“Doesn’t mean I’m just going to roll over you dumb cow.” I swung my spear out. “Last I checked, you couldn’t fight worth shit.”

Her whole body stiffened. “How do you know who I am?”

“I’m no fool, I would know you if my eyes were closed, bitch.” I circled her, watching, waiting for her to use the depth of power she carried.

The flicker of green at her fingertips and the slight softening of the ground below was the only warning I had. I leapt at her, spear raised and swinging through the air in a perfect arc as the footing below me dropped away.

She squealed like a stuck pig and scrambled backward, flinging her hands at me, the lines of power going wild over her entire body. It was too much, even for her. The earth exploded through the golden floor, rocks and gemstones flying everywhere. One caught me on the back of my hand, numbing my fingers and making me drop my spear. I landed on top of her and rolled us both across the floor.

Physically I knew she couldn’t beat me.

A blast of wind smashed into me, tearing me off her, tearing my fingers away from where I’d gripped her cloak. I was thrown hard and pinned against the far wall. I stared at Blackbird.

His body hummed with power, all five colors swirling. Red, blue, white, green and pink.

“Mother goddess have mercy,” I whispered. He carried all five elements, he was the child Requiem had wanted to produce with his breeding program. “How are you even possible?”

The question slipped out of me, unbidden as my mind tried to make sense of the impossibility of what he was. He shrugged.

“I have no say in who made me. I was born though, I can assure you of that.” He tossed his ruby ring to Cassava. “Here, use this and kill her. I am off to the Eyrie. I expect you to clean this mess up and take control.”

Cassava nodded, shocking me. She was taking orders from him? He bent down and kissed her on the top of her head. “Do not disappoint me.”

“I won’t.”

He walked away, humming to himself as he wove all five elements around his body. Five, even without the use of the ring. As he disappeared, I dropped to the ground.

Cassava crept toward me. “You are finally going to get what you deserve, you stupid half breed. And then I will be queen here.”

“Big words coming from someone who is bowing to an abomination,” I said, keeping my voice even. This was not the time to panic.

She lifted her hands and fire raced from her fingertips to light up the wall around me. The heat was instant, sweat popping out along my bare skin.

Maybe this was the time to panic.

I pulled the earth upward, dousing the flames, but she ignited them as fast as I put them out. Flinging her left hand, the ceiling collapsed on top of me and instantly lit on fire. I pushed the rock off, but the fire crept closer, igniting my hair in places, singeing my clothes.

“This can only end one way, half breed,” she laughed, “and that will be with me dancing on your grave.”

I had only one option left, I had to use Spirit to stop her. I called that power forth as the fire super heated around me, gold melting into puddles on the floor. I put everything I had into directing Spirit toward her. It’s essence wove through me, melding with the beat of my heart, the thrum of my own blood pumping in my veins as I focused on breaking her hold on the two elements.

“Stop!” I yelled at her.

Her feet stumbled to a stop and she went to her knees.

“You will not harm me or anyone else ever again!” I said, and even to myself my voice reverberated. I kept pushing Spirit into her, fear driving me. Waves of Spirit crashed out of me and into her and for a moment I thought she would fall down. Her body went slack, and she dropped to her knees.

She lifted her hands and the fire went out. “No harm, no harm, no harm.”

Spirit danced along my synapses, humming softly, a steady warmth that felt so good. A sigh of relief slipped out of me. It was over without anyone being hurt. If I didn’t count the burns and bruises on my body.

I walked over to her as I released my hold on Spirit.

There was a pull within my own soul, like something took a long drink of me. It was there and gone so fast I wasn’t sure I hadn’t imagined it. I sagged for a split second then stood up straight, forcing my body to obey me no matter how badly it wanted to lay down and rest. I would not look weak in front of Cassava. I strode toward her, my legs like jelly.

“You might as well take the cloak off now. It’s not like you’re hiding from anyone.”

Cassava didn’t move; she stood like a statue. Defiant to the end.

“Take the damn cloak off,” I snapped and still she ignored me. “Fine, do whatever you like. Father will deal with you soon enough.” I didn’t dare take my eyes off her for fear she would suddenly grab at one of the powers open to her.

With that in mind, I darted forward and jerked both away from her. She didn’t protest, barely even flinched as I took both the emerald and the ruby, tucking them under my vest.

No reaction at all. What was going on? Why wasn’t she at least saying something?

The doors to the throne room creaked open and I glanced quickly to see Peta creeping in.

“It’s safe. She’s taken care of,” I said, motioning to Cassava. “Actually, she’s playing some kind of game here. Won’t talk, won’t respond to anything I say.”

Peta sniffed the air. “I still can’t smell her. Can you take that cloak off?”

I reached out and grabbed the cloak . . . or tried to. It dissolved as my hand passed through it, as if it never were. The cloak vanished and what I was seeing couldn’t have stunned me more.