The ground trembled beneath my feet, creaking and groaning. I sprinted harder, racing through the tunnel with Ares at my side. We followed the train tracks deeper into the mine.

The ground in front of me dropped away, a huge section disappearing into the depths of the earth. I lunged left, avoiding the deep crevasse. Another section of ground dropped away.

I leapt onto the wooden slats of the train tracks. It was like a suspension bridge across the disappearing ground. I leapt from wooden slat to wooden slat. Some crazy part of my brain reminded me that they were called ties. Not really useful info at this point, but apparently I was crazy.

“Faster!” Ares shouted from behind me.

All around us, sections of ground dropped away. The train track remained, the wooden ties held together by the iron rails. I leapt from tie to tie as the earth fell away around me.

Suddenly, what had happened to the ghost was obvious. He had fallen, his skull crushing against the ground far below.

Shit. That would be us.

As the ground fell away, the train track bridge became too long. My heart thundered. The track wasn’t built for this—it was going to snap. And we were going to fall.

I inanely wished for a jet pack, but it was beyond my conjuring capabilities. So I called upon my magic, ready to create another bow and an arrow with a grappling hook end. It’d worked once, so I just prayed it would work again.

But the bridge snapped. All thoughts of conjuring fled as I fell. My stomach jumped into my throat as I reached out for the wooden railway ties. My fingertips slid off the rough wooden surface of one tie, but I managed to grip the next as the train track bent toward the newly formed cliff wall like the broken rope bridge from Indiana Jones.

I’d always thought that scene was insane. Now I was living it.

The cliff wall in front of us was jagged, with little ridges where one could stand.

“The metal will snap!” Ares roared from below me.

I glanced down. He clung to the ties below me as we swung through the air. Above us, the iron railroad ties were bending as the bridge drooped.

“You’ll have to jump for the cliff!” Ares shouted.

We were close enough that I just might manage to grab onto one of the little ledges.

The metal shrieked as the train track bent too far. I scrambled to find footing on one of the railroad ties beneath me. As soon as I did, I pushed off and jumped for the cliff.

As I sailed through the air, it hit me how impossible this was. Even in the movies, people didn’t succeed at this. Ares flew by me, strong enough and fast enough that he defied reality.

I reached out, stretching for the little cliff. My fingertips brushed the stone surface, but didn’t find purchase. My throat closed with terror.

Until Ares’s hand wrapped around my wrist, jerking me to a stop.

I panted, dangling above the endless drop. Ares dragged me up. I scrambled onto the shallow ledge, clinging to the rock in front of me. To my left, the train track snapped and plummeted into the darkness below.

Sweat ran down my back as I pressed my face against the cliff wall. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Ares panted, his back pressed against the cliff.

The ledge that we stood upon was only a couple feet wide. I looked up. The main part of the tunnel path was about twenty feet above us. Fortunately, there were little ledges like this one that we could use to ascend.

“If we’re careful, we can climb up,” Ares said.

I nodded, my muscles shaking as adrenaline poured through my veins. “That was insane.”

“We got lucky that the tracks didn’t snap sooner.”

“And that you’ve got crazy vampire strength and speed.” I’d have gone splat without him. Why was it that the desert always lent itself to Wile E. Coyote antics? I drew in a shuddery breath. “Ready to climb?”

“I’ll go first.”

I followed Ares up the cliffside, clinging to the rock ledges. When we reached the top, I flopped onto my stomach, gasping. I gave myself a few seconds, then sat up and looked back down the tunnel, the way we’d come. A huge portion of the ground was missing, plummeted into the earth. The ghost with the crushed skull stood on the other side, watching us.

I waved.

He didn’t wave back. The earth that had fallen away began to knit itself back together, magic putting everything back to rights. Within moments, the ground looked normal, as if it’d never broken apart at all.

“Hider’s Haven has some serious protective enchantments.” I turned to look at Ares, who was getting to his feet.

“That won’t be the worst of it.”

I stood, joining him. We set off down the path. I kept my eyes glued to the ground in front of us, heart in my throat. The train track continued, stretching deep into the mountains. I inspected the walls to try to figure out what had been mined here, but I saw no traces of valuable stone or metal. An empty railway car shoved up against the side of the tunnel revealed no goodies either.

“Up ahead.” Ares pointed to a ghostly blur ahead of us. It lay along the ground, almost like a puddle.

I hurried toward it, dread in the pit of my stomach. As we neared, I realized that the ghost was a flattened person. And it wasn’t cartoonish. I swallowed down bile. “He looks like he’s been crushed by a steamroller.”

Run. The ghost didn’t say it—he couldn’t say it—but I heard it in my head all the same.

I took off, sprinting down the corridor with Ares at my side. What the heck could flatten a man like that? Ideas flashed through my mind, each more horrible than the last.

When the mountain began to groan around us, stone scraping against stone, I realized.

The walls had begun to close in on us from either side, an inch every second. Dread chilled my skin. Immediately, I conjured a heavy iron bar on the ground in front of me, hoping that it would slow the mountain from closing in on us.

I leapt over the bar and left it behind, praying it would work. We sprinted as the walls ground toward us. Then they stopped. I glanced behind. The iron bar was straining as it held the walls apart.

“Faster,” Ares said.

I sprinted, breath tearing through my lungs. “Leave me.”

He was so much faster that he should just race ahead.

A loud snap rent the air. The walls rushed in on us. The iron bar had broken. My heart thudded as I conjured another, then another, leaving them on the ground behind us.

The walls stopped their deadly movement. I pushed myself until my lungs burned.

Snap. Snap!

The walls began to close in once more. They were only a foot from us on either side, the corridor now only three feet wide. Ares cut behind me so that I could race ahead, making me want to scream my rage. He’d never save himself if it meant leaving me behind.

It drove me insane.

I conjured more iron bars, but they wouldn’t hold the walls forever.

“We’re near the end!” Ares shouted.

Up ahead, the corridor widened. I gave it my all, sprinting as the metal bars snapped behind me. The walls closed in.

They were nearly brushing my shoulders by the time I spilled out into the main hall, where the walls didn’t move, thank fates.

Ares squeezed out behind me, his broader shoulders scraping against the enclosing stone.

I bent over, panting and sweating. My lungs were on fire.

Ares hadn’t even broken a sweat—not since he’d spent the run behind me.

“You really just need to leave me behind sometimes,” I gasped.

“You totally had that.” He sounded slightly winded, at least. “Good work with the iron bars.”

I stood up and scowled at him. He grinned, then leaned forward and kissed me, his lips pressed hard to mine.

I enjoyed it for a half second before pushing him back. “You need to take me seriously, you know. You should try to save yourself. Don’t risk your life like that.”

His gaze turned somber. “It’s my life to risk. You can’t make that decision for me.”

My heart stuttered. He was right. I couldn’t make those decisions for him, nor should I. But damn it, I didn’t want him dying for me. Which he seemed willing to do. It was crazy.

“I knew we’d get through that,” he said. “I believed in you.”

“Uh huh.” I nodded, my heart and brain flopping around like fish out of water. He sure did say the right things. And it really sounded like he meant them. This was all too much for me. So I avoided it and turned. “Let’s go.”

We started down the path, jogging slowly alongside the railroad tracks. The farther we went into the mountain, the staler the air became. Then it got fresher.

“Air’s weird,” I muttered.

“We’re coming up to something.”

In the distance, the walls of the corridor glowed golden and bright. My dragon sense roared, covetousness welling within me. Though my trove was full of plants, cars, and weapons, the dragon side of me was a huge fan of gold. Huge.

It liked gold like a cat liked tuna.

The gold tugged at my dragon soul, pulling me down the corridor toward the glowing golden lights. I ran faster. As we neared, a white glow coalesced to form a ghost. Again, he was dressed like a miner. But this time, he was covered in deep cuts that dripped pearly white blood.

I shivered.

The ghostly miner just shook his head at us and whispered, “Go back.”

“Not really an option, friend,” Ares said.

“I gotta agree with you,” I said to Ares. “But given how the last two challenges have gone…” The smart part of me wanted to listen to Mr. Bled-To-Death.

Of course we wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

Ares reached for my hand and I took it, then walked by the messenger. Sadness tugged at me for all the people who’d lost their lives down here. I shoved it aside and we continued on.

It didn’t take long for the golden lights that glowed in the walls to coalesce into slender figures. They were made entirely of gold, with gleaming eyes and six-inch claws on each hand. The way they stepped out of the stone wall was eerie enough to make me shiver.

And to make my dragon sense go wild with joy. It was an idiot sometimes.

“Any idea what these are?” I asked as I warily watched their claws and called upon my conjuring gift.

“Bad news.”

There were five. Then six. Seven. More stepped out of the walls. All were at least as tall as Ares, but so slender they looked like reeds.

I let the magic well inside me, letting a crazy idea take form. The monsters’ claws were sharp, but gold melted at an extremely low temperature.

I conjured a flaming torch, then a big bottle of hairspray. I passed both off to Ares. “The torch is coated in thermite to burn extra hot. I think you can figure out the hairspray.”

Ares grinned and took them both, holding the torch up in front of his face like some bad-ass explorer from old. Firelight danced off his features. I conjured my own torch and hairspray, then eased toward the creatures.

“If they charge—”

As if the beasts understood my words, they did just that, rushing toward us. They raised their claws, which glinted in the light of my flame.

They swiped out, going for blood. I held out the torch and pressed the button on the hairspray. Flame roared, jetting toward the creature, which lunged back. Another monster swiped for my legs, going low and almost making contact. I dodged out of the way and thrust my torch toward him, firing the hairspray. The wild flame collided with his hands, softening the metal of the claws until they dripped gold.

Jackpot.

Ares fought at my side, aiming his hairspray and torch like a pro. I raced ahead, dodging the gleaming golden monsters.

Pain sliced through my calf. A cry escaped me as I stumbled. I forced the agony from my mind and spun, swiping out with my torch and hairspray. The flame collided with the arm of one of my attackers. The creature skittered back.

Ares fought off three golden beasts, his torch streaking through the air and his shield blocking their blows. Fortunately, he was fast, melting their claws before they could make contact.

We fought our way through the crowd, unable to really kill them but at least able to hold them off.

I was sweating and covered in a few deep scratches by the time we made it to the end of the corridor. They stopped at an invisible barrier, clawing toward us but unable to get any farther. They were completely silent, which was eerie. Without mouths, there wasn’t much they could say.

I lowered my torch and empty bottle of hairspray. My heart thundered as I watched them try to get to us. Thank fates for the magic that stopped them. They could only haunt the section of tunnel that had been enchanted.

Ares turned to me, his gaze concerned. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” My wounds burned, but I could ignore them. I thought. “Let’s get a little farther away.”

We left the golden beasts behind and hurried down the corridor. I limped only slightly, which I considered a win. Once we were a few dozen feet away, I sat on the ground and inspected the deep scratches on my calf. They bled sluggishly, but it wasn’t the worst I’d ever gotten.

Ares knelt, raising a wrist to his mouth.

I held out a hand. “No. It’s not that bad.”

Especially since I didn’t know what his blood would do to me. We already had a connection and he could find me. Could it get deeper?

Whatever I felt for him… I wanted it to be my feelings, not some weird supernatural blood bond.

Instead, I conjured a bandage and wrapped it around the wound to stem the bleeding. The rest of my cuts were so superficial that they needed no binding, though one of them was ruining my Black Widow T-shirt.

“You okay?” I eyed Ares, searching for any wounds. There were none that I could see.

“I’m fine.” He stood, reaching a hand down for me. I took it, letting him haul me up.

“I sure hope that’s the last of it.” I turned and continued down the corridor.

We went deeper and deeper into the mountain. Eventually, the railroad tracks disappeared. “Do you think we’re past the old mining operation?”

“Could be.” Ares cocked his head. “Hear that?”

I shook my head, hurrying to see if I could hear it when I was closer. Eventually, the indistinct sound of people—like lots of people chatting in a bar—drifted down the hall. I reached out a hand for Ares, slowing him.

We crept along on silent feet. The sounds grew louder. Definitely a lot of people. Ahead, the tunnel curved. We crept around the corner. Two men sat on bar stools on either side of the tunnel. Behind them, the tunnel opened up to a vastly larger space.

“They look like bouncers,” I muttered to Ares.

“Then pretend we belong inside.”

Was this really the end of the journey? Had we reached Hider’s Haven? My dragon sense tugged hard, confirming it was likely.

I sauntered up to the bouncers like I belonged. They were two big guys, burly with muscle and pale skin that looked like it hadn’t seen the light of day in centuries. Probably because it hadn’t. Their beards were long and their eyes beady.

“Hey guys,” I said.

“Pass?” The one on the left, who I thought of as Bushy Beard Junior, held out his hand.

“I lost it.” I smiled, trying for charm, and tilted my body so that they couldn’t see the blood staining my shirt.

“Liar.” Bushy Bear Senior scowled at me.

“Don’t call her a liar.” Ares stepped up beside me, shoulders squared.

Okay, it was testosterone time. The two bouncers surged up, chests out and fists up. We weren’t getting through them without a tussle.

But Ares was quick. His vampire speed was a blur as he punched them both in the face. Like cartoons, they stood still for the briefest moment, then keeled backward.

I gave him a thumbs-up. “Nice job.”

“Better unconscious than dead.” He flexed his hand. “No need to kill the guards.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” I knelt and conjured two gags and ropes to bind their limbs. Ares and I made quick work of trussing them up, then we left them propped against the wall and headed toward the entrance to Hider’s Haven.

My dragon sense went wild as we neared the archway. Ademius was here somewhere. I could feel it.

Since confidence made a person look like they belonged, I sauntered through the archway like I was the quarterback walking through the doors of the high school.

The space within took my breath away. It was like the central courtyard of a European village. Except that it had been built right into a mountain. The room was large, at least the size of a football field. Vaulted ceilings were streaked with golden ore. Light glittered off the ore, illuminating the space with warmth. Holes in the ceiling had to be vents for fresh air. Magically enchanted to encourage airflow, I’d bet.

All around the courtyard, shops and cafes were built into the mountain. They were small, but impressive all the same. The space was full of people, sitting on benches and at tables, chatting and playing cards. Though Hider’s Haven was charming in the extreme, most of the inhabitants had a dubious air about them. The kind that spelled trouble in their past. Which made sense, considering they were hiding out.

But they couldn’t be all bad, considering that there was greenery in the courtyard. Several oak trees grew right out of the ground.

“I’d like a gander at that irrigation system,” I said. “And the light situation…”

“You like plants?” Ares asked.

“You could say that.”

A woman nearby turned, her keen eyes on us. She was about sixty, with a face that said she’d done it all and seen it all and wouldn’t put up with any BS. Her magic smelled like an old shoe that a wet ferret had chosen for a house.

“You’re not from around here,” she said.

“New,” I said.

Her green eyes narrowed. “The Council never said anything about that.”

Shit. We did not need to be caught as outsiders.

“They should have,” I bluffed, heart pounding. “We were invited by my ancestor, Ademius.”

She studied me, clearly debating whether or not to buy my story. “Hmm. Then you won’t mind if I tell him you are here.”

I jumped on it. “Yeah, take us right to him. That’d be perfect.”

“If there’s one inkling of Ademius not wanting you here, you’re going in the pit. Immediately.”

“Uh, the pit?” I swallowed hard and looked at Ares. “That sounds bad.”

“Oh, it is.” She grinned, revealing teeth sharpened into points. Fangs. Suddenly, the charming atmosphere of this place became obvious for what it was—a thin veneer. The people here were hardcore badasses and most likely criminals. “The pit is full of sand vipers. It’s where we put intruders. It’s perfect, you see, because the vipers will devour the body and leave nothing for us to clean up.”

“Whew.” I mimed wiping the sweat off of my brow. “Good thing Grandad Ademius is looking forward to seeing us again.”

Her eyes flashed with skepticism, but she just turned. “Follow me.”

“Laying it on a little thick there, aren’t you?” Ares said.

“Maybe.” Sweat trickled down my back when Fangs, as I’d started to think of her, waved a hand and several creepy people joined our little party. She was getting backup. To throw us in the pit.

I really hoped Ademius would recognize me now that I was an adult.

“If this goes to crap, we’re screwed,” I whispered to Ares. Maybe, just maybe, we could fight our way out of here, but I had my doubts. We almost hadn’t made it in. With this lot after us…

Fangs led us through the main courtyard. The magical signatures of the inhabitants battered me from all sides. Dark and light, good and bad. These folks were a mixed bag—some violent criminals, some just hiding from whatever hunted them.

I shuddered, praying that I never ended up in a place like this.

We passed through the courtyard and went down a narrow passage. Doors dotted the way. Some were propped open to reveal small houses, though most were tightly closed.

Fangs stopped in front of one and grinned creepily at us. “The moment of truth.”

Considering that there were now about two-dozen makeshift guards surrounding us, things were looking iffy. These folks were serious about protecting their own. Not to mention, they were also probably bored and looking for a scuffle.

I prayed to fate that Ademius would realize who I was.

Fangs knocked on the door. I held my breath. After an endless moment, it creaked open.

An old man peered out, mussed white hair sticking up in all directions. He looked the same as always, with my mother’s eyes and his wooden cane.

A thrill rushed through me to see him again.

“Ademius, there’s someone here for you,” Fangs said.

Fear widened his eyes and he stiffened.

Shit.

Fangs turned to me, her gaze triumphant. Into the pit with you.

“Uh, Great Grandad Ademius?” I said. “I’m Phoenix Knight. I mean, Lividius. Do you remember me? I’m here to see you about something you made long ago.”

His gaze darted to me, confusion flaring only briefly before understanding dawned. It was followed by awe. “You’re here.”

Tears welled in my eyes. “I missed you.”

Fangs grunted, clearly disappointed, but I ignored her. She stepped back from the door and I passed by her.

“Don’t you step a toe out of line,” Fangs said.

I thumbs-upped her, which I didn’t think she liked, then stepped into Ademius’s small home. Ares followed. Once he was in, I shut the door, grateful to put something between me and Fangs.

I turned to Ademius. Unable to help myself any longer, I threw my arms around him. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you again.”

He hugged me. “How you’ve grown.”

I pulled back, wiping my eyes. What an embarrassment of riches my family life had turned out to be.

“Welcome,” Ademius said.

His home was small but cozy, with stone furniture built into the wall and colorful fabric cushions making it more comfortable. It looked well lived in, like he’d been here since he’d left me in the forest.

“You’ve learned you are the chosen one,” Ademius said.

“So we’re getting straight into it?”

“You don’t have a lot of time.”

“I don’t.” But I also didn’t love hearing the label Chosen One. Didn’t they always die at the end of the movie?

Ares stepped forward, hand outstretched. “I’m Ares Warhaven.”

Ademius shook his hand. “Quite a name.”

“I know.”

“Come, sit.” Ademius gestured us over to a small table pressed against the wall. There were three chairs.

We each took one. I opened my mouth to explain why we were here, but Ademius spoke. “Have you been well these last ten years? Practicing your magic with your garden?”

I smiled at the reminder of how much he’d loved my garden. Now I knew why. “I haven’t practiced as much as I should. I lost my memory for a long time. I’ve just now learned of my plant magic.”

Worry creased Ademius’s features. “It’s more than plant magic.”

“I know. I just don’t know the extent of it. Do you?”

He shook his head. “I do not. But you must learn. Fast.”

“I will.”

“So you’re here about the Vessel of Truth.”

“I am.”

He sighed. “I made that so long ago. One of my first tasks as a Wizard.”

“It was beautiful.”

“It was, yes. Not a Ming Vase or a Faberge Egg, but beautiful in its own way.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “That was a different time. A simpler time. I didn’t know until later why I felt compelled to make the Vessel of Truth, but I’ve since learned.”

“Because I would need it?”

“Yes. I didn’t know that when I visited you. I have the slightest bit of seer blood. Not enough to see the future, but enough to get inklings. I knew only that you were important to me and the future. So I came to see you. And I liked you. I still would, I imagine.” He frowned. “If only I’d known then that you would need the Vessel of Truth. It would have saved so much misery.”

“Oh no.” My stomach dropped. “It was Drakon, wasn’t it?”

His gaze darkened, fingers stilling. “It was. The man you fight, Drakon, found me last week. He made it clear what he needed. As soon as I saw you at my door, I realized what you’d come for.”

Dread curled in my belly. “Did he hurt you?”

“Enough.”

Tears pricked my eyes. I’d failed Ademius. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry, dear.” Ademius tutted. “I’m thousands of years old. I’ve experienced worse.”

“Whatever it was, it was bad enough to make you give him the recipe for the potion that will ignite the Vessel of Truth.”

“All true.” He shuddered. “But it is over. I escaped. He didn’t have me for long. And you will defeat him. But you must be prepared. His evil… It is incredible. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

I was grateful he didn’t go into the details of his time with Drakon. But my soul burned for vengeance.

Ademius stood, retrieving some paper and a pen. “You are here for the recipe, correct?”

“Yes, and to see you. I’m so happy you’re still alive. When you disappeared all those years ago, I was devastated.”

“I’m sorry dear. It was unavoidable. But you’re here now. And I can give you the recipe. In all my years, I’ve never forgotten it. Complex, but manageable.”

Ademius scratched out a list of ingredients, and then a short note that I couldn’t read from across the table. He pushed the paper toward me. “I hope you have a skilled potion master for this. One wrong move, and the potion will obliterate the Vessel.”

“Yikes.”

“That’s one way of putting it.”

Ares spoke for the first time. “Would you be able to take us to the place where Drakon held you captive?”

“No.” Ademius’s voice whipped out. “Absolutely not.”

My heart tore at the fear in Ademius’s voice.

“We need to find him,” Ares pressed. “It’s the only way to stop him, and you’re our only lead.”

Ares was right. And I was desperately glad that he was asking this question. I could not have done it.

“I cannot.” Ademius shook his head. “I have done my part, the part fated since I was born. I am done now.”

“Please.” Ares’s voice softened, gentler than I’d ever heard it. “Lives are at risk. Thousands of them.”

Ademius sighed. “I cannot go back. But I can direct you to a man who can help. He found me while I was trying to escape and helped me.”

I jumped at it. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. There is no easy way to access Drakon. But Torus hates him even more than I do. He lives at the edge of Drakon’s land. Perhaps he can help you sneak in. Though it won’t be easy.”

Yeah, it’d probably be a giant pain in the butt. Death Valley style. “That’s okay. I’m not expecting easy. I just need a clue. Something to help me find him.”

“Then you’ll have one.” He held out his hand, nodding toward the piece of paper he’d given me that contained the recipe for the potion. I handed it over. He scribbled something on it—a name and a place, it looked like—then handed it back to me. “There. He is a thin man with dark hair and eyes. He loves horses, so I imagine you’ll find him at the stable. Godspeed, Phoenix. I always enjoyed our time together.”

I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “We’ll tell you when we’ve defeated them. Then you’ll be free to leave here.”

“It will not matter. Now that you have the information you need, my part is finished.” He sighed, both contented and a bit sad. “I will cross over.”

“Cross over?” Dread filled my chest.

His tired gaze met mine. “I’m thousands of years old, Phoenix. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. I’m ready for the next phase.”

Death. I swallowed hard.

“No. Please don’t,” I said. This is what he’d meant when he’d said he couldn’t help us find Drakon. His time was up. “Please.”

Ademius smiled. “I must, child. The magic that made me immortal is linked to you. It allowed me to wait for you. But now that my role is done, the magic will fade.”

Tears pricked my eyes. I’d only had him back for a short time. I’d gotten cocky, crowing about all the family I had.

Fate didn’t like that.

“Don’t be sad for me, Phoenix.” Ademius smiled. “I’m happy to go. I want to see old friends and family.”

“You will?” I didn’t know what happened in the afterlife, but that sounded great. And Ademius sounded so happy about it.

“I will. I don’t know everything, but I do know that.”

I gave a watery smile. His contentment radiated from him. As much as the idea of his passing tore at my soul, I couldn’t help but appreciate that.

“I’ll miss you.” My voice broke.

“I’ll miss you, too. But you’ll see me again.”

Tears pricked my eyes. His voice was so final. But at peace. I hugged him. He wrapped his arms around me briefly, then stepped back.

“It is time for you to go now,” he said.

I nodded, somehow hating the words even though I knew he was right. It was time to go. Time to go and face my fate.