Lana searched her mind for the gaiaphage. But it was not with her. For the first time since she had crawled up out of that mine shaft.

It was done with her, for now, at least.

That fact should have given her peace. But Lana knew it would return when it needed her, that it would still be able to use her. She would never be free.

“What did you do, evil old troll?” Lana asked dreamily. “What did you do with my power?”

She told herself that the monster, the gaiaphage…the Darkness…could only use the Healer to heal, and that no evil could come from that.

But she knew better. The Darkness did not reach out through the back doors of time and space and siphon off her power for no reason.

For days it had been inside her mind, using her to heal.

To heal who?

She dropped her hand to the vodka bottle, raised it to her lips, and swallowed the liquid fire.

To heal what?

Lies, Chapter 13