by T. G. Ayer
He nodded and came to me. “I’m taking you this time.”
“What?” I frowned for a moment, confused. “Oh, right, djinn, jumper. Okay then. What are you waiting for?” I raised an eyebrow, noticing Drake’s expression of relief at Saleem’s offer.
Saleem held onto my arm. “So, just think of the place. It will give me direction since I haven’t been there before.”
I nodded and pictured the stairwell leading to Nathaniel’s underground chamber. I didn’t want us to be bounced off the ward to heaven-knew-where. We landed safely and I listened for sounds of the butler but the place was silent. I reached out for the ward and frowned. “Weird. The protection is gone.” My heart sank as I assumed the worst.
“The only reason he would remove the ward is if there wasn’t anything left behind and he wanted us to know it,” Saleem spoke my thoughts.
I sped down the stairs and raced into the room, but all I saw was what I had expected. The place was empty. A fresh pentagram was drawn on the rough stone floor, this time in blood that hadn’t yet congealed. I shuddered to think of whom the blood belonged to. Scanning the room, I tried to orient myself to where I’d picked up Samantha’s location. What had she been seeing when I’d made the connection?
I needed to get to the exact location to get a sense of her feedback. I could still jump to her with the feedback I had of her, but it would be less taxing on my mind if I could add her physical feedback to the residual. The more tangible a link, the stronger the pull to the person, the less my effort had to be.
Holding on to Samantha’s feedback, I projected first. Caution often paid off for me and I always felt more confident if I scoped the place out before jumping. The link took me straight to Samantha, and again she was terrified. I felt a sense of déjà vu. The cell was the same one I’d rescued her from not too long ago. I hurried forward, then halted as I sensed a fresh ward around the girl. Samantha sat huddled on the bed, her knees pulled up to her face. I called to her and she looked up, her gaze tracking straight to me.
Are they nearby?
She nodded. In the next room. Be careful.
I returned to my body in Nathaniel’s lair. Saleem was watching me. “She’s okay. I’m going for her. You go back to the house and wait for me.” Saleem was about to protest but I didn’t wait to hear it. I jumped straight back into Samantha’s cell. This time the landing disoriented me a little. The room spun and I lifted my hand to my nose. My fingers came away bloody.
Damn. I didn’t have time for this crap.
Wiping the blood off on my jeans, I moved nearer to the ward. I pulled the last vial from my hair, grateful I’d remembered it was there. I repeated the process, pouring the black liquid onto the width of the pentagram circle. I waited while the liquid gurgled, then when I felt I’d left enough time and the spell would be broken, I reached out to test the ward. No sense in setting off the demons’ alarms if the spell didn’t work.
My finger reached the ward, and a blast of power siphoned through me. The energy bolt flung me backward so hard against the iron wall that all I managed was a soft “Oomph” before everything faded to darkness.
Chapter 26
Mel
The first thing I felt was pain spiking up the back of my skull. My eyes opened to thick darkness and I could just make out a low iron ceiling a few feet above me.
I lay flat on my back, my head pillowed by nothing but bare metal flooring. No wonder my brain hurt so savagely.
The full weight of my head lay right on the throbbing pain. I shifted, pushing up slowly to prop myself up on my elbow. I felt the back of my skull, fingers gently searching the skin for the wound.
When I pulled them back, the pads of my fingers were red and the hair near my scalp caked with drying blood.
My heart raced, slamming against my ribs so hard I felt the vibrations in my throat. I forced myself to breathe deeply, to control the air as it flowed in and out of my lungs.
Once a sense of calm descended on me, I considered my position. The spell Nathaniel had given me had backfired. No surprises there.
Assuming Nathaniel himself was involved in Samantha’s abduction, he would have ensured my spell would not work now. I gritted my teeth, annoyed and impatient. I’d walked right into the necromancer’s trap.
And now, Samantha was still imprisoned and Saleem had no idea how to get to me. My chances of rescue were slim.
I scanned the cell, rusted iron walls on three sides, the fourth barred by thick metal rods. The energy of a powerful ward sang in my head and I sagged with disappointment.
Of course.
Nathaniel would have known to protect the cell or he would have lost his prisoner in an instant.
But despite the magic, I had to find a way out.
I struggled to my feet, bending over when my head began to spin. I blinked and held on to my knees until the light-headedness passed. I waited a few moments, gathering my energy.
Then, feeling a little better, I straightened. I tasted bile at the back of my throat and swallowed hard. No time for fainting or hurling. I took a deep breath and walked slowly to the bars.
Across the passage was another cell, a mirror of my own, only empty. I glanced up and down the tunnel outside.
Empty.
Frustrated, I grabbed hold of the bars, the need to let out some of my fury stronger than my sense of self. My fingers gripped the metal bars and a rush of electric energy rushed through me.
My muscles spasmed and my jaw clenched so hard I was afraid my teeth would shatter. I wasn’t sure if I let go of the bars myself or if the electric shock had thrown me back, but I found myself falling to my knees, shivering as my hands and legs shook like so much jello.
I couldn’t hold myself upright. I just tipped over and lay on the metal floor, my body shuddering as the energy dissipated.
The bars had been rigged with high voltage electricity running through them. I shuddered, glad I was still alive and breathing.
But reality did enough to weigh me down.
I was well and truly trapped.
But just because I wasn’t able to jump out of the cell didn’t mean I couldn’t use my other ability.
Projection was by far the most simple and yet the most powerful method to breach any ward. Nothing was impenetrable to the ethereal senses.
I couldn’t just set off in search of a particular person like I did with the people I tracked, but I could allow my senses to drift around the area I was in.
Drifting was uncomplicated.
I just relaxed and let my mind wander, searching out other energy patterns in close proximity to me. The corridors around me were empty, but the cells weren’t. The occupant one cell over was hunched over. Anger and frustration resonated from him.
You and me both, buddy, you and me both.
Further along, three more cells were occupied by younger children, all asleep. The last cell was filled with movement, the young woman pacing back and forth, the air swirling around her in furious whirlwinds. I left her to it and drifted into an adjoining passage.
After a few failed runs, I doubled back and went the other way, keeping my senses on alert for life signs. It wasn’t long before I came to a room that seemed to act as an antechamber to a much larger space.
The doors were left wide open and the hum of a voice filtered to me.
It was reminiscent of an auditorium or a public hall. Inside, dozens of people, all cowled and dressed in dark robes, occupied tight rows of chairs.
The congregation—for that’s essentially what it was—sat quietly, looking ahead at the figure on a dais built from the same rusted metal as the rest of the place. I’d floated in during a lull in his speech.
He took a breath and lifted his head and I gasped, the shock of seeing Nathaniel’s features below the dark hood sending me flying back to my body.
Damn, that was the second time it had happened. I really needed to practice my control.
As soon as I got distressed in any way, my
projected self was always flung straight back into my body. Not that it was a problem. Just inefficient and disconcerting.
I sighed. Now I knew that the abductions pointed at Nathaniel.
Chapter 27
Saleem
Saleem blinked as he reappeared in Nathaniel’s lair. When Mel had told him to wait for her at home, he’d gritted his teeth, annoyed she’d jumped even when she was weak, but he’d understood more than she realized.
He’d jumped back to the house and informed an unhappy Drake of what had happened. Drake’s silence on the matter only broke an hour later when Mel still hadn’t returned.
So Saleem had decided to go back to the sorcerer’s lair, hoping to find a way to discover where she’d gone. Saleem’s ability to teleport was slightly different from Mel’s.
He went wherever he wanted to go as long as he could find the access points in the Veil. What he couldn’t do was track a person and follow their energy trail.
Probably why he wasn’t a tracker. Saleem snorted then turned to leave when something caught his eye. The pentagram on the floor.
Saleem frowned and edged closer to study the pattern and the offerings. He looked about, scanning the room and then the pentagram.
He frowned. The fastest way out of the room was to teleport. And when you couldn’t jump, there was only one way available—and that was a portal.
He’d gone to the Graylands with Kailin Odel, the panther walker, and she’d needed a portal key to access the Veil. A portal key and dark water. And there wasn’t a drop of water around here, let alone dark water.
Saleem stepped closer to the pentagram. Was it a summoning of a portal? Saleem shrugged. The only way to find out was to try it. He took a deep breath and stepped onto the pentagram.
Energy rushed through him from the floor, rising to the stone ceiling. It shimmered and pulsed, bright and white, an opening of the Veil that beckoned him.
Beyond the Veil were Mel and Samantha, both waiting to be saved. Saleem barely hesitated before stepping through the slit in the portal.
He hoped he wasn’t stepping directly into a trap, but he figured, go hard or die trying.
Chapter 28
Saleem
In a flash of dust and embers, Saleem arrived in what he assumed to be the demon plane. He wasn’t entirely certain which part of Dastra it was, but he felt the hum of demon energy in his bones.
A fitting reminder of exactly what he was.
A demon. Nothing more and nothing less.
His mind went immediately to Mel, and it was as if the mere thought of her enforced a level of calm that he sorely needed. He needed Mel more, but for now he had to get his thoughts together, to concentrate on what he had to do next. He stood at the dead end of a long passage, the weight of the iron walls looming above him.
He hurried down the corridor, treading softly to ensure his footsteps didn’t echo. At last, he reached another passage and he slowed before he reached the corner.
He was about to pop his head around it to check if the coast was clear when a pair of Lamia demons appeared almost from nowhere. Their gray-white skin glistened even in the weak light.
Saleem got the barest glance at sharp shiny yellow teeth before he jumped to the end of the corridor, as far away from the demon pair as he could. He’d be screwed if they were headed down his way.
He waited a few moments and when no footsteps pounded the floor toward him, he let out a sigh of relief and returned to the corner.
Mel’s face hovered in front of his eyes and he hoped she was okay. Just as he made to take the turn, a voice rang in his head.
Are you a friend of Miss Morgan’s? The sweet voice echoed in his ears.
He frowned and looked around him, trying to locate the source of the voice. Had someone crept up on him without him realizing? Or was the speaker here with him but just invisible?
No. I am not invisible. I can just hear your thoughts, even though you are not with me. I heard you think of Mel. Are you her friend? This time the girl’s voice was more insistent. Saleem tilted his head and frowned. This kid knew Mel? Then he whispered, “Samantha?”
Yes. That’s my name. And you don’t need to speak. I can sense your thoughts. You are thinking of Miss Morgan. So you must be her friend.
How do you know I’m not her enemy or maybe one of the bad guys? Saleem asked.
‘Cos I saw you thinking about kissing her and I know her. She wouldn’t be kissing one of the bad guys.
Saleem almost choked. Good thing he hadn’t been thinking of more than just kissing.
Then I would have stayed out of your mind. It would be rude to intrude on adult stuff.
Saleem chuckled. Are you really six years old?
I am. Honest.
Saleem grinned. Do you know where Mel is?
I think so. You have to hurry. They’ve taken her.
Did you see her?
Yes. She came to free me, but the magic was too powerful and it threw her into the wall and she fell down. I thought she was dead but I can still hear her thoughts. I was about to talk to her when I heard you think of her. Can you save her?
I can do my best, Samantha. Now can you tell me where she is?
I can’t tell you exactly, but I can guide you to her.
Okay then, lead on.
Samantha whispered directions in his ear and soon he was on his way. How do you know if I’m going in the right direction?
I can sense you and Mel. And I can feel when you get closer to her. It’s like playing Hot and Cold.
What’s Hot and Cold? Saleem asked.
It’s a game my dad plays with me. He would hide a bar of chocolate and make me look for it. And every time I took a step he would say hot if I was closer and cold if I was moving away from it.
He heard the giggle in her voice and smiled. Interesting game.
Saleem hurried to the end of the passage he was following and paused again at the corner. Don’t worry, Samantha said. It’s clear. Most of the guards are at the meeting with the scary man.
What scary man?
The one who does the magic. The man who made them take me from my daddy. They want me to do things for them.
Like what?
Turn left and keep along the passage, you’re almost there. Samantha paused. They said they wanted me to go to a big party with the hooded man. They wanted me to listen to someone’s thoughts and tell them everything.
Did they say who the person was?
No. Oh, you are almost there. Turn left again. Oh, be careful, there’s a guard coming.
Saleem grabbed his weapon, slipping the safety off with a flick of his thumb. The demon took the turn up ahead and spotted him immediately.
He reached for the walkie-talkie attached to his belt but Saleem didn’t give him a chance to lift it to his mouth. The djinn aimed and fired in one smooth move.
The weapon clicked, making a small popping sound that had always made his brother call it the Fart Machine. The djinn were adept at manufacturing weapons, and had perfected the art of making demon-killing guns and ammo.
The bullet hit the demon in the middle of the forehead, Saleem’s aim being extraordinarily accurate, one hundred percent of the time. The demon tipped backward and fell heavily to the ground, his walkie-talkie falling at his side with a soft thud.
You are safe now.
Thank you, Samantha. Saleem turned back and hurried to the tunnel the girl had said led to Mel. For an instant, he wondered if this was all a setup and the girl worked for Nathaniel.
If I told you I’m not working for this Nathaniel man, would you believe me? Saleem hesitated. That’s okay. I do understand. You can’t trust everyone just because they ask you to. Before Saleem could think of how to answer her, she said, You’re almost there.
Barred cells flanked Saleem as he walked along the passage. He scanned each cell as he passed until he looked into the one that contained the tracker. She paced up and down the cell. She hadn’t seen him yet and he waited f
or her to turn back toward him.
Chapter 29
Mel
The first thing I said to Saleem was “Don’t touch the bars.”
Of course, I wanted to thank him for coming. I even wanted to tell him I’d never been happier to see anyone in my life.
Or that all I wanted to do right now was to kiss him senseless because he actually came to save me.
But the moment was gone. Saleem dropped his hands. “The bars have some kind of electrical current running through them. It could kill you.”
He shrugged, his lips turning up into a sexy grin. “A bit of electricity wouldn’t hurt me.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Good to know.” When he only smiled wider, I shook my head. “How do you plan on getting me out? Electrified bars, and the cell is warded so be careful about that too.”
Saleem’s face darkened, his forehead scrunching into a bunch of thin lines. “Well, it looks like we will have to resort to a little kaboom.”
“That could work.” An explosive force was capable of creating a rip in the ward, a small opening that lasted mere seconds.
I’d have to waste no time jumping through it. I used explosives only as a last resort, especially when extracting those I tracked. The last thing I wanted was for the captors to have immediate awareness of my rescue.
Jump signatures could be followed by another jumper or by someone who had powerful magic. And though I was adept at covering my own tracks, the person I carried usually wasn’t.
But now, the situation called for drastic measures. Then I thought of my bag of weapons and contraptions. “But I don’t have my bag with me. It’s in Samantha’s cell. Nathaniel probably has it.” My voice was bitter as I recalled the necromancer’s face beneath his hood.
“That’s no problem. I tend to carry around my own firepower too. I’ve come prepared.”