She pointed to Gary and tilted her neck slightly, although her hands were trembling. She locked them together tightly in her lap.

Gary shook his head. “I will not connect you to me. Dragomir has a lifemate. It is safe for him to connect himself to you, but if I ever turned, you would be in danger. It is impossible for him to turn as long as Emeline lives.”

Julija sat for what seemed an eternity. Dragomir was aware of time slipping by. The others had already left to attack the city under the sea, and he was a warrior and should be joining them. Tariq had returned to the compound to ready the healing grounds for Elisabeta if they were successful. If they weren’t, Gary was prepared to stay in the underground city to guard her, finding a place to sleep and then working out a plan with the Carpathian woman. She had to have seen the spell. Even if it was complicated, between Gary, Dragomir and Julija, they had a chance of figuring it out.

“We can’t be here too long. Sergey is not going to give up his prize so easily,” Dragomir told the reluctant girl. “He will launch an assault the moment he hears of the attack on Vadim’s sea city. Most of our hunters have gone there, leaving us vulnerable as well as the compound.”

Julija’s mouth firmed. She pointed to her neck. Dragomir didn’t give her time to change her mind. He was careful, respectful and distanced her from what was happening without taking her mind. Even distancing her was difficult. She had a very strong shield. Her consent allowed him to do so. He pointed to his wrist after carefully closing the pinpricks. She took a deep breath, nodded and cleared her throat as if she might speak.

“Don’t,” Gary said. “You will ruin everything. Do you want him to distance you more?”

She nodded.

“You have to allow him into your mind. Make a conscious choice. He is being careful with you, not taking what you are not willing to give. We both realize you are doing this to help your friend, not to aid you in healing, although, I assure you, his blood will do both.”

Julija looked to Dragomir and nodded. He pushed further into her mind and when she opened for him, he took away her ability to register what was happening until it was done. Dragomir closed the laceration he’d torn in his wrist and looked at her.

Are you all right? He included Gary in their conversation. Not dizzy, or light-headed?

Julija shook her head and touched her throat. Still hurts.

“I’m sorry,” Gary said aloud. “The damage was very severe.”

She nodded. Thanks for fixing me up. She slipped off the stone table and walked over to the cage. I have to reverse the spell Sergey used. It was one Xavier used to hide Rhiannon. It prevented her from making a sound so that he could hide her in plain sight of a Carpathian. That would maximize her torment, being so close to those who could rescue her, yet being completely hidden from them.

How do you know this? Dragomir had touched her memories, but he hadn’t had time to examine them thoroughly. He tried not to allow suspicion to spill over into his mind where she would read it.

Sergey often told the story to Elisabeta. He wanted her to see how much better he was treating her. He didn’t let Vadim or his other brothers see her. Not ever. He was careful. She told me about Rhiannon and how Xavier had children by her and then killed her. She said Sergey never tried to force her to have his child.

That was a revelation. He exchanged a long look with Gary. He has the greatest treasure of all time, Gary said. Of course the Malinovs knew of her. Sergey wanted her exclusively for her abilities, not for children. He kept her to himself.

Elisabeta was trusting. She knew the brothers well, and after their sister, Ivory, disappeared, they went to her often. She didn’t think anything of it when Sergey came to her alone and asked her to go with him to a place he’d built in memory of his sister.

Julija walked around the cage, studying it, the wall behind it and the floor under it from every angle. Dragomir saw her stumble, almost go down, and then she straightened her shoulders and put her hands in the air.

Can you do this sitting?

She frowned at him. I have to concentrate. I only saw this spell the one time. After that he waved his hand and she disappeared into the rock.

It won’t help if you fall on your butt, Dragomir chided. Answer me. He poured steel into his voice.

She gave him another frown, but this time she shook her head. I am shaky, she conceded, but I have to mimic his movements exactly in reverse. He was standing, and he moved around the cage as he cast.

Just know, if you start to go down, I’ll be holding you up. If I have to reach for you, I don’t want you to think I’m going to harm you.

Her gaze moved over Dragomir’s face. When you came into my mind, I looked into yours. There is only room for one woman. She consumes you. You will fight and die for her. You would never harm me or attack me unless I threatened her in some way. If I start to fall, by all means, keep me from hitting my head.

Both men moved back behind her and the young woman once again lifted her arms. She began a very complex weave in the air. Gary waved his hand and the weave sprang into the air, the thin lines twisted and looping around and through one another. It was complicated, but the mage worked at it steadily. Sweat dampened her brow. Little beads rolled down her face and dotted her skin. Dragomir felt the pounding in her head. The words she had to reverse were dark and ugly, so dark that speaking them kept the ground moving beneath their feet. Her lips moved, but she didn’t utter the words aloud, only pictured them in her mind, but the intimacy of that made them worse.

Slowly the weaves began to unknot. When one line was free, she erased it with a flick of her fingers. She walked back and forth while she worked, then around from one side of the cage to the other. She didn’t falter, not even when her knees buckled and Dragomir had to catch her around her waist to hold her up. He held her with strong fingers, but kept a light touch so she could move in any direction she needed to without hesitation.

Several times Dragomir caught sight of Elisabeta huddled inside the cage. Her arms were raised over her head, chained to the ceiling. She would be there one moment and then she’d be gone again. He realized the second time he caught a glimpse of her that she had heard every word and knew they were trying to help. Although they hadn’t been able to see her, she could see them. Bloodred tears tracked down her face.

He couldn’t imagine what he would have done if that had been Emeline. Just looking at Elisabeta made him feel sick and angry. Sergey had kept her prisoner for so long. What harm had all these centuries of imprisonment done to her? Freeing her would be merciful, but after so long, what had been done to her mind? He wanted to hold the woman close and comfort her, as if she were his own sister instead of Traian’s. He glanced at Gary’s expressionless features. Even he had his eyes on the Carpathian woman. There was something magnetic about her. Something that drew warriors and soothed their tattered souls.

The last line fell to Julija’s determination. She erased it and slumped. Dragomir lifted her before she fell and placed her on the stone table. “Just rest for a minute. We will get the chains off Elisabeta and then figure out the next spell. You need blood. You’re very weak. I’ll give you mine.” He turned to Gary. “You’re going to have to donate to Elisabeta.”

Elisabeta didn’t say a word. Dragomir wasn’t certain she could speak. She kept her eyes cast down, her long lashes veiling her expression. Gary moved to the cage, waved his hand and the lock fell to the ground. He looked at the chains, and they fell away. Elisabeta’s arms dropped as if made of lead. She made no attempt to lift them, or rub at her hands to get the blood flowing.

Gary frowned and very gently took her hand, his thumb sliding over her pulse. “Elisabeta? I’m Gary Daratrazanoff. This is Dragomir Kozel. We’ll take you out of here and get you to the healing soil. You need blood.” With each word, when there was no response, his voice got softer, more persuasive.

Using his fingernail, he cut a long, thin line in his wrist and held it out to her. She blinked, looked at the blood and then slowly lifted her lashes until she was not quite looking into his eyes.

“I want you to take my blood,” Gary said, his voice firming. When there was no response he gave her a definite order, his tone leaving no argument. “Elisabeta, you will take this blood immediately.”