Kissing Sophia was like a drug.

It filled him with a heat that burned through his veins in the most addicting and powerful way. He couldn’t get enough of kissing her, and he didn’t want to. His hands cupped her round firm ass. He moved his hands lower, gripping her thighs and pulling her up. She moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist. His pants grew tighter. As soon as he took a step toward the stairs to carry her to a bed to release his growing need and temper the burning passion between them, Edric burst through the door.

Sophia quickly pulled her lips from his and faced Edric. Ezekiel did the same, albeit with a resentful grudge and a frown. The last thing he wanted to do is leave Sophia in the middle of what they were doing. But as soon as he set his eyes on Edric, noticing his labored breathing and sweat covered face, that resentment turned to worry.

“Sorry to interrupt. But we’re about to be raided. Over seventy troops are heading this way.”

Ezekiel set Sophia down and faced Edric. “Did you see any sorcerers with them?” He rushed through the room, making sure his wards were still in place on the windows and doors, adding in extra power and energy to each.

“I don’t know,” Edric said. “Maybe. There were a couple of men not in uniform.”

That could mean they were able to get a capable, powerful sorcerer from outside of Nighthelm faster than expected. Ezekiel thought he would have more time to prepare, to amass magical weapons they were going to need. However, it was more likely that Winston and those he’d been able to sway to embrace his bogus cause were impatient and trying to catch him and his group off guard. Either that, or they had underestimated his power, which was a terrible move on Winston’s part.

As Ezekiel checked the ward on the front door, Andreas’s black smoke form floated through. He shifted back to his human form and said, “We have a huge problem.”

“I know.” Ezekiel rushed back into the dining room where Edric and Sophia were arming up. Andreas followed him.

“I’m going to cast an enchantment that won’t allow any intruders to see us, even if they get into the house,” he said.

“How did they even find us?” Sophia asked. “And so soon?”

Ezekiel paused in his casting to address her concern. “The amount of power it takes to keep these wards up could be detected by extremely powerful sorcerers. If Winston was able to contact one outside of Nighthelm, it is possible the sorcerer picked up on the enchantments nearby which could have alerted them to our location.”

“Or there is a spy,” Edric said. “Winston may have swayed some men to his side. He may have had eyes on us the entire time without us being aware of the fact. As careful as we were, I’m afraid we may not have taken everything into consideration.”

Andreas unsheathed the blades strapped to his back. “Your enchantment, does it allow us to fight them? Will they be able to feel my steel?”

“You can’t interact with them or the spell fails, and you will be seen, which will alert everyone to our presence. That has to be a last resort only. Otherwise, avoid contact at all costs.” He made his way toward the bar counter and pulled open a tote he left there, full of his supplies. Pulling out a small jar, he unscrewed the lid then took Edric’s arm. Edric tried to pull away, but Ezekiel held firm.

Edric’s eyes widened. “Strong grip.”

“Thanks,” Ezekiel said as he tucked Edric’s arm under his, holding it firmly in place as he pulled the sleeve of his shirt up, twisted off the lid of the container, and dipped his finger in the substance, pulling out a dark-green, ink like liquid.

Edric asked, “What are you doing?”

“Hold still.” Using his finger covered in the thick substance, he drew a T, a circle above that, an arrow through the straight line of the T, and a small swirl at the bottom. “This will connect us and make you invisible to others. We’ll be able to see you, but no one else will.”

He drew the same sigil on Sophia and Andreas’s forearms.

“Feels weird,” Edric said.

Ezekiel looked at Edric, taking in the confused expression that covered his face. He shook his head. “That means it’s working.”

Shouts echoed from outside. Through the window, Ezekiel saw a stream of men charging toward the inn.

“Andreas and I will take the back,” Edric said, and he and Andreas raced out of the room toward the rear entrance of the inn where Ezekiel was certain more soldiers gathered, ready to break in.

A bang knocked at the front door. Ezekiel and Sophia moved toward it, listening to the voices on the other side.

“There’s nothing here,” one man said, a solider most likely.

“Just keep swinging that thing. They are here, the inn is just enchanted.” That voice belonged to Lewyss, another sorcerer from the castle, and a man Ezekiel didn’t like.

Lewyss had always been jealous of Ezekiel and the clout he had earned with those in power. Obviously, that clout hadn’t done a single thing, since sorcerers and guards were knocking down his door to arrest him and everyone he cared about. They would likely have them banished to the mountain.

Another loud bang rattled the wooden door. The wood splintered, and a battering ram burst through. Troops swarmed through the shattered door, swords raised and ready. Three sorcerers followed. One of them was Lewyss, and Ezekiel had to tamp down the urge to reach past his enchantment and strangle him. The other two were Palleas and Udal, both of whom he called friends.

Sophia clung to his arm. She gave him a pointed look that said he’d better not. She must have seen the intention in his eyes.

There was another crash from the back of the house, and Ezekiel assumed soldiers had broken down the back door. The sound of at least fifty sets of boots stomping through the inn echoed through the walls, nearly shaking the foundation.

As guards tore apart each room, the three sorcerers stood by and watched. Ezekiel saw the reluctance on Palleas and Udal’s faces, and the glee in Lewyss’s.

“This is wrong,” Palleas said. “Ezekiel has always been a loyal servant of Nighthelm. He would never conspire to destroy it.”

“There has to be a reason the duchess would allow this,” Udal said.

“She’s being influenced by that Winston Kent,” Palleas said with a sneer. “Such a boorish man. Who knows what sort of manipulation he’s pulled on her.”

Lewyss joined the two sorcerers in the living room. “Ezekiel has always been weak, especially around women. I can just imagine how the contritum bitch lured him to her side,” Lewyss said. His lecherous grin made Ezekiel’s hands clench into fists. “I look forward to taking his place in the castle.”

Both Palleas and Udal turned and left the house. Ezekiel appreciated their loyalty and imagined they had been forced to join the raiding party. Winston probably used their loyalty and friendship as a means to hold them accountable for the crimes Winston claimed Ezekiel and his friends had committed.

Traps Ezekiel had set started to go off. An electrical zapping sound here, and a sizzling fire there. Screams filtered through the rooms and smoke poured through in thick clouds.

Time to go.

Ezekiel grabbed Sophia’s hand and started to make their way through the inn to where Andreas and Edric were, so they could collect themselves and leave. As soon as he took a step toward the hall that would lead them to their freedom, Winston Kent stepped into the doorway, looking ever like the distraught little boy who didn’t get his favorite Winter’s Giving gift he had asked for all year long. His eyes raked right over him and Sophia, jaws clenched and fists tight at his sides. Winston spotted Lewyss and marched right toward him.

The traitor himself conferred with the man who vied for Ezekiel’s position as top sorcerer. He seemed positively gleeful at the prospect of replacing him. He forced back a groan.

“The enchantments and wards on the house are strong,” Lewyss said. “The best course of action is to burn it all down.”

Winston shook his head. “No.”

“Why not? It’s the best way. Fire will destroy all the wards and enchantments, and if the traitors are still here, it will burn them down too.”

“Do the job I’m paying you for and break the wards,” Winston barked. “Or you can go back to the castle with your tail between your legs and continue being the bottom feeder that you are.”

Lewyss huffed and walked out of the room.

Winston walked through directly in front of them and stopped in the middle of the room, his gaze taking in the casting circle and the grooves that Haris’s hooves had made. Squinting, he surveyed the whole room. A small smile crossed his face.

“Sophia will be mine, one way or another,” he murmured.

Ezekiel wondered if Winston knew he was there, listening. He must’ve known they were still in the house, or he would’ve ordered it all to be razed the ground. Like Lewyss had said, it was the best way to be certain.

Now that Winston was alone, this could be his chance to take him out before he did any more damage. He slowly made his way across the room, careful not to give his position away. Winston was quick with his blade. Ezekiel had watched the man train before, and he didn’t want a knife in this throat.

“And those filthy wraiths,” Winston said. “Refusing to join me. I’m not surprised, all those beasts are loyal to each other, even traitors.”

Sophia crept around Ezekiel, cautiously moving behind Winston. Her hands flexed over her sword and dagger, ready to attack. Tiny sparks sizzled on the tips of her gloved fingers. That was most definitely new. She shifted her gaze to his.

He shook his head and mouthed, “Don’t.”

She clenched her hands and pressed her lips tightly together. Her shoulders raised with the deep breath she took. She closed her eyes as her lips pursed and her shoulders dropped. The sparks disappeared.

Ezekiel slid his dagger out of its sheath on his belt and took a step closer to Winston. Before he could slide his knife into the man, an explosion rocked the house, knocking him off balance. The trap to his room had gone off. They had little time left before the final trap was found and the entire skeleton of the inn would come crashing down on top of them. Either him, Sophia, Andreas, and Edric would get out of here before that happened, or Winston and his band of people would.

More black smoke billowed through the doorway into the hall. Rapid, uneven thumps rushed down the stairs. Guards ran out, clutching at their eyes, screaming. Some of them were covered in the powder that caused the black smoke. Ezekiel smiled to himself. He was quite proud of that trap. It worked rather well by the looks of the poor bastards that triggered it.

Winston ran past them and was the first out the door. He even pushed aside an injured soldier to get there.

Run, coward, run.

Sophia dropped to the floor, covering Ezekiel’s body with hers. He hugged her as the remaining guards streamed out of the house. They had won this round, but barely. Ezekiel would have to repair the damage of the traps and reset them on top of creating stronger wards. Never mind that next time, if there was a next time—he was sure there would be—Winston would return with someone powerful. Someone Ezekiel wouldn’t be able to scare away or out-magic. They had to come up with a plan to leave the inn, to leave Nighthelm.