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quarter. He’d seemed so invincible before, but now, the attackers had him outnumbered as their power held him pinned to the wall while they continued to strike as one, their strength quintupled by their number.
    “You Dragons think you’re so special and so superior,” one of the Djinn ground out. “You’re nothing but bullying squatters. Before your kind came here, we were the kings of the underground. The caverns and the subterranean warrens were our domain. Then you Dragons,” he spat. “You came along and pushed us from our homes, started mating with the Elvish, our women and human women. Then you protected your dwellings, the homes your people stole from us, with your magic.”
    “We stole nothing,” Lucan replied evenly. His arms tightened around Meda, making it clear he believed they’d steal her.
    “For a long time, your spells kept us out,” the leader continued as if Lucan hadn’t spoken. “But Dragons must be lazy. Complacent. All we had to do is wait. And finally, your wards began to crumble. We can get inside your lowest levels. Before long, we’ll infiltrate your entire compound. Too bad, you’ll be dead and unable to tell anyone.”
    The enemies closed in, but there was nothing Lucan could do to escape while he held her protected to his chest.
    “Just let me go,” she pleaded. There was no way, both of them could survive this confrontation, but one of them could. He could live. He could warn his people. Obviously, they wanted her. Their kind had attacked her at the school, too. She knew there was a connection.
    “Never,” Lucan responded. With some difficulty, he turned under their onslaught though they pummeled him with their fiery balls of energy. With his back to the Djinn, his wings opened, unfurling behind him. Lucan gathered her high against his chest, protecting her with his arms and the curve of his body. Wind whistled harshly around them as his large wings propelled them into the air. He headed for the doorway that would lead them from this place.
    “Aim for the wing,” the one in charge commanded. “Follow my lead.”
    Meda screamed as a net of glowing energy landed over them. It seared into her flesh, and sizzled around Lucan, hampering his flying but not bringing him down. Suddenly, an explosion of blood rained to the cave floor beneath them. Lucan bellowed, and they careened at breakneck speed for the ground. She saw part of his wing already there, still slowly moving but beginning to curl on itself.
    Lucan landed on his back, and she flew from his arms. Her cries echoed around the cavern as her skin scraped the rock. The Djinn who seemed to be in charge raced to her. His hand closed on her arm, roughly yanking her to her feet. Frost seeped into her body at his icy touch. He dragged her further from Lucan as his men closed in on her husband. Now, from the distance, she could see they’d sheared off half of one of his wings. His scales curled from much of his back, exposing bruised and bleeding skin. He was barely moving, though he struggled to get to her, his gaze locked on her.
    The Djinn scooped one of the shirts from the floor and shoved it at her.
    “Finish him,” he instructed his men, “then follow.”
    “No!” Meda screamed. The Djinn pulled her backward as the others stood around Lucan. Their hands raised, and four thick streams of energy flowed forward to twine into one. It wrapped Lucan’s neck, squeezing tight and cutting through his scales.
    The leader yanked her into a swirling chasm of dark clouds. It closed around them, stealing Meda’s air and vision as they were sucked through an otherworldly pneumatic passage.

 
 
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
    Maks! Maks, help! Lucan screamed through his thoughts as he prayed that the cavern wasn’t too far from the main compound for his scion to hear and locate him. Panic tore through him as the band around his throat grew tighter, but it was terror that overrode all. As Lucan’s vision dimmed and the energy