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  Turnbull said, “I’ve heard that you’ve been hurt lately. How fit are you for tonight’s match?”

  She leaned her head back and laughed like he’d told her a hilarious joke. “You don’t listen to that BS, do you? Do I look okay to you, handsome?”

  With the grace of a ballerina, she stood and spun slowly with her arms outstretched, a swan opening her wings so he could get a good look at her elegant, lean body. The glittering dress did make her look like a princess.

  He froze, seemingly stunned by her loveliness. A couple of times, he tried to speak, but words didn’t come.

  Finally, he sighed. The scumbag must’ve realized I’d never give him a chance to get close to her again. He wasn’t ever going to see her in Monterey, not if I had anything to say about it.

  She continued to smile at him and us, but she didn’t engage in small talk. Turnbull kept asking questions, and she responded in a casual, friendly way but didn’t turn on the charm. Wang must’ve told her she didn’t need to worry about keeping her fans happy anymore. Her life was about to take a nasty turn.

  Each word and gesture reinforced my impression that she felt hopeless, abandoned. My throat tightened as her suffering became more obvious. I wanted so much to tell her to hang in there, but that was impossible.

  Finally, I took Turnbull’s arm and led him away. When we were out of Cara’s sight, Dana wrapped her arms around me and whispered in my ear, “At least, she’s okay. Let’s get her back now.”

  I thought it was too early to meet with her owner, but there was no harm in trying. “You bet.”

  Turning to my slave, I said, “Lead us to Wang’s owner’s box.”

  -o-o-o-

  WE RETURNED TO the main arena and found the elevator up to the box suites again. We were still early, but we could hang around Wang’s box until he arrived. When we got close, though, I noticed another burly Chinese bodyguard standing outside the door. This thug was older and bald. “Wang must be inside,” I whispered to Turnbull. “Get us in there.”

  He approached the guard. “I’m looking for Mr. Wang. I have an appointment with him.”

  “Who you?” the guy asked with a strong accent.

  “Trevor Turnbull.”

  The guard checked a notebook he held in his hand. “So sorry, Mr. Wang is not expecting you for half-hour. He in important meeting now. You wait.”

  Not having much choice, we stood in the hallway lined up against the wall across from the door.

  A few minutes later, it opened, and a tall, powerfully built sorcerer stepped out. He wore a well-tailored, gray pinstripe suit. His long black hair, flecked with gray, was pulled into a ponytail. A self-satisfied smirk covered his face before he turned away from us and strode away.

  Panic filled me. What had that asshole been grinning about? Had he stolen Cara from under our noses? All my fears about a double-cross came rushing back into my mind.

  The bodyguard stepped into the suite and closed the door, leaving the three of us alone.

  Before I could ask Dana for her impression, he returned and motioned us inside.

  Only one person occupied the room. Wang was a thin, wizened Chinese man, and he sat in one of a dozen comfortable rocking chairs. He stood, his face flushed. “Mr. Turnbull, I didn’t expect you so early. Unfortunately, there’s been an important new development. I’m afraid Cara is no longer available. I just gave a bill of sale for her to the man you passed as you came in. In fact, I was about to send you a message. His offer was too generous to refuse.”

  The bastard lifted his hands, palms up, as though to say, That’s business.

  Turnbull froze, obviously unsure that what to do next.

  I screamed as fury exploded inside of me, filling me with heat. “You son of a bitch! You aren’t going to get away with double-crossing me!”

  But he already had. “You’ll pay for that!”

  I backed up against the door leading outside, closing it and trapping him in with me. “You bastard, I challenge you for magical power.”

  Wang glanced at me for the first time, his face now white. He’d realized too late he’d have to fight his way out. Ian had told me the old sorcerer was tough as hell, but I didn’t care. Nobody screwed me and Dana like that and got away with it.

  I remained frozen in place, blocking the exit, and he couldn’t touch me till the fight began. He tried to shove me aside, but magic wouldn’t let him get close.

  Usually, I would’ve used calm concentration to build a strong ward first, but to hell with that. To hell with him.

  I remembered how hopeless Cara had looked. My thoughts slowed, as my rage built. A piercing shriek filled the room. Was that me? My vision darkened as my mind emptied of everything except anger.

  As soon as the buzzing began in my ears, I pointed my right hand at him and yelled, “HOLARTHON, ELBO CHOQUE!”

  A white lightning bolt blasted from my hand, slamming me backwards against the door. A deafening boom echoed in the small space.

  My lightning obliterated Wang’s protective barrier and tore into his chest, forcing his limbs away in a contorted pose. Wisps of smoke rose off his body. The foul stench of ozone filled the room.

  Within a second, he collapsed to the floor and landed in an aisle between two groups of seats. The man didn’t move.

  When the buzzing in my ears stopped, he didn’t react.

  For a moment, I thought I’d killed him, hoped I had. I’d never been so angry in my life. I was forced to bend over and breathe hard to catch my breath.

  Dana strode over to him and kicked him in the side of the head. He flinched. That told me he was alive after all. She raised her foot to stomp down on his head and smash his brains out.

  “Don’t!” I said, as I rushed over to pull her back. “He deserves to die, but you will never forgive yourself for killing him when he’s helpless.”

  I was right, but it took all my strength to keep her from carrying out her plan. I understood her fury too well. We might’ve lost our best chance to get Cara back.

  Dana grabbed onto me and sobbed. I held her and fought back my tears.

  Then she let me go. “We have to find out more about her new owner. Maybe you can beat him, too.”

  She was right. We had to think quickly. Time was short. Wang began to stir. I crouched over him and slapped his face several times to wake him up.

  When his eyes focused on me, I asked him, “Who owns Cara now?”

  “Antoine Breaux. I’m so sorry, Master, but he forced me to sell her. We were supposed to meet to discuss him buying one of my buildings in San Francisco. I have to raise cash quickly, giant loan coming due. But he lied to get close. Only wanted Cara. Threatened to kill me if I didn’t sell her for half of what you offered.”

  His eyes bulged out like he expected me to kill him, instead of Breaux. Because he was my slave, I knew he was telling the truth. Breaux had forced him to accept a much worse deal. I had to think about what to do next but hurting Wang wouldn’t help. “How strong is Breaux? Can I beat him?”

  The sorcerer slowly shook his head. “No, Master. He’s a very powerful fighter. Vicious in battle.”

  That closed the door to all of my hopes. My anger exploded again, but I couldn’t confront Breaux. He’d enslave me and Dana, too. In my fury, I screamed at Wang, grabbed his sports coat by the collar, and shook him. He flopped around helplessly. “I want all your power. I hereby claim the spoils of victory.”

  He must’ve been strong because the surge of magic into me flushed me with heat. But that wasn’t nearly enough to make up for what Dana and I had just lost.

  Dana wrapped her arms around me and sobbed again. Seeing how upset she was took away some of my fury. I comforted her instead of dreaming up ways to destroy a much more powerful sorcerer.

  When both of us got hold of ourselves, I began to think more clearly. “We don’t have much time. Wang could be mistaken. Maybe Breaux is beatable.”

  Dana
blew out a long breath. “Right. We don’t know. Who else would? Why not ask Ian?”

  Terrific idea. I called immediately.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t answer his damned phone. I left a short message and collapsed in a seat to wait. After a minute, I couldn’t hold back any longer. So, I called his wife Laura and explained.

  “He’s on some important call with the Holar Guild muckety-mucks. I’ll slip him a note and tell him you need to talk to him right away.”

  -o-o-o-

  DANA AND I tried to come up with a strategy on our own, but we were too upset to think straight.

  Ian finally called. “Laura told me the situation. I’m sure you’re ready to put your fist through somebody’s head.”

  “You’ve got that right. Do you know anything about a sorcerer named Antoine Breaux? He’s the preferred target, but Wang says he’s too strong.”

  “Your new is slave probably right,” Ian said. “I know Breaux beat a Grade Four Holar master a few months ago in Cleveland. You’re no match.”

  “I’m willing to try, and I’m angry enough to beat anybody.”

  Ian’s voice took on an edge. “Settle down, Moira. You’re furious, but emotion alone isn’t enough to beat someone as powerful as Breaux. You’ll need to come back home and train harder, develop your powers more.”

  I really didn’t care. “I’m willing to try anything. I have to do something.”

  “You’re going to have to wait. I’m the Rí benn, and I’m giving you a direct order—don’t fight Breaux today.”

  Just that fast, some of my fury switched to him. He’d never given me a direct order before, despite being our warlord. I’d freely pledged myself as his disciple, and he had the power to control me. “Sir, yes, sir. Have you got any more orders, sir?”

  “No, but I have a suggestion. Breaux can’t take off until Cara finishes her match, right? You could use that time to spy on him from afar, learn whatever you can about him. You’ll obviously be fighting him eventually, but not today. Does he know who you are?”

  “No. He thinks Turnbull is the guy he screwed over.”

  “Perfect,” Ian said. “You should watch him during Cara’s match but avoid causing any controversy there. If you start a riot, you’ll be overwhelmed. And remember, your sister is there with you. So, if you do anything stupid, she’ll pay, too.”

  That made my tongue tingle from a blast of adrenaline. If I wasn’t careful, I’d get us both enslaved again…or killed. And I’d just worked so hard to save her. “Right. Got it, sir.”

  -o-o-o-

  WANG TOLD HIS guard to let nobody inside the suite except me and Dana. I ordered my two slaves to guard my money with their lives, and I locked them in the suite. Then my sister and I headed back to the meet-and-greet room. Cara was required to stay there for another twenty minutes before preparing for her match.

  Sure enough, when we got back to Room A, our youngest sister was still sitting at her table. No more Chinese bodyguard, but Breaux sat beside her holding her hand. She smiled like she was pleased at the change in management, but magic forced her to behave that way. I knew better.

  Dana and I watched the two of them from afar. He spoke much louder than her, and he laughed at his own jokes. During a break between fan visits, he ran one hand over her breasts like he couldn’t wait to get her out of that slinky dress.

  Maybe he really was attracted. All that I knew for sure was he’d gotten a bargain by tricking Wang. Breaux was cunning as well as powerful.

  The most obvious reason was he was obsessed with her looks. Plenty of guys had lost their minds over her. As I continued to ponder why Breaux wanted my sister, her time in the meet-and-greet room ended. When she stood to leave, he rubbed her ass.

  That made my skin crawl. If Ian hadn’t already given me a direct order, two actually, I would’ve attacked him then and there.

  She laughed like she’d enjoyed it, but when she passed Dana and me, tears welled in her eyes. Her sadness blinded me with anger. I couldn’t bear to see her suffering and not help her. But the boss had been explicit.

  Dana held my hand. Her eyes were blazing. “We have to get her out of this nightmare, but unfortunately, not today.”

  “Soon. You’re preaching to the converted. We need for the gods to deliver us a miracle.”

  Chapter 6

  NONE CAME. DANA and I headed to the seats in front of the ring where our sister would fight. At least, that nightmare would soon end. Breaux hadn’t paid eighty-seven grand for a featherweight fighter, particularly not one with Cara’s win-loss record. He wanted her for some entirely different reason.

  She’d been upset when we last saw her, but by the time she arrived at the ring, her face was cool and calm. She’d focused her mind on what she had to do. Her toughness filled me with pride, and I screamed her name along with a dozen other people.

  She ignored us all and entered the ring. Then she slipped out of her long white robe. Her oiled body glistened in the spotlights.

  Like all gladiators, male or female, she’d fight naked. Since time immemorial, that had been the practice. Her skin glistened under the bright lights. Someone had rubbed her down with mineral oil to make it hard for her opponent to grab her. The facial makeup she’d worn earlier was gone, but she remained every bit as lovely to my eyes.

  The other fighter, a Slavic blonde, immediately started yelling at her, but Cara didn’t even look at her. Trash talk only served to make an opponent stronger by making them mad. I hoped my sister would use those insults to fuel her spells. Winning was the best revenge.

  Breaux arrived and sat in the first row of seats in front of Cara’s ring. He brought two pretty women with him, and they fawned over him like he was a movie star. The babes had to be other slaves because the guy wasn’t handsome. Whatever their motivation, he glowed from being the center of their attention. A real prima donna.

  The two gladiators bobbed and feinted attacks as they circled each other, each looking for an advantage. Both were similar in build, tall and slim, so they seemed evenly matched. I caught myself leaning forward, mentally urging Cara on. Dana sat beside me and muttered advice our sister would never hear.

  Then she let loose a lightning bolt—it weakened the blonde’s ward—and followed up with a spinning back kick that slammed into her opponent’s left hip. Her fans cheered around us. Cara’s blow had connected well, and she slammed a right hook to the woman’s chin. More cheers and screaming. My sister was one tough fighter, despite her elegant style.

  Several times, Breaux stood to clap and cheer when Cara got in a good spell or blow. As best I could tell, he was genuinely rooting for her and excited by her success. That made me more confused than ever about what he intended to do with my baby sister.

  -o-o-o-

  TEN MINUTES LATER, Cara stood silently with her hands on her hips. Her unconscious opponent laid crumpled on the ring’s padded floor. My sister had fought well. I took a lot of satisfaction in that. Despite her horrible life, she hadn’t given up. By the gods, she deserves to be saved.

  When the referee lifted her right hand in victory, she ignored her cheering fans. Instead of waving at the crowd, she put her white robe back on, slipped between the ropes to leave the ring, then vanished behind the black curtain in the back.

  Breaux and his two babes hurried to a gate in the barrier that separated the seats from the arena floor, and they walked over the ring to wait. A moment later, Cara came out dressed in casual clothes and calmly accepted Breaux’s congratulations. At first blush, she seemed to like him, but she flinched when he put a possessive arm around her shoulders.

  I seethed with impotence as he led her and his two other women away. They’d probably all spend the night in his bed, and there wasn’t a damned thing I could do about it. That was the hardest part of this whole horrible day.

  Once they disappeared from sight, Dana said, “Let’s go home. If we don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to blow
up.”

  She wasn’t handling this situation any better than me. We needed to get home and strategize. Tomorrow would be the first day of my campaign to beat Antoine Breaux.

  I led Dana back to Wang’s suite and collected my two slaves and our bags. When I saw Wang again, I wondered whether Breaux had said why he wanted Cara. So, I asked my newest slave.

  “He laughed at me once I signed your sister over to him. He said, ‘I know several horny cartel bosses with more money than sense. They’ll easily pay five times what I just gave you. But first, I plan to enjoy her myself for a few weeks.’”

  My stomach sank. The news was worse than I’d expected. If Cara were sold to a drug cartel boss, she’d end up in Mexico or somewhere south of there, out of our reach. I had to get her back from Breaux before Cara left the country.

  -o-o-o-

  THEN I MADE Turnbull lead us out of the arena to the parking lot. My mind kept wandering uselessly through the events of the day. What could I have done to change things? Not a goddamned thing. Even if we’d stayed outside Wang’s box instead of going to see Cara, we wouldn’t have known why Breaux was there before us.

  I opened our SUV so the others could sit inside. I took Dana’s bag from her and put it with mine in the back. As I was about to close the hatch, someone with a deep male voice yelled, “Hold on! You’re not going anywhere!”

  I spun around. A short guy built like a tank pointed a staff at me from twenty feet away. Obviously, another asshole sorcerer.

  I’d barely managed to keep my temper under control while I’d watched Breaux leaving with Cara, and I hadn’t calmed down much since. Now an ambush. I said, “Dana, more trouble. The last thing I’m going to tolerate is some sorcerer jumping us in the parking lot.”

  She groaned from the front passenger seat but didn’t say anything.

  I turned to face him. “Look, we don’t want any arguments.” I kept my voice as calm as I could. “We’re just leaving.”

  He took a fighter’s stance. “Like hell. I sensed the echoes of your spell inside Mr. Wang’s suite. What happened to him?”

  Farther away, another male voice said, “What’s going on over there?”