Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

Hold On (Dex POV)

Sandor roared in anger, and Dex knew it was the outrage of both a fellow warrior and of one who loved Grizel.

The Shade pumped her fist. "Two down—though I guess it's three, since there's no way the Vacker boy is going anywhere now that my shadows have seeped in."

More darkness poured from the ends of her fingers, and she wove it into another eerie arrow. "Who's next? How about you?"

It looked like she was aiming at Dex—and Wylie made a purple shield to cover him.

But the arrow blasted into Sophie's mangled hand instead, and the agonized sob that escaped her lips had Dex seeing red.

She seemed unable to stand and Dex feared he was losing her, even as Wylie continued to battle their enemies. "Hang on!" Dex shouted at Sophie, hoping she could hear him as he raced forward to help Wylie. They managed to take down the force field, and Dex flung another gadget at Ruy, determined to keep him from creating another force field.

Then he lunged for Gethen while Wylie did the same with the Shade. He managed to get a pretty good punch right in Gethen's mouth--hopefully knocking out some teeth--before Gethen threw him off.

Dex had no time to catch himself as he hit the ground, and he felt a searing pain in his left arm when he landed on it with all of his bodyweight.

But he was back on his feet in an instant, gritting his teeth against the pain, unwilling to be attacked again while he was down. Whatever Wylie had been doing in his scuffle with the Shade had earned him a gash over his right eyebrow, and he scooted closer to Dex and created a giant green ball of protective light all around them.

Because Ruy had succeeded in creating another force field around himself and his evil companions.

But Dex saw with some small measure of satisfaction that his attack on Ruy had at least injured him--his cloak was missing a sleeve and Dex could see several blisters forming on his arm.

And the Shade seemed to be favoring one leg, courtesy of Wylie's attack.

"Enough!" Gethen shouted through his swollen, bleeding lips. "I don't think you realize the predicament you're in."

He pointed to Fitz, whose face was now turning blue.

"Those shadows you're fighting are different," the Shade warned. "The longer they mix with your blood, the more they take over. You have about thirty minutes before you lose your arm—and half that before the Vacker boy's dead. And don't even get me started on what's happening to that special little brain of yours."

Dex glanced at Sophie, and noticed that she was standing again--but it looked like a huge effort.

And her hand was turning the same shade of blue as Fitz's face.

"Your goblins aren't looking so good either," Ruy noted.

They weren't. Sandor was still conscious, but looked bloody and pale. Grizel and Lovise hadn't stirred.

If Lovise died...it was all Dex's fault. He'd brought her here.

"You have a choice to make," Gethen said, flashing a smile streaked with red as he turned to Wylie. "Surrender now and leave with me while your Technopath brings the others to a physician. Or you can have your friends' losses on your conscience while we drag you away."

"Don't do it!" Dex shouted. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted Wylie to come.

Although...the rest of them would probably all be dead if Wylie hadn't come.

"How do I know you won't hurt us?" Wylie asked.

The Shade laughed. "We already have. Far more than you realize—or maybe Sophie does. You can feel the shift, can't you? The way the darkness is slowly remaking you?"