He covered the wound with a rubber suction cup and held it in place. A slurping noise came from behind him.

“It’s working,” Boar said. He squeezed a rubber ball attached to the tube. Red liquid filled a glass container in his lap. “It’s slow.”

He untied the rope around my arm, and instructed Boar, “Use your healing magic, but instead of stopping the flow, encourage her blood to gush. Draw strength from me.” Tricky’s face creased with effort. He rubbed my arm. “Relax. It’ll be over in a minute. No pain. You’ll just go to sleep.”

I felt light-headed and realized he planned to suck me dry. I couldn’t just lie here and let him. Fuzzy thoughts tried to plan. Glass container. Rubber tubing. Lump in my spine—my switchblade.

Pulling the weapon from the small of my back, I yanked it free and triggered the blade. Snick. Tricky’s gaze switched to my right hand. I jabbed him in the shoulder before he could draw power. He scrambled back in surprise, dropping the tube. I scooped up a handful of glass—spiders and a bee—crushing them.

The noise and flash stunned Boar for a second. Recovering, he gained his feet, cradling the container of my blood. The two other guards rushed toward me with their weapons drawn, but I pointed to the single Greenblade bee, hovering in midair. “Stop right there!”

They paused next to Boar. “Tricky, help,” Len cried.

No response. Tricky didn’t move. A lesson I learned from Yelena—treating my blade with Curare.

“Give me the jar,” I said.

“Aubin!”

A blur of motion and a knife skewered the bee. It fell to the ground, too heavy to fly. I ordered my spiders to attack them. A moment of confusion created a distraction while I found another bee. I sent this one to break the jar, but the glass was too thick. My last bee hovered for a mere second before being impaled with a knife.

“Don’t move. Or the next one goes into your heart,” Aubin said, aiming a dagger at me. “Drop your weapons and keep your hands where I can see them.”

I released the spiders and turned my palms out.

“Boar, can we finish the job?” Aubin asked.

“Not without Tricky. My magic is too weak.”

“Give me the jar. Help Len carry Tricky.” Aubin tucked the container under his arm.

With Boar’s help, Len draped Tricky over his shoulder.

Aubin gestured to me with his knife. “Come.”

“No.” Tricky wanted me alive. They could harm me, but probably wouldn’t kill me until after he woke. I hoped his goons didn’t know how to counter Curare.

Aubin considered. “We can force you. You’ll be hurt.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I swept a hand out. “My companions will wake well before Tricky. You won’t be able to get far carrying him and dragging me along. Once they can move, you’ll have a Stormdancer and two powerful magicians after you. I’d give you a twenty-percent chance of living through the encounter.” I tapped my finger on my lips. “Hmm…I changed my mind.”

“You’ll come with us?” Aubin asked.

“No. I think twenty percent is too high. I forgot Curare doesn’t last as long on Stormdancers…something with the electrical charge in the atmosphere neutralizing the drug. I think a ten-percent chance of survival is more accurate. It is the storm season.”

I kept my gaze steady as Aubin studied me. Dizziness spun behind my eyes, but I ignored it.

“Then I’ll kill your companions so there is no need to worry about them following us.”

My heart flipped. I used every bit of energy to keep my voice calm. “Zero chance of survival.”

“Why?”

“One of the magicians is the brother of the Soulfinder. If she doesn’t scare you, then her heart mate, Valek, should. Not only is he the Commander’s assassin, but he’s immune to all magic. Plus, you’d have every Stormdancer after you, and the Master Magicians, as well.”

“Let’s just go,” Boar said. “We have enough blood.”

“We can’t leave her here. She’ll send her bees after us,” Aubin said.

Boar muttered and searched the ground. He found my sais and grasped them by the shafts. He strode toward me. “Do you know how to fight with these?”

Confused, I glanced at Aubin.

“Answer his question.”

“Yes,” I said.

“Do you know the soldier’s honor code for a fair fight?” Boar asked.

“No.”

He stepped closer and held the sais out. I automatically reached for the hilts, but he snatched them away.

“Neither do I.” Boar swung one of the sais, aiming at my temple.

Pain pulsed in my head, waking me. I shaded my eyes from the searing reflection of sunlight off the shale ground. My body ached and my arm stung. I stayed prone for a while, chasing fuzzy memories. When I remembered the attack, I scrambled upright, searching for Tricky and his goons.

No one except Kade, Leif, Skippy and the horses. They all remained paralyzed by Curare and would be immobile for another…I checked the sky. A few hours past dawn. From my unfortunate experience with the drug, I knew they would be incapacitated for almost a full day. At least my companions could hear, see, breathe and swallow.

A hiccuppy laugh bubbled. Kade and the others had heard the whole fight. I wondered what I would get in trouble for. Falling for Boar’s honor-code trick or for letting them get away with my blood.