ing for hours, weaving through abandoned streets and slipping through alleyways, always looking over their shoulders for signs of pursuit. Exhaustio

ts roof partially collapsed. Dust motes floated in the shafts of sunlight t

ile," Cassandra said, leaning ag

to the ground beside him. "Safe," he muttered, hi

from her bag, setting them on the nearest surface. The artifact's glow

nce for a moment before s

exactly what we're dealing with first. If Valerian's willing to send a

Do you think Julian knew? Abo

ed up at him, her expression unreadable. "I don't know. But if

, relied on him. The memory of his smirk as he handed her

ipher, but the diagrams and symbols gave her some clues. The artifact wasn't jus

bad," she

Rowan asked, l

Valerian gets his hands on it, he could summon forces that would make him unstoppable. But there's more. Th

widened. "W

d grimly. "And not just them. It

bled. "So even if Valerian gets it,

ke risks without a reason. He must think he has th

rds settled over the

ng sound broke the silence. Both of them

r that?" Row

the shadows. The chapel had seemed a

the light, and Cassa

," she

his posture relaxed but his eyes shar

feet, his sword at t

mock surrender. "Easy, Ro

d her eyes. "Then

taking a cautious step c

on her blade. "Warn us? A

've forced my hand. Valerian knows where you are, and he's coming fo

dulous. "You think I'm just going to hand over t

on't understand what you're dealing

ather die fighting than hand over this

rtifact on the table. "I don't want to hurt you, Cassandra.

is path. "You'll have

neither of them moved. Then, with a sudden bu

s attack head-on. Cassandra watched, her heart pounding,

nguarded. Instead, she positioned herself between the table and

n had the advantage of experience, and it wasn't long before he m

, his blade pressed a

uted, stepping forwar

nflicted. "I don't want to hurt him, Cas

couldn't let Julian take the artifact, b

r attention. The whispers returned, louder this time,

unity to shove him away. Cassandra seized the moment, grabbing

e warned, her v

e with something that looked like fear. "Yo

d. "But I know I can

e blinding. Cassandra felt a strange pull, as if the art

face pale. "You can't contr

ian want it so badly

rned and ran, disappearing into the

d the whispers faded. Cassandra

word and moved to her

know," sh

moment, the weight of what h

o figure out how to destroy tha

Agreed. But first, we need to make sure Ju

the feeling that the artifact was watching her, it