"Felix?" Kevlin asked, confused.

  The black-cloaked Sentinel said, "Am I late to the party, boys?"

  Sitara jerked at the sound of his voice and whispered, "Masego. Help me."

  "You!" Kevlin and his two brothers sprang into motion.

  Too late.

  Before Kevlin could bring the javelin to bear, iron shackles materialized out of the air and fastened themselves around his wrists and ankles. They yanked him into the air, arms and legs spread-eagled. He struggled in vain against them until they slammed him against the hard stone of the inner wall.

  The shock of the impact rattled him and he groaned with pain. His head spun and lights danced before his eyes. He dimly registered Jerrik slamming into the wall beside him, three feet above the floor.

  The distinctive clashing of steel on iron helped him focus. Again and again it echoed through the room. He blinked his vision into focus, and then stared.

  Drystan. The lanky Einarri twisted and spun across the room in a blur of motion. He wielded his long knives in lightning strikes as he battled the iron shackles that darted around him, striking like snakes.

  Kevlin watched in mute amazement as Drystan fought to remain free. He slashed and kicked and twisted and dodged, and somehow held the shackles at bay. All the while, he steadily worked his way closer to Felix.

  The fat Sentinel's mouth twisted into a snarl and his brow furrowed in concentration as he directed his iron servants to finally take the final prisoner.

  Drystan drew close enough to his target. He dropped one long-knife, yanked a javelin from its sheath on his back, and cast it in one smooth movement.

  Kevlin silently willed it to strike true.

  Felix was a Sentinel. Drystan never had a chance.

  Scant inches from Felix's huge torso, the javelin halted in mid-air. Then it reversed direction and shot back at Drystan with incredible speed.

  Drystan dove aside and the javelin whistled past his tumbling body, scraping his armored torso. He rolled, picked up his fallen knife, and landed on his feet.

  The move cost him too much time. Even as he regained his feet, the iron shackles fastened themselves around his ankles and hoisted him off of the ground.

  Drystan somehow maintained his balance even as the shackles pulled him into the air. He grabbed for another javelin, but Masego made a twisting motion with one finger. The shackles holding his feet spun him upside down. His head slammed against the floor and the blow stunned him.

  Shackles fastened around Drystan's wrists. He was flipped upright again and his arms and legs extended wide. Felix laughed, a cold, mocking laugh, and sent Drystan hurtling into the wall beside Kevlin with a negligent flip of his hand.

  How did everything get twisted around so badly? They had finally removed Remiel and captured Sitara. It wasn't fair. Why hadn't Felix attacked him with magic? All he needed was a little and he could unleash the power of Tia Khoa.

  Still chuckling, Felix approached. The Sentinel's face twisted with hatred, and darkness burned in his eyes. His features looked different, as if the muscles under the skin had twisted impossibly far to distort his face into that of a stranger.

  "Masego. . . help me."

  The fat Sentinel turned toward the dying Sitara. He considered her, watching the blood trickle from the hole in the center of her chest.

  "Very well." He pointed at Remiel, and the dying young man's body slid across the floor until it lay close beside Sitara.

  Remiel groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He whispered, "Sitara, help me."

  Masego said, "Last lesson, girl. Take the boy's life and save yourself, or die with him."

  "Please . . ." she whispered faintly. She reached out a tentative hand and slipped it into Remiel's.

  Felix turned his back on her.

  "Oh, Bajaran," the whisper was barely audible. "I'm so sorry." A fresh tear dripped down her cheek, and her breath rattled in her chest.

  Masego ignored the dying Sitara and approached Kevlin and his Swordbrothers.

  "How is it possible?" Drystan asked groggily. "How could Harafin not have known it was you?"

  Felix chuckled, making the soft laughter sound cruel. He closed his eyes and his body shuddered. It grew softer, fatter, and his features settled into those of Felix.

  When he opened his eyes, he looked around with the clear blue eyes of Felix. He looked confused.

  "Kevlin? What's going . . ."

  His voice trailed off into a groan, and he doubled over in pain. His body hardened, his features twisted anew, and his eyes filled with darkness. Masego's mocking laugh rippled from Felix's lips.

  "Oh, yes. Harafin and I are old friends. We've known each other for over a hundred years. He trusts me."

  He patted his ample belly. "Well, he trusts the fool this body belongs to, anyway."

  "Felix has proven very useful," he assured them. "No one can sense me while Felix is around." He laughed again as if the comment was unusually funny. "Felix will no longer be needed. Masego will claim the seat at the table of the Masters. All I need is the stone."

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Kevlin's blood ran cold as he watched the man they had known as Felix. Ceren and the keisara had both been possessed, but they'd retained at least some of their own personalities. Masego controlled Felix completely. How had Felix fallen, and how long ago?

  He shuddered to think of Felix standing in counsel with them over the past days. They had shared so much with him, all the while passing information on to the very enemy they hunted.

  Realization struck and Kevlin said, "You cast the curse that almost killed the emperor."

  "Of course. How better to lure you to me than threaten his life?"

  "You attacked me in the catacombs," Kevlin said. "You started the cave-in."

  Masego made a tiny bow. "Again, correct. I couldn't allow Tanathos to escape while I dragged you away."

  "You failed."

  Masego shrugged. "I always win in the end."

  "You killed so many," Drystan said.

  "A necessary price." He looked them over. "Just a few more to kill, and I'll be on my way."

  "You're a coward," Kevlin said. "The only reason you're still alive is because you're so afraid of Harafin."

  Masego gestured at an overturned chair lying nearby. It leaped into the air and struck Kevlin in the midsection with terrible force. Hanging suspended as he was, he could do nothing but watch it come, endure the explosion of pain that resulted, and try not to make any audible sound.

  "Very brave," Masego applauded him mockingly. "But save your insults. I know your secret. You won't be able to goad me into touching you with magic."

  Kevlin hated when his enemies held every advantage. Some of his most painful memories came from moments like that. He'd hoped to avoid making more of those.

  Masego drew a little closer. "You cannot be touched by magic, but I can do anything I want with you when I use my magic on other things. Like those shackles, or that chair."

  "What do you want?"

  "Tia Khoa, of course."

  "You know Harafin guards that secret."

  "Don't play games with me," Masego snarled. He gestured and once more the chair beat Kevlin for him. It shattered on impact, but took one of his ribs with it.

  Kevlin groaned from the searing pain. Every breath triggered fresh waves of agony. His head reeled, and for a moment he thought he was going to be sick. Vomiting with a broken rib was something he'd never done, and he really didn't want to try it now.

  "I know somehow you're the key to the stone's location," Masego said. "Don't try to deny it and don't think I'm an idiot. We both know you know where it is. The only question is what it will take to get you to tell me."

  Well that much honesty hurt as much as the next torture probably would. Kevlin had hoped Masego would rant and threaten for a while longer. Skipping that part was kind of insulting.

  When he didn't speak, Masego only smiled. "I could torture you all for a while. As much as I would enjoy that, you'd probably think it noble to let me kill you."

  "It would be more noble if I killed you."

  Masego laughed. "How about I rip out your tongue after you've told me what I need?"

  The possessed man smiled, a truly evil twisting of his face. It was absolutely unbelievable that the jovial Felix could share the same body as this madman.

  "Don't worry," Masego said. "I have another idea that should help move things along a bit."

  He turned and made a beckoning gesture. The same door Kevlin had used to enter the room moments ago opened and Marjani walked through. She ignored the jumbled pile of fallen soldiers, the shattered window, the dying keisara, and Kevlin and his brothers hanging on the wall.

  "Marjani?" Kevlin called.

  "Marjani, run!" Jerrik shouted.

  She didn't respond, but walked calmly up to Masego, her face peaceful, her eyes half-closed as if on the verge of sleeping.

  Masego stroked her hair and crooned, "Such a pretty thing, isn't she? I know you care about her. How far will you allow me to torment this lovely young lady?"

  He grinned at the unbridled rage on Jerrik's face.

  "Don't encourage him," Drystan whispered. "He'll only hurt her more if he sees it affecting you."

  "Don't pretend you don't care about her," Masego said. "Remember, Felix was in your confidence, and Felix tells me everything."

  He touched Marjani's forehead and she smiled up at him.

  "Marjani, run!" Kevlin and Jerrik shouted uselessly.

  She gave no indication of hearing them.

  "Marjani," Kevlin cried. "Can't you hear me?"

  Jerrik growled, "I swear by all that's holy I'll rip your heart out with my bare hands."

  Masego stopped several feet away from them with Marjani standing close beside him. "This pretty little maid and I are now very good friends. She'll do anything I ask." He touched her cheek and asked softly, "Won't you, my dear?"

  She nodded vigorously.

  The sight of Marjani in thrall to Masego enraged Kevlin and he thrashed uselessly against his chains. She was a friend who was going to suffer for no other crime than knowing them.

  "I'm gonna kill you," Jerrik declared.

  "Please," Masego said. "Spare the bravado. You're completely in my power. The only thing you have any control over is how painful your deaths will be and how long it's going to take me to kill you. Have no doubt. You will die."

  He turned to Marjani. "I would like you to please me."

  She threw herself upon him, trying to embrace and kiss him, her face filled with mindless adoration. The sight nauseated Kevlin and he yanked against his chains again, but only barely managed to rattle them.

  Masego pushed her back. "No. Not so fast. Let's take our time."

  Marjani paused, waiting for his command, her eyes devoid of life. He smiled. "Dance for me."

  She began to sway to music that rang only in her ears.

  "Go ahead and take off that dress."

  She began tearing at her clothing.

  "No. Slowly, so our friends can enjoy the show." Once more she began swaying and moving to the inaudible music, and began to slowly unbutton her dress.

  "You animal," Jerrik roared, his face red with rage as he thrashed against the chains holding him to the wall.

  Masego smiled cruelly. "The dance will stop when I have Tia Khoa."

  "I'm going to kill you," Jerrik shouted again.

  The giant Donarri threw his head back and roared, straining with all of his mighty strength against the shackles. Blood began to trickle down his wrists where the iron cut into his skin.

  "Pace yourself," Masego said. "You're going to wear yourself out too fast that way. We still have a lot of fun ahead of us."

  Jerrik roared a long, desperate sound, his face red with the strain, and every muscle standing out as he redoubled his efforts. With a sudden crack, the small links of iron fastening the shackles to the chain holding his right wrist shattered.

  Jerrik twisted and pulled with both hands, and the left one snapped too.

  "You'll die first," Masego began.

  With an ear-splitting roar, Jerrik ripped the shackles off his feet and dropped to the ground. Like an enraged bull, he charged the surprised Sentinel.

  For a second Kevlin believed he was going to make it, that he would actually close the gap and crush Masego with one mighty fist.

  Masego raised his hand and Jerrik ran into a shimmering amber wall scant inches from Masego's throat. He bounced back, his charge broken. He threw himself against it, battering the barrier with his fists.

  Masego made a flicking gesture with one hand and an invisible force hurled Jerrik backward. He struck the stone wall so hard it shuttered. He slumped to the ground and lay in a crumpled mass, shaking with pain.

  "I grow tired of this game," Masego said.

  He gestured with his other hand and the still-dancing, Marjani was also thrown at the wall.

  Jerrik lunged and caught her before she struck the wall, absorbing the impact with his own body. The two of them slumped to the floor and neither tried to rise again.

  Masego said, "Perhaps something more direct. Kevlin, let's see how dear this secret is to you after you watch some of your friends burn."

  He snapped his fingers and a ball of fire coalesced in the air before him. When Kevlin didn't respond, he threw out his hand and the ball of fire shot toward Jerrik and Marjani. There was nothing any of them could do but watch death roll toward them.

  "Wait!" Kevlin shouted, thrashing helplessly against his bonds.

  Masego grinned, his eyes blazing with eager anticipation as the fire hurtled toward the huddled forms of the two victims. In a last heroic effort, Jerrik pulled Marjani behind him, trying to protect her with his own body.

  Kevlin screamed in impotent rage as the fire struck.