Part 36 (2/2)

Except at transition. His one special power.

Hope soared, but he tempered it. He had to be logical. The fact was, he'd been almost high on magic when he'd cloned himself, he really had no idea how he'd done it. Common wisdom said that a witch or wizard should not reveal their special power unless it meant the difference between life and death.

Saving Sydney was his life or death.

Vaguely, Caden recalled fusing his clone back to his body by visualizing the event. He hoped, prayed, the reverse worked.

Sitting on the cot on which he'd so recently loved Sydney, he squeezed his eyes shut. In his mind, he pictured his clone morphing separately from him-on the other side of these bars. His entire body tensed as he clutched the bed frame.

His arms shook, and he could feel the veins swelling as he concentrated. Seconds became a minute. A minute became three. But nothing happened. He cursed under his breath.

Then he felt his insides ripping in half.

Caden clenched his teeth against the horrific sensation of someone opening his chest and sucking out his insides. His whole body trembled. His head exploded with pain.

Suddenly, it ended, and he slumped back against the wall, utterly drained, wis.h.i.+ng he had something to show for his effort.

”I'll come back with help.” The voice sounded eerily like his own.

His eyes flew open wide, and he saw himself-his other self-standing outside the cell.

Thank G.o.d. He'd done it.

”Save her,” he rasped in exhaustion.

His clone nodded and disappeared. And he b.l.o.o.d.y hated it, but now all he could do was wait.

At Shock's urging, Sydney rose on wobbly legs. She'd never imagined he was a good guy, but now she'd find out exactly how bad he was. Even if Shock didn't lay a hand on her, she had no doubt he could think of a hundred magical ways to torture her.

”Faster,” he snapped. ”You're keeping me from my fun, and Mathias from valuable information.” The cold calculation of his command p.i.s.sed her off. If she was going to die, she might as well let the b.a.s.t.a.r.d know how much she loathed him.

”How inconsiderate of me not to run to my death. Must be a real b.i.t.c.h for you.” Mathias laughed, the sound scratching an icy path up her spine before his expression fell into pure menace. ”You'll give her extra pain for that, I hope?”

”With pleasure.”

”Wait!” Mathias barked. ”A disturbance in the security. I think the Doomsday Brethren have arrived.

With them out of the way, we won't need this chit anymore. If we kill all the warriors, Olivia Gray and Sabelle Rion will be alone, unprotected. Certainly one of them can be persuaded to help our cause.”

”Don't touch my friends!” she screamed.

”You're in no position to issue orders.” Mathias smiled tightly, then looked at Shock. ”Why don't you go greet our company? Take the Anarki with you. I'll stay with our lovely guest.” Sydney could just imagine Shock's greeting. The Doomsday Brethren trusted him-at least a bit.

Because of it, they could be easily duped-and quickly dead. Any chances of escape or a future for magickind would walk out the door with the big, bad wizard.

She grabbed his arm. ”Please, no. Don't do this!”

Shock sent her a glare, shook off her hold, and walked out the door.

Caden s.h.i.+vered in the cold cell. But he shoved the discomfort aside and focused on the ”movie” in his mind that was spooling from his clone. Soon, his replica made his way out of the bas.e.m.e.nt to the first floor-and Mathias's sitting room.

As he crept in shadow up the stairs and around a corner, a small lamp on the table illuminated Sydney, a small form in an oversized black leather chair, pale and hugging her knees to her chest. She stared at Mathias with undisguised hate.

Though she couldn't see him, he was d.a.m.n glad to see her alive.

Sunlight was beginning to creep through the east-facing windows above him. Soon, his hiding place would be compromised. He was going to have to think and act fast to get Sydney out of here and s.n.a.t.c.h the Doomsday Diary. No way was he leaving such a weapon in the hands of someone like Mathias.

He was only going to have one chance to surprise the evil wizard, and Caden didn't know if his clone could perform magic. Even if he could channel energy to the duplicate, did he have enough energy left in him to kill Mathias?

As the sun crept farther into the room, and he heard the sounds of battle erupting outside, Caden figured it was now or never. Either the Doomsday Brethren would fight their way inside and chaos would erupt, or the Anarki would come in and kill them all. If he was going to get Sydney out before things got dangerous, it had to be now.

Caden positioned himself into a crouch, ready to run. Sydney spotted him out of the corner of her eyes.

She stifled her surprise quickly, but Mathias saw or sensed something. Whirling, he pulled out his wand.

Using his instincts, Caden flipped a hand toward Mathias, picturing a fireball hurtling toward the wizard.

Invisible energy ripped out of his body, burning down his fingers toward Mathias.

The other wizard couldn't scramble a defense fast enough. He jumped aside, but the ball struck him in the gut. Mathias doubled over, clutching his abdomen. Sweat dotted his temples and his face strained with pain as he looked up at Caden with hate.

”You'll pay for that.”

”Not today,” he quipped, then pulled Sydney to her feet. ”Grab the book and run. It's still dark; you can get out. Stay in shadow. Bram and the others sound like they're fighting on the northeast side of the house. Run out the back and stay close to the walls. I'll be there as soon as possible.” Sydney shook her head. ”I'm not leaving without you.” He loved her more than ever, marveled that he had a mate who was his, but locked away in a cell below, the real him couldn't defend her and both he and the clone were running out of energy. Why the h.e.l.l wouldn't she listen? ”You and the book are all that matter. Go!”

”We go together! Zap him again.”

Her gaze flicked over to Mathias, beginning to straighten up, still clutching his wand with a groan. Below, Caden focused, trying to summon his energy to send to the clone to protect Sydney. His gut cramped, and he trembled, sweating and straining for something.

He had no magical energy left.

”Stupid neophyte,” Mathias scoffed. ”I'm looking forward to watching you die.” Caden had no idea why Mathias hadn't yet blasted him. Either he hadn't fully healed from the injury Olivia had delivered to him last month, or the blast he'd just given the wizard had done more damage than imagined. Whatever. Time for some old-school a.s.s kicking.

Dropping into a fighting stance, his replica delivered a blistering roundhouse kick to Mathias's jaw. He reeled back, staggering.

Below them, doors banged against the limestone walls, grunts, shouts, and the sounds of fistfighting erupted below.

Mathias smiled. ”Your friends are coming. Too bad they'll be too late.” Fast as lightning, Mathias whipped his wand toward Caden's clone. A split second later, something hit him that weighed twenty tons, was as hot as lava, as destructive as acid. The spell spread throughout the clone's body. In his cell below, Caden absorbed the immense pain, felt the duplicate's organs shut down as he crumpled to the ground.

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