After the meal, guards led Cade and me to a small roundhouse toward the edge of the village. Another guard stood at the door, but he stepped back to let us enter.

Inside, there was a warm fire and a pile of furs on a straw mattress, along with some clean clothes.

I turned back to the guard who’d escorted us. “It’s just us in here.”

He nodded. “Korg will guard the door. Do not try to leave.”

I held up my hands. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

He nodded, his gaze suspicious, and turned to leave.

I glanced at Cade. “I guess any time someone says not to worry about something, that’s what you immediately start worrying about.”

“Aye.” Cade walked to the door, flipping a small wooden lock. It wouldn’t keep people out if they really wanted to get in. One swift kick would do it. But it afforded a tiny bit of privacy.

I dropped the glamour that kept our true natures hidden.

Cade turned back to me, finally showing his real face.

It looked so much better.

“Why’d they give us such a good place?” I asked.

“I’d bet it’s because hierarchies amongst prisoners sows discontent. We’re less likely to join up and revolt if there is infighting. Especially if the strongest ones, the leaders, are separated from the masses.”

“Smart.” I sat on the mattress near the fire, warming my hands.

“Cocidius is nothing if he’s not smart. He’s risen a long way as a minor god.”

“Minor god, major asshole.”

While he paced around the small room, searching the walls for weakness, I stripped off most of my clothes, leaving myself in nothing but a bra and underwear. Quickly, I slipped under the blankets.

“Mind if I join you?” Cade asked.

It was the only bed in the room, so I raised the blanket. “I’d be delighted.”

His gaze dropped, and I realized that he could see my bare stomach. Heat flushed through me.

I’d been so preoccupied with the danger of this that I hadn’t realized what this was.

We were in a room, alone.

I was almost naked.

Now was not the time.

Not that it kept me from wanting him.

Heat raced through me as he stripped off his shirt. His skin gleamed in the firelight, the curves of his muscles highlighted by the flame. He was built like a god. Literally.

Cade toed off his boots and socks, then hooked his thumbs in his jeans. “Mind if I take these off? I’ve got underwear on.”

I swallowed hard. “Not at all.” I winced at the squeak in my voice.

Smooth, Bree. Real smooth.

He pushed his jeans down, revealing black boxer briefs and strongly muscled thighs.

Liquid heat raced through me.

He climbed into the bed next to me, his presence immediately warming me to my bones. I turned toward him, my gaze traveling from his heavily muscled chest up to his eyes. He watched me with enough intensity to make my blood warm.

“Hey.” His voice was rough.

“Hey.” Tension thrummed in the air between us, a living thing. It crackled and pulsed. Every breath that he took raised his chest, and I felt like I could feel it against my own despite the inches that separated us.

I itched to roll closer to him—to press my body to his and feel every inch of his strength. My mind raced with images of us together, making me shiver.

Unable to help myself, I leaned toward him, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Pleasure burst through me.

His big hands came up to grip my waist. They were warm and strong. I moved toward him. He pulled me closer until my chest pressed firmly against his.

The rich scent of him made my head swim. The smoothness of his skin cloaking the strength of his muscles was a drug.

“We should take it slow,” he murmured against my lips. “Not lose our heads.”

“I think I’ve already lost mine.”

“Just a kiss.”

“A few kisses.” I pressed my lips to his. “Maybe a bit more.”

He groaned and pressed a kiss to my lips, and I fell into it, losing whatever sanity I had left.

* * *

The next morning, we woke before the guards came. We hadn’t had sex last night—like Cade had said, now was not the time to lose our heads. The mission was too important.

And I really didn’t want our first time to be interrupted by a surly guard who wanted to throw me into a fight ring. But we’d kept ourselves entertained, and memories of last night made heat rise inside me as I dressed.

Cade finished stoking the fire and turned. He’d redressed in his old clothes, as I had, ignoring the ones laid out for us. Our clothes might be dirty, but it felt better to wear our own stuff.

I met his gaze, then blushed.

Then I felt embarrassed, because I should be worldly enough not to blush.

Ah well, whatever.

He joined me on the low wooden bench by the fire. “So, what’s our plan when we get out of here?”

“You’re asking me?”

He shrugged. “I have some ideas, but this is your sister we’re talking about. You get priority.”

“Thanks.” I leaned toward the flame and stared into it. “Mostly, we’ll have to play it by ear. If we can find Maira and get some info, great. Ideally, we’d figure out where Rowan sleeps and steal her from there when it’s quiet. Then we’ll get her out of here using the heavenly transport charm. But before we leave for good, we help free the slaves.”

“You get Rowan out of here. I’ll lead the revolt.”

I hesitated, wanting to stay behind to fight.

But Rowan. I had to put her first. I nodded. “And hopefully Mayhem will show up to help.”

“I have no doubt that when you need her, she’ll appear.”

A loud banging sounded at the door.

My heart leapt into my chest, and I called upon Loki’s magic, giving Cade and me the familiar glamour that was our disguise here.

The door crashed open, splintering the tiny lock.

Yep. I was super glad we hadn’t had sex last night. Having this burly dude bust in on us would put me off the stuff for good.

He scowled down at us, his squished face looking like he’d taken too many rocks to the mug. “Time to fight.”

I stood, brushing my hands off on my pants. “Lead on.”

We followed him out the door. As soon as I stepped outside, he grabbed my arm, gripping tightly. I wanted to tell him not to worry about it—I wasn’t running until I got what I came for—but that wasn’t a great idea. The guard grabbed Cade’s arm as well.

Cade looked down at his hand balefully, then back up at the guard. He sighed lightly, then nodded.

It was like a little old lady with a giant Great Dane pulling it on a leash. The only reason the old lady didn’t go flying down the street was because the Great Dane didn’t mind wearing the leash.

As the guard dragged us through the settlement, I took in as much as I could. There were still slaves wearing the collars, and they seemed to have free roam, within reason. None of the ring fighters were like us, though. They must’ve been kept on lockdown. But soldiers were everywhere.

These guys would be a problem when it came time to escape. But Cade could handle it.

The guard shoved us toward the waiting corral where I’d met the trainer yesterday. He didn’t turn to look at us today, just hiked a thumb over his shoulder toward the benches at the back. The guard pushed us toward them, letting go of our arms.

I caught sight of Maira on the bench and grinned. Perfect. Just what I’d hoped for.

I snagged a seat next to her—the only one—while Cade leaned against the back wall of the enclosure, arms crossed over his chest and eyes scanning the guards who wore armor and swords. There were at least ten of them in the waiting ring.

I leaned toward Maira, who grinned at me, and whispered, “How’s it going?”

“Fine. I hear I’m going up against some ghouls.”

I shuddered. “Don’t let them scratch you.”

She nodded. “Last thing I want is to turn into a ghoul.”

“So what’s the deal here? Why do some of the prisoners wear collars, and others don’t?” The collars were going to be an issue, I could tell.

Her gaze darted around, checking to make sure no one watched us, and she leaned toward me slightly to whisper, trying to look casual. “Servant slaves wear the collars. Gives them free roam to do their jobs, but the magic prevents them from straying away from camp.”

“Why don’t fighters wear them?”

“Not enough, from what I heard. Valuable magic fuels the collars. There is a central source that powers them, but I don’t know where it is. Fighters are just kept locked up like dogs and monitored pretty much every second of every day.”

I nodded. “So you’re locked in at night like us?”

“Yes. In a huge roundhouse at the edge of town. Shoved in like cattle.”

“Then why did we get our own little place?” I asked.

She looked at me like I was stupid. “You can’t have the powerful ones milling with the rest. You’re the type of person with the skill to lead an uprising.”

I nodded. Just like Cade has said. “Would you ever think of revolting?”

Her eyes widened, then narrowed with interest. She glanced around to make sure the coast was clear, then nodded slightly. “But how? We have no way to organize a revolt. No way to get weapons. The slaves with collars can’t leave. And who would kill Cocidius? Only a god can kill another god.”

“I’ve got some good news for you.”

She leaned in.

My gaze traced over her face, searching for trustworthiness. I was putting a lot of faith in her now. She could blow this for us.

But I trusted her. Damned if I didn’t. She reminded me of Ana. “Cade is Belatucadros. He’s strong enough to take out Cocidius. And I’m a DragonGod. Strong enough to fight the soldiers and get you the weapons you need.”

She inhaled sharply. “Are you serious? I couldn’t feel his magic.”

“He’s got it locked up. So do I. We’re good at controlling our signatures.”

She nodded slowly, processing. “If that’s true, you could leave here any time. You’re too strong for them to contain. Why are you here?”

“Cocidius has my sister. We’re here to save her. But I don’t want to leave you or the others here. This is bullshit.”

“That it is.” She jerked her head decisively. “Okay, I’m in. What do we do?”

“I need some more info. Like where Cocidius sleeps, where's the armory, and what’s the central source of the magic that enchants the collars.”

She leaned toward me, and began to whisper.

* * *

Hours later, after Maira had told me everything she knew and we’d waited through countless fights, the guard stomped toward me. Maira had already fought and left, so it’d just been Cade and me, waiting.

The setting sun blazed behind his head, creating a red halo that made him glow like the devil.

“You’re up,” he growled.

I stood. Cade joined me.

The guard led us to the exit. The trainer gave us one look. “Try not to die.”

“Aw, you like us already?” I asked.

He spat. “Nah, you’re good entertainment. You piss off the Ring Master.”

True enough. I saluted, then stepped out into the middle of the arena, Cade at my side.

The crowd roared, sending adrenaline buzzing through me, followed by a bit of fear. That Dark Magic-Land octopus had nearly killed us last time. Hiding my magic was all well and good until it got me in a situation like that.

I scanned the crowd, looking for Cocidius and Rowan. I swore I could feel her presence.

“Into the middle!” the trainer shouted.

We strode across the dirt toward the middle of the ring as I kept searching the stands. On the far side, one of the great stone platforms was relatively empty. There were two chairs, one far larger than the other.

Cocidius slouched in the larger one, his golden horns gleaming in the light of the setting sun. Rage swelled in my chest, hot and fierce, but the sight of Rowan distracted me.

She looked the same.

My sister.

No longer covered in the black oil of the enchantment, she was pale as ever, with her mahogany hair and blue eyes. She didn’t look at me—not that she could recognize me with the glamour I’d used my illusion to create—but I ached to call out to her.

“She’s here,” Cade murmured.

“I need to get close. I want to see if she’s enchanted.” There might not even be visible signs, but I had to check.

“Maybe during the fight. I’ll do what I can to make it happen.”

“Thank—”

The Ring Master bellowed into the arena. “Welcome, one and all!”

The soldiers in the crowd howled. Cocidius sat silently, eyes glued to us. I shivered. If he saw through my glamour—or I dropped it—he’d know immediately who we were. He’d seen us during the fight at the Phoenician temple.

I glanced at Cade, pleased to see that he still looked different. His magic was tightly tamped down as well.

The Ring Master turned to us. “You have one job. Kill the monsters. There will be weapons.”

“What the heck?” I muttered.

Then the world exploded in a green flash. Something invisible grabbed me around the waist and yanked me backward, throwing me to the ground.

The air rushed from my lungs. My chest ached as I stared up at the slowly darkening sky. Grass waved above me, along with skinny tree branches and bushes.

Aching, I pushed myself upright. I was in some kind of forest, or jungle. Weird plants I’d never seen clogged my surroundings, making it impossible to see anything more than three feet away.

“Cade?”

Silence.

I’d been dragged away from him. And the Ring Master had created a weird jungle. I looked up, catching sight of the spectators looking down on us. From their higher vantage points, they could see us. But down here, I couldn’t see Cade. Or the monsters.

Understanding dawned. “Those bastards.”

They wanted me to kill Cade by mistake. They’d send monsters in here—I was sure of it—but I could hardly see anything around me. I was just as likely to kill Cade as I was a beast.

Oh man. That saying “look before you leap” had never been so serious. I couldn’t just throw myself into the fight now, attacking without thought. I could take out Cade.

That meant my lightning power was out of the question.

Anxiety rose in my chest, a prickly feeling that made my breath come short. I was helpless out here. I could draw my sword, but then they’d know I had that power.

They’d said there would be weapons.

Slowly, I climbed to my feet, my ears perked for any noise. The rustling of the leaves, the roar of the crowd, but nothing else.

How was I supposed to hear anything over those jerks?

I crept through the bushes, eyes alert.

I caught sight of a glint of metal lodged in a bush and hurried over, trying to keep my feet silent.

Please be a sword.

It was a bow and arrow.

“Bastards.” I grabbed the arrow, ignoring the bow. Of course they gave me a long distance weapon. Perfect for mistakenly shooting Cade.

A low growl sounded. I whirled, arrow raised.

The beast leapt at me from the bushes. It was the size of a large jungle cat, but looked like a massive reptile. A dinosaur, almost.

My heart jumped into my throat as I called on my lightning power—now that I could see him, I could strike. But the beast collided with me before I could get so much as a spark.

Its claws dug into my shoulders as it threw me to the ground. I grunted, raising my arrow spear and stabbing the creature in the neck.

It hissed and flailed, claws digging into my flesh. I pushed off the ground, trying to get on top, but the monster was too heavy.

I yanked my arrow free and aimed for the right eye, turning my head as the arrow thudded into the squishy orb.

The creature shrieked, its claws finally releasing from my shoulders as it exploded in a poof of black dust. Black magic, not a real animal. But its claws had been real enough. Pain surged through me as I heaved it off, then scrambled to my feet.

The monster’s shriek had given away my location.

I sprinted away, trying to stay silent on the forest floor. As I ran, I glanced up, trying to find Cocidius’s platform. I needed to get to it. Needed to see Rowan up close.

I couldn’t see them anywhere.

They were behind me, damn it.

I slowed to a stop, panting, and crouched near a bush. As my breath heaved in and out, my lungs tightened. I tried to listen for oncoming monsters, but all I could hear was my breath.

My head buzzed with fear and anxiety, a potent and unfamiliar combo.

So unfamiliar. Too unfamiliar.

I wasn’t normally this freaked out.

I sniffed lightly, catching a scent of something strange on the air. A spell for paranoia? Maybe.

I sank lower against the bushes, hiding.

So not my usual style. I knew that, yet it was hard to help. I didn’t want to kill Cade in an accidental fit of magically induced fear, and I sure as heck didn’t want him to do the same to me.

My gaze darted around, landing on every fluttering leaf and waving grass.

It wasn’t smart to run right up to the dais where Cocidius and Rowan could get a good look at me. Even with my glamour, it was risky. What if she sensed me? What if she was enchanted like we thought she was and she turned me over to him?

I could use my illusion to become invisible and sneak up—I could even create an illusion of myself crouching here in fear—but as long as I couldn’t tell where the monsters were, they could attack my illusion and blow my cover.

My mind raced, trying to come up with a solution. Desperately trying to hear around me to figure out how many monsters were left.

I wanted to call out to Cade, but didn’t dare.

Tense minutes passed as I waited, trying to hear or see with anything other than my puny human eyes.

All around, the wind rustled leaves and footsteps cracked small twigs underfoot.

Wait, footsteps?

I tilted my head, focusing on my hearing.

Use it.

Oh crap!

I listened harder. The footsteps were sixty feet away. Four of them. A beast. A hundred feet away, there were different footsteps. Two of them, creeping through the brush.

Cade.

Use it.

Cade’s footsteps moved toward the creature’s deliberately.

Oh my fates, a new power was coming online.

Super Hearing.

And from the way I could see the different blades of grass in the distance, vision as well. Who had the power of sight and vision?

Heimdall. The guardian of Asgard, watcher of the Bifröst, the rainbow bridge.

I could totally use this. In my hour of need, the Norse gods had given me another useful power. I perked my ears again.

Cade was showing off with the monster sixty feet away, but there were two more on the other side of the arena.

Quickly, I put my original plan into action. I created an illusion of myself, still crouched in place, while turning my real body invisible.

It was weird to look at myself, silent and still in the shadow of the bush, and I turned away quickly, hurrying through the bushes toward Cocidius’s platform.

It was risky, I knew it. But I had to see Rowan. I had to know if some of my sister was still in there.

As I slipped through the bushes, I kept my hearing alert, tracking the monsters that hunted us. One was closing in on my fake self—I’d have to make her run soon—while another was near Cade.

I neared the platform with Cocidius and Rowan, slowing my steps and trying to avoid any of the bushes. I couldn’t make them rustle weirdly or people might notice.

I stopped about twenty feet from the dais, squinting through the dim light. It was nearly full dark now, making it hard to see, but the sight of Rowan caught my breath.

My sister.

She was really here, and she was really alive.

But her blue eyes were cloudy.

Shit. We’d expected a spell—nothing would make her stay willingly with Cocidius—but I hated having it confirmed. This meant we’d have to find a cure, and that could be impossible.

Please let there be a cure.

I eyed her for a moment more, my heart aching, feeling like it was reaching out to her and begging her to come to her senses. To shake off the effect of the evil enchantment.

Her gaze snapped to mine.

Briefly, the clouds in her eyes cleared. They were blue again. Confusion, then fear and longing.

Could she see me?

Not likely.

Then the clouds came back. Her face smoothed out, expressionless.

I wilted, grief racing through me.

Crunching branches sounded to the right.

Shit!

I’d lost track of the monsters. A quick survey revealed that the one who had been hunting my illusion had realized it wasn’t real—no smell, probably—and it’d come for me.

Invisibility only worked against the humans in the stands.

I hurried away from the dais, racing back toward my illusion. No way I could have a fight as an invisible person. It’d look really freaking weird if the dino-monsters were fighting with the air. And I needed my illusion power to stay a secret if we were to rescue Rowan and free the captives.

The monster began to pick up speed, its footsteps thundering behind me.

Shit, shit, shit.

It was still thirty feet away, but it was big. Bigger than the last, from the sound of it.

I used my illusion to make my fake self run toward me. That way, when I reappeared and made her disappear, at least it wouldn’t be super obvious. I had no idea if she was really running exactly toward me. I couldn’t hear an illusion that had no weight, and my understanding of the terrain in the arena was a bit off, but I prayed I’d find her before the monster caught me.

My heart thundered as I ran, sprinting across the ground. The monster gained on me, its every step closing in.

I clutched the arrow in my hand, my only weapon. I could strike with my lightning, but I’d wait. No need to let them know about my hearing.

A flash to my left caught my eye.

Myself!

The illusion was running toward me—sort of. I veered off, making her come toward me as I kept an ear out for the beast. It was harder to hear over my heaving breaths and pounding heart.

A large bush provided some cover, so I darted under it, making my illusion do the same. I pulled the switch quickly, making her disappear and my real self reappear.

The beast leapt out of the bushes a moment later, coming straight for me. I wasted no time, jumping for it instead of cowering, slamming my arrow up into its stomach.

It hissed and thrashed, jerking backward.

The arrow snapped off in its stomach.

No!

My only weapon, except my lightning. I called on it, charging it up and envisioning a great bolt striking down from the sky.

Before the lightning could shoot downward, the monster leapt on me again.