Simon’s attention never wavered from Gaios. “We’ve danced this waltz already if I remember.”
“He will die and you will be the cause!” shouted Gaios. The ground shook violently and everyone struggled to stay on their feet. Mr. Somerset screamed in pain with the stone prison twisting around him. “And when he is dead, I will reach out my hand and kill anyone within my power. And I will keep killing until you bring me the Stone. How much blood do you want on your conscience, Archer?”
All eyes turned to Simon. He paused for a second before his breath left in a defeated rush. “All right. I’ll bring the Stone.”
“If you cross me,” Gaios warned.
“You will release those two in return for the Stone.”
“Don’t dictate terms to me! Bring it!”
Nick stood at the door and he took Simon’s arm. He leaned close. “Are you thinking? If you give it to him, he’ll kill millions. Including us.”
Malcolm rushed back to them, his fists clenched. “Shut up, Barker! Would you condemn those two up there? They have nothing to do with this.”
Nick didn’t flinch at Malcolm’s bluster. “Hardly. She’s the key to Gaios’s scheme. And better those two die than everyone else.”
The ground heaved violently and the loose stones around Gaios rose slowly into the air, lifted with the man’s mounting rage. “His life is measured in seconds, Archer!”
“No,” cried Jane to Gaios. “I beg you.”
“I’ll bring the Stone, Gaios.” Simon turned back to the door. “Stand aside, Nick.”
Nick hesitated. Then with a curse, he stepped aside. “Simon, you’re too good for the bad business we’re in.”
Malcolm cast Nick a scathing glare as Simon swept into the house, but Nick didn’t even look at him. Malcolm strode down from the portico and shouted up at Jane. “Don’t worry. You and your father will be fine.” He then glared at Gaios. “If you dare hurt them, I swear to you, I will kill you.”
Gaios’s gaze didn’t shift. He had greater things in his vision. Malcolm was not even a bothersome insect beneath the demigod’s foot.
When Simon appeared in the doorway, he held the bone of contention in his arms. Nick watched him pass, hauling the heavy Stone down the steps of the portico. Gaios stared eagerly as Simon walked away from the safety of the house. The huge block of stone that served as Gaios’s chariot split open into a staircase in the front and the elemental walked down.
Simon stopped a few yards away. “Free your prisoners.”
Without removing his attention from the Stone of Scone, the demigod waved a hand and the earth prisons around Jane and Mr. Somerset crumbled. Jane caught her father. The elderly man was so overwhelmed he could barely speak and what did pass his lips was unintelligible. Jane spoke soothingly to him as she led him to the edge of the high stone platform and they came slowly down the steps. Gaios reached out an arm and prevented them from passing.
“Let them go,” Simon demanded.
“When I am done with them. Don’t vex me. You are outside your safe house now.” Gaios pointed to the ground at his feet and gave Simon a stern glare. Simon stepped forward and set the Stone down. He then took a step back where he stood waiting.
“Miss Somerset,” Gaios commanded, “come here.”
She flinched at Gaios’s hard tone. She left her father leaning against the rock, apparently unaware of anything. She obeyed with her back straight despite her fear.
“Bring your lightning to bear on the Stone. Seed it as I taught you to do to the earth.”
“You lied about everything.” The muscles in Jane’s clenched jaw twitched.
“I didn’t lie about your power. If they knew, they would fear you.”
“You should as well.” Her eyes sparked with an unearthly light.
Gaios smiled at her as if she were an angry infant and glanced menacingly back at her father.
“Stop!” The light faded from Jane’s eyes and she put out her hands. “I’ll do it! Please don’t hurt him.”
Simon took a step forward, but Gaios looked up and the ground shook with a warning rumble.
Jane lifted her hands over the Stone. Her red-rimmed eyes searched for Malcolm. Anguish was written on her face. Her lips moved as if she was praying. Tendrils of light coiled around her hands as she held them out. Small at first, they began to build, growing brighter and larger. They crawled from her hand onto the Stone in cascading arcs of electricity. Even Gaios stepped back, with an arm thrown up against the lightning bolts that roared around her. Daylight faded into night as dark clouds billowed to engulf the sky above them. A rumble of thunder sounded. The Stone glowed unnaturally as lightning spread over its craggy surface.
Jane slumped as the electricity faded from her hands. She staggered back as the rush of energy left her. Reaching out for her father, she lifted her head at Gaios. “I’ve done as you asked. Please let us go.”