He appeared older than his age, his face lined with the weight of centuries. A light throbbed deep inside the black hematite clutched in his right hand.
“Nice stone,” I said. “Nothing suspicious about a mage with a black gem.”
“It is rather extraordinary,” he said, turning his palm up. “I was loath to destroy my garnet stone—it had been in the family for centuries—but I couldn’t risk being tracked. This one, however, has been in myrealfamily since before the demon war. It is better suited to my current needs.”
Talk about advertising your true colors. “Where’s my grandfather?”
“Safe, for now.” Blackstone pointed his free hand at the glyphs around me. “He’s proven remarkably resilient to my persuasion. More stubborn than I anticipated.”
As I suspected, Blackstone didn’t plan to wait this long. “He’s going to gut you when he gets free.”
“Brave words, little bird, but also quite inaccurate.” He gestured again, and watched expectantly. “I’ve planned this for centuries. I studied him and his magic while I brought him under my control. His prison required complex methods to build, and it will withstand any attempt he makes to escape.”
He inched closer, studying me and the cage he built around me. “Are you sure? It didn’t stop me from killing your flunky.”
“I can assure you that trick won’t work against me,” Blackstone said dismissively, pointing his stone at the glyphs. “Not that you’ll live long enough to try.”
Another guess proved accurate. He wanted to use me in place of my grandfather. If he thought I’d be easier to corrupt, he was mistaken. “What’s wrong, James? Your spell not working?”
“Be quiet, brat.” He lifted his gaze and glared at me. “Your grandfather used to think very highly of you before I convincedhim you were a pathetic replacement for his beloved cousin. If I hadn’t stopped him, he’d have sacrificed himself to save you.”
Bart had been right. Creating a new ward would thwart Blackstone’s carefully laid plans. “What makes you think I’ll be easier to corrupt than my grandfather?” I tracked his movements, searching for any chance to break free.
“Because you still care,” he said as he continued to examine the area around my prison. “I turned your grandfather’s heart to stone centuries ago. But you are still attached to your family and especially your mate—those are vulnerabilities I can exploit.”
Spoken like someone who had no idea of the power of love. He was also distracted, and I could use that for my benefit. “If you’re waiting for the crystal to form, you’re going to be disappointed, James.”
The way his jaw clenched, I’d struck a nerve. He clearly didn’t like me using his name in such a condescending way.
“You know nothing about what I’m about.” He directed energy toward my cell. “And whatever countermeasure you came with won’t save you.”
The crystal started to grow and his expression regained its confidence. Calling up my fire, I mixed it with the magic Bart and Leo had given me. I wrapped myself in a fiery ball of magic. Most beings couldn’t look at our fire without shielding their eyes. James was no exception.
Through the flames, I watched him shrink back, and when he put his hand up to his eyes, I released the spell and increased the intensity of my aura. After a few seconds, I let the light die away. The new crystals were gone.
“You were saying,James?”
“Arrogant phoenix.” He stepped back and surveyed the space. “Clearly, I underestimated you. My fault for relying on your weak-minded grandfather for information. I rarely make the same mistake twice.”
I laughed, hoping to provoke him into revealing more. “If you believe that, you’re more deluded than I thought. I wish I could be there when a demon eats your overconfident ass.”
“That will never happen.” His face darkened. “I’ve planned for this longer than you’ve been alive. Believe that it won’t be me who gets eaten.”
This version of him, cold and focused, scared me. Perhaps I had been too arrogant. I’d used up two of the three spells I’d been given and still hadn’t broken free. Sometimes, the best strategy was to double down on what worked. “Forgive me if I don’t drink your Kool-Aid.”
“Enough conversation.” Dark energy coalesced around Blackstone’s black gem and formed into an intricate pattern that hovered in the air between us. “I have no more time to waste.”
Behind him, several mages appeared, their stones glowing in their hands. Blackstone’s spell swirled toward me, covering my prison. I held back my fear and considered my next move. Freeing myself meant fighting off at least five mages, but if I let him finish his new spell, I might be unable to escape. The light around me dimmed, and I reached for my last charm.
Adding a drop of my flames to the smooth stone, I tossed it at the barrier. A burst of purple and orange light filled my magical cage. I heard at least two shouts of surprise in the room, and the barrier shattered with a sound like breaking glass.
My efforts broke Blackstone’s concentration, and his spell dissolved around me. I used the disruption to shift and immediately took flight before he could reform his cage.
“Block the exits!” Blackstone shouted. “Don’t let him get away!”
Making for an opening, I swerved and dove at a pair of mages. They’d been focused on barring my escape, and my move caught them off guard. I flew around their legs, and flared my energy when I was inches away.
The pair caught fire and began to scream. Blackstone still stood between me and the exit, but he was paying more attention to me than the opening. The pair of mages on fire struggled to put out my phoenix fire, and the others came to their aid.
