Intent on retrieving his prize, the witch who belonged to him, Darkwolf dropped his shield a second after Silver and Copper released theirs.
The pain in his broken nose was forgotten as he focused on Silver. Despite the smell of blood, Fomorii, and other stenches, he could swear he caught Silver’s sweet lily scent.
Her power snaked around a demon and she saved her lover, and then she wrapped another Fomorii with her power.
Her lover. Darkwolf ground his teeth so hard his jaw hurt. By Balor, how Darkwolf wanted to destroy the D’Danann bastard.
As she battled, Darkwolf had no doubt Silver’s consciousness was partly focused on him. He reveled in the fact she had to keep giving a part of her attention to him, even if it was to keep her guard up. She knew what he could do to her.
He glanced to the being that had once been Sara. The creature watched. Waited.
Its flaming red eyes met Darkwolf’s. Fear slammed into his chest as the eye hanging around his neck told him who or what the being was. The pain in his head grew so intense he almost dropped to his knees.
The being was Ceithlenn. Balor’s wife.
No more were Ceithlenn or Sara simply seers. They had united and joined with some evil essence from Underworld. They had become something fierce.
Dangerous. Deadly.
Just how dangerous and deadly? And to whom?
One thing he was certain of, one thing he felt in waves from across the room—Ceithlenn was furious that Balor’s body and soul had not been released from Underworld.
The battle was going awry. He would have to leave the demons to fend for themselves.
The Ceithlenn-Sara creature remained untouched by Drow arrows, witches’ magic, or D’Danann swords.
When he ripped his gaze away from Ceithlenn’s, he focused on his target.
He would have Silver for his own.
For the moment, not harried by any of the D’Danann or the Drow traitors who had joined against him, Darkwolf stalked Silver, who was a good fifty feet away. He raised his hands. The power of Balor filled him as he prepared to destroy all that stood in his way.
Silver whirled to face him. Her features were a mask of hatred. No fear whatsoever.
Jaw clenched, she gathered a huge ball of spellfire and flung it at him.
He waved his hand, casually causing the ball to flick to the side. It bounded toward a stalagmite. The cone of minerals exploded on contact.
Shock flickered across Silver’s face, immediately replaced by determination.
Junga bounded toward Darkwolf, drool and blood dripping from her fangs.
“Prepare for transference!” he commanded Junga as she joined him.
Just as Junga transformed into Elizabeth’s shell, a ball of Copper’s golden spellfire came straight for Junga.
“You bitch!” Copper shouted as she flung the spellfire.
The demon-woman dodged, but the magic grazed her cheek, cutting her open like a knife. With a scream she dropped to her knees.
Copper gathered another ball of spellfire, but held up when Silver shouted something Darkwolf couldn’t hear.
Darkwolf readied his ropes of magic to once more bind Silver so that he could use the power of transference to take her away with him.
Instead she stunned him into a momentary stupor.
She flung up a bluish-purple net of power.
A net.
It looked like a fisherman’s net, thick strands crisscrossing one another like a checkerboard.
He barely had time to throw a shield of protection around Junga and himself before the net encompassed the shield.
He and Junga—now Elizabeth—were trapped.
If he released his shield, they would be covered by the net—captured by a witch’s inferior power.
Darkwolf growled, the sound pouring from his chest like one of the demons. He had no options left. Not this time.
He glanced at Elizabeth, who was on her knees. She held her hand to her bloody human cheek. His own broken nose ached and blood began pouring down his face again.
Darkwolf grabbed Elizabeth’s upper arm and prepared himself for transference as he said, “Balor bahamenor.”
The last thing he saw was the glow of Ceithlenn’s narrowed eyes.