All Justin could think was, it wasn’t possible. The sea was supposed to be unnavigable at this time of year.

And yet, there was the Baron, sailing through as if the frigid waters were a summer breeze. It hadn’t occurred to any of them that Valdrik might use magic to make the journey possible. It was a glaring oversight.

Justin saw the same realization dawning on Eldrin’s face. “Turn around!”

They dug their paddles into the water, steering the boat back toward the island with frantic strokes. The small vessel rocked as they rowed. Within seconds, they were once again hidden behind the iceberg. Justin’s heart pounded so hard that it felt as if it might burst.

“Did they see us?” Lila whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.

With luck, maybe their little umiak had gone unnoticed. While the ship was easy to spot because of its size, their vessel would be far harder to pick out among all the ice floes. They couldn’t have been visible for more than a few seconds.

“I have Shadowflight monitoring them,” Eldrin said quietly. “It’ll be a few minutes before he’s in position. For now, head back to the inlet.”

“Maybe we can head around the island,” Justin said. “They won’t expect that.”

“It’s a good idea, but the ice is too thick. We risk being caught out in the open.”

“You have a point there.”

“Paddle like your lives depend on it.”

With rapid, silent strokes, they reached the rocky inlet of Nithral Island. They quickly dragged the umiak into their previous hiding spot, tucking it behind a ridge of jagged rocks. Eldrin led them off the trail, heading up the slope until they couldn’t go any further. They took shelter behind a large boulder, in a spot that had a commanding view of the inlet below.

“Shadowflight sees them turning,” Eldrin said, his expression darkening.

“Turning?” Lila asked. “Should we make a break for the Vault?”

He shook his head. “Too late now.”

Kargan formed his ward. It would help hide them, but Justin doubted its efficacy against such a high-level enemy.

“Here’s the deal,” Eldrin said. “We can survive this, but we must remain completely silent. We didn’t leave any tracks coming up here, so they’ll assume we went down the main path toward the Vault. Whatever trail the boat left is frozen by now. There’s only one logical place for them to go, and that’s the main path. When they follow it, we wait a few minutes before heading back for the boat.”

It was a dubious plan, but it was all they had. Justin watched the opening of the inlet intently.

It didn’t take long for the ship’s dark silhouette to come into view. Its black wood glistened with frost while a single large single sail flapped in the breeze. A faint blue shield ensconced the bow, clearing small bits of ice from the water.

Eldrin motioned Justin down. Justin lowered himself, allowing the Ranger to be the spotter. He’d left his parka in the boat, wearing only his new color-shifting cloak he’d earned from the previous Vault. He blended right into the icy rocks around him. Coupled with Kargan’s ward, he’d be practically invisible.

Justin heard shouting above the surf. It was hard to tell what was going on down there. Eldrin watched closely. Justin could only assume they hadn’t been spotted yet.

Ryak’s warning echoed in his mind: Anyone who tried to flee the Vault would be forced back. Something told Justin that the Baron’s arrival was not merely bad luck, but was because of the Vault’s magic.

Without a word, Lila reached for her golden harp, her fingers trembling. It was a good backup plan, but Justin doubted it would work on Valdrik.

Soon, the sound of voices dissipated. Justin could only assume they were heading for the main trail, as Eldrin had predicted. Justin exhaled, trying to calm his nerves. Just a few more minutes and they’d be back on the boat, taking a second crack at escaping.

But that was when a sudden shout erupted from the shore. Eldrin winced, and with that one motion, Justin knew they had been discovered.

“They found the boat,” Eldrin said, watching below. “The Ranger is heading this way with ten men, a mix of swordsmen and archers. There’s a mage, too, but he’s hanging back with the Baron. Gareth is also hanging back, thank the gods. If we can take care of the ones coming up, there’s less to face down there.”

“What’s the plan?” Lila asked. “Besides die.”

“Hold on,” Justin said. “I want to try something.”

[Affinity Chosen: Elea’s Whisper. Send a whispered message through the air to any known person within one mile and hear their response. Immunity to Slow and Sleep effects.]

He wasn’t sure how this Affinity worked, but when he focused it on Valdrik, he felt a connection.

Valdrik. We need to talk.

To his surprise, he felt a flicker of recognition that wasn’t his own.

Ah, Mr. Talemaker, came Valdrik’s response, tinged with amusement. It was as if he was speaking into Justin’s ear. It sent chills down his spine. What magic is this, that you whisper to me through the air? Just know it won’t save you.

It’s not the only trick I have, Valdrik, Justin replied. If you want to live, you’ll listen to me. You and your men are in grave danger.

Danger? Valdrik’s voice oozed skepticism. I believe that is your position, not mine.

There’s a Vault on this island, Valdrik. One that’s capable of killing us all. It’s impossible to escape while it’s active. If you want to live, you’ll have to stand down and work with us.

Is that so, Justin? The faint sneer was unmistakable. Idle words will not save you. You embarrassed me greatly in Windfall. If you surrender now, I might even spare your life. We could…renegotiate things.

If I can talk to you through the air, what else do you think I could do? You’ll find us no easy prey. We need to be working together.

The Baron’s chuckle resonated in his ear. Is that so? For a desperate ploy, this one is especially sad. My hunt has ended at last, Mr. Talemaker. You have no idea how good it feels.

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Justin didn’t have the chance to respond.

“Fireball!” Kargan shouted.

There was a sudden flash of blinding light and heat, instantly destroying Kargan’s ward. The orc gasped as he conjured a new one. He was clearly putting most of his Life Force into the shield to counter the next volley.

“Kargan won’t hold out long,” Eldrin muttered. “Justin, can you distract that mage? He’s out of range of my arrows.”

Justin reached out again, this time attempting to speak to the mage. However, there was no connection. That made sense; he wasn’t a “known person,” even if he was within one mile.

He switched tactics, setting his mind on Ryak. He was certain the front of the Vault was within a mile. If the Iceborne hadn’t gone in yet, he might help them out.

Ryak? Are you in the Vault yet?

No, came the terse reply. I’m busy fending off some Elemental Wraiths that just escaped it. I could use your help.

Listen. The Baron is here, and we can help each other. How many wraiths are there? Do you think they would follow you to the beach?

A pause. There’s more than I can count. I’m already heading in that direction, but I doubt I’ll make it unharmed.

Just get here, Ryak. Don’t fight them—run with everything you have!

Justin cut the connection and turned to the others. “Ryak’s on his way, and he’s bringing a horde of Elemental Wraiths with him.”

Eldrin nodded, tossing a vial to Kargan. “Regeneration potion. It should boost your Life Force recovery for ten minutes, enough to keep those wards up.”

“Right,” Kargan said, his face pale but determined.

Lila took a quick peek over the ridge, grimacing. “Half their forces are climbing the cliff. My knives won’t reach from here. If they get too close, I’ll play them a nice lullaby.”

Another fireball burst against Kargan’s shield, destroying it with a sharp crack. Justin took a peek at the mage below, who smirked, clearly enjoying himself. He was a hulking man in heavy black robes, brandishing a gnarled staff alight with magical energy.

Justin also caught a glance of the dark-clad Ranger scaling the slope below them. He had a pale face, greasy black hair, and cold gray eyes, plus a satchel filled with those bladed discs he’d hurled at them in Drakendir.

They’d be upon them in a couple minutes or less. Eldrin had asked him to delay them, so now was the time.

[Affinity Chosen: Nyriss’ Frenzy: Your words naturally sow passion and discord, amplifying your ability to instill Berserk and Charm effects.]

Justin watched another fireball crash against Kargan’s ward and waited for him to renew it. He took a deep breath before steeping out into full view.

He activated Dandy’s Swagger with a dramatic flick of his cane and a tip of his top hat. The sight had to be absurd—a parka-clad gentleman strutting atop some rocks—but the gesture filled him with the confidence he needed, while also giving him a nice Charisma boost while debuffing everyone who saw him. A couple of arrows flew, striking the ward but falling flat.

Combined with his Chaos Affinity, Justin was hoping his Poison Barb would become especially potent. He channeled the ability toward the mage down below, certain that his voice wouldn’t carry so far.

But he was surprised at what came out.

It began with a crazed laugh, like a villain from a Bond movie, his voice mocking and amplified. It echoed throughout the inlet.

“Oh, what’s the matter? Is the big, bad mage too scared to throw his spells with any proper heat? I bet you couldn’t even light a pipe with that little spark!”

The mage’s face contorted in rage, but the words had an instant effect. He was frozen, albeit in fury.

[Poison Barb refreshed.]

The mage broke free of the stun, hurling another fireball with a grimace. Justin defied every instinct he had, choosing to remain in place and trust Kargan’s ward. The fireball crashed against it, just a few feet from his face. Warmth washed over him like a caress. He raised his hands as if were a campfire meant to warm him.

“Is that it?” his voice boomed. “Come on, hit me!”

He gave another sharp laugh that seemed to come from outside himself, as if he were channeling the jeering essence of Nyriss herself.

The mage was now blind with fury. With a roar, he raised his staff, summoning a column of pure fire that surged up the icy slope.

The soldiers in the way dove for nearby boulders, but at least a couple of them had nothing nearby. They were instantly incinerated.

Kargan’s ward would do nothing against this. Justin leaped behind their own boulder just in time. As the fire crashed against it, the intense heat made his skin prickle. The outer edges of the stone became molten, the surrounding flames melting patches of the icy slope in seconds. Torrents of steaming water streamed down the rocks.

Justin emerged from behind the boulder as Kargan created a fresh ward. The melting ice made the ground treacherous in front of the attacking soldiers. Sure enough, one of the Baron’s men lost his footing, skidding wildly before plunging off the cliff and into the frigid inlet below. His scream echoed off the cliffs.

On the shoreline, Justin spotted the Baron and the mage in the middle of a heated argument. Perfect.

“Yes, my puppets!” he screamed maniacally. “Dance, dance!”

He gave a mocking bow, just in time for a bladed disc to whirl through the air above him, missing his top hat by inches. He caught sight of the black-clad ranger, eyes narrowed in concentration as the disc came back to his outstretched hand.

“Ah, you again. The darkness of Drakendir suits you. Until now, I thought nothing could be uglier than that bat of yours!”

The ranger snarled, redoubling his efforts to climb only to lose his footing on the slick slope. Justin cackled as the ranger bowled into one of his men. Justin celebrated with an impish jig.

Eldrin, never one to waste an opportunity, sent a couple of arrows in the ranger’s direction. The ranger rolled to avoid them, but one arrow found its mark in the arm of a nearby shoulder, who howled in pain.

“He’ll be dead in minutes,” Eldrin muttered with satisfaction. “Concentrated nightshade—takes out even the toughest in record time.”

Justin remained on the boulder, Kargan’s ward going unchallenged, given the soldiers’ disarray. This was going far better than he had hoped.

But their satisfaction was short-lived. The Baron and the mage seemed to resolve their argument. Valdrik, his face a mask of dark fury, started ascending the slope himself, his gaze locked onto Justin and the others.

“Now what?” Lila asked.

That was when a sudden, violent tremor rattled the cliffs, causing everyone to pause.

The ground shuddered beneath them, forcing Justin to grab onto the boulder for balance. Another quake followed, this one deeper and more ominous.

At first, Justin thought it might be an avalanche caused by the mage’s fire spell. But that was when his eye caught a movement on the trail leading into the glacier. An eerie green light flickered, casting jagged shadows across the shoreline.

That was when a horde of spectral figures appeared, each wrapped in elemental fury. Some were wreathed in flames, others with torrents of icy water dripping from their forms. Still others kicked up blasts of bitter wind, while a few stomped with stone-heavy steps that shook the earth.

And at the head of this terrifying parade was Ryak, fleeing with long strides. He turned, using his staff to fend off a fire wraith with an icy blast.

Immediately, the Baron ordered his men to face the new threat. The undead ranger gave a curse before ordering the soldiers down the slope. The mage was lobbing fire spells at the wraiths, fighting back-to-back with Valdrik. The Baron was shooting spells from his own staff. Gareth stood in front of both, slicing a nearby Earth Elemental with his shadowy blade.

Justin’s heart sank as he saw the number of wraiths descending on them—at least twenty, and more emerging from the trail. The Baron’s soldiers were outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed, their panicked cries filling the frozen landscape.

“There’s no escaping this,” Eldrin said. “They’ll be overwhelmed if we do nothing.”

“Isn’t that what we want?” Lila asked. “Now’s our chance to get to the boat!”

“I wish you were right, Lila. But remember what Ryak said. If we failed to escape the island the first time, we won’t succeed the second time.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Lila asked. “That we head to the Vault instead?”

“We need to go down there, join up with Ryak. Find an opportunity in the chaos.”

“What about the Baron?” Kargan asked. “Why not just let these wraiths take care of him?”

“The Baron is going to win this fight, make no mistake,” Eldrin said. “Like us, the Baron is stuck on this island until that Vault is cleared. I’m thinking he might actually want to keep us alive…for now.”

“You’re crazy, Eldrin,” Kargan said.

“Crazy is all we have right now. Who’s with me?”

Strangely, Justin accepted Eldrin’s explanation. It wasn’t as if they had any other option. None that he could see in the heat of the moment, anyway. They were stuck on an island, and their only way out was a boat in the thick of the battle.

It was join the Baron, or die.

“Let’s get down there,” he said. “I already told him we needed to work together, so maybe that seed will bear fruit.”

Lila blew a strand of hair out of her eye. “I can’t believe this is happening. We need a code word or something. If you want me to play the harp, shout ‘pineapple.’ If you want us to run for the boat, shout ‘unicorn.’”

“Those words are…incredibly random,” Justin said.

“That’s the point of code words,” Lila said.

Eldrin was already moving down the slope. As one, they joined him.

Kargan sighed. “We are so going to die.”