NICOLE’S HAND WENT to the knife in her belt. “I don’t like games, wizard. I came here to save Mikado, not help you escape.”
The dwarf wizard nodded. “I see that trust does not come easy for you. Very well, I will prove myself to you.”
He waved his hand in the air, his short stubby fingers wiggling as if he were waving at a small child. A small cloud appeared above them. Nicole’s grip tightened around the blade. The cloud grew brighter, turning from a soft gray to pale orange to bright yellow. The wizard’s gaze never left Nicole as the cloud began to transform.
Nicole rose to her feet, pulling her sword free. “I’m warning you wizard.”
Suddenly the cloud burst into flames. The heat forced Nicole backward. She pulled the small dagger from her belt and fingered the blade. One flick of her
