“I’m with the doc on this.”

When Bran said nothing to Riley or Doyle, Sasha sat down. “And if we’re wrong, we’ll have wasted the trap. I need to see. No one’s said that, but everyone’s thinking it. Do you think I can’t feel it?”

“It’d help, sure, but, Sash, we all know you can’t force it.”

“Why can’t I?” she snapped back at Riley. “Why can’t I pull it in when it’s needed? At a time like this, when two of us are— Why don’t you tell me what to do?” she demanded of Bran. “Why don’t you tell me?”

“Because it’s yours, a ghrá.” He took her shoulders, kissed her brow. “Because it’s only you who can demand it.”

“Then I will, I do! Cast a circle, cast a spell. Help me.”

“With all I have, but there’s no spell. It’s your gift, your mind and heart. Only you can open it.”

“I need air. I need room. I need to breathe.” Desperate, she rushed outside, struggled to calm herself, to settle. When Bran followed, she pressed her fingers to her eyes.

He drew them away. “Trust yourself, as I do.”

“As we do,” Riley corrected, and glanced behind her at Doyle.

“Yeah. We do.”

“Help me.”

Bran brought the hand he held to his heart. “Feel me, open to me.”

“Love, trust, faith. Bran.”

“Open to yourself, fáidh. Let it come. You’re so strong. Set the fear aside, for everyone. And just open.”

She felt his heart beat under her hand, steady. Steady. Closed her eyes and counted the beats. His. Hers. Theirs. Hers. Hers.

“Oh, they’re hurt. The pain. It’s horrible, and the fear is worse. She fears for him, tries to fight, but they hurt him. He fears for her, tries to fight. They hurt her. Trapped, she’s trapped. Water surrounds her, but it’s cruel. He enjoys hurting them. He knows how. And Malmon—he’s not just a man. His eyes, his eyes, he hides them, but . . .”

“Where, Sasha? Where are Annika and Sawyer?”

“In the cave. Blood and death in the cave. Locked in a tank of water, hurt, losing heart. Weeping. Sawyer, so much blood. One chance, he feels one chance. I can’t see it, not all. So many, and so much pain. Sawyer . . . Wait, wait. He’s gone. He’s gone.”

“Dead. No, no, no.”

She shook her head at Riley. “Gone. Somewhere else. I don’t—”

As she spoke, a light, bright as noon, burst in the hills, and the thunder followed.

“Sniper’s nest.” Doyle grabbed Riley’s arm. “Inside, get inside.”

“Time for that chain reaction, Mr. Wizard.” Riley rushed inside, grabbed her weapons. “And time for us to move.”

“They’re coming.” Filled with her power, Sasha picked up her bow. “Men, Malmon’s men. They’re coming here. They mean to take us.”

“They won’t.” Bran lifted fisted hands, beat his fists together.

The hills above the villa bloomed with light.

One chance, Sawyer thought, and prayed he’d timed it right. He might not live through it, but he had one chance to save Annika. He felt the gun against his head, the arm tight at his throat. And did something he’d never done.

He let go.

The arm dropped away, and there was nothing. Not even a sound. He gripped the compass, brought Annika into his mind. He’d never tried a shift within a shift, but he’d already counted off sixty precious seconds.

He had to make it back to her. If he couldn’t get her away, at least she wouldn’t be alone.

In the tank Annika lay still, eyes closed. She would fight again, beat and beat against the glass when she found the strength again. Now her body was weak, shaken. Only will kept her from simply drifting away.

She hoped they would kill her. They meant to kill Sawyer, she understood that. He would die if he came back, and he would come back.

He had too much honor to leave her behind.

She knew he hadn’t told Malmon the whole truth—he still protected the star. She believed he had a plan, would try. But he was hurt, bleeding, all but broken.

With all her heart she wished he would travel on, be safe. Then she heard something like thunder. The water in the tank trembled.

When she pushed herself up, her vision went gray, but she saw Malmon rush out of the cave, shouting. Saw Yadin reach for the controls.

Then Sawyer was with her—like a dream—in the water. He lifted his bound hands up, put his arms around her.

Light flashed to blinding. The tank rocked and shook as if by a giant’s hand. She heard screaming, such terrible screaming. Then they flew.

She wrapped her arms around him, felt his blood, wet and warm on her skin.

“I’ve got you,” he said in her ear.

“You came for me.” Before she could weep, they tumbled to the floor.

She heard gunshots, shouting, saw more lights flash. Felt Sawyer go limp under her. She managed to lift her head, look at him. His face, white, bone white under the blood and the bruising. And from his shoulder, his side, more blood seeped.

She wanted to stand and fight, but had no strength left, not even to bring the gift of her legs. So she did all she could, and tried to shield his body with hers.