Chane could not believe the wraith had survived—not after all they had been through to destroy it. There was only one way to drive it off and give them time to learn why. Swords were worthless; regaining the staff for Wynn was all that mattered.
A Weardas still held her against the wall, but Chane needed to put his own guard down and reach the captain.
The Stonewalkers suddenly halted, and their chant rose. At the distraction, Chane twisted and slammed a fist into his guard's face.
The man teetered as his head whipped back, but he still managed to slash out with his sword. Chane felt the blade's point tear across his chest. Hunger rose quickly to eat that small pain. He crouched and drove his other palm into the man's gut.
The guard toppled, and Chane lunged for the captain's back.
"Tristan, behind you!"
At the duchess's shout, the captain started to turn, and another blade slashed across Chane's back. It failed to penetrate his cloak. Chane grabbed the captain's wrist above the sword, ready to strike the man down and snatch up the staff.
The cavern's glow brightened sharply with orange-red.
Chane hesitated as the Stonewalkers' chant died. He saw fire erupt from stone around the wraith's crouched form.
A line of flame spread from under its flattened hand and shot outward, racing and twisting around the wide bases of stalagmites. Cinder-Shard lunged out of the fire's path as the other Stonewalkers scattered.
Chane had hesitated too long.
A sword hilt struck the back of his skull—but the blow was too weak. He barely dropped his head as someone shouted, "Highness, keep away!" Chane knew who had attacked him from behind and did not care.
He wrenched the captain off balance as he thrust back with his elbow. But his arm slammed against something more solid than a small woman. He twisted his head in surprise, coming face-to-face with the young guard he had punched. Blood ran from the man's nostrils across his mouth.
"Chane, get out of the way!" Wynn shouted.
The line of fire raced toward the gathering at the entrance, steam shrieking off the wet stone in its path.
He glanced quickly beyond the bloody guard blocking him. The duchess and the elf stood in the way. There was not enough time to get through them, let alone get the staff to Wynn. The fire was coming too fast.
"Shade, free Wynn!" he ordered, hoping the dog understood.
Chane shouldered sideways into the young guard and charged toward Wynn.
Reine stiffened as the fire streaked between through the cavern. Blood ran freely down Danyel's face, dripping off his chin, and Tristan stared at the oncoming flames.
"Everyone out, now!" she commanded.
Then the wolf leaped at Saln.
He stumbled aside, fending it off, and lost his hold on Wynn. Chane slammed into Wynn, pushing her back against the wall, and he grabbed for the wolf's scruff. He tried to pull them both behind his wet cloak.
Reine took a step, and Chuillyon's light hand fell upon her shoulder.
"Be still," he whispered.
She spun, ready to grab him and flee, but faltered at his soft voice.
"Chârmun … agh'alhtahk so. A'lhän am leagad chionns'gnajh."
Chuillyon's large amber eyes closed as his other hand flattened over his heart.
Reine's Elvish wasn't good enough. All she caught was something about "grace," as if he'd whispered a prayer. She grabbed his robe's belt to pull him, but his grip on her shoulder closed slightly.
Chuillyon sighed, and a shallow smile spread across his thin lips.
When Reine turned her head to call the others, Tristan kicked the staff aside before he tried to leap clear. Onrushing flames raced over his boot, licking up his shin. He hadn't been wearing his cloak in Frey's pool, and the dry hem ignited. He ripped it off, letting it fall, and stomped on it. The stream of fire reached Saln, sending flames up his legs.
"Saln!" Reine cried. "Drop!"
He did, rolling on the floor as he screamed.
Reine backed against Chuillyon, shoving at him. Try as she might, she couldn't force him into the passage.
Sau'ilahk watched with glee as Stonewalkers scattered. But holding conjured fire upon wet stone while keeping his thin bond to his servitors became too much. His remaining energy was quickly draining away.
He savored only an instant of satisfaction as Chane abandoned the staff and ran to shield Wynn and the wolf. Frustration followed as the tall captain kicked the staff aside. Flames caught in his cloak. As he ripped it off, another guard was hit full on by the fire. That one cried out in pain, steam and smoke rising from his damp pants and boots.
But the white-robed elf just stood there.
He pulled the duchess back, calmly closing his eyes. His lips moved, but whatever he spoke was too soft to hear.
Sau'ilahk was sick of the unknown, from mystical dwarves and Wynn's two companions to some white-robed dabbler with the duchess. With a clear line of sight to his target, he jerked his hand from the cavern floor, releasing his hold upon the fire. He rose, preparing to blink across the cavern and snatch the duchess, for the others would trade anything for her.
Sau'ilahk halted with a shudder of disbelief.
Wynn pushed at Chane, shouting, "The staff! It'll burn!"
"Be still!" he said, holding her tight. "Stay beneath my cloak."
Wynn bumped against Shade as she craned her head halfway around Chane's shoulder. She saw the captain kick the staff aside and then gasped as fire raced over his other foot. It struck another guard dead on. Then the twisting snake of flames shot toward the duchess.
The staff lay not far from the captain's smoldering cloak.
Wynn shouted in Chane's ear, "Let me go!"
His body felt like an immovable wall.
Wynn watched Reine cringe against Chuillyon, pushing on him. The tall elf foolishly held his place with eyes closed. There was nothing Wynn could do but shout at them, "Get out!"
The fire ended in a sudden splash.
Barely a yard before the duchess, flames fanned into the air, and Wynn couldn't help a small gasp.
Fire licked and crawled, but it advanced no farther. Red-orange flickers spread over some unseen barrier. Where flames danced, they vanished, as if eaten away into nothing, until the fire's trailing end rushed in.
It fueled one last surge and then dissipated in the air, and the cavern dimmed instantly. All that remained were heated drifts of steam rising from wet stone as the burned Weardas lay gripping his legs and moaning.
The staff lay free and clear in sight.
Wynn stiffened at a loud hiss filling the cavern. Before she looked for the wraith, a dark hulk leaped out of the far wall past the captain.
Cinder-Shard landed with a thud in the dead fire's steaming path. His eyes fixed toward the cavern's center as an eager grimace spread on his wide face.
"Make me a path, you bothersome trickster!" he growled.
Wynn didn't know whom he meant until a soft laugh pulled her attention. Behind the stunned duchess, the elf in white smiled openly.
Chuillyon's large amber eyes focused toward the cavern's heart. He lifted his hand from Reine's shoulder and spread his fingers.
Wynn felt the air turn chill as it gusted suddenly, and she sucked in a frightened breath. As Chuillyon's brow wrinkled in puzzlement, and Cinder-Shard straightened in shock, Wynn knew what had happened.
She'd felt that same shift of air twice in the night streets of Calm Seatt. The wraith had vanished, but not for long.
"Where is it?" Cinder-Shard shouted, looking around wildly.
"It's coming!" she whispered sharply in Chane's ear. "Get me some time!"
Wynn pushed around Chane, charging for the staff, as she dug in her pocket for the glasses. She finished only two steps.
Coiling darkness, like black smoke, thickened on her right as two Stonewalkers came out of the walls.