“I think we’re lost.” Damien turned back after reaching the third dead end since leaving the earth force chamber. All the tunnels looked the same and he’d been so out of it when he escaped he’d totally lost track of the way back. Now they were rambling from tunnel to cave to dead end. “It shouldn’t be this hard to find a giant cavern filled with blue crystal.”

I know right where it is. That much corrupt energy is impossible to miss. I just don’t know how to get there.

“Knowing where it is, but not how to get there isn’t very useful.” He retraced his steps back to what he thought was the main passage—at least it was the biggest. Tunnels branched off left and right along its whole length. “How far would you say it is?”

Not more than a quarter mile.

“That’s what I think, but we’ve gone at least half a mile already. I have a new plan.”

I don’t like the sound of that.

He strode down the main passage, slowly gathering and mixing his power with Lizzy’s. The corruption moved closer and closer until he reached yet another dead end. It was right beyond that wall. He knew it.

I’m not sure this is a good idea, Damien.

Damien didn’t know if it was either, but he was so sick of hunting for the path he no longer cared if the whole mountain came crashing down on him as long as he escaped these miserable tunnels. He sent power to his shield just in case and slashed Lizzy at the wall.

A wave of gold and gray flames rushed out and crashed into the stone. The tunnel shook at the impact. A boulder the size of his head bounced off his shield along with many smaller stones. When the dust cleared he caught a glimpse of blue crystal through the jagged hole he’d blasted in the wall. The opening wasn’t huge, but he thought he could wriggle through.

So much for sneaking up on him.

“Funny. Do you think Connor wouldn’t know we were coming?”

I suppose not. It doesn’t matter now anyway.

Damien ducked down, twisted and pulled, smashed a particularly difficult chunk of rock to dust, and finally emerged into the crystal chamber. He craned his head around. Nothing looked familiar.

This isn’t where we left.

He looked down, the lowest level was below them. No wonder he couldn’t find the exit tunnel. They had somehow gone up a level. Below them an armored figure made of blue crystal guarded the tunnel they were supposed to emerge from. It was an uncanny likeness of Mikhail.

“Seems as though you’re not the only one with a sense of humor.” Damien leveled Lizzy and a pulse of combined energy blew the statue to shards. “They’re not so tough when we’re at full strength.”

That one was especially weak. Connor must not be getting enough power from his remaining prisoners.

“Speaking of which, we’d better go free the others.”

Damien focused all his senses, but detected no sign of Connor. The overwhelming power of the crystal overshadowed everything. He hoped that meant Connor couldn’t sense him either, but he feared he wouldn’t be that lucky.

He flew over and landed on the crystal path. Crouching down he eased his way further along, Lizzy leading and charged with soul force. His steps made no noise as he edged closer to where the prisoners hung.

“You needn’t try being sneaky.” Connor’s voice came from a little ways ahead. “I can sense every move you make. Your mortal soul force makes a stark contrast to the background of corruption. It seems my guardian didn’t impress you.”

Damien sighed and stepped away from the wall. There was no sense hiding now. He strode boldly up the ramp and found Connor standing beside Eli, a curved dagger at his friend’s throat.

“I didn’t find the real Mikhail especially impressive, that fake you made was more pathetic yet.”

Connor barked a laugh. “What a blunt young man and durable too. I can hardly believe you’re still moving, much less fully recovered.”

“How about you step away from my friend and I’ll show you just how recovered I am.”

“I don’t think so. Surrender and I’ll spare him.”

Damien frowned.

Lizzy brought him into her psychic world for a moment, enabling them to talk without Connor overhearing. “What do you want to do?”

“Can you use just your power to move him aside? He might not notice if my soul force isn’t mixed in.”

“I can try. I don’t have much strength when I act alone.”

“You don’t need to do much. Just give Eli a little breathing room. The minute you do I’ll blast Connor to smithereens.”

“Okay.”

Damien was back in his body. Less than a heartbeat had passed. “I’m not going to surrender. The second you put so much as a mark on my friend I’m going to blow you to pieces. Eli would understand that sacrifices are sometimes necessary for the greater good.”

Connor laughed again. “Generous of you to volunteer him.”

A hand of gray flame struck Connor’s arm and pushed the knife blade clear of Eli. Damien lashed out with a massive blast. He struck Connor full in the chest. The warlock dissipated into a cloud of black mist.

Son of a bitch, a construct!

A breath of air brushed Damien’s cheek. He dropped flat just as a burst of black lightning shot over his head. Damien rolled off the walkway and flew around the bend. Connor stood holding one of the urns a little further up the path. That had to be the real one. A construct wouldn’t have enough soul force to control the urn’s power.

Connor shifted his aim, forcing Damien to fly away or get blasted. He landed on a higher level where an outcropping protected him from Connor’s lightning.

Now that he had a moment to breathe Damien wasn’t certain what to do. Connor would blast him the moment he tried to move and he couldn’t escape without exposing himself to the urn.

Damien grinned when the solution came to him.