Then the four of us hunkered down to wait for Rylee and the others.

Which turned out to be not much of a wait. Three figures started toward us, the sun at their back, highlighting their figures.

Those three headed our way are elementals, Pamela. You are the first line of defense against them if they attack.

“Why would they do that?”

They don’t want Rylee to find the Destroyer. And they will do anything to stop her.

I turned to them, taking in their very distinct images. White, brown, and black were the immediate colors I saw. The woman in the front wore black and had flaming red hair. The tall man to her left was in white, with long swirling white hair. The man on the right was not so tall, had black hair and was dressed all in shades of brown.

“Child, step aside,” the woman said to me, her voice soft. Kind.

I’d been fooled once by a voice like that. Underneath it, I heard the truth. This woman would kill us all if given the chance.

I drew myself up and moved toward them. I remembered what Deanna had taught me about magical duels. “I challenge you to a battle of skill and wit. One to one. To your knees.”

The woman shook her head, flame hair dancing on the breeze, catching the morning light. “You are a child. Not old enough to call a duel of those better than you.”

The man behind her wearing all white laughed. “Do it. She has to take all three of us out one at a time. I think the chit needs a lesson in humility.” His smile was not kind and I stared back at him, an eyebrow raised.

The red-headed woman nodded. “Let it be then. The first to your knees.”

I didn’t wait on her to make the first strike. I flicked my fingers at her, a blast of flame slamming into her with enough force to knock her back twenty feet. But the flame didn’t hurt her, it curled around her like it was a lover, caressing her skin, dancing along the edges of her hair.

Her element is fire. Use something else.

“You could have said that sooner,” I snapped, embarrassment heating my cheeks. I didn’t wait for her to regroup. That I’d learned from Milly.

I gathered the earth below me and shot it straight up under her, tossing her aside like a wave. She was on her knees, her jaw hanging open. I’d won, but even I knew the fight had been too easy. And that worried me.

Her eyes narrowed and she let out snarl as a wave of flame rushed from her to me. I flung my hands up, calling the wind to block the flames from reaching us.

The white haired man laughed. “I cannot wait to take her on. But it looks like you are breaking the rules, Magma. You aren’t supposed to keep fighting after you’ve been dropped to your knees.”

“The little bitch is going to die,” she hissed and the flames inched toward me as she took a step in my direction.

“Blaz. I don’t want to kill her.” I didn’t want to end up like Milly. I didn’t want to be inside the darkness.

Intent, Pamela. Your intent is to protect your family. Those you love. Defend them however you must. Take her weapon from her, she won’t expect it.

I was going to have to move fast. I dropped my hold on the wind and fell to my belly. The rush of flames over my head singed my hair, the crackle and smell of burning keratin chasing me. I army-crawled while the woman, Magma, shot thick streams of fire at where I once stood. Sliding underneath the flames, I could see only her ankles; hopefully, the flame blocked me from her view.

I couldn’t hear anything, the fire above me eating the sound and stealing my breath, scorching my back. Each inch felt like a mile, my hands and knees, cheek and chest scraped along the hard ground, rocks and dirt biting my bare skin. None of it mattered. I had to stop her. Had to buy Rylee the time she needed to find the Destroyer.

If it was the last thing I did, I would do as Blaz said. I would defend my family.

Another few inches and I was at the fire elemental’s feet. I grabbed her ankles and jerked hard. She screamed and the flames puffed out of existence. I scrambled up her body, but she was no slouch. She flipped me over and we rolled as she drew back a fist and slammed it into my side. A grunt escaped me, a burst of air gone from my lungs. I clawed at her face, fingers hooking into the edge of her eyes. She screamed and bit at me.

Behind us, male laughter erupted. “Maybe we should throw some oil on them.”

On cue, a patter of rain fell, soaking us within seconds, creating a perfect mud bath.

“Assholes!” Magma screamed and I hated to agree with her. But the mud helped. I lifted it with my magic and slapped it over her face, covering her eyes, mouth, and nose. She tried to get it off, pulling at it. She was distracted and I pulled her knife. Just in case. I held the mud tight to her face, my every thought focused on stopping her as I scrambled back, slipping in the muck and falling flat onto my back. The fall broke my concentration and Magma flung the mud off her face, gasping.

“You sneaky little bitch. I’m going to strangle you with my bare hands. You don’t deserve to die by fire.”

I spit at her. “Piss off, you wanker.”

I kept the blade tucked low as she lunged at me. I let her get on top of me, let her hands circle around my neck. Let her squeeze. I met her eyes, saw the hatred. Saw the darkness behind the crazy orange irises.

I thought of nothing but those I loved.

Frank. Alex. Blaz.

Liam.

Rylee.

Tears streaming, I brought the knife down hard, slicing it through the leather of her suit, through her ribs and straight into her heart. Her eyes flickered in shock, her body stiffened and her hands loosened on my neck.