A guard rushed in. Marin held himself above me, my hips held in place by his. I twisted to roll out from under him, but he moved with me.

“Marin, there has been an explosion!”

Marin jumped up, teasing done. “What? Where? Are there any casualties?”

“Uncertain at the moment. It was at the mines.” There was a despairing look on the guard’s face.

Mental note: find out about these mines.

“The mines.” Marin strode to the doorway. I was fast on his heels. He turned to me, his hands going to my shoulders. “You wait here.”

“I think I should come. I can look, see what he did. It sounds like this is important.”

“Do not be stupid. He could be using this to draw you out, and everyone thinks you left.”

“Everyone thinks I ran away outside of town. The mines are outside of town. I can help you. Please. I will go crazy waiting here.”

“It is not a good idea,” he exclaimed.

I pushed the door closed.

“Please,” I murmured and threw my arms around his neck.

He sighed and ran his hands down my face, then up through my hair, his fingers sliding through the waves. “I repeat, it is not a good idea.”

“I know it isn’t. That doesn’t mean I still don’t want to go. I need to be there. I don’t know how I know, but I do. I need to be there.”

He rubbed his nose down my face, breathing me in.

“Fine.” As I was starting to smile, he said, “But, and this is a big but, you must promise to listen to me. I will run you there. I will clear all but the people who know where you are staying. I will bring you back the same way. No deviations and no arguing.”

We both knew that would be a problem for me.

He waved a finger under my nose. “Understood?”

I hoped my smile didn’t show my triumph.

“I wouldn’t dream of arguing with you.” I grabbed his finger and smiled. His grunt let me know he understood.

He pointed back to the gardens. “We will leave that way. You will not be seen.”

The journey to the mines was quick. I could get used to his super speed. Flash oh oh.

He left me waiting behind a boulder while he headed toward the mines to investigate and clear the area.

As I waited, I felt the familiar cold slide across my skin. I fought the instinct to run and forced myself to stillness. I turned in a circle. The killer—Xade— was nearby.

Where are you, you fuck? I tensed, awaiting an attack, but nothing happened. Jace and Bob watched me and then scanned the trees.

I focused on Marin. “Marin?”

A whisper of a wind. “Yes.”

“Where are you?”

“In the mine.”

“He’s here.”

“Who?”

“Xade.”

“Who is Xade?”

I needed to keep track of who knew what. “The bad guy.”

“I am coming.”

The cold swirled around me. Dread skittered down my spine. Something was about to happen. I waited, but then the cold receded.

Not here.

There.

I started to run in the direction Marin had taken. Urgency rode me hard.

I entered the clearing, my guards fanned out behind me. There were several people gathered around the entrance to the mine. It looked exactly like I remembered. As I got closer, the cold intensified. The first explosion was to draw people in and it worked.

“Get out of there!” I screamed. Desperate, I ran across the field. Several people turned at my shout and stared at me as if I was one brick shy of a load. Marin exited the mine as I got about halfway there. They weren’t listening to me. They needed to get out!

“Get out of there! There’s another bomb. Get out,” I screamed again. I’d almost reached Marin, who relayed my shout.

“Out now.” He stepped into my path and caught me. I plowed into him, and he rocked with my body weight. He turned me and pushed. “Back, Elizabeth, back.”

People streamed out behind him, running away. Finn and Ute passed us. Once I saw them go by, I stopped struggling, and Marin and I both bolted to the closest rock.

Time slowed.

I could hear my heart beat. Once, twice. We weren’t going to make it. I pushed Marin down as the blast went off.

My body went flying up and over in a wicked somersault all limbs and elbows with a rough landing. Spots danced in my vision. Something was wrong with my hearing. I saw people rushing up to me and speaking, but my ears rang too much to understand what they said. I lifted my hand, rubbed at my ears, and pulled my hand back. Blood. Red. The world swam out of focus.

Marin’s drawn face loomed above me. My hearing was back. Still ringing, but voices filtered to me. My head hurt. The suns were too bright. Wow, this seemed way too familiar.

“Wake up. Please wake up,” Marin said.

“Hey,” I drawled.

He smiled and hugged me. His relief waned and his anger rose. “What were you thinking?”

Finn and Ute rushed over as soon as they heard my voice.

“Are you all right?” Finn asked. He gripped my hand tightly.

Voice husky, I replied, “I’m okay.” I glanced around at the damage.

“How did you know?” Ute whispered.

“I could feel him when I arrived, but I couldn’t figure out where he was. Then I just knew. He was here, but I don’t feel him anymore.” I attempted to sit up, but Marin pressed me back down.

“Not yet, go slow; you took most of the blast. What were you thinking?” he repeated.

“I can heal.” I covered my eyes with my arm. Marin growled in response.

I turned to look at the mine. Debris blocked the entrance. The apparatus they were looking at the day I arrived was off to the left of the opening, surprisingly intact. I saw Santa near the entrance, waving at people. He looked like he was organizing the cleanup. “Was anyone hurt?”

“I do not know yet. They are checking.”

I sat up again. Marin braced my back with his front. “Go slow, I said.”

“This is slow,” I exclaimed, inching up.

Finn stared at us, a pinched expression on his face.

Marin didn’t look at Finn as he ordered him to go find out about any casualties.

Finn leaned toward me, quite deliberately, and tapped my chin. I looked into his eyes, his very pissed-off eyes. Blue swirled and radiated out. He kissed me with a lot of tongue, being quite thorough about it. Whoa.

My hands rose and shoved him away. He cut a deliberate glance at Marin, nodded at me, then strode to the mine.

My heart thumped as I followed his progress.

Marin tightened his arm around my waist. Ute made sure to glance away.

“You scared me.” Marin’s breath tickled my ear.

Spots still stained my vision. I leaned back against him. We watched while Finn talked to Santa. People glanced my way, but no one approached. Jace and Bob stood to the side, ready.

Finn returned with Santa—Con. They both crouched by me.

Con reported, “We know at least ten people were trapped in the mine during the second blast. They are working to get them out now. There is a lot of rubble. The original blast killed Jon, from Clan Barrel. I am pretty sure the mine is intact and if we clear the entryway, we can get everyone out. We are not sure how much air they have in there.”

I stood and fell right back down. Marin grabbed me from behind, supporting me, while Finn grabbed my arms and pulled me against him. Finn’s arms went around me. Marin held my hips and dragged me back. Neither yielded their hold. Their gazes locked.

Now I knew how a wishbone felt. I elbowed Marin and brushed off Finn’s hands as I shuffled toward the action. Ute came up on my side, and I leaned on him for support. Jace and Bob swung wide of us. Finn and Marin argued in whispers behind me. If I concentrated, I could hear them, but I let them squabble. I wanted to see this mine.

When we got close, I pressed my hand to the wall nearest me for support.

Huh.

I heard the people trapped. They weren’t talking, but I could hear their breathing and occasional cries. They were close. My shoulders brushed Con’s.

“Put your hand here.” I pointed to the wall.

Con obliged. “What am I doing?”

“Close your eyes and tell me if you feel anything?”

He looked like he strained for a second, then turned to me with a grimace.

“Oh please, try harder.”

He closed his eyes. They popped open a minute later, excited. “I can hear them.”

Yes. “See who else can hear them.”

He rushed to the others. Finn and Marin approached me.

“What is going on?” Marin queried.

Finn stepped to my side, one hand on my waist, while Marin looked away. Guess I knew who won the argument.

I turned to them. “Put your hand here.”

They complied.

“Tell me what you hear.”

Finn answered excitedly after a few seconds. “They are there. Close. They are breathing.”

“Yes! I can hear that too; so can Con. He is seeing who else can hear them. Ute, you said that to get through the mountains, the people moved the rocks around them?”

Ute agreed, contemplating. “Yes. Is that what you want to do here?”

“Yes, I figure it won’t hurt to try. People have been gaining power, right? The people here, they are miners, drawn to the land. That has to be an earth talent. They should be able to do this. We can help them quicker. See the damage sooner.”

They all agreed as Con returned. Various people were standing and pressing their hands against the wall. There were a few more exclamations all around the clearing.

“Five others can feel them. What are we going to do?” Con said.

I looked at Marin for leave to tell him. Marin inclined his head.

“We are going to move this rock.”

Con looked at the wall. “We are?”

“Yep.”

Everyone crowded around me.

“Put your hands on the rock.” They complied, Ute, Finn, Marin, and all the miners. “Close your eyes and imagine this is where the new entrance will be. Con, this is where the people who have been inside the mine are most important. You know the layout so you can imagine the best possible place for another opening. We might not be able to clear the area fast enough to get everyone out. We need to make a new hole.”

There were several determined nods up and down the line. Silence reigned as everyone concentrated on creating a new passage. I closed my eyes and joined them. Finn moved to brace himself behind me, both of his hands above mine on the rock.

Muted murmurs broke out when the debris didn’t move.

“Quiet, and concentrate.” Deep breath in and out, I called power. I felt heat pool in my belly. Please help us. The ground started to shake. Please. I kept my eyes closed. “Steady now.”

I recalled the prior entrance, the beams and support, the passage right in front of me, and the track leading to the machine.

The clearing tipped, and I fell forward onto my knees.

A new opening loomed in front of us. Two men exited, carrying a third between them. There was something wrong with his legs. Two others rushed to loved ones nearby. Then the rest swarmed out. Several limped but for the most part, everyone was whole. Con hurried inside.

How about that? It worked. I weaved back a bit. Finn pulled me against him. He nuzzled my neck.

“That was incredible.”

Stiffening, I shrugged him off. Marin’s words ran through my mind. If he was going to mate Lara, this would lead nowhere. I glanced over to see Marin watching. He looked away when he saw me peeking.

Con came back out and was talking to Marin, gesturing. Ute wandered over to listen, and Torrin approached from town. More people crowded into the clearing.

I was getting a lot of looks as I stood there with Finn hovering beside me. Marin looked pretty satisfied when he strode up. He took my hand and tugged me to his side. Finn shifted to follow us. The three of us huddled.

Marin whispered, “We need to get her back to my house while they are distracted by the blast and getting everyone out. The Imani did this for a reason. He wanted people out here at the mines. That leaves fewer people in town. Finn, see if you can smell him there.”

“I don’t know if it matters; people saw me already.”

“But they do not know where you are hiding. Finn, take her out the side; I will meet you there. Best not to see me with her, as you pointed out earlier, Finn.”

I nodded agreement. Finn and I moved back to the left, behind the apparatus; the guards remained ever vigilant by our sides. We slid behind rocks and out of the clearing.