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demanded at his most imperious.
    In the less of the blink of an eye the tip of the massive sword was digging into Sergei’s throat, the Sylvermyst leaning forward until they were nose to nose.
    â€œYes.”
    Sergei heard the sizzle as the strange blade absorbed the drop of blood from the pinprick wound in his throat. Then the fey was spinning away and heading out the door.
    â€œCrazy bastard,” Sergei muttered.
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    It took Jaelyn nearly an hour and several layers of skin to at last wrestle out of the chains that held her captive. Once free, she gingerly inched her way out of the harems, her senses on full alert.
    Damn, but the place was a disaster.
    Shattered glass, crumbling stone walls, and missing dome ceilings that allowed the swirling mist to creep through the vast spiderweb of chambers.
    She shuddered to imagine the power necessary to create such damage, even as she cursed Ariyal for having abandoned her on the godforsaken island.
    Not only was she forced to constantly retrace her steps to avoid the seemingly perpetual sunlight that pierced the mists at unexpected junctures, but the endless series of corridors seemed to lead from one dead end to another.
    Was it true?
    Was it possible that she was trapped on Avalon?
    Halting before an arched door with odd carvings that blocked her current path, she was debating the best means of destroying the heavy iron lock when she felt the air pressure shift behind her.
    â€œI would not stray too far, Hunter,” a low female voice warned. “Morgana le Fay had a nasty habit of leaving traps for the unwary.”
    â€œHoly ...” Spinning on her heel, Jaelyn flashed her fangs at the intruder. Expecting a massive demon who would match the crushing flare of energy that filled the dark corridor, she was caught off guard by the tiny female, who was no larger than a child, with a heart-shaped face and long silver hair that was pulled into a braid that hung nearly to the tiled floor. She frowned. The black almond eyes and razor-sharp teeth appeared remarkably similar to those of the spirit whom Ariyal had summoned to hold Jaelyn captive in the Russian caves, as did the long white robe. But this female appeared older. Oh yeah, and not a spirit. “Yannah?”
    The female stepped forward, her hands folded neatly at her waist.
    â€œNo, I am Siljar.” She paused. “An Oracle.”
    Ah. Of course. An Oracle would explain the deluge of power that battered against her.
    Jaelyn hastily fell to her knees, her head bowed. Although she hadn’t been personally approached by the Commission when she was hired to track down Ariyal, she’d been schooled in the proper etiquette.
    It was the same etiquette that a person used when confronted by any lethal predator who could kill you with a thought.
    â€œForgive me.” Jaelyn kept her head lowered. “You startled me.”
    â€œYes, you did appear to be preoccupied.”
    Wondering how long the female had been watching, Jaelyn carefully glanced upward.
    â€œI was attempting to escape.”
    â€œHmm.” The female tilted her head to one side. “I fear there is no means of escaping Avalon without fey blood.”
    â€œYou’re fey?”
    She instantly regretted the impulsive question as Siljar wrinkled her nose in visible disgust.
    â€œCertainly not.” Her brief annoyance was replaced by a sudden smile as she gave a wave of her hand, indicating that Jaelyn could rise. “But I am impervious to Morgana’s magic, which means I can come and go as I please. A fact that used to infuriate the woman.”
    Jaelyn cautiously straightened, not foolish enough to believe that the danger had passed.
    Oracles didn’t drop by for idle chitchat.
    â€œYou were acquainted with Morgana le Fay?” She politely kept the conversation ball rolling.
    The smile widened to emphasize the razor-sharp teeth. “I had the pleasure of reminding her that she was not above the