dahns, and Mistletoe. Morio raced over to my side as Delilah caught sight of Chase.
"Chase!" She raced across the crystalline floor of the chamber.
I turned to see Chase covered in blood and Jassamin reaching down to lick his face. Before Delilah could reach them, before I could reach them, Vanzir leapt forward, his saber out and gleaming. But instead of aiming for us or for Chase, he slid it neatly through Jassamin's back. As it impaled her, she screamed and fell forward.
I stared at him, wondering what the fuck was going on, as Morio sent three shooting stars directly into the demon's side. Vanzir groaned, but instead of returning the attack, he once again turned to Jassamin and brought his saber down, smack on the top of her head. This time, she roared and tried to stand, tried to face him. But it was too late, a stream of energy poured from the top of her head as her body folded and dissolved. Within seconds, there was no sign she'd ever been there, except for Chase's wounds.
Delilah skidded to a halt beside Chase. Morio and I moved in on Vanzir. What was going on? He hadn't made a move against us.
He dropped his sword and put up his hands, not moving, not speaking.
"What is this? Some sort of trick? What's going on?" Was he buying time for his master by offering his life? Or was… ? No… the thought was impossible.
But Vanzir hung his head and said the words I never thought I'd hear a demon say. "I submit. I surrender. Please don't kill me."
Morio and I looked at each other, unsure of what to say. After all, demons fought to the death, always. Didn't they?
"Why? Why do you want to surrender to us?" Gingerly, I kicked his saber aside.
He raised his head, his eyes clear and his expression firm. "I cannot follow Shadow Wing. I cannot let him invade this world. It's a mistake—a grave mistake. I want to change sides. I want to help you stop him."
"But you're a demon—"
"I'm a dream chaser. I can be of invaluable assistance to you. There's much that I know about your enemy's plans… as well as the names and addresses of other spies living in the area." And then he smiled.
By the time Smoky, Menolly, and Feddrah-Dahns returned, empty-handed, we'd tied and gagged Vanzir as best we could. Whether that would do the trick, I didn't know, but it was all we could come up with on short notice. Benjamin had come out from where he'd hidden behind a crystal. Delilah had Chase sitting up. She'd torn his shirt and her own to use as makeshift bandages.
"We lost the seal." I walked over to Smoky, and he pulled me close and kissed my forehead.
"You're exhausted and hurt," he murmured softly.
Feddrah-Dahns spoke up. "All of you are wounded and sorely tired. You need rest and food and medical attention." As he spoke, the cave began to shake.
"Quake—get out, now!" Smoky spun and, carrying me, raced out of the cavern. When we reached a few yards from the entrance, he gently placed me on the ground. "I'll make sure the others are out," he said and ran back toward the cave.
The ground folded in waves like an ocean gone mad as it rippled under my hands and knees. I crouched on all fours, trying to ride it out. Menolly emerged next, carrying Chase, and Delilah was right behind her. Morio came next, holding the sword and leading Benjamin and the unicorn and pixie. Lastly, Smoky came running out, our prisoner tossed over his shoulder.
As the ground bucked harder, I prayed that the houses in the area would hold fast and that the mountain wouldn't blow. Rainier was a time bomb. If she blew, it wouldn't matter if we were Fae or human or youkai, we'd all be toast. Well, maybe Smoky would escape.
"The light! It's fading!" Delilah pointed toward the cave. I jerked around. The light from the cave opening was flickering and, as we watched, it vanished.
"The cave returned to the mists." I glanced around the meadow. The horde of will-o'-the-wisps seemed to have left for other haunts. "For good or ill, we've set in motion a new chapter in history tonight."
