I choke when I try to speak, gasping for airand words, because he’s got her, he’s got...

“Jolie,” I say.

It’s not loud enough to reach anyone’s earsbeyond my own, not against the battle cries in front of me.

Another guard dies with a scream, the ridervanquishing his enemies one by one.

“Jolie,” I say again, this time louder.

Both Goff and Jolie look across the room atme. “Dazz!” Jolie screams.

And King Goff smiles. He actually smiles. Hiswhole world is crashing down around him and he doesn’t seem to careone bit, as if he’s entertained by it. Jolie strains against hisarms, but he’s got her tight, so tight, and I start to run towardher, but then Goff reaches back and when his hand returns it’sgleaming and it’s holding a knife, jabbing it under Jolie’s throat,and he’s still smiling and his eyes are too, warning me to Stayaway, stay away, back off, or, or…

…she dies.

There’s nothing I can do but stop. Rage isthrobbing in my head and in my blood and in my heart, but I have tostop, because he’s got her and he’ll kill her—that much I can seein his eyes.

But Jolie’s pleading, pleading with her owneyes, giving me that hopeful look that she always has, like havinga knife at her neck isn’t anything if I’m there. Her protector.

A body crashes to the floor behind me and Ijerk my head to the side and down. Another guard, not yet dead, buton his way, blood gurgling from his lips as he tries to breathethrough thick, red liquid.

I raise my head to see the rider standingalone amidst a circle of bodies. He’s killed them all—every lastguard. A warrior, his strength far beyond my pathetic and uselessbar-fighting talent that I once held such pride for.

He steps forward, his dark skin dripping withsweat, his black robe dragging at his feet, his sword held withboth hands in front of him, the tip almost touching his chin.

I won’t let him get Jolie without goingthrough me first.

“You’re here for the girl?” he asks, hisvoice a deep rumble. I step back, as if his words are far worsethan his sword. He says it like it’s a normal question, the startof a normal conversation, as if he hasn’t just killed ten men onhis own.

“She’s my sister,” I say. “He took her fromme.”

He nods. “He’s a bad man,” he says. “I can’tlet him live.” But what about Jolie?

“I’ll kill her if you come any closer,” theking says, and in his tone is a promise. I see him drawing histhumb across his neck, high atop the wall.

The rider steps toward him.

“I swear to the Mountain Heart, I’ll do it!”Goff screams, pushing his blade into Jolie’s flesh, drawing atrickle of blood.

“Ow! You’re hurting me!” Jolie cries.

“Don’t!” I shout, both to the rider and tothe king.

The rider looks back, but there’s nouncertainty on his face. I see him slip a knife from his belt,using the width of his body to hide the motion from Goff.

I signal No! with my eyes, but heignores it, turns, throws the knife toward the king and mysister.

The sound of the knife embedding in flesh andbone is sickening.

Blood flies.

The king slumps over, still clutching hisknife.

Footsteps thump onto the landing outside thedoor.

With a whirl of his cape, the rider leapspast me, his sword raised. I spin around as he deflects an axe, ametal club, and a sword, each of which come flying through theentrance in short succession.

Past him, hordes of guards clamber up thestairs, pushing forward. The rider swings wildly, forcing themback, throwing them back, looking over his shoulder, looking rightinto my eyes. “Save her,” he says.

With a sharp yank, he ducks through the door,pulling it shut behind him.

I rush to it, slide the thick, metal latchacross, locking us inside.

Before I can spin back to Jolie, I hear themost awful sound.

It’s a laugh. The king’s not dead.

~~~

I turn to face Goff, my heart skipping a beatwhen I see the truth.

Goff is dead—at least the man Ibelieved to be the king, the tall, strong, throne-sitting man—lyingin a red pool, a knife embedded in his heart.

But another man has replaced him, shorter,older, more grizzled, with a wispy beard and unkempt hair thatstinks of crazy, jutting out from his golden crown at odd angles.He looks anything but kingly, and if not for his red, satin robeand glinting crown he might be no more than a castle soothsayer. Hemust’ve been hiding behind the heavy stone seat, the throne.

“You can’t save her,” the real king says.

“Dazz?” Jolie says, like she wants to know ifwhat the king says is true.

“Everything’s okay, Joles,” I say.

The king laughs. “Okay for whom?” heasks.

To the king I say, “Who was that man?” Thedead man.

Goff laughs, his eyes blue and filled with awild glee. “Captain of the guard,” he says. “You really think I’dstoop so low as to cavort with commoners? While my men obey, theking can play.”

So stupid. I’ve been so stupid. I knew itwasn’t right that the king would speak to Wes and I, that he wouldventure into the dungeons to stop our original escape attempt. ButI didn’t listen to the warnings in my head. But now I know. Asecond chance to make things right.

I know I can’t go right at him. He won’thesitate to kill her and then take his chances with me. There’sonly one thing to do: try to distract him until I can make amove.

“Where are the other children?” I ask, takinga step forward.

“That’s far enough,” Goff says. The trickleof blood reaches Jolie’s neckline. I stop, take a deep breath,fighting my urge to rush at him.

“You want to know about the otherchildren?” he says. “That surprises me, Dazz. Why do you care somuch about them when your sister’s right in front of you?”

I grit my teeth and try to stay focused. “Idon’t care about them,” I lie. “I just need to know why. Why do youtake them? What do you do to them?” I can’t keep the rage out of myvoice, bubbling up like a spring. I swallow it down.

“Oh-ho! You’re worried about whether I’vedone anything to your pretty little sister here. Why she’s stillhere even after all the other children are gone. Is that it?”

The other children are gone? Does he mean—Iswallow again—dead?

Goff laughs again. “Kid, you look like you’veswallowed a frog. If you’re thinking I killed the rest of them,you’re mistaken. I might be a monster, but even a monster has aheart. I sold them, like I have for years. What do I need a bunchof snot-nosed Heater kids running around here for? My servants waiton me hand and foot. My guards protect me…well, try toprotect me, although they’re not doing the best job of it lately,are they?”

I’m dumbfounded, speechless. He sold theHeater children? To who? And for what?

“Mountain lion got your tongue?” Goffsays.

“I’m just surprised,” I say, trying to keepthe conversation going.

There’s a heavy thud on the door behind me,which doesn’t bode well for the rider. He lasted a while, but neverhad a chance against so many foes—not really. I don’t lookback.

Goff smiles, looks past me to the door.“Seems we’re finally winning,” he muses. “Should we let them in andend this quickly?”

“Nay,” I say. “Not until I understand.”And freezin’ kill you, I add in my mind.

There’s a heavy thud on the door and themetal bar rattles in its fixture.

Goff smiles, but I’m not sure if it’s at thedoor or at what I’ve said. “As you wish,” he says. “It’s simple,really. The Stormers want children.”

“The Stormers? But they’re…”

“Attacking us?” the king says, smiling. “Iguess I’m not delivering enough of them, or the children aren’tstrong enough, who knows? Although this one”—he squeezes Jolieharder—“is a real firecracker, always trying to escape, fightingthe guards—I wonder where she gets it from?” He kisses the top ofher head.