At any moment, Hugh would attack. Cade could feel it in his bones—and he was ready for it.

  Hugh’s eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger as he took a step closer.

  “You know, I’ve always admired your resourcefulness, kid,” he said, his voice dripping with false praise. “That little trick of yours with the traps? Impressive. Hand that little charm over, and maybe I’ll let your friends walk away in one piece. I’m going to kill you, of course, but at least they’ll live.”

  Despite the dire situation, Cade couldn’t help but flash a cocky smirk at Nora. Her earlier objections to his methods now seemed particularly ill-timed.

  Nora caught his glance and let out an exasperated groan, rolling her eyes skyward as if asking for divine patience.

  “Sorry, Hugh,” Cade replied, his tone light but his body tense. “Finders keepers. You’ll have to get creative for once in your life.”

  Hugh’s face darkened, all pretense of civility vanishing. “Have it your way, boy. You always did prefer to learn things the hard way.” He raised his hand, poised to give the signal. “Last chance, Cade. The charm, or your team’s blood on your hands.”

  Cade’s mind raced, acutely aware of the deadly fighters surrounding them and the maze of lethal traps just beyond his protective field.

  He met Hugh’s gaze unflinchingly. “You never should’ve betrayed us, Hugh. I’m going to prove that to you myself.”

  “Idiot.” His former mentor smirked coldly and snapped his fingers at Fenwick. “Kill them all.”

  “Gladly,” Fenwick said with a vile sneer.

  Chaos erupted in the narrow corridor. Cade’s team exploded into action, scattering in different directions as Hugh’s killers lunged forward. The sound of clashing steel and grunts of exertion filled the air.

  “Stay close!” Cade shouted, his heart pounding as he tried to keep track of his teammates. He ducked under a swinging blade, acutely aware that stepping too far in any direction could activate the suspended traps around them.

  Orro engaged two of Hugh’s men, his daggers a blur as he parried and struck with lethal precision. Elena punched someone hard in the face, and the man went down like a sack of bricks. She chuckled darkly to herself and ducked a blow from someone else. Jer’s acrobatic skills came in handy as he flipped and twisted, avoiding blows while delivering his own. Nora shielded Evie behind her, sword raised as she evidently tried to choose between protecting the siren and joining the fray.

  Cade’s stress mounted as he realized the precariousness of their situation. His null field was their only defense against the maze’s traps, but it was useless if his team scattered too far. He weaved through the melee, trying to position himself where he could cover the most ground.

  Hugh watched from the edge of the fray, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “What’s wrong, Cade? Finding it hard to be everywhere at once? That’s leadership for you—always pulled in too many directions.”

  Gritting his teeth, Cade knew he had to find a way to turn the tables, and fast. The charm that had seemed like such an advantage mere moments ago now felt like a double-edged sword, limiting their mobility in the face of overwhelming odds.

  As sweat beaded on his brow, Cade’s mind raced for a solution. They couldn’t keep this up forever, and Hugh knew it. Something had to give, and soon.

  Jer and Elena shifted farther away, backed into a corner by a few of the burliest thugs. As Cade shifted his position, the farthest of the axes resumed their vicious swings. Above them, the blackthorns and ivy danced in the wind that swept through the long corridors of the maze. The shouts of the crowd were still present, yet they felt a world away now.

  Cade locked eyes with his foes, and he channeled his distress into his rage.

  Into his magic.

  With a yell of fury, he jumped toward the closest warrior, a stocky half-elf with tightly cropped hair and a wild beard. At the same time, his foe’s doppelganger of a sibling raked his glowing gauntlets against Orro’s orange sword, and the two items burst with magical sparks. Cade’s target turned, brass knuckles raised and a wicked grin twisting his face. Cade pumped his fist forward, shooting a blast of scalding wind directly into the man’s skull.

  To his shock, the warrior ducked the blow and executed a fierce uppercut in the same motion, a pillar of sandstone rocketing up to shield the man from Cade’s magic. That was fine. Cade had practiced for quite some time in the forest the previous night. Amongst other things, he quickly figured out one neat trick about his arcane projectiles.

  They could curve.

  He punched forward again, this time with his left fist. A condensed ball of air-distorting wind burst out of his hand and twisted around the conjured rock. He heard a sharp scream of pain and moved on to another target.

  The dark elf he knew as Selena traded watery blows with Jer, who dodged and ducked with incredible grace. Wanting to return the same favor she had shown him last time they met, Cade sent a blast of magic at her without warning. This time, he focused on his flames, using the winds to guide and propel the fire toward his target. His aim was a little off, but that turned out to be divine providence, as his projectile struck the ivy behind Selena, which immediately caught fire.

  She whirled towards the sudden burst of heat at her back, allowing Jer to sneak through her wall of glittering daggers and kick her directly in the jaw.

  Cade couldn’t rest as a rapier sliced into his forearm. He jumped back, clutching at his right arm.

  “I see you’ve picked up some new tricks, rat.” Fenwick’s caramelly voice was as grating on Cade’s nerves as ever.

  To his right, Cade briefly saw Nora enter the fray, black sword a blur as she took on the massive orc with ease. Elena yelled something about dibs, but he wouldn’t let himself get distracted for a second time. “What? Too stunned by our might? I don’t mind waiting while you watch your pitiful team get torn to shreds. Go on. Enjoy the show.”

  Fenwick’s weapon slashed again, but Cade was ready. He ducked and rolled, careful not to stand up in the path of one of the frozen axes.

  “Come back here, you scurrying little coward!” Fenwick screamed.

  Cade dodged and ducked through the next few blows, trying in vain to focus on his magic long enough to send off another projectile.

  “Looks like this is all you’re good for when it counts, Stormhollow! You run while others fight for you! No wonder Hugh didn’t want you watching his back.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Shut. Up!” Cade seethed, and finally got off a pair of fiery projectiles. They flew past Fenwick with room to spare, and the aristocrat smiled devilishly.

  “You really are such a disappointment. Maybe I’ll let you live, just so that I can see that gorgeous look of despair in your eyes whenever I please. Your tongue will have to go, as well as your manhood, though.”

  “What? Are you feeling threatened?” Cade shot back as he pushed both open palms forward and let loose another quick barrage of fiery arcs. Fenwick slashed through one and let the others pass him by, his fencing stance immaculate and uninterrupted.

  Behind them, the other members of their teams shook the floor with their skirmish. Even through whatever magic dampened the noise, the crowd was nearing a deafening level now. It was as if they could smell the blood about to enter the water.

  Good.

  They were right.

  Cade took in the smoke gathering from the opposite side of the long hallway, the wall of ivy a scorched ruin as more and more of the vines burst into flames. Strangely, they did not wither but only lanced forward while blazing. Whatever spell that animated them was more than enough to compensate for Cade’s copper-level flames. That didn’t matter though. They were doing exactly what they were supposed to.

  The idea solidified in his mind, and he really hoped this was going to work. Otherwise, he was in for a world of pain.

  “Here goes nothing,” he muttered under his breath, too quietly for his opponent to hear.

  Fenwick danced in, his lunge rewarded by a sharp sting to the thief’s left shoulder. Blood soaked into Cade’s tunic, and he fell backward, his hand shooting into his pocket to clutch the focal stone.

  “Everyone, sprint to my position when I give the signal!” Cade sent quickly.

  When he caught their various verbal and nonverbal replies, it was time to do what he did best.

  Con the conman.

  Cade winced, playing up his wound as best he could. He grimaced and crawled backward, cradling the barely bleeding injury as if it had nearly cleaved him in two.

  All he needed to do was prey on Fenwick’s arrogance, which was about the easiest thing he’d have to do all day.

  “Please,” he said, feigning an air of desperation. “Please. Just let me go. I—I’ll give you anything! Please!”

  “At last,” the finely dressed fencer remarked with more smugness than a freshly ascended god. “The real Cade Stormhollow makes himself known. A coward to the end.”

  “Fine, you’ve got me,” Cade lied, eyeing his position as he continued his slow backward scooch.

  Any…

  …second…

  …now…

  There!

  Cade stopped his slow backward motion and touched the focal stone. “NOW!”

  As one, his entire team—including Nora, Evie, and Gavin—broke suddenly from their fights and sprinted toward Cade. Hugh’s team rushed forward, screaming obscenities as they gave pursuit. Fenwick turned to see the seven members of Cade’s team dash in his direction, and he briefly hesitated before he adjusted his stance and readied his blade to face the new threats.

  Cade leapt as silently as he could to his feet and rushed the arrogant prick. He kicked the small of the man’s back and, in the same heartbeat, ripped off the amulet around his neck that kept the labyrinth’s defenses at bay.

  With the cord removed, the amulet’s enchantments were turned off. The axes descended right as Nora dove to slide under the last pendulum. An arrow and a few water-daggers were slashed apart by the trap.

  One of the twin half-elfs was bisected as he ran, while the human with tribal tattoos and warpaint lost both of her legs as she tried in vain to reach one of the narrow safe spots in the corridor. Fenwick screamed and raised his rapier to defend himself, but the sizzling heat, in addition to the overwhelming momentum of the axe nearest him shattered his defenses. His left hand was neatly removed, and he fell to the ground.

  Cade stood up, taking in the carnage with a stony expression. A thought struck him, one so profoundly simple that he hated himself for not considering it sooner.

  Hugh wasn’t where Cade had left him.

  The man had repositioned himself at the corridor leading deeper into the labyrinth. He stretched his arms wide, evidently unfazed by the losses to his new crew. Orro stepped forward, ready to cut the traitor’s throat open, but Hugh raised a hand, a shiny orb stuck between his index and middle finger. The light it cast was pale and blue, and it reminded Cade all at once of a full moon condensed into a small gem. Cade’s heart fell as realization dawned on him.

  “You know, boy?” Hugh said softly, even as the screams of his team echoed behind them. He looked directly into Cade’s eyes. “You always seem to forget the basics. Rule number one: always do your research.”

  He tossed the orb toward Gavin.

  “No!” Cade’s boots scraped across the sandstone as he lunged for the gem, but it was too late.

  A deep growl arose from the telepath, his eyes wide with disbelief and betrayal. The corners of his mouth filled with froth, and he backed away from the glowing sphere as if it was cursed. Gavin’s back slammed against the wall of the maze, his nails digging into the sturdy material with such force that several of them cracked and bled down the dry surface. Gavin panted heavily, each rise and fall of his chest growing louder and louder until it was all Cade could hear.

  “You should’ve taken the hint after I blacklisted you and your disgusting crew from all the guilds in town. Anyone else who’s blacklisted got that status for a reason, boy. And Gavin here is the worst of them all. Did he ever tell you why he couldn’t get any jobs?” Hugh’s back was to Cade and his team as he strolled deeper into the labyrinth. “Bernard told me everything. It makes what I did to you seem damned gentlemanly. Enjoy the bloodbath.”

  “You bastard!” Cade shouted.

  Hugh spared a glance over his shoulder, his thick accent as cold as the abyss. “This is what you get for crossing me, lad.”

  Then he was gone.

  When Cade reached the gem, he tried to stuff it into his pocket. It wouldn’t budge, rooted as it was to the ground.

  It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. The damage was done.

  Where Gavin O’Rourke once stood, a werewolf nearly eight feet tall loomed over them. His clothes were ripped and stretched beyond recovery, exposed canines dripping with saliva. His eyes had turned a piercing yellow, and they scanned each of them with a wild fury. His bloodied fingers were now tipped with serrated claws that gouged deep tremors into the sandstone, while his bowed legs were taut and ready to pounce.

  “Oh, darling,” Evie said with a playful chiding to her voice. “Would you stop being a werewolf, please?”

  “That’s not how this works,” Nora said to her friend.

  “Ga—Gavin?” Jer squeaked, his bright red hair matted with sweat and dust as he combed a quivering hand through it.

  The werewolf turned to the redhead and growled deep in his throat. Eerie light from the lunar gemstone reflected across the werewolf’s teeth.

  “C’mon, buddy,” Cade cooed softly, his hands outstretched defensively while his mind fought desperately to think of a way out of this hellhole.

  To his right, he saw the remnants of Hugh’s team slowly retreat out of the deathtrap. At least they wouldn’t have to deal with them too.

  “You didn’t harm me last night, and you won’t harm us now,” Cade spoke calmly.

  His words didn’t have the intended effect. Orro whirled on him, anger and frustration forming dark lines across his brow. Jer gasped in shock while Rayka yelped in surprise.

  “You knew he was a shifter? And you didn’t think to report him, or at least tell us of that danger? What other lethal secrets are you keeping from us?” Nora demanded, her obsidian sword held in front of her.

  But Cade didn’t address any of them. His eyes remained locked on Gavin, who snarled and sniffed the air, overextended arms splayed out in front of him like the gnarled branches of an ashroot tree.

  “Gavin. This isn’t you. Fight through this.” At Cade’s words, Gavin howled.

  Claws whistled through the air before he knew what was happening. He shot a blast of wind laced with coppery tendrils at the lycanthrope, but he swerved easily out of their path, dark patterned fur bristling in the wake of the conjured gale. He flew through the center of their group, arms outstretched.

  The world slowed as Cade watched, unable to move fast enough to prevent his own teammates’ rampage. The monstrous creature’s claws slashed through the air, striking Rayka and Elena with brutal efficiency. His padded feet slid to a halt as his hind claws struggled to find purchase on the smooth stone. They ripped long gouges through the ground with a horrendous screeching sound.

  “NO!” The thief roared in fury as he saw them get hit, helpless to prevent the attack even as he rushed forward in their defense.

  Rayka and Elena fell to the floor, thick rivulets of blood seeping into the thin cracks of the sandstone beneath them.

  Cade had failed.

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