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  “What do you think it’s doing?” Tiberius asked.

  “I’ve seen it get excited like that when there’s danger present.”

  “Or maybe it’s trying to tell us that Lexi is nearby.”

  Tiberius slipped off his horse and tied both his and Lexi’s mounts to a small post on the side of the street. Rafe remained in his saddle and tucked the spear he carried under his arm like a lance.

  “I’ll see what’s in that alley,” Tiberius said. “If I need help, you can ride to my rescue.”

  “So the usual plan?” Rafe said with a smirk.

  Tiberius ignored him and hurried up to the dark alley beside the ruined building Dancer was perched on. He glanced quickly into the shadowy space between the two tall walls on either side. It was hard to see anything in the thick gloom, but there appeared to be some type of creature or mound of rubble.

  “Fulsi,” Tiberius said softly, and he felt the power of the spell behind him.

  He let the light shine in one thick, bright beam down into the alleyway. The creature at the far end roared and shook. It didn’t like the light. Tiberius waved at Rafe, who came riding up toward the alley, but his horse slowed, then shied away.

  “What are you doing, Mars?” Rafe said loudly.

  The horse neighed but continued backing away from the alley, which was as bright as noontime in Avondale, with Tiberius’ magical light shining down the long, narrow space. The creature roared again and began shuffling toward the street.

  “It’s coming this way,” Tiberius said.

  Rafe slid from the saddle and turned to face the alley with his spear held ready. Tiberius backed up but kept the light shining down the alley until the creature emerged. It was a huge beast, with a round head that was taller than a horse. Fat jowls hung from either cheek, and one was bulging as if something was stored there. When the creature opened its mouth, there was no sign of teeth, but long tentacles came out, each one dripping with a thick ooze.

  “What the hell is that?” Rafe said.

  “I don’t know, but we better kill it,” Tiberius said, hefting his own spear.

  “Why?”

  “Because I have a hunch.”

  “A hunch … really?” Rafe said in disbelief.

  “That’s right, a hunch. You have to trust me.”

  “We could go around.”

  “Just kill it,” Tiberius said.

  Rafe drew his sword and then hurled his spear. The weapon flew true and buried itself in one of the many black bulbous eyes above the gapping maw. The creature roared in pain and began rolling sideways. The tentacles flew about wildly, and then the beast regained its feet and charged at Rafe. Tiberius had never been very adept with a spear, but the creature rushing toward them was so large he could hardly miss. He threw the weapon, and it sailed into the beast’s mouth.

  Another roar, and this time the creature stopped its charge. It tried to cough and hack out the spear but it couldn’t. Black blood came bubbling up to be spit out toward the tentacles. Rafe was fending off the snake-like appendages with his sword. The creature was writhing in pain and not really trying to attack them. The tentacles were flailing wildly, and the beast was whining in pain.

  Rafe and Tiberius stood back, waiting to see what the creature would do, when suddenly Lexi’s head and shoulders appeared. She looked dazed and confused, but she was struggling to free herself from the creature’s flap-like jowls. If the beast had possessed teeth, she would never have survived, but the massive tongue was shaking, and blood poured from the upper palate where Tiberius’ spear had stabbed.

  “Lexi!” Tiberius shouted in surprise.

  Without thinking he dashed forward, running to save the woman he loved. Lexi didn’t seem to hear him and was still struggling to free her legs from the slime-filled pocket inside the creature’s mouth. She grabbed the spear to pull her legs free, but the pain caused the creature to spit madly.

  Rafe was running just behind Tiberius, slashing with his sword whenever a tentacle came too close. Lexi was spit out of the beast’s mouth, along with a torrent of blood. She landed hard on her side, and Tiberius reached her a second later. He bent low and grabbed Lexi beneath her arms and began pulling her back.

  Rafe kept running and jumped up to where his spear protruded from the creature’s eye. His momentum tore the weapon free, and Rafe quickly stabbed another eye with the spear. Then he turned in one fluid motion and severed the smaller of the two tentacles. He had to duck to avoid the second flailing appendage, but the creature’s movements were slowing down. More blood seeped out of the huge mouth, along with the thick slime that seemed to be the creature’s saliva.

  Tiberius was still pulling Lexi away from the creature when Rafe jerked the spear that Ti had thrown. He pulled the long weapon, which was now covered in blood and slime, out of the beast’s mouth. Then he stabbed the creature over and over again, finally stabbing through the thick tentacle and wedging the spear into the ground so that the beast screeched but couldn’t escape.

  Finally he ran back, his hands and arms covered with blood and the foul ooze that leaked from the creature’s mouth.

  “I think that just about finished it,” Rafe said as he panted for breath.

  Tiberius was on his knees beside Lexi. She was staring up at him with a vacant look. Tiberius used his shirt to wipe the ooze from her face as he spoke to her.

  “Lexi? Lexi, can you hear me?”

  She didn’t respond. But then Dancer came sailing down from the building, trilling excitedly. It landed on her stomach, and Lexi scooped the little animal up.

  “You’re alive!” she said.

  “Yeah, we’re all alive. Thanks for noticing,” Rafe joked.

  “Tiberius,” Lexi finally acknowledged him.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She nodded. “I think so.”

  “We’ve got to get you out of here.”

  “Is Olyva...” Lexi couldn’t finish the question. She looked frantic.

  “She’s fine,” Rafe said. “She’s weak but okay. I got her out of the city.”

  “Rafe, take her and go. I’ll retrieve our spears and follow you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “There’s some unfinished business here,” Tiberius said.

  “I don’t want you to face it alone,” Rafe said. “Wherever that bastard is hiding, we’ll find him and finish him together.”

  “No,” Tiberius said. “I know exactly where he is, and this is a fight I need to finish. Take Lexi and get her safely out of the city. I won’t be long.”

  “You having another hunch?” Rafe asked.

  “He’s on top of the pyramid,” Lexi said weakly.

  Tiberius smiled at Rafe. “And now I’m certain. Go! Get her out of here.”

  Rafe scooped up Lexi as if she were as light as a toy doll. He sat her in his own horse’s saddle then pulled himself up onto Lexi’s horse. He looked back at Tiberius, who raised his hand to reassure his friend, then Rafe and Lexi rode away. Tiberius watched them go. He was glad that Lexi would be safe and he had meant what he said about unfinished business. He wouldn’t leave without confronting Gunderlyn one last time, but he also had an ulterior motive. He wanted the old wizard’s books — at least any books that were specifically about magic. Behind him the huge creature that had eaten Lexi shuddered and died. Tiberius spat on the stinking beast as he pulled one of the spears free. He went around the huge carcass and walked toward the massive temple, where he knew Gunderlyn was waiting.

  Chapter 23

  Tiberius

  The temple was massive. It sat like a gemstone nestled in the heart of the city, surrounded by mountains. The structures all around the temple were crumbling ruins that looked much older than the buildings that were closer to the vast plains. The temple was a stepped pyramid with a massive stairway built right into the center of the structure. The steps led to a small shrine at the top of the pyramid, and two massive openings on either side of the steps revealed the g
loomy interior. There were objects inside the pyramid, and Tiberius could make out some of them. There were fountains that sat empty and dry, statues, and altars. Tiberius ignored the cavernous pyramid and started up the wide stone steps.

  He was soon breathing hard and had to stop. A painful stitch had developed in his side, and he was light headed. Still, he knew he couldn’t stop. There would be time for rest later, he thought to himself, as he continued climbing higher and higher.

  He stopped just below the wide balcony that led to the temple’s central shrine. He waited until he was breathing normally again. Looking back he could just make out Rafe and Lexi winding through the ruins as they left the city. Tiberius couldn’t help but wonder if it was the last time he would ever see his friends again. He had never battled another wizard the way he intended to fight Gunderlyn. When he had fought in the Tuscogee, Rafe had fought Moswanee’s champion while Tiberius and the tribal chief cast spells to aid their fighters. Now, there would be nothing between himself and Gunderlyn — just magic and wits.

  He climbed the final few steps and looked around, using the upturned spear like a staff. The balcony was bare, and the shrine was empty except for an ancient stone altar and a magnificent statue that Tiberius guessed represented the deity the temple was built for. The altar looked creepy; it was stained with the blood of countless sacrifices, and the word Balestone was carved into the front of it. Above the altar was the statue of a massive rearing horse. Tiberius had learned from his studies in the temple of Addoni that other cultures had worshiped other gods, but this was the first time Tiberius had ever seen an actual idol. Gunderlyn was slumped against the altar, not moving.

  Tiberius advanced slowly, unsure of what to expect. Above the shrine was nothing more than a pyramid-shaped roof supported by columns around the edges, leaving the interior empty except for the altar. Tiberius had almost reached the closest column when Gunderlyn waved his arm and shouted a spell that Tiberius had never heard before.

  The young wizard felt the magic swirl in the temple and dropped instinctively to his knees to avoid the attack he knew was coming. But instead of a direct attack against Tiberius, the spell was aimed upward, into the pyramid-shaped roof. For a moment nothing happened, then hundreds of bats came screeching from the shadowy interior of the shrine.

  “Scuti Incantatio!” Tiberius shouted as he fell to the ground, covering his head.

  The bats dove at Tiberius over and over, most knocking themselves senseless against the magical barrier around him. Tiberius felt every collision as if his mind were being battered by a thousand angry thoughts.

  “Fulsi!” he muttered, not bothering to cover the portal that opened.

  Light so bright it was almost blinding shone from the top of the pyramid. The statue of the horse was made of gold and silver. The silver was black from tarnishing, but the gold shone brightly in the brilliant light. The bats scattered, and Gunderlyn covered his eyes with one filthy arm, while the other held tight to the altar to keep him from falling.

  Tiberius rose to his feet and started forward. He was squinting, but he was able to see in the magical brightness. He had half a mind to set the old wizard’s foul robe on fire, but he waited.

  “Don’t come any closer!” the old man demanded. “I will never yield.”

  Tiberius felt sorry for the old wizard. It was obvious the old man was confused.

  “You have nothing to yield,” Tiberius said. “It’s over, you’re defeated. Your warriors are gone, there are no more battles to fight.”

  “The arrogance of youth,” Gunderlyn spat. “You and your whore princess can go to Rastimus’ pit for all I care.”

  “Have it your way,” Tiberius said, advancing into the covered portion of the high temple shrine.

  Gunderlyn fell to one knee, but he muttered another spell, and suddenly the golden horse jumped from behind the altar. Tiberius wasn’t sure what to do next; the horse was so beautiful and yet terrifying at the same time. Tiberius was slowly backing away from the horse, which reared on muscular hind legs that were fashioned out of solid gold. Then its silver hooves clattered on the marble floor of the shrine.

  Tiberius knew he needed to do something, but the horse turned and charged him before he had time to think. There was nothing for Tiberius to do but leap out of the way. He still had a spear, but it was useless against a beast made of metal. Tiberius dashed sideways at the last possible second, and the horse, its silver hooves crashing against the marble floor of the shrine like deafening cracks of thunder, charged past him.

  Keeping the spell of magical light open was difficult, and it winked out as Tiberius glanced over his shoulder, just as the horse was attempting to turn back toward him. But the huge statue’s momentum carried it too close to the edge of the pyramid, and before Gunderlyn could save it, the horse toppled over. The crash of the heavy statue as it fell down the pyramid was so loud that Tiberius covered his ears.

  Tiberius stood to his feet and leveled his spear toward the old man who had tried so many times to kill him. Gunderlyn was edging toward the wide stone stairway that led down the pyramid.

  “You are tampering with powers you do not understand,” he warned. “Princess Ariel will be swallowed by the Dark One. You shall never prevail.”

  “The princess didn’t send me,” Tiberius said. “Your own fears have driven you mad, old man.”

  “No, no, I see what is coming. The cataclysm was just a tremor before the great fall that draws near.”

  “You’re insane.”

  “Don’t kill me,” Gunderlyn begged. “I’ll do anything.”

  Tiberius had raised his hand and had the simple spell to conjure fire on his lips, but instead he stayed silent. The air seemed charged with electricity, almost as if the slightest move would trigger a great disaster. Tiberius was trying to decide what to do with the old man when he heard the soft brush of a paw against the rough stone of the temple steps behind him. Tiberius whirled around to see a large, wolfish creature. It had a long head and muzzle, almost like a horse, but with sharp canine teeth all around the thin lips that were drawn back in a snarl. The creature’s body was long, and it stood on four legs, but it was almost feline, with a tail that swayed back and forth. Its forelegs and chest were a tawny color, but there were black stripes across its back and rump.

  “You see!” Gunderlyn cried. “You may control the elements, wizard! But I control the creatures of Devonyr.”

  The strange wolf cat jumped at Tiberius, crossing the balcony at the top of the stairs in a single bound. Tiberius thrust his spear at the animal, causing it to twist in midair and smash into one of the stone pillars. The column cracked, and plaster fell from the ceiling. Tiberius knew he couldn’t hesitate, or the creature would rip him to shreds, so he slashed with the spear, cutting a gash along the wolf cat’s side. The beast roared and darted to the far side of the column.

  Tiberius was backing up, trying to buy himself a little time to decide on his next move before the creature came around the column to attack him. But to his surprise the creature didn’t circle around the obstacle but instead, with one powerful leap, smashed through the column and lunged straight for Tiberius. His only defense was to keep the spear leveled between himself and the creature.

  Bits of stone rained into his face as the creature roared. But the spear kept the beast at bay. It pretended to leap up again but then tried to dart in close to the ground. Tiberius had almost fallen for the ploy, but at the last second he brought the spear down on the creature’s head. The metal spear smacked hard on the wolf cat’s skull, and the tip of the spear burrowed into the skin on the back of the beast’s neck. It hissed angrily, swiping one paw at Tiberius, who saw the creature’s massive claws as he jumped back.

  The wolf cat was hurt and bleeding, but it was still stronger and faster than Tiberius. He knew he needed to strike hard and fast and tried to think of what Rafe would do. He was waving the spear in the creature’s face when it suddenly lunged forward and caught the spear in
its massive jaws. The wolf cat’s mouth was about twice as wide as a horse’s mouth, and its sharp teeth bit down hard on the wooden spear just behind the metal head.

  Tiberius felt a stab of fear as he heard the spear crack. Instinctively he dropped the weapon, which fell to the ground in two pieces. The shaft was now about as long as a full-grown man, but the spear head lay on the ground, and the wolf cat spit the bits of wood that were still in its mouth. The creature looked almost smug as it snarled at Tiberius. The young wizard reacted without a moment’s thought. His hand tugged his whip free, and years of muscle memory went suddenly into action.

  The whip lashed across the wolf cat’s snout before it even knew the danger was there. The whip popped, the crack of the leather reverberated through the shrine, and the creature leaped back as a line of red blood welled up across its broad muzzle. Tiberius didn’t hesitate but rushed forward, cracking the whip over and over, driving the stunned creature back across the portico and out onto the balcony.

  “Fulguralis!” Tiberius shouted.

  There was a split second where Tiberius felt the strain of the magic, but it passed quickly as a bolt of sizzling blue lightning came crashing down. Tiberius felt the hair on his arms standing up, and the wolf cat must have sensed the danger because it dashed madly toward the edge of the pyramid. The lightning bolt flashed against the stone and then disappeared with a clap of thunder so loud that Tiberius was sent reeling backwards. Still, even as he slid back across the marble floor, he could see the wolf cat scratching and clawing to stay on the pyramid’s balcony.

  Tiberius’s boot thumped against the spearhead, and he bent low to snatch it up. When he stood back up, the wolf cat was bounding toward him again. Tiberius knew he didn’t have the skill or even a weapon suited for slaying the creature. So he cast another spell while whirling the whip above his head.

  “Accendo,” he shouted.

  As the whip flicked forward, a streak of fire followed it. The wolf cat’s eyes went wide at the sight of the fire, and its paws thrust out against the marble floor of the shrine to stop itself. The whip cracked in the creature’s snarling face, and the streak of fire shot past it. Then Tiberius flipped the whip back, and the streak of fire stretched, curving around behind the creature. Tiberius brought the whip around low, popping the leather cracker across the wolf cat’s paw. The beast roared and reared back on its hind legs, but the fire shot around the creature, fully surrounding it.