She and the commandos were standing outside another gaudy casino in Las Vegas. This one was called ‘The Lord Dragon’. Alden’s minions loved to hide out in casinos. Sera and the commandos had visited dozens in the past few weeks. If she never again saw another slot machine or blackjack table, she would count herself truly lucky.

“Ready to get this over with?” Sera asked him, adjusting the red wig on her head before she set her arm in his.

This time, they had dressed the part. Dal had brought out a sleek tuxedo, and Sera had found herself a gown that made her look like a Barbie doll. They walked into the casino together, arm-in-arm, scanning the opulent marble-and-cherrywood room for a man that matched Lara’s description. According to her, Mr. Loren was the weak link among Alden’s followers.

Halfway into their promenade across the floor, Sera spotted him. He was sitting at a particularly garish blackjack table with magic lights built into the rim. Blackjack. Why did it always have to be blackjack? Sera released Dal’s arm as they passed the table, slipping into the seat beside Loren.

“Hi.” She glanced sidelong at him, winking coyly as she flipped her red hair over her shoulder.

His eyes lit up with genuine male interest, which was better than lighting up with recognition. The last guy they’d tried to corner had recognized her on the spot and ran for it. The fight that followed had destroyed half of the gambling hall. Sera had told the manager to send the repair bill to the Grim Reaper, which he’d found considerably unfunny. That’s why Sera was wearing the wig. She preferred an itchy scalp to another firefight. She wanted to avoid another debate with some stuffy casino manager about whether or not the Grim Reaper was in fact a real person.

“Do you know the rules, sweet pea?” he asked her.

Try not to kill your opponents. Though that was probably less frowned upon than cheating at cards.

“I’m just here for the drinks.”

“And the company?”

“It depends on the company.” She gave him a demure smile.

“What about me?”

She pretended to look him up and down, though in truth she’d done that the second she’d seen him. He wasn’t wearing any weapons, and even with the magic Alden was feeding him, he was a weak third-tier mage at best.

“Yes.” She slid her finger down the front of his jacket. “You will do nicely.” She tucked his handkerchief back into place, then withdrew her hand.

He caught her wrist. “How would you like to go somewhere more private?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “My boyfriend is a jealous man.”

Loren lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Then we’ll have to lose him. Come on.”

She allowed him to lead her into a private area enclosed by walls of frosted glass. It would be easier to squeeze him for information if she didn’t have to deal with the casino management breathing down her neck while she worked.

“Oops,” she said. “He found us.”

Loren glanced toward the entrance to the glass room. Dal stood on the other side of an open door, two guards barring his passage.

“That’s your boyfriend?” Loren asked, amused.

“No, not that one.”

Loren hadn’t yet realized that the two guards were Callum and Tony—and that the three of them weren’t keeping people out so much as keeping Loren in.

Loren laughed. “A beautiful woman like you has so many admirers.”

“And yet only one who matters. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.” She smiled. “Kai Drachenburg.”

Loren went very still. “You’re Serafina Dering. The Dragon Born mage.”

He rose to leave, but she slapped magic over his hand, binding him to the table with ropes of gold lightning.

“Correct.” She braided her fingers together. “You see, I’ve been looking for your boss. He’s taken something from me.”

“Drachenburg.”

“Correct again!” she exclaimed with a big smile.

She must have been channeling her inner psychopath because Loren tried to back away from her. Too bad he’d forgotten that he was magically-glued to the table. He tugged on his stuck hand with the other, but he couldn’t get free. After a few futile heaves, he gave up, laughing.

“Do your worst,” he said. “I won’t tell you anything.”

The doors to the private area slid shut. The commandos stood guard at them.

Sera pulled out her knife and faced Loren. “Oh, I promise you I will do just that.”

He looked from the knife to her face, then made a derisive noise. “You won’t do anything. You’re the nice sister. The other one is the wicked one.”

“Alex and I are more alike than you think. They say going to hell changes you.” She flipped the knife around in her hand, catching it. “But it was the return journey that changed me. The horrors of hell—and trust me, it was horrible beyond measure—pale in comparison to that empty hole in my heart. The hole that Alden left when he ripped Kai from me. The funny thing about the universe is it doesn’t like empty spaces. It has to fill them. Rage—pure, undiluted rage—is what filled that gaping hole inside my chest.” Her eyes burned with magic and unshed tears. “So don’t you dare tell me what I’m capable of.”

She slammed down the knife through his hand. A shrill scream burst out of his mouth. She poured fire down the blade, into his wound, into his blood, boiling it. He grasped desperately for the burning knife, trying to pull it out. Sera slammed a second knife into his other hand, pinning him to the table. She grabbed his face in her hands and stared into his eyes.