The sun beat hard against my face as we followed Doug and Veronica out into the desert. All around, the sand gleamed in waves of gold, and I felt like I was in Aladdin.

“There’s a face wrap in your pack if you want it,” Veronica said.

As I bounced along on Camelia, I rustled around in the bag, managing to pull the cloth free and wrap my face. Ana and Cade did the same. The ride was bouncy and uncomfortable, but it was better than walking. And flying would just exhaust me. Even now, my wings ached, a constant reminder of what I had to accomplish.

Cade was a natural on his camel, and I stole surreptitious glances at him, unable to help myself. After a couple hours, though, the air started to prickle with danger. It made my skin itch, and I turned around, searching the dunes for oncoming threats.

“It’s about to get interesting,” Doug said.

I squinted into the distance, realizing that the sand around us was shifting. I squinted at it. A mirage?

I pointed. “Hey, Veronica, what is that?”

Veronica raised her hand to shield her eyes and stared. “Ah, crap. Everyone, get ready to run.”

At that moment, the sand exploded about one hundred yards away. A massive scorpion burst free, easily the size of a car. It scuttled toward us, pinchers raised high.

“Plus rapide!” Doug shouted. His camel picked up the pace, galloping across the sand.

“Plus rapide!” Veronica shouted. Her mount took off, sand kicking up behind.

All right, then. “Plus rapide!”

Camelia shot forward like a rocket. I clung to her, bouncing like mad, as she hurtled across the sand. Ana and Cade joined me. The scorpion raced for us, unnaturally fast.

It went right for Veronica, who pulled an evasive maneuver that allowed her to dodge the creature by a hair.

Doug turned around in his saddle and threw out a hand, blasting the scorpion with a cold rush of air. The edges of it chilled my skin, but the core of the blast hit the scorpion. The creature froze up, then fell onto its back.

Nice.

We could handle these scorpions.

Then another shot out of the sand. And another. They raced for us, impossibly fast on their many legs.

Yeah, I’d spoken too soon.

One of them headed straight for me. I could fly away, but I couldn’t leave Camelia on her own.

I called my sword from the ether, careful to keep from slicing her, and shouted, “Plus rapide!”

Camelia picked up a little burst of speed, and I pulled the reins slightly left.

She snuffled, clearly annoyed that I thought to command her. As if she needed help running away from a giant scorpion. She was no dummy.

She raced left, hurtling over the sand as the scorpion gained on us.

More had surged out of the earth, charging my companions as we galloped over the dunes. Ana created a shield to deflect attacking scorpions, while Cade drew his bronze shield and hurled it toward the one that raced after him.

My scorpion was so close that I could hear the snap of its claws.

Ah, crap, I hated bugs.

And this was one big bug.

He was nearly on me now, his tail hovering over my head. I leaned backward and sliced with my sword, aiming for the closest claw. My blade hacked through, but the claw was so big that it didn’t make a difference.

The scorpion hissed and waved its tail.

I eyed it as Camelia galloped, raising my sword at the ready. My heart thundered against my ribs.

One shot.

I had one shot.

The tail struck, flying downward.

I sliced my sword, severing the point from the tip. Camelia was just fast enough that she raced away before the blood could spatter me.

But the scorpion didn’t slow down. He hissed and raced faster, his tail regenerating.

“Plus rapide!” I cried.

She was probably already going as fast as she could, but I couldn’t help myself.

We couldn’t outrun them. Should I jump off so that she could run faster? If my sword couldn’t protect her, what good was I?

I tried calling on my sonic boom, but it was gone. Though my other powers were now intact since I had the wings, my sonic boom had disappeared entirely.

“Duck!” Veronica screamed.

I did as she commanded, crouching low on Camelia’s back. Veronica hurled a blast of sparkling magic at the monster. As it flew over my head, the sparkles turned to knives.

They sliced through the scorpion, hurling him backward. He tumbled end over end on the sand, the force of the blades driving him away from me.

Camelia honked her delight and raced forward.

All around, the wounded and dismembered scorpions were climbing to their feet, regenerating. They renewed the chase.

“Can’t we kill them?” I screamed.

“Nope,” Doug yelled. “Just have to hold them off till we reach the Great Drop.”

Great Drop?

The sand beneath Camelia’s feet began to shift. She stumbled, almost going to her knees. I flew forward, barely managing to hold on as she righted herself and kept running.

The sand shifted again, as if it were starting to drop way.

“Voler!” Veronica shouted.

“Voler!” cried Doug.

Ana, Cade, and I mimicked them, shouting loudly without any idea what would happen.

Wings burst from Camelia’s back, unfurling to massive size. They were bright pink and shimmered in the sun.

Holy fates!

She leapt into the air, her wings carrying us high as the sand beneath dropped away.

I crouched low and hung onto her neck, peering over the side as the sand thrashed like waves below us, deep inside a newly formed crevasse across the desert. The scorpions clicked their claws and waved their tails, but we were far out of reach.

I laughed, the sound loud against the silence of the desert.

We were halfway across the deep, thrashing sea of sand when Camelia began to falter. Her breathing was coming hard and her wings were weaker.

She flew lower, unable to keep herself aloft.

I looked around. My friends’ mounts were flagging as well, wings weaker and chests heaving. Crap.

I peered over the edge of Camelia’s neck. We were approaching the firmer sand, but would we make it? If we didn’t, the roiling sand pit below would devour us.

I was about to jump off when she put on a little burst of speed and hurtled toward solid ground. She caught her footing on the edge, barely reaching safety. I collapsed on her back, panting as my friends landed.

“Woo!” Ana cried.

“Who would have expected flying pink camels?” Cade said.

“Not me.” Slowly, I rose.

“Come on,” Doug said. “We need to hurry.”

Camelia picked up the pace, following Veronica and Doug.

In the distance, the blue sky turned orange. I pointed to it and called, “Is that why we’re hurrying?”

“Yeah,” Veronica shouted. “Sandstorm.”

Damn.

“Get close together,” Ana yelled.

“Ensemble!” Doug shouted.

The camels, clearly understanding Doug’s command, hustled toward each other and grouped up.

“Keep up the pace,” Veronica said. “Ana, can you shield us while we’re moving?”

“My specialty,” Ana said.

The sand whistled on the wind, screaming through the air. The first grains stung my cheeks, and I squinted my eyes closed.

Ana threw out her hand, and her magic burst forth, creating a barrier between us and the sand. It stopped stinging my cheeks immediately.

“Ride as fast as you can!” Ana said, gripping her mount’s reins with one hand.

“Plus rapide!” Doug shouted.

We repeated the command, and the camels picked up the pace. Sand battered against Ana’s shield as we raced across the dunes. All around, the air turned tan, then red, then dark. It nearly blocked out the sun.

We ran until I thought my legs would fall off from clinging tightly to Camelia. Camel-riding was hard work.

But Ana was in worse shape, sagging over her camel as she fed her magic to her shield.

Around us, the darkness began to lift.

“Almost there!” Veronica shouted.

The sky turned from black to red to tan to gray, and the sand dissipated almost as quickly as it’d come. Once it was gone, Ana dropped her shield. The camels stopped abruptly, panting.

“Cool power,” Veronica said to Ana.

“Thanks.”

“There’s water in your pack, and beer for the camels,” Doug said.

“Beer?”

“Only thing they’ll drink.”

I shrugged and dug into the pack, pulling out a tall can of beer with a label I couldn’t read. I popped the top. “Do I just pour it in her mouth?”

“Hold it out. She’ll take care of the rest.”

I thrust the can toward the camel’s head, and she turned, nipping it out of my hand with her big teeth. She held it carefully, then tilted her head back and guzzled it down.

“Nice.” I cracked open my water and drained the thing. The water, though warm, tasted like heaven in my parched mouth.

Finished, I grabbed the beer can from Camelia and stashed the empties in the pack. “You know how to party, Camelia.”

She honked delightedly, and I suddenly realized where her wings had come from.

“Are these camels part goose?” I asked.

“Magical hybrids,” Doug said. “With a splash of flamingo, for color.”

Cool.

“We’re nearly there.” Veronica pointed ahead. “Just over the ridge.”

We started up again, going at a slower pace to accommodate the camels. As we neared the ridge, protective magic seared my skin, sparking and biting.

“I’m not going to like what’s on the other side, am I?” I asked.

“Definitely not,” Veronica said.

When we reached the ridge, I caught sight of a shimmering wall made of air. Almost a mirage. Danger rolled out from it. Evil. It was a tangible feeling.

I shuddered. The mirage commanded me to go back. Crossing it would be a terrible idea.

“Strong magic,” Cade muttered.

Veronica and Doug stopped their mounts. “This is where we leave you. Normally, we’d cross over if we were going to do a job, but since we’re not, I have no interest in experiencing my worst nightmares.”

“Is that what it does?” Ana asked.

“Yes. Phantom magic, we think.”

I shuddered. Besides Del, my friend from Magic’s Bend, I’d never met a Phantom I’d want to hang out with. Mostly because they were soulless monsters whose touch made you live out your worst fears. Fortunately, Del was only part Phantom.

“You’ll find cameras in your packs,” Doug said. “Try not to break them. But if you do, at least save the memory card. Take as many pictures as you can.”

“Anything we should be aware of at Kart-hadasht?” Cade asked.

“The ruins are extensive,” Veronica said. “It’s been nearly three thousand years, but things are in relatively good condition. There’s been no human habitation or interference since the city was abandoned at the end of the Phoenician period, but weather has eroded many of the buildings.”

“Those buildings did throw massive stone blocks at us last time we were here, however,” Doug said. “There are probably more threats as well, but we stopped visiting after the change.”

Ana cracked her knuckles. “That’s okay. I like a surprise.”

I grinned at her, glad to be going up against bad guys together again.

“Thank you,” I said. “We appreciate the help.”

“Just be careful,” Veronica said. “It’s rough in there.”

I climbed off of Camelia, who honked at me and trotted toward Doug. Cade and Ana climbed off their camels, who went toward the archaeologists like horses who knew they were heading home.

“Good luck.” Doug tipped his head, then threw the transportation charm on the ground. Silver smoke burst up, and they disappeared.

I turned to my friends, suddenly feeling really alone in the desert. The sight of Ana reminded me that we’d crossed a dangerous desert many times before. This was nothing new.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Always.” Ana turned toward the shimmering wall.

“As fast as you can,” Cade said. “Don’t stop for anything.”

I sucked in a deep breath, then started forward, sprinting with all my might.

As soon as I entered, grief filled my mind. The kind that’s as heavy as an anvil and makes you feel like you can’t move. Like you never want to move again.

I stumbled, almost going to my knees.

Thoughts of Ana dying flooded my mind. Of Cade. Memories of searching for Rowan through the streets of Death Valley—of finally realizing that she was gone. My mother’s death while protecting us from the Rebel Gods.

A sob rose in my throat, but I bit it back.

The images swam in my mind, pulling at my worst fears and memories. Darkness edged in at the corners of my vision.

It took everything I had to claw my way to my feet and keep going, but I forced my muscles to work. I turned my mind toward thoughts of failure—what would happen if I didn’t succeed?

The Rebel Gods would catch Ana.

They’d catch me.

We’d never find Rowan.

Failure wasn’t an option.

But my legs wouldn’t move. The grief and exhaustion had flowed through my body, stiffening my muscles.

No.

I sucked in a ragged breath and called on my wings, forcing them to flare out of my back. Pain bit through my muscles, clearing my mind.

I welcomed it, focusing on the physical pain rather than the mental, and took to the air. It felt like flying through jello, but I kept going. Slowly. Sweating. Aching.

Below, I saw Ana. She was struggling to rise from her knees. I swooped low, awkward in this weird half realm of misery and grief. Her gaze caught on me, filled with tears.

“I thought you were dead!” she cried.

“I’m not.” I reached for her hand, tears stinging my own eyes as all the grief I’d ever felt hit me like a ton of bricks.

Her hand gripped mine, clearing my mind briefly, and I pushed my wings to move, cutting through the thick, enchanted air. I pulled Ana’s hand, dragging her behind me. She ran, her touch giving me strength. We pulled each other out of the terrible mist and collapsed on the ground on the other side.

I flopped onto my back, crushing my wings, and gasped, trying to catch my breath. The grief had faded, leaving hollowness in its place.

But at least I could move.

I struggled to sit up, and caught sight of Cade collapsed halfway out of the mist.

He hadn’t had someone to drag him along.

I scrambled to my feet and limped toward him, tears burning my eyes. When I reached him, I grabbed his hands and pulled. He jerked at my touch, seeming to wake, and surged out of the mist, going to his feet in a lithe motion.

He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me along. We stumbled to a halt about fifteen feet away, panting.

Ana joined us. “That was the worst.”

I nodded, still unable to speak, and turned toward the city. The tumbling stone ruins were massive, shrouded in shadow as the sun sank behind the horizon.

“I’ll do some recon from the air,” I said. “Find out which way to go.”

“Good plan,” Cade said quietly. “See if you can use your illusion power to conceal yourself. We don’t know what’s in that city or what’s looking out.”

“You have illusion power now?” Ana asked. “That’s awesome.”

“From Loki, I think. But I need more practice.”

“Get to it, then.” Ana grinned and pointed at the sky.

I unfurled my wings, then called on the trickster’s magic, envisioning myself disappearing. It took a moment to locate the gift within my chest. Instead of finding the usual broken magic that was hard to grasp, my different powers felt almost organized inside me. Like I could call on one and it would appear.

A cold shiver raced down my limbs.

Ana gasped. “It worked!”

“Good.” I’d need to hurry, though. I could already feel the strain of using the unfamiliar magic. Illusion was particularly draining.

I crouched low, then took off into the air, letting my wings carry me upward. Pain surged, but it was easy to ignore with the wind whipping my hair back from my face and the joy of flying shooting through me.

This was totally crazy.

I felt weightless and powerful and…almost invincible.

This was the most incredible magic I’d ever experienced.

Soon, I was high enough to see the whole city, which butted up to the sea. The scent of the ocean washed over me. A broken exterior wall surrounded the city, which gleamed white under the moonlight, tumbled stones from broken buildings dotting the landscape.

Some buildings still had half walls remaining, but others were entirely gone, just leaving a footprint of a stone floor. Those had probably been built of wood, and were long gone. Grass and scrub grew around the stone floor tiles.

A large structure on the far end of the city caught my eye. It was near a harbor, and definitely the largest building there.

Had to be the Temple of Melqart.

Danger radiated on the air, dark spells that commanded us to go back.

Well, too bad. There was no way that was going to happen.