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That did it. His fingers burrowed into Lily’s cheek. “I saved them! I keep them safe!” Lily recoiled at the sound, closing her eyes. A gust of wind without the effect filled her ears, and she opened them to Caiven looking at Jarek. This time, his grimace didn’t loosen with his grip. “Same courtesy I’ll give you. All you need is a little training, and you’ll be begging me for the same.”

Though Lily’s stomach churned with revulsion, she couldn’t help but smile moronically. Then she laughed, unable to stop, even as Caiven’s one good pale-green eye blazed with fury.

“You can make your threats, but you won’t get the chance to try.”

Caiven practically roared, yanking her off her feet to eye level—one hand on her neck again, the other grabbing the front of her leathers. The vision darkening pressure hit as quickly as it faded. Caiven stumbled to the side, and fresh blood splattered across the ground. A new tear in his suit along his side dripped crimson. A faint light the color of his Diseased shard filled the gash, and the wound stitched together. Growling, he took another step away, hesitantly turning toward Jarek.

If there was another soul that could cut like a weapon, it was the Serpent in Jarek’s possession. It was barely visible under his shadowed body, but it was damaging, and he needn’t say anything to make the point clear. She gave him a pointed look while Caiven was taking in what he assumed was his only adversary.

Patience.

Jarek didn’t move while the Serpent swelled at his feet like a growing fire. Caiven flinched at the sight before narrowing his eyes to Jarek’s bandaged arm. His thin lips broke into a watery smile, and Lily’s now free hand itched so much it burned.

“In case it’s not clear enough for you,” Lily said, firm and sharp to turn Caiven’s attention to her, “I’ll be walking out of here over your warm corpse, and I’m taking all of your prized possessions with me!”

She clawed at the hand over her neck and poured the borrowed aura and some of the Wraith’s energy into him. She got a brief hit of the shock of the Diseased connection before Caiven released her. Lily staggered, dizzy.

Caiven roared, and Lily was dragged backward as the concrete where she stood crumbled under the goliath’s fist.

Jarek pushed her behind him. Lily clung to his tattered shirt, collapsing against his back to steady her head. She pinched her eyes shut, focusing on the mist of the Serpent curling between her fingers.

“You bitch! What did you do to me!” Caiven yelled.

Jarek’s laugh vibrated through his body to her cheek. “Evened the odds it looks like.”

The ground shook as if Caiven were thrashing against chains holding him to it. “What are you? It’s not fucking fair!”

“Envious?” Jarek mocked with a biting smile in his tone. “Good. It’s all you deserve.”

Another slicing edge tore into flesh, and blood splashed to the concrete like thick rain. Lily peeked over Jarek’s shoulder to find Caiven on his knees, taking gurgling breaths from a wide opening in his throat that if he were mortal, would have killed him instantly. Tendrils from his shadow kept him in place while another—from Jarek’s—reared up and launched at Caiven like a striking viper.

One by one, each new cut flashed and closed as if they never happened.

Lily held her breath. Jarek was still able to move after she did the same thing to him. But Caiven was healing fast. Was her touch working at all? How long would it take?

Caiven bellowed. He launched to his feet, tearing the bindings to an intangible haze.

Jarek stiffened.

Caiven arched his grotesque back like a muscular cougar, wrapping his arms around himself. He growled, then cried out.

His neck snapped.

Lily flinched. Bone protruding from his rotated head, Caiven fell to his knees as if he'd been turned to stone.

“Fuck.” Jarek took a step away, grabbing at Lily’s arm when she took one forward.

A bright light appeared under Caiven’s skin. He twitched.

“Go,” Jarek breathed. His fingers pinched into her skin, but Lily didn’t move, both frozen, watching Caiven’s neck crack back into place, and his body bubble and grow like that of Neir’s, except he sprouted a thick black fur.

Jarek pushed her away. “Run! Now!”

Lily tripped at the force. Angered, she spun back to him. He gave her his marring stare, but there was something else in it, almost pleading. Lily faltered, and whatever softness was in his eyes disappeared.

Her anger warped into instantaneous fear.

Damn you.