“Aww. I can’t kill two little girls,” the leader said.

The word kill caused a hot flush of fear to race through me.

“This one’s a magician,” a woman said, gesturing at Zitora.

“Is she too strong for you?” the leader mocked.

The woman stiffened. “We have her firmly in our control.” She glanced at the person next to her.

Through the haze of fear in my mind, I realized Zitora hadn’t moved more than her mouth since I woke.

“And here we were all ready for a big fight,” the leader said. “Brought the magicians, the muscle, the swordsman, expecting guards and Keep-trained magicians. Overkill for sure!” He laughed at his own joke.

Sweat rolled down my back at hearing kill again.

“Why do you want to stop us from helping the Stormdancers?” Zitora asked.

Anger reddened the leader’s ears. “We want them to—”

“Shut up,” Blue Eyes said. “The less said, the better. Finish the mission before we are discovered.”

Perhaps the cackler wasn’t the leader. An intelligent intensity radiated from Blue Eyes.

“We can take them along,” suggested the woman. “Ransom them.”

“No,” I said with force. My vehement outburst surprised me as much as our attackers. I would rather die than be a kidnap victim again.

“Last chance to tell us why you’re here,” Zitora said. Authority laced her tone.

Snickers answered her. Only Blue Eyes considered her words. His grip tightened on his sword.

“The benefit of appearing so young is I’m constantly underestimated.” Zitora raised her arms, warning me she would use her magic.

Breathing became difficult and fear stabbed my heart. Action would soon be needed. Could I fight or would I be too terrified to move?

This time the laughter didn’t sound. The magician gestured with alarm.

“Now,” Zitora ordered.

I yanked my sais from their holders as Blue Eyes lunged. With no time to think, I stepped in front of Zitora to protect her, blocking his sword. The ring of metal sounded as the strike vibrated through my arm.

He froze in place. The others rushed us, but when they reached Blue Eyes’ side, they were immobilized, as well, coming no closer to us.

“That was fun.” Strain vibrated in Zitora’s words as sweat beaded on her forehead.

“What? It’s over?” My body pumped with the need for action. I glanced between her and our attackers.

A tight grin flashed. “Perhaps being approachable isn’t so bad.”

“Do you have them all?” I asked.

“Yep, but now what?” She considered. “I can’t hold them long.”

To take control of four people’s bodies required a great deal of skill and power. Zitora trembled with the effort. Her strength impressed me. I knew it shouldn’t. She was Second Magician, after all. And Zitora’s best ability was being able to wrap magic around a person, keeping them immobile. Yet seeing her in action enlightened me.

“Opal…fetch the darts.” She huffed. “And vial…from my saddlebags.”

I rushed to comply and soon returned with four darts and a small bottle.

“Dip them…do you know?”

“It’s Curare.” The words croaked out. I swallowed what felt like a lump of sand. Curare was a powerful drug. It paralyzed the muscles in a person’s body for a full day and blocked the ability to use magic.

I shuddered, remembering when I had been forced to prick Yelena with the drug. My guilt flared, even though Yelena never blamed me, and she even admired the trick my kidnapper had used. I wish I could say the same for my Keep colleagues.

You can’t let the past ruin your future, I chanted over in my mind. Yelena’s words made perfect sense, yet I couldn’t force my heart to believe them.

She gestured to the ambushers. I understood and treated each dart with the drug then jabbed each attacker in the arm. After waiting ten seconds, Zitora relaxed. She lowered her arms and the four bandits slumped to the ground.

Appearing as if her bones had melted, she dropped down to a sitting position. Her energy gone. I retrieved her water flask and a few baka leaves, handing them to her.

“Thanks.” She chewed for a while, lost in thought.

The leaves revived her somewhat, but she remained sitting. Minutes passed. I fidgeted and wondered if I should put my weapons away.

Instead, I checked the horses and fed them. My hands trembled and I blamed the heavy feed bags for the shaking. Quartz rubbed her face on my arm in a comforting gesture.

Eventually Zitora joined me. She hunched over and moved as if afraid of falling. “We should go.”

“What about them?” I asked.

She smiled. “And here they were, all prepared for a fight. No time to properly interrogate them.” She rummaged in her saddlebags, uncovered the glass unicorn I had made for her and rested it in the palm of her hand.

The core glowed with an inner fire as it sang to me. The vibrations from its tune hummed deep within my soul. It brightened and quieted when Zitora stared at the unicorn, communicating with another magician. What did Master Bloodgood call them? Glass messengers? Interesting.

Finally she said, “Irys will contact the magician stationed in Thunder Valley. He’ll inform the Stormdance’s soldiers. They’ll send a cleanup crew. Irys wasn’t happy about the attack. She plans to personally interrogate them when they’re in custody.”