“Did you know all along that Bronek was the High-Lord?” I ask as we leave the inn. The early morning streets are empty. I expected the opposite after what happened in the stronghold. Perhaps the majority of the city still has no idea. I don't suppose that will last much longer. At least we'll be gone before the worst begins.

“Not until you warned me,” Syndel says. “Why?”

I keep my eyes fixed ahead. “Just wondering,” I mumble. To my surprise, I hear her giggle. Frowning, I look over at her. “What's so funny?”

“You're upset that I let him kiss me,” she says. “Making him think I was Lenna was the only thing I could think of in such a short time.”

“I know, but . . .” The subject is unpleasant to me. Even though it was necessary to further our mission, I'll never be able to get the image out of my head, forever wishing her kiss had been saved for me.

“Don't be angry,” she says. “I didn't want to do it, but I doubt it would have had the same effect if you had been the one to kiss him.”

I laugh, but quickly stifle it. I know she's teasing me. “How do you know he'll be with Lenna again?” I ask, wanting to change the subject.

This time she looks straight ahead. “I just know.”

“That's not an answer.”

She sighs. “I just need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

Her words, and the serious expression on her face, stop me from pressing for more. “Of course I can,” I say slowly, sad to think she might have thought otherwise. “Forgive me.”

She touches my arm and I know from this simple gesture that everything will be all right, even if I don't have all the answers right now.

We collect Hetty from the stable and head to the gate leading to the bridge that will take us out of Heldra. I long to put this cursed city behind me.

“Cress,” Syndel says, “I can't leave yet.”

“Why not?” I ask, trying not to sound impatient.

“I was going to do something while you searched for Bronek, remember? Though things didn't go as we planned, I still would like to do it before we leave.”

I do remember. “Do you still want to go alone?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “I'm actually glad you can come with me.”

Pleased, I nod. “Where do we start?”

She breaks away from the main road and heads along a narrow side street that runs parallel to the city wall. Hetty and I follow close behind.

“Heldra hasn't always been the center of the Noble-lords,” she says, glancing back at me. “It was once the place Sikari came to train and learn. I heard many stories as a child about the different skills Sikari had to master before they were allowed to hunt Soulless. One of the skills was a type of magic.”

Hearing this makes me think of Mulogo. I wonder if his magic is similar. Has it already started to weaken? Has he felt the change? He will come to me soon. A shiver runs down my back.

“When the Noble-lords decided to take over,” Syndel continues, recapturing my attention, “they also tried to steal the magic, but were only able to harness the weakest spells, which is why they can enslave Soulless. The magic they were unable to obtain is rumored to be sealed away beneath the city. When you found out we would be coming here, I knew I had to look for myself.”

We stop at an alley surrounded by walls. A dead end. I glance at Syndel. She looks from one wall to the other, her eyes narrowed in concentration. “One of the bricks is false,” she says. Reaching out, she touches a few of them, but none seem to be the right one.

“What about that one?” I ask, pointing to a brick at eye level whose color is slightly different from those surrounding it.

Syndel places her fingertips against it and pushes. The brick moves inward, releasing a hiss of musty air. A section of the wall, the size of a doorway, shifts to one side, revealing a dark staircase. My eyes adjust enough to allow me to see the outline of each step.

“Let me go first,” I say, holding out my hand to her. “Don't let go.”

She obeys, grasping my hand. I glance back at Hetty. “We'll be back.”

The mare snorts at us, her large eyes wary. I move through the opening and descend the passageway. Syndel tightens her grip on my hand, staying close behind.

The air is old and my senses detect some kind of warning, though nothing strong enough to make me turn back. I wouldn't be surprised if there are latent traps set up to stop unwanted visitors from finding the Sikari's hidden secrets.

“Syndel,” I say, my voice echoing, “what do you plan to do if you find what you're looking for?”

“If the magic is here and I can access it, I believe it will help in the fight against Mulogo.”

I should have known. I don't want her anywhere near me when my confrontation with the sorcerer occurs, but I will probably need all the help I can get.

When I reach the bottom of the staircase, my feet abruptly stop. I'm unable to move forward. Something I can't see is pushing me back.

“What's wrong?” Syndel asks.

“I can't go any farther,” I say. “You try.”

With my help, she takes a few slow steps forward, passing me. Looking over her shoulder, she says, “I can move just fine.”

“Probably because you're a Sikari and I'm not.” My jaw clenches. “You'll have to go on alone from here.”

“But I can't see anything,” she says.

I look past her, focusing on what lay ahead. I can't see much. “There's an arched doorway about twenty steps in front of you. Attached to the arch is an oil lantern.” I fumble through my pack until I find the striking stones. “Use these.”

With the stones in hand, Syndel faces the darkness. “You'll have to guide me.”

“Take ten steps forward,” I say, “but move slowly.”

I watch her feet hesitate with each step.

“Now turn a little to your left,” I add. “There. Take another ten steps and you'll be at the doorway. The lantern will be right in front of you.”

She moves again, reaching out for the lantern. “I got it.” Kneeling on the stone floor, she opens the glass door of the lantern and proceeds to strike the stones, creating sparks. The oil ignites, chasing away the darkness. Syndel stands up again, holding the lantern's top handle, and turns to me. “There isn't much oil left.”

“You'll need to hurry.”

Nodding, she turns to the doorway and walks through, disappearing from sight. The light from her lantern is swallowed up. I wait, my stomach twisting. I attempt to move forward again, but the unseen force continues to hold me back.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as a scraping sound echoes from somewhere up the dark staircase. Has someone discovered the passageway? Or is the door closing, sealing us in here forever? I should investigate, but I don't want to leave Syndel down here alone.

“Syndel?” I call out.

She gives no answer, but the scraping sound comes again, louder this time. An odor like rotten breath wafts through the air. I have no more doubts; I'm not alone. My eyes search the darkness, but too late. A figure pounces, knocking me against the wall. Its grip is firm, though its fingers are thin. I push against it, finding resistance. Whatever it is, it's strong. Growling, I manage to gain the upper hand, shoving the creature away. It stumbles on the steps, falling to the bottom, past the force that has held me back. I can see from its outline that the creature might once have been a man, though he has no aura. A Soulless? Here? Yet, there's something different about him.

He scrambles to his feet, crouching to prepare for another attack. I mimic the pose, ready to defend myself. The creature cups his hands together and, a moment later, a bright ball of light appears, hovering above his palms. Caught off guard, I barely manage to leap out of the way as the glowing orb flies toward me. It slams against the wall, melting a hole in the rock.

This Soulless has magic.

With no time to make sense of what's happening, I focus on dodging more fiery attacks as I gradually move up the steps. If I can draw the Soulless out to the sunlight above, I might have a chance. The effort to evade the attacks quickly becomes exhausting, which has never happened to me before. Parts of my clothes are singed from close calls. The exit is not far. The creature continues to advance as if unaware of my desperate plan. He suddenly stops and turns, looking down the stairs. Ignoring me, he races down the steps, cackling with ecstatic triumph.

Syndel.

I follow, forcing my tired legs to run. I reach the bottom and, once again, I'm stopped by the unseen force, while the Soulless is able to go beyond toward the arched opening. A faint light appears and Syndel emerges with her lantern in one hand and a glass vial filled with shimmering liquid in the other.

“Syndel, stop!” I yell.

She halts, her eyes widening as she sees the Soulless waiting for her. There's nothing I can do. The creature will take her from me and all I can do is watch. I drop to my knees, my insides crumbling. The Soulless takes a few steps forward, his lithe body swaying from side to side as if entranced by the glorious aura. Syndel is frozen, her expression terrified. Raising his arms, the Soulless suddenly falls forward, prostrating itself.

“One hundred years,” he says with a voice like screeching gravel. “I've done what I promised. May I go now?”

Syndel's eyes find mine. She is as shocked as I am. “What do you mean?” she asks, looking back at the Soulless.

He raises himself up again. “Our ancestors sealed away the magic to protect it, but it needed a guardian. I volunteered.”

“Our . . . ancestors?” Syndel breathes. “You're a Sikari?”

The Soulless nods. “And now that you've come, I can be released.”

“You want me to let you out of here?” she asks, still confused.

“I want you to let me die,” the Soulless says.

I leap to me feet. “But Soulless cannot die,” I say.

The Soulless turns to me. “There is a way. If your soul can be reclaimed. Mine was extracted by my kin to ensure my immortality until one of our own could set me free. It is hidden somewhere, waiting for me.”

“What must I do?” Syndel asks. “Where is it?”

“A place where I could never find it, to prevent me from trying to reclaim it before my time here was complete. Being without it is . . . difficult.” He looks back at me as if he knows I understand the feeling. My false aura has not fooled him.

He turns back to Syndel. “The vial you hold is all that remains of the magic our kind once possessed. They gave up everything to keep the greedy Noble-lords from stealing powers they would not be able to control. Drink it. You will know what to do.”

Syndel looks at me, seeking reassurance. I cannot deny the unease I feel. Why should we trust this man? He may have been a Sikari long ago, but he's been a Soulless for much longer. His mind could be twisted by madness. Yet, this could help us defeat Mulogo. Not knowing what else to do, I nod.

Setting the lantern down, Syndel carefully removes the glass top of the vial and lifts the shimmering liquid to her lips. It's gone in one gulp. Lowering the empty vial, she glances down at herself, as if waiting for something to happen. Her body twitches. Doubling over, she clutches at her stomach, gasping. “What's . . . happening?”

The Soulless seems unconcerned. “Your body is adjusting. It will pass.”

I cannot bear to see her in pain. “Syndel,” I say firmly, “look at me.”

Raising her head, she focuses on my face. Her pained expression rips at my heart. One of her hands reaches out to me. “Cress . . .”

Her body rises off the ground; her arms and legs are rigid from the pain. Her aura flickers, becoming dimmer with each pulse.

“Make it stop!” I bellow at the Soulless, but he does nothing.

With a snarl, I slam against the invisible barrier, trying to get to her. Syndel suddenly freezes. A light, brighter than her aura, erupts from her body. The power of it throws me back onto the steps. Dazed, I look down in time to see her crumple to the floor.

My insides explode. Leaping to my feet, I barrel forward, somehow passing through the barrier. I'm at her side, pulling her motionless body close to mine. “Syndel,” I whisper, terrified she won't respond.

Her eyes flutter open, focusing on my face. She smiles. “I'm all right,” she says. “It feels strange, but familiar somehow. I feel like . . . I can do anything.”

I force myself to smile, but, in truth, I wish we'd never come here.

“Now,” the Soulless says, sounding impatient with the delay, “find my soul and let me leave this world.”

Syndel looks around the chamber as I help her to her feet. Cress, she says to my mind, do you see anything?

I look around as well, my eyes narrowed to detect even a hint of an aura. No. What if it's not here?

Her eyes meet mine briefly, but it's long enough for me to see her concern. If the Soulless Sikari doesn't get what he wants, he might take out his anger on us. My brow furrows as I try to think of where his kin might have hidden it. A place where he would not be able to find it himself. I turn and gaze up the long staircase. Perhaps the door was meant to only open from the outside. Could his soul be out there somewhere? If so, why didn't I notice it before? “I have an idea,” I say, ascending the steps. Both Syndel and the Sikari follow.

The closer we get to the sunlit opening, the more the Sikari lags behind. At a point where light spills onto the topmost steps he stops completely. “It's too bright,” he says, cowering in the last of the shadows.

“We'll look around outside,” I say. “Just wait here.”

With a growl, the Sikari reaches out and grabs Syndel, pulling her down beside him. “You're not leaving me here alone. Not when you might seal me inside without fulfilling the promise. You go, she stays.”

I glare at him, but Syndel speaks first.

“Go on, Cress. I'll be fine.”

I turn my back on her, hating myself for doing it, and exit the tunnel. My eyes blink, adjusting to the daylight streaming into the alley. Hetty whinnies at me. I rub her head. “We're not done just yet.”

I look around, searching for a trace of brightness that might belong to the elusive soul.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, I turn and face the opening, not ready to give up. My gaze shifts to the lone brick which seemed different from the others, the one Syndel pressed to open the doorway. I noticed it before because I thought the color was different from those around it, yet, taking a closer look, I see that it's not the color that's different. It's the material. The brick is not a brick. Brushing my fingers against it, I immediately know it's hollow.

Something is hidden inside it.

Now that it has been pushed back from those around it, retrieving it would be impossible, unless someone closes the doorway. I move back to the staircase.

“I think I found it, but I can't get it,” I say. “Only Syndel can.”

The Soulless utters a low growl. “Do you think you can trick me?”

I shake my head, walking down the first few steps. “I will stay in her place. She can get your soul. Isn't that what you want?”

With eyes narrowed at me, he releases his grip on Syndel's arm. “Hurry,” he hisses.

Syndel moves up, joining me on the same step. “Where is it?” she asks.

“The brick you pressed to open the doorway. Close the door to get the brick out.”

She frowns at me. “What if I can't get back through?”

“You will,” I say, hoping rather than knowing. Surely the Sikari who hid the soul provided a way for this task to be accomplished. If the worst should happen, the Soulless will not be able to kill me in his rage. But being trapped in here with him forever, away from Syndel, will be worse than any death.

Syndel hesitates, her hand brushing against my arm, leaving a trace of her warmth on my skin, and then turns and walks out of the tunnel. Moments later, the opening in the wall closes, confining the Soulless and me in a prison of complete darkness. I hear his quick intake of breath, a rise in panic.

“She'll come back,” I say, more confident now. I shut my eyes and wait for the sunlight, and the woman I love, to reappear. The Soulless moves behind me, fidgeting with agitation. I try to think of something to say to keep him calm. “Do you have a name?” I ask, though I know it's likely he can't remember it.

“Not anymore,” he replies. “There are times when I don't even recall I was once a Sikari.”

His memories may be out of reach, but I can tell that his thoughts are much more lucid than those of other Soulless I've encountered. I wonder if he might be more like me. I hear him move again and sense that he's now beside me.

“She has what she came for,” he says, sounding frustrated. “What if she doesn't return?”

“She will,” I say quickly, my voice sharp and definite.

After moment's silence, he says, “You love her.”

If he's aware of my feelings, it confirms in my mind that he hasn't given up to the monster within him. “Yes.”

He chuckles. “You must realize how foolish that is.”

I stiffen. “No. Please enlighten me.”

“Take no offense. I know you wear the blood of the first Soulless around your neck. The task that lies ahead of you will not be easy, especially if you harbor an attachment to the girl. Those feelings will only make it more difficult to fulfill the task.”

He means facing Mulogo. I've thought the same thing. How can I face him and worry about her safety at the same time? Yet, now that she has acquired the magic of her ancestors, she will not be helpless.

The sound of moving stone and brick screeches down the tunnel, followed by a glorious burst of sun. The Soulless leaps backward to avoid contact with the light. My heart leaps as well as Syndel appears, carrying the false brick in her hands. Our eyes meet.

“I knew you could do it,” I say.

She smiles, handing the container to me. I turn it over in my hands, inspecting it from every angle. There seems to be no cracks or fissures, no lip or indentation to pry it open. I glance back at the Soulless. He stares at the object.

“It's in there,” he breathes. One of his hands reaches for the container. I set it in his grasp and watch as his fingers deftly tap against various places on the outside, following a pattern only he seems to know. With a click and a sizzle of heat, the container disintegrates into a puff of dust, revealing the golden aura of a soul. It's not particularly bright or impressive, but we all watch in fascination as the small globe hovers in the air. My gaze shifts to the Soulless' face. His expression conveys the purest of joy. His eyes meet mine.

Give her up, he says to my mind. It will be easier that way.

Before I can reply, he touches one finger against the glowing globe. It melts into him, seeping deep beneath his skin. He lets out a long sigh, finally finding the peace he has longed for. Shutting his eyes, he falls backward, crashing into the stone steps. On impact, his body, like the container that held his soul for one hundred years, disintegrates into a cloud of dust.

His parting words pound in my head. I already know I cannot obey them. I cannot give her up. Turning to Syndel, I offer my hand and she takes it without hesitation.