I exhaled and tried for some more air. “My fault. Shouldn’t have . . . let you get that close.”

Tam’s lips were parted, breathing softly. “I should have had more control.”

His dark eyes were still drowning pools, reflecting fear at what had happened, but desire at what we’d done. I looked away. I couldn’t drown if I didn’t go swimming again.

“Though control would be easier to come by if you didn’t feel so good.” There was still fear in Tam’s eyes, but his sly grin was sex itself. “And if you hadn’t tried to stick your tongue down my throat.”

“I didn’t try to—” Then memory collided with sensation. Oh yes, I did. Damn.

“Maybe next time we should just stand across the room and talk dirty to each other,” he suggested.

“There can’t be a next time.”

Tam didn’t answer. He might be a scoundrel, but he didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.

“Tam,” I said in a warning tone.

He raised his hands defensively. “I’ll keep my hands to myself, but my thoughts are my own.”

“Until your thoughts become mine,” I shot back. “By then the damned rock will control us both. Permanently.”

That reached him.

“Before that happens, we need help—high-powered and someone we can trust.”

Tam frowned. “Mychael.”

I nodded. “And he already knows we have a connection of some kind.”

Tam didn’t ask how Mychael knew, and I didn’t tell him how he found out. With our umi’atsu bond, I didn’t understand how Tam couldn’t have known. When Mychael and I had linked, I wasn’t asleep or dreaming, and I was definitely having some strong emotions. Tam should have seen, heard, and felt every second of it. But I wasn’t going to question Lady Luck too closely. If she wanted to smile down on me, I’d take all of her goodwill that I could get.

I pushed on before Tam did ask. “And Mychael can help keep us out of a dungeon.”

He frowned. “Or put us in one.”

“He won’t do that.”

“Not you; it’s always open season on me.”

“He’s not going to arrest you; he told me so. He knows you didn’t open that Hellgate.”

Surprise, suspicion, and then reluctant gratitude flowed across Tam’s face.

I continued. “On the other hand, Carnades knows he’s found the culprit. In fact, he tried to arrest her at watcher headquarters.”

“You?”

I nodded once. “Little old me. By the way, you’re just my accomplice.”

Tam stood there in utter disbelief, and then he actually laughed.

“I’m glad someone thinks it’s funny. Carnades thinks I have demonic minions.”

That just made Tam laugh harder. It was rich, contagious, and I was relieved to hear it. “That is absolutely the first time that I’ve been accused of being a mere accomplice.” His black eyes were sparkling. “And he thinks that you have minions.”

“I could have minions,” I said defensively.

“No, darling, you most definitely could not have demonic minions.” The twinkle left his eyes and the laughter stopped. “And I don’t care what cursed rock you’re linked to, you would never open a Hellgate. I know it, because I have. Once. I’m not proud of it, but I did it. And I almost didn’t live to regret my own arrogance. There are . . . rituals that have to be done first. Hellgates aren’t accidents; they’re intentional and malicious.” His eyes softened, and I could tell he wanted to touch me again. “You could never be malicious.”

I felt my face get warm, and I had to clear my throat before continuing. “Carnades Silvanus thinks I was intentionally malicious with you backing me up—and by now a lot of other people do, too.”

Tam smiled, though it was more like a baring of fangs. “Carnades and I go back more than a few years. He was the Conclave emissary to the goblin court while I was there.”

“Carnades was at the goblin court?” I’d have paid good money to have seen that. Though I shouldn’t be surprised. He had made it his life’s work to study his enemies.

“He’s been having me watched the past few days,” Tam said. “But he hasn’t come knocking on my door.”

“Give him time, he’ll get around to you. I think he wants to scratch me off his list first. Right now he’s running around with an arrest warrant with my name on it.”

Tam shook his head and chuckled softly. “I can’t believe he actually thinks you’re practicing black magic.”

“And consorting with demons. All topped off by using the Saghred to save his highborn ass.” I laughed, a short bark. “I’m sure there’s more he’s accusing me of, but he probably ran out of room on the warrant.”

“Carnades would never want to sully his mind with mere facts, but it takes seven dark mages to open a Hellgate—six to do the heavy lifting, so to speak, and one obscenely powerful dark mage to guide their efforts and keep the Hellgate stable once it’s open.”

I had to ask. “When you opened that Hellgate before, were you the guider or a lifter?”

Tam’s eyes met mine. “I was the guider. I also had a reason, and at the time I thought it was a good one. I was wrong; I couldn’t have been more wrong—and it almost cost me my life.”

I cringed inwardly. Now you know, Raine. Are you happy? No, and you knew you wouldn’t be, but you had to ask anyway. When are you going to learn to keep your mouth shut?

I knew the answer to that one, too.

I frowned. “Mychael said there are some dark mages in the Conclave and on the college faculty.” Nothing says you’re sorry like diverting the blame to others.

“Yes, there are. And a few of them are strong enough to do the grunt work. Maybe.”

“That ‘few’ includes you and me.”

“We have the power,” Tam admitted, “and I have the knowledge. But I’d have to be ten types of insane to ever do that again. And the last time I checked, my sanity was completely intact. Not to mention we didn’t do it.”

“Tell that to Carnades.”

Tam’s eyes glittered with dangerous glee. “I just might do that.”

Not only would I pay to see that, I’d want a front-row seat.

“Okay, so who’s the ultimate evil, dark mage nutcase?”

I knew as soon as I asked it.

“Shit,” I spat.

Out of the mouth of an idiot comes the truth. I could tell myself that I’d been on the run for most of the day, fought demons, dodged arrest, defied Death. I hadn’t exactly had time to think, let alone ponder a possible list of suspects. I didn’t need a list; I had a name.

A thousand-year-old, goblin grand shaman, the blackest of dark mages who had used the Saghred to slaughter thousands and enslave thousands more.

And he was seriously nuts.

Rudra Muralin.

Chapter 11

I glared at Tam. “You knew that, too.”

“I did. Because I know for a fact that Rudra Muralin got out of that cave under the elven embassy before the roof collapsed. He survived.” Tam pulled a folded square of parchment out of an unseen opening in the leather armor on his chest and held it out to me. “And he’s been a very busy young man.”

I didn’t really want to touch anything Rudra Muralin had touched, but if I didn’t take it, I couldn’t read it. At least it was actual paper and ink. A couple of weeks ago, Sarad Nukpana had sent his demands on paper made from human or elf skin and had used fresh blood for ink. Apparently opening a Hellgate didn’t give Rudra Muralin any spare time for sadistic craft projects.

“His Khrynsani shamans didn’t survive,” Tam was saying. “Without his shamans, he would need powerful help to open a Hellgate.” Tam’s laugh was dark and humorless. “I imagine Rudra found all the new friends he needed when he told them that he planned to hold the island hostage for the Saghred. I know mages on this island who’d give their souls just for the chance.”

And if Rudra Muralin ever got the Saghred, his mage allies would be his first sacrifices. Bet he hadn’t included that in his offer.

I read the letter.

Tamnais,

The demons you have seen today are but a taste of what is to come. You know what I want, and you of all people should know precisely what will happen if my demands are not met. Have your elf whore get the Saghred for me and deliver it herself to the location I will specify in my next communication. You have failed me once, Tamnais; fail me again and you will have only yourself to blame for the actions I will be forced to take. My associates will fully open the Hellgate. Imagine it, Tamnais. Legions of demons overwhelming Mid’s defenses, the most magically gifted young people in the seven kingdoms at the tender mercies of the worst the lower hells can spit out. You know as well as I that those slaughtered in the initial wave will be the fortunate ones—those who remain will beg to share their fate.

Order your whore to get the Saghred. Once she has it, bring her and the stone to me.

“He didn’t sign it,” I said when I could find my voice again. “How uncharacteristically modest.” I tried for sarcasm; the tremor in my hand holding the letter lessened the effect. I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Let go of the fear, Raine. It’s not going to do you any good. Anger, now that’s the way to go. Cold, hard, steel anger. You know what to do with anger.

“And this makes the third time he’s called me your whore.” The first time was under the elven embassy. I never did get full payback on that one. That crazy goblin wasn’t going to get away with it this time. He wasn’t going to get away with anything ever again.

“He says it to taunt you,” Tam said. “And me. He knows it angers us.”

“He’s doing a fine job. I hope he enjoyed it. In my family, revenge may not be immediate, but we will get it; and when we do, it is sweet.” I nodded my head toward Tam’s bar in the corner of the room. “I could use a drink right about now.”