Bile burned in her throat, her terror building. What had happened? Where was she? Oh goddess, had Marita kidnapped her?
A door opened with a burst of artificial light, revealing the face of the distinguished man who stepped quietly into the room.
“Who are you?” she asked, wrapping her hand around the bars. It was then she realized that a glow surrounded the cage. Magik. A shield to stop her attacking with her own.
He winced as he looked her over. “He hit you harder than he should have.”
“Who are you? How did I get here?”
“Take a moment, Caia.”
At those words, her trace tingled with its familiar icy vapor, and Caia slumped back in disbelief. “Nikolai?” she gasped.
“Well done.” He smiled gently at her, and she pushed, trying to feel his intent. Pain exploded in her head. She was too weak from the knock she had taken.
“How?” she managed.
He stepped aside from the doorway and another figure strode in, a smug smile on his face. “I’d like to introduce you to someone. This is Kirios, Caia.”
Kirios’s dark hair flopped over his forehead in familiar disarray, his pale handsomeness a punch to the gut …
She snarled in impotent fury.
“Reuben.”