Trace of Magic: 1 (The Diamond City Magic Novels)

by Diana Pharaoh Francis

  “I don’t—” He broke off again, grimacing and looking down at the ground, all the while holding me like he thought I was going to float away.

  “Okay. You don’t and you never. I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He is very eloquent, don’t you think? I’ve never seen him like this. Weird. Usually he’s smooth as glass. He never loses his cool like this. I like it.

  I gave an inward roll of my eyes. “Shut up, Cass.”

  “Definitely zip it, Cass,” Price said, lifting his heated gaze to meet mine. “I haven’t ever felt this way about anyone.” The words came out fast, like if he didn’t say it now, he never would.

  “Like what?” I wasn’t going to jump to any conclusions, even though the bees in my chest had started swirling into a violent swarm. I felt like throwing up. Hope is a painful thing.

  “Like I want to kill you and kiss you and not let you out of my sight.”

  If he didn’t look so intense, I might have smiled. I mean, it wasn’t exactly a romantic declaration. But clearly it was a tough one for him to make. I’m not much better telling people how I feel. I’m that girl in fifth grade who’d punch a boy if I liked him.

  “Okay,” I said.

  It wasn’t the response he was looking for. His hands clenched in my hair.

  “That’s it?”

  “You want to kill me, kiss me, and stalk me. I’m not sure what to say to that.”

  He gave a harsh bark of laughter.

  Oh God! You two suck at this! I totally need some popcorn.

  I winced.

  “Shut up, Cass,” he said, reading my expression correctly. “All right, I guess I wasn’t all that clear. I think, no, I know, there’s something between us. Something powerful. It scares the shit out of me. I’ve never felt anything like this before. It’s crazy. Impossible. It’s happening way too fast. I’ve been telling myself to back off, it isn’t real. But all I do is think about you and worry when you’re out of sight that you’re going to do something ridiculously brave and stupid. I know you’re not telling me everything, and I’m terrified whatever it is is going to get you killed. I won’t be able to do a damned thing to help you, and it’s going to gut me when that happens.”

  The words tumbled out in a froth of heat and emotion. I could only stare mutely as the words sank in. Was he saying that he loved me? The idea was . . . staggering. I opened my mouth and then shut it, my mind blank.

  Uh, this is where you declare your undying love and we move along to the risking your lives part, Cass prodded.

  “It’s okay,” Price said, tension digging grooves around his mouth as my silence got longer. “I’d think I was nuts too. Plus I’m Tyet, and that makes me your enemy, not your friend, as you’ve pointed out before. If I need to give you some space to process, I will.”

  He loosened his hands and made to step back. I grabbed his forearms, holding him in place. Words clogged in my throat. I didn’t even know what to say. Yes was the word that kept trying to work itself out of the tangle, but yes to what? He hadn’t asked any questions.

  He went still and waited. His gaze was fixed on me. I felt like a deer facing down a mountain lion.

  “Don’t play with me, Riley,” he whispered.

  That about tore me in half. This man, this iron-hard warrior, was pleading with me. It seemed like a surreal dream. I was in way over my head, and I didn’t care. I’d never experienced any feelings like this before. I’d fallen in love with him, but I’d never imagined he’d fall for me. I’d never imagined telling him how I felt. The words stuck sideways in my throat, but I couldn’t say nothing. The fear lining his face demanded that I do something to end it.

  I stepped forward until I could feel his breath on my cheeks and smell the spicy tang of his cologne.

  “You are important to me,” I said.

  Oh my God, tell me you didn’t just go there! Talk about a sniveling cop-out. You take the cake, sister. I’m back to thinking you’re a coward rabbit again.

  “Important?” Price’s brows winged down, his look withering.

  Cass was right. It was a cop-out. Don’t judge. I don’t have a lot of practice baring my soul or giving romantic declarations of love.

  I would have looked away like the coward Cass thought me, but I couldn’t break the lock of his gaze.

  “I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen in love with you,” I said baldly and then went hot with mortification. My face went tomato red, too, which meant my skin was clashing with my hair. I must’ve been gorgeous.

  He clasped my face again, his thumbs rubbing over my lips. I melted. He swallowed, his throat jerking. “Do you mean it?” he asked, his voice full of gravel.

  “It is beyond stupid, but yes,” I said, my brain short-circuiting.

  It’s about time. Can we get on with the show already? Your head hurts, remember? I’m beginning to go a little cross-eyed, too. Besides, we get this done and you can go molest each other all you want.

  I barely heard Cass. I was too busy watching Price. A slow smile curved his lips. He looked relieved, and then revoltingly smug. He pulled me in for another kiss. It took my breath away. His lips and tongue were slow and worshipful. I wanted to knock him down and pull off his clothes right then and there.

  I pressed my hands against his chest and stepped back.

  “I don’t know how long Cass can stay with me. We have to go.”

  He took a long breath and let it go slowly. “Right.” He took my hand again as if he couldn’t stop himself, and started to walk, then looked down at me.

  “This doesn’t change anything for you, does it? You’re not going to pull back on this at all.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t.”

  He looked ahead and nodded, the shadows making his face look like carved marble. “And the rest? Will you tell me what you’re hiding?”

  Would I trust him that much?

  Did I have a choice?

  I did. I could say no. I nodded. “When we get a chance to talk alone.”

  I couldn’t help but wonder if I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life. His hand was warm around mine, and I wasn’t sure I cared anymore about the risk I was taking. I was ready to pay the cost for spending time with him, even if I ended up dead.

  I guess no matter how a person tries to avoid it, they end up being stupid sometimes.

  Chapter 17

  “WE NEED TO GET close to the building without sparking suspicion,” Price said as we came within sight of the high-rise. A security guard stood in front. As soon as we came into view, he noticed us.

  “I think it’s too late for that.”

  “Laugh,” Price ordered.

  “What?”

  “Act like we’re on our way somewhere, and we’re having fun getting there.”

  Oh. I let out a weak laugh.

  “You can do better than that.” He put his arm around me and gave a deep belly laugh.

  I shoved against him and backed up a few steps. “This is really insane.”

  “Effective though.” He grabbed my hand and scooped up some snow in the other, threatening me with it.

  I squealed and twisted to get away. He let me, and I started running. He chased me—slowly. We passed the high-rise and out of sight of the front guard. He’d given up watching us.

  “Keep it up,” Price said as I dropped to a walk. “Let me catch you at the alley entrance.”

  I started running again, and he grabbed me around the waist as I hit the back entry drive. I pretended to fight, making shrieking noises. He pulled me around and kissed me fast before pushing me back a few steps into the alley.

  “This is a short cut. I promise,” he said, loud enough to be heard by the rear guard.

  “Right. Like that last shortcu
t. I am not falling for that again.” I said, playing along. I started toward him as if to pass.

  He scooped up another handful of snow, cocking his arm back. “Don’t make me have to use this. I swear. It’s just across the way. Cutting through the alley will save us a block or two. It’s worth it.”

  I walked backward as he pressed forward. “Bully!” I turned around and looked for the security guard in the shack. She was in the doorway, watching us intently. There’d been a shift change since we’d been through, obviously.

  “I can ask her,” I called to Price over my shoulder and pointed at the guard. “She’ll know for sure.”

  “You don’t trust me?” he asked plaintively.

  “You’re a man. You wouldn’t admit you were lost even it meant freezing to death, which I’m going to be doing soon.”

  When you get close enough, you can either put bare skin over her trace, or you can touch her, Cass said. I’ll do the rest.

  Price hurried to catch up with me, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “Fine. But when she tells you I’m right, I expect a huge apology. And a massage.” He waggled his brows at me.

  Right about then, we arrived at the guard booth. She looked relaxed, if a bit annoyed. She was definitely not concerned that we were trouble. “Hi,” I said, opening to the trace. The guard’s was a shiny mint green. “Sorry to bug you, but we’re looking for a shortcut to the Preston place. My aunt and uncle are there, and we’re supposed to meet them.” I hoped she wasn’t so familiar with the owners of houses in the neighborhood that she recognized the Preston’s didn’t exist.

  “Sorry,” she said, adjusting her hat down lower. “Never heard of ’em.”

  “Oh, really,” I said smugly, looking at Price. “They don’t live right over there?” I pointed vaguely. “How is it possible? The king of shortcuts says they do.”

  The guard gave a little chuckle and looked at Price. Her gaze stuck there as he gave her a dazzling smile. Yeah, he’s that good looking. I chose that moment to let my scarf slide off my neck, and I bent to retrieve it. I reached into the trace dimension and grabbed her trace in my gloved hand. I twisted a loop into it, then pushed up my sleeve and wrapped it around my wrist.

  Holy shit, Cass whispered. How did you do that?

  Do your thing, was my only answer.

  A second later the guard’s eyes unfocused, and she wandered back inside her booth.

  She won’t remember you were ever here. Better that way since you’re both nulled up.

  I relayed the information to Price. He nodded and went into the booth. “What kind of security cameras are there? Does the guard know?”

  Nothing. It’s guaranteed privacy for all who live here. This is a LOT higher end than we expected. Shit. The first floor has a null field set up—no active magic permitted there whatsoever. There’s a small army of guards because of that. I wouldn’t be able to handle all of them, but it doesn’t matter. You’re going to lose me once you cross into the null field. This is never going to work.

  I repeated the info, feeling a lot like a radio speaker. My stomach went hollow as I processed the news.

  You’re sure it’s a null field and not a binding ring? I asked. If active magic was forbidden on the first floor, it made sense. Binding rings allowed magic to function inside the ring. You just couldn’t take active magic across. A null field kept you from doing any magic inside its boundary.

  I’m sure.

  “I’ll get us through the null field without losing Cass,” I said aloud.

  Price twisted and looked at me. “How?”

  I gave a little shrug. “Magic.” He wanted to know what I hadn’t told him—well, this was one of those things. “We need to find access to one of the nulls in the field. They’ll be linked. If I can lay a hand on one, I should be able to shut the whole field down.” And wire me up. I’d practically be a walking lightning bolt.

  He continued to look at me a long moment, then turned to scan the parking garage. “All right,” he said. “Let’s do this.”

  I followed him to the bank of elevators in the center. Behind them, a staircase led up into the building. The garage was blessedly empty except for us. Not entirely surprising, given the weather. I deepened my connection to the trace.

  I could feel the null field above me. I tipped my head back, eyes closed, letting the magic flow over my senses. It was good work. It had probably taken five or six tracers working together to create it. Each would set up nulls that focused inward. They would be set in the foundation or walls, overlapping coverage to create the field. Then a control null would be set in place, and the rest would be connected to it. The last was critical, because with various tracers building the field, the control would keep the various fluctuations and differences between them from tearing the entire field apart.

  That made it easier for me to destroy, since the field would have a number of weak spots, just based on the multiple makers, and so would the control. I just needed to find a crack and apply a little magical crowbar action. Nothing to it.

  Well, except for the release of magic would give us away unless I siphoned it off, which would fry me like an egg if I couldn’t ground it into something. The nulls I carried wouldn’t hold that much power. I needed something bigger.

  Pass some to me. I can use it to deal with the guards.

  Can you hear everything I think?

  Pretty much. Don’t worry though; I’m no rat.

  Just knowing about me makes you a target, I warned Cass.

  Seriously? You’re worrying about me? I thought you’d be worried I wouldn’t keep your secrets.

  Seriously? I echoed. I seem to have fallen in love with a Tyet man; I’m about to walk into a Tyet house to find out where my almost-brother-in-law is being held captive; and then after that, I’ll have to go try to rescue him from yet another Tyet stronghold. As threats go, you’re way down the list.

  I could feel Cass chortle.

  Okay, I get your point. All the same, I won’t rat you out.

  I won’t hold you to it if you’re tortured. But if you sell me out for money I will hunt you down.

  You’re seriously cynical, she said, sounding offended. Can’t I just have your back?

  Why would you?

  I don’t have a lot of friends. Remember, I don’t belong to the Tyet either. You may be one of the few people who understand the knife edge.

  I gave an inward shrug, a tacit thank-you. I could tell she knew I didn’t believe her. Or rather, I believed she probably meant what she said now, but she had no reason to protect me, and when push came to shove, I might be a handy poker chip to play.

  “They’ll be guarding the stairs,” Price said, having walked around the island of elevators and stairwell. “They’ll have sensors on the doors so they know someone is coming up.” He started toward the back wall. “But somewhere, there should be an electronics control room.”

  I followed him, having nothing better to do and no idea how to be helpful until he got me within working distance of the control null. He found a big conduit running along the upper part of the wall and followed it until it dropped down though the floor.

  “Dead end,” I said.

  “Not quite,” he said. “Over here.”

  He went down a little farther, and there was a plate of steel set into the floor. It was marked off by yellow hash marks so no one would park there. Next to it was a loading dock and a set of industrial elevators. A little ways down were double doors labeled Housekeeping and Maintenance in red block letters. A couple of green trash cans on rollers stood outside, along with three empty laundry carts.

  “This is the electronic control room,” he said, walking around the steel plate.

  “How do you get in?” I asked doubtfully. There was no sign of any hinges or a handle.


  “Give me a minute.” He scouted the walls and finally went up to the corner where the loading ramp met the main dock. A ramp against the wall gave elevator access to the rolling garbages and laundry carts.

  Price squatted and put his hand up under the ramp. Something creaked and then the steel plate on the floor popped up with a sound like soft-blowing air. He returned and put his toe under it and levered it higher, lifting it with his hands the rest of the way. The steel plate turned into a small roof held up by four steel posts. Below, a yellow ladderlike stairway was revealed. Lights revealed a small area with a lot of wires and meters.

  “Impressive,” I said.

  “A lot of on-the-job training,” he said with a grin. “Wait here.” He disappeared down the ladder.

  Since waiting involved feeling terribly exposed, I retreated to the shadows against the wall. It seemed to take forever, but Price emerged again in about four minutes. He stepped back onto the concrete and grabbed the welded handles of the steel roof/floor plate and dragged it back down. He stepped on it to seal it back into place.

  He looked around. “Riley?”

  “Right here,” I said emerging out of the shadows.

  “It’s done. There shouldn’t be any stairwell alarms.”

  “Let’s go, then.”

  I still hadn’t figured out what to channel the power into when I broke the null field. I couldn’t try to hold it all. I’d cook like a mosquito in a bug zapper.

  “What’s wrong?” Price asked.

  “I need to channel power into something, I can loop some to Cass, but I don’t know how much she can handle. I need something glass or metal. Bigger than the marbles I carry or those paperweights.”

  “Would a rearview mirror work? Or a hubcap?”

  I considered. “Maybe. I’d like something heavier, more substantial.”

  He nodded and chewed his bottom lip. “I’ve got it,” he said and started going around to the various cars to see if they opened. Finally, one did. He popped its trunk and dug around inside before closing it and returning to me. He held out a tire iron. “How’s this?”