Page 90 of Ancient Magic

Micha easily dodged the strike, spreading his arms in a taunting gesture. “You’re a walking, talking cliché. Do you even try?”

Yugan glanced over his shoulder at the demons who were gawking at Micha in horror.

“Look for the mage. She has to be close by.”

Micha took a step back, luring the demon away from the mouth of the cave. At the same time, Skye breathed a soft spell, wrapping herself in the scent of the surrounding plants.

She couldn’t entirely disguise her presence, but she could make it more difficult for the demons to locate her. Then, bending low, she inched her way around the edge of the mangrove forest.

“You honestly believe I would bring a vulnerable young woman into the middle of a demon revolt?” Micha asked in a loud voice, keeping Yugan distracted.

“She’s not a woman. She’s a mage.”

Skye’s brows arched at the bitter edge in the male’s voice. There were plenty of demons who didn’t like mages, but Yugan sounded as if his aversion was personal.

“She’s still mortal. There’s no predicting what will happen if Lynx gets his hands on the Tempest.” Micha allowed a loaded silence to fill the clearing. “Assuming it even exists.”

Skye continued to creep forward, dodging the demons trying to battle their way through the thick foliage in search of her.

“It exists,” Yugan growled, taking another stab at Micha. “And what’s going to happen is you’re about to be destroyed.”

“Along with you,” Micha taunted.

Through the tufts of ferns, Skye could see Yugan jerk, as if Micha had managed to strike an open wound.

“What?”

Micha clicked his tongue. “You’re not stupid enough to think Lynx will leave any witnesses alive, are you? Not when they can reveal the source of his brand-new power.”

Yugan lunged forward, swearing as Micha easily danced away. “He wants demons to know he has the Tempest,” the fairy snapped, regaining his balance. “It’s legendary. Everyone would unite behind him.”

Skye picked up her speed, approaching the cave from the side. She wanted to be in position to dart inside as soon as Yugan was far enough away.

“It’s also a warning to all vampires,” Micha insisted. “If they suspect the sword has been found, they’ll attack and destroy Lynx before he can organize his revolution. He needs time to prepare, and for that, he needs secrecy. And the only way to make sure you won’t spill the proverbial beans is to kill you.”

“You’re full of shit.” Yugan’s voice was harsh, but he couldn’t entirely disguise his uncertainty. This wasn’t the first time he’d considered the possibility that he was demon fodder. “Lynx needs us.”

The demon lunged again and Micha leaped backward, nearly at the edge of the clearing.

“Every leader needs sacrifices to the cause. That’s you.” Micha continued to mock the demon, keeping his attention focused on him as Skye inched out of the cover of the undergrowth. “If he truly thought you were going to be a part of his revolution, he would want you with him to witness his moment of glory. That way you could spread the word. Instead you’re stuck out here.”

“To keep out the trash.”

“He could just kill me with his new sword, right? No need for you to risk fighting me. Not unless he wants me to take care of his dirty work. Which is fine with me. It’s been centuries since I had a decent fight.”

Micha peeled back his lips to expose his fangs, and Skye darted forward. If Yugan wasn’t fully distracted by the vampire about to rip out his throat, then he was never going to be distracted.

Plunging into the darkness of the cave, Skye gasped as she skidded on the slick stones. Windmilling her arms, she managed to remain upright but wisely slowed her pace. She was there to save the world, not fall on her ass.

Struggling to see through the gloom, she at last spotted the narrow crack on the back wall. She hurried forward, not giving herself time to consider the wisdom of what she was doing as she squeezed into the narrow tunnel. She could smell the lingering trace of copper in the air. This was where Lynx had gone.

She placed her hand on the stone wall, using it to guide her through the darkness. It felt as if she was angling down, but she couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of her. Two things were certain, the air was getting thicker and the temperature was rising. As if she were headed into a sauna.

Even the stone beneath her hand was heating enough that she wondered if there was a fire on the other side. Or maybe a hot spring nearby? Or a volcano? The warmth felt natural, not magical. Which she assumed was a good thing.

Clinging to that hope, Skye stepped out of the end of the tunnel and into another cave. This one was smaller, with a low roof and sharp stones protruding from the floor. Oh, and an angry fairy glaring at her with murder in his eyes.

“Hello, Lynx,” she murmured, acting as if she’d expected to find him there instead of accidentally stumbling across him.

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