Chapter Thirty-Four WITCHING MOON

Chapter Thirty-Four

WITCHING MOON

Week Three, Day One

Year 3000

Sachi sobbed.

It wasn't the turn of the battle below, or the blood that dripped from Ash's torn hide as he flew by to crash into one of Sorin's dragons. It was the trembling vibrations that made the top of the tower shake with barely contained power.

Because she felt it. Varoka had not simply severed the other gods' ties to the Dream.

She'd stolen them.

Things were about to get so much worse.

Then Zanya vaulted over the edge of the tower roof, and Sachi's sobs turned to relief tinged with a strange mixture of joy and dread. She still wasn't sure what would happen, but at least she and Zanya would be together, as they always had been.

As they were meant to be.

Zanya lunged toward her, only to stop abruptly when Varoka used the fist still tangled in Sachi's hair to jerk her head back. A knife appeared in Varoka's hand, the blade kissing Sachi's throat.

Varoka hissed his name. "Sorin—"

"Yes, I see her." Sorin flicked his fingers. "Bring the future Empress to me."

Zanya watched, unblinking, as Varoka dragged Sachi across the tower. "Just like old times, Sachi."

The words may have been flippant, but Sachi understood. They'd been in this position so many times, with a prodding knife at Sachi's throat, a blade meant to keep Zanya in line. "You do dance so beautifully."

"Enough," Sorin snapped. He grabbed Sachi's upper arm hard enough to bruise and hauled her against his chest. "I had hoped Ulric would be smart enough to put a knife in your back while you slept, Zanya , but he is nauseatingly loyal to Ash. Fortunately, I'm sure Demir will enjoy breaking someone Sachi loves in half."

Through the smoke and the rain that had just begun pelting down in huge, punishing drops, Sachi saw a slow, terrible smile curve Demir's lips. His eyes flashed with glee and rage, and she knew, if given the chance, he would tear Zanya limb from limb ... and relish every moment of the carnage.

Sachi struggled against Sorin's grip. "Let her go. Let them all go, and I'll stay. I'll stay ." She had trained to murder a god, after all. She'd infiltrated Sorin's court as more than a prisoner, seduced him into spilling his secrets.

She could stay. And, one day, when he'd stopped expecting it, she could finally kill him.

"You'll stay," Sorin murmured, his lips against her temple in a perverse mockery of a kiss. "But they'll never let us be happy if they live. No, a clean cut is best, my dear. I know you won't see it that way today. Your grief will take time to ebb. But I've waited thousands of years already. I can wait a few more."

No.

Shadows shot from the stones behind Demir, smashing into the backs of his legs and curling around his throat. He lurched forward a step before crashing to his knees, and Zanya was on him in a blur, her foot flashing out to kick him in the jaw. Blood sprayed as he bowed backward. Zanya twisted again, a blade of shadows forming in her hand, already headed for his throat. It had just kissed his skin when one of Varoka's chains lashed out, circled Zanya's wrist, and jerked her away.

Silence reigned for a tense moment, punctuated only by the roars of the battles above and below. Then Sorin made an irritated noise. "Two thousand years old, and that child almost gutted you before you could lift a finger. I thought I'd reached the depths of my disillusionment with you, Demir, but somehow you continue to shock and dismay me."

Demir staggered to his feet, spitting blood and teeth. "I wasn't ready."

"An understatement. You are woefully ill-equipped for this fight. Varoka, my dear. Do something about that."

Varoka smiled and wove her fingers together. Sachi watched in revulsion as spikes of the Dream shot out at Demir and burrowed into him. He howled as the spikes moved, their glow just bright enough to track through his skin. Then the light seeped out of him, coalescing on his skin like a custom-fitted suit of armor.

Then Varoka twisted her hands, and Demir threw back his head in a pained scream as the light solidified. When Sachi caught a glimpse of his eyes once more, they were oddly blank, as if Varoka had thrust so much power into him that he'd lost consciousness.

But still, he stood. He launched himself at Zanya with a roar, and as fast as she moved, he was faster. He caught her by the back of her armor and slammed her face down into the tower hard enough to crack the stone. She groaned and tried to roll away, only to receive a kick in the gut that sent her skittering across the tower.

"She can't use her little tricks here, you know," Sorin told Sachi conversationally. "No traveling away in shadows. No cheating . Varoka was well prepared for her."

Zanya struggled to her knees. She swung and managed to land a glancing blow on the Beast's scowling face, but he didn't even seem to feel it. He charged, knocking her to her back on the bloody stones. Her arms fell limply by her sides as Demir closed his massive hands around her throat—and squeezed.

"Zanya!" Sachi finally broke free of Sorin, tearing out of his hands in her desperation.

Only one thought filled her, head and heart—to get to Zanya. To help her. Her bare feet slipped on the slick stone, and she fell, but she didn't care. She crawled toward Zanya, and she'd almost reached her outstretched hand when Sorin snatched her up again.

"No," he told Sachi firmly. "No interfering, and no getting yourself killed by accident. You will not throw my plans into further disarray."

Across the roof, the door to the never-ending staircase swung open. Lyssa walked out slowly, as if in a daze, her wide, vague stare drifting over the scene before her.

Sorin didn't see her, but Sachi did. Sachi saw her, perhaps for the first time. Not bowed under the Dreamweaver's caging magic or drained by the Betrayer's thirst for power, but as a powerful creature in her own right.

It spilled from her in waves, not of light or even shadow, but of rage . Her eyes went dark as the most unspeakably gorgeous set of sparkling black wings unfurled behind her. As they lifted her into the air, her gaze found and fixed on the Beast.

Then she opened her mouth and screamed.