The room was stifling. Hot and sticky and thick with hot air. If I spread myself out on the floor, I was able to keep myself cool enough to get me through the day, but I didn’t know how much longer I could go on like this. Magister Salvatore was the only living person I’d spoken to in at least a week, and his words had been so full of hidden meanings that the conversation hadn’t really helped me feel any less delirious.
So, when the door shuddered down the hallway once again, I was to the barred window in less than a beat. At this rate, I would probably end up going out on a demon-hunting mission just to get some fresh air. Anything to get out of this hellhole. Anything to see the top of the earth again. But even though I chanted those words in my mind, I knew I wouldn’t want to do it if he asked. I would because I’d do whatever it took to take down the demons. But I’d have to make the Magister’s life as miserable as my own in the process.
“Zoe!” a voice called out down the hallway. Something about the woman’s tone sounded familiar, though I couldn’t quite place it. When she finally came into view, it clicked together. It was Elder Sarah, the sun mage who had been there on the first day here. The mage who had found us and led us to the Elders. If it weren’t for her, we might never had gotten an audience.
“Sarah?” I pressed my nose up against the bars and breathed in the sight of another person. “What are you doing down here? How did you get inside?”
“I’ve been watching things these past few days,” she said in a whisper. “Tracking the changing of the guards. Timing their movements. Waiting for the perfect moment. I’m here to break you out.”
My heartbeat began to race as she lifted her dagger from her belt.
“I can’t believe it,” I whispered. “I was starting to think I’d be trapped down here forever.”
“We weren’t going to let that happen,” she said. “There’s a few of us who managed to get away to a nearby safe house. We knew we couldn’t sit by while you rot in here. Not after what you did for us.”
“What about Dorian?” I asked. “Have you been able to get him out, too?”
“They’re keeping him somewhere else,” she said. “We aren’t sure where, but we’ll figure out how to get him out next. It might take some time, but we’re going to take back our home. And we’re going to keep that dagger from getting into their hands. You won’t be forced to use it. Not unless you want to.”
“Of course I want to use it. I just don’t want to be some kind of weaponized mage, only let out of her cage when she’s needed,” I whispered as she tapped her blade against the door. Light sparked at the lock, and a heavy clang echoed through the room. The door swung open, and Sarah motioned me behind her as she led the way back down the hall.
“No one would want that,” she said as we reached the door that would lead us outside. My lungs ached for fresh air. My eyes were desperate for the relief of a night sky. And my body, it ached for Dorian’s touch, though I knew it might be a little while longer before I could feel that sweet relief. “We don’t want that either. For years, the Blood Coven has been trying to control us and our powers. There are spells we can cast that they aren’t capable of doing themselves. It’s their way of harnessing our power for their own end. Trap us, threaten us, break us. Control us. They might not be using the spell, but they’re controlling us all the same. And it all stops now.”
But when we pushed open the door, a bright flash hit my eyes. Shielding my face, I stumbled back and squinted my eyes against the light. Sarah did the same, even though her body was far more used to this kind of light than mine. A rustling sounded around us, but it was impossible to see what it was. In only seconds, we were surrounded, and my arms were being trapped tight against my back.
“Motherfuckers,” Sarah said as she stomped on the Enforcer’s foot. The mage yelled in pain, and slammed her up against the wall, pushing her face into the rough concrete.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” the Enforcer said. I recognized his voice. One of the Magister’s own personal bodyguards. “But we will if you force us to.”
“What are you going to do, huh?” Sarah asked as she spit at their feet. “Lock me up like you’ve done to Zoe? Force me to swing a blade every couple of weeks? Because if you think that’s going to happen, then you’ve got another think coming.”
Once again, she kicked their shins, and they knocked her to the floor. Grunting, she crawled toward them, whipping a hidden blade from her boot. She launched to her feet and took a swing. My heart went wild in my chest, and I reached out to stop her just a second too late. Her blade slammed into the bodyguard’s side, and the Enforcers around her reacted in the blink of an eye.
She was dead within seconds, and the Enforcer’s body was being carried off by a group of others who descended from nearby. We’d been surrounded all this time. Surely she had known that. And yet, she’d given her all to fight.
“Are you going to make us do the same to you?” the Enforcer asked, pointing his dagger at my heart. “Or are you going to quietly return to your cell?”
“You wouldn’t do that to me,” I said. “Magister Salvatore needs my powers. I’m his only hope of actually using the blade.”
“You’re right,” The Enforcer said. “He does need you. But if you make a move against us, we’ll have no choice but to take you out. You’re not the only shadow mage in the world, Zoe. If we have to find another, we will.”
Chapter 32
So, I was back in that damn cell again. I tried to count the minutes I’d been free. Maybe ten minutes of fresh air, possibly less. The fight had happened so quickly, and they’d ushered me back inside just as fast, clearly worried that I might find access to shadows if I was left out in the world for too long.
“I’m disappointed,” called out the Magister’s voice. “I thought we’d come to an understanding, Zoe.”
I cocked my head and frowned at the door. “Since when? The last time you were here, you threatened not only me, but you set your sights on Grams. If you thought I’d just let you get away with that, then you were sorely mistaken.”
“Yes, you’ve really shown me who’s boss, haven’t you? Getting caught again and put right back into the cell is really teaching me a lesson.”
“Oh, just you wait,” I said with a smile that reflected the intense hatred I’d built up for this warlock. He was far worse than I’d originally thought, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. When he’d first taken over the coven, he’d presented himself as the kinder, gentler, more intelligent version of a leader. The other one had been pretty shitty, but at least he’d been upfront about how terrible he was.
A boom crashed down around us and shook the floor beneath my feet. I grabbed ahold of the wall to keep myself steady, glancing around as chunks of rock rained down from above. Cracks cut through the concrete and steel and the door almost split in two.
The Magister’s eyes widened as he whirled toward the hallway, debris blocking his pathway out of here. “What the hell have you done now, Zoe? Is this some kind of spell in order to trick me into believing we’re being attacked?”
Another boom cut through the building. More chunks of rock fell around us.
“No,” I said as I jumped out of the way of a particularly large and heavy rock. “Pretty sure this isn’t a pretend attack, and we’re going to get smothered down here if you don’t let me out.”
The Magister stared hard at me through the barred window, his eyes flickering with distrust. “You say it isn’t a trick, but you’re trying to use it to get me to let you out of the cell. Do you think I’m an idiot?”
“Well, if you’re asking, then yes. I do think you’re an idiot, but not because of this.” The world tipped sideways as another boom hit, the ground breaking all around me. “If I were going to cast a spell to get me out of here, then I wouldn’t put my own life in danger, would I?”
“Okay,” he finally said with a nod. “I’ll let you out, but you’ll do exactly as I say. One wrong move in my direction, and you’ll
go right back into that cell.”
“Sure thing, Magister,” I said.
He unlocked the door, and the first thing I did was swing my fist at his face. It landed with a satisfying crunch right in the center of his mouth. Blood spurted onto my hands as his eyes widened. He stumbled back, covering his mouth with trembling hands.
“You hit me,” he said. “You just assaulted the Magister of the Bone Coven. Do you know what kind of sentence that gives? Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?”
I shrugged and stepped over the debris to make my way down the hallway to the door. “Can’t be a worse sentence than the one you’ve already given me. Besides, it’s just a flesh wound. You’ll live.”
I left him in the hallway to stare after me in shock while I pushed open the door to step into the next corridor. Before me were two long rows of cells, all empty save for the one at the end. Dorian jumped up when he saw me sidestep another pile of fallen debris, but his door was already open. An unconscious guard lay at his feet, and his hands were splattered with blood.
“Looks like we had the same idea,” Dorian said, raising his eyebrows when he saw the slick red that painted my knuckles.
“Yeah, I left a pretty angry Magister back there, and he’s not knocked out like yours is. Turns out he can take a punch pretty well, though he did get pretty pissed off.” I nodded toward the exit door. “We’re probably safer out there where the action is than in here with that asshole. Do you know who he threatened, Dorian? My grandmother.”
“Ah,” Dorian said with a smile. “And that’s where he made his fatal mistake. If he hadn’t done that, maybe he would have gotten away with everything.”
“Make fun all you want,” I said. “No one hurts my Grams.”
“And it’s one of the things I love most about you.”
At the word love, I froze, and so did Dorian. His face held as much shock as I felt, almost as though the word popped out before he realized it was on the tip of his tongue. Swallowing hard, I glanced away and tried to focus on the task before us. We needed to get the hell out of here and find out what was going on outside. Someone or something was attacking, and by the loudness of the booms, I had no idea what it was. The Blood Coven? Possibly, though it didn’t make much fucking sense. If they were going to make a move, they’d wait for the night.
Still, it was impossible to get Dorian’s words out of my mind. Did he mean what it sounded like he meant? Or was it just a turn of phrase? An innocent little saying that didn’t mean that much at all. Hell, there were a lot of things I loved about a lot of people, including my very platonic friends. Just because he loved something about me didn’t mean he was necessarily in love with me.
Sighing, I shook the words out of my head. This was a mental conversation that would have to wait. As I turned toward the door, Dorian stepped in close and took my hand. Our bond flickered between us, our emotions rising up to crash into each other. My thoughts and emotions flowed out of me and into his mind, betraying exactly what I was feeling deep inside.
“Come on,” I whispered before he could interpret exactly what my feelings meant. “Let’s go.”
Together, we pushed open the door. Bright blinding light spilled across our faces, and I had to squint to see the chaos raging all around us. Warlocks clashed with warlocks, fists raised and daggers swinging. Another boom shook the earth as a large explosion spit out a fist of fire.
One of the sun mages ran up to the two of us, waving the blank sheet of paper in his hands, the one that could be read by the light of the Witch’s Blade. As he came closer, I realized I’d met him once before. He was the old man from the night we arrived, when we’d help fight the demons.
“What’s going on?” I asked him. “Who’s attacking this compound?”
“No one.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “The rebels are finally here to save us. They’re attacking the Bone and Blood Coven Enforcers, and we’ve managed to get this page back from the Magister’s room. The two remaining Elders are back and they’re waiting for us by the blade room. There’s something far too important about this page. And we need to go. Now.”
Chapter 33
“The Magister of the Bone Coven was incredibly interested in the letter,” the old man said to the group of us who had gathered in the living room of the old ranch house. It was me, Dorian, and the two remaining Elders, plus a handful of rebels who had abandoned the fight to see what was going on with this page. “It’s clearly important. We need to take it inside the blade room so that we can read what it says.”
I glanced out the window at the smoke curling up into the sky. This whole page thing—while certainly intriguing—didn’t seem like it could compare to the fact there were a million fucking bombs exploding in the middle of this desert town. Shouldn't I join the fight? Didn't I need to be out there helping in any way I possibly could?
“He’s right, Zoe,” Dorian said as he caught my gaze. “The Magister interrogated me about this paper for hours, desperate to figure out a way to read it. If it’s that important, it really could change everything.”
“Or make matters worse,” one of the Elders said, cocking his eyebrow. “You could take the information straight back to your coven and doom us all for good.”
“I think we’ve made it more than clear that our loyalties no longer lie with the Bone Coven,” I said. “Isn’t that right, Dorian?”
He closed his eyes and sighed. “Unfortunately, Zoe’s right. I can no longer stand by a group of mages who are willing to do what they did this week. Nothing could convince me to give them sensitive information, especially not knowing how they would use it. Take us into the room while we have a chance. I have a feeling our fight isn’t done just yet.”
“Very well,” the Elder said. “But we are putting our faith in you. After today’s battle, we’ll need all the help we can get.”
When we stepped inside the room, the blade’s glow began to churn like a whirlpool around it’s handle. The magic within me rose up fast and hard, bubbling with a need to be closer to the weapon. I gasped, caught off guard by the sensation. Clearly, the Sun Coven had been right. This blade was meant for me, and it was desperate for me to use it.
“Here,” the older man said, shuffling forward and holding the page up for us all to read the words. We leaned in close as the light rippled across its surface. Words appeared one by one as if they were being written out before us. My eyes tripped down the page, and my heart throbbed hard in my chest when I finally realized what it said.
“Oh my god,” the Elder murmured, his eyes going bright. “How can this be?”
“Does that say what I think it says?” I asked in a raw whisper.
Dorian nodded and squeezed my hand. “The Witch’s Blade really could end this war. It says not only can the weapon destroy demons, but it can close the veil for good. Permanently. Demons would never be able to get into our realm ever again.”
But before we could fully comprehend this new development, a boom shook the walls, and the air filled with the sound of screams.
Chapter 34
Dorian and I rushed out the door, abandoning the Elders in the blade room. We flew down the hallway, our feet pounding hard against the smooth surface. Outside, another boom echoed throughout the town, and screams exploded like the sound of lightning.
“Dorian,” I said through my gasping breath, “what’s going on?”
“The covens must be retaliating,” he said in a grim voice. “It was only a matter of time before they fought back against the rebel’s offense. I was hoping it would take them a lot longer to regroup, but they’re clearly in a rush to take them out. If they can kill all the Elders…”
“Then, they can get into the blade room themselves,” I said with a nod. “They will no longer need a sun mage to get inside.”
“They’d just need you,” Dorian said, pausing in his steps. “We need to get you somewhere safe. Somewhere they can’t find you. The wall is down now. Use your sh
adow spell to go back to my castle. There’s nowhere else in the world safer than that.”
“And what? Abandon everyone here? Abandon you?”
“The Bone Coven is right,” he said, taking my shoulders tight in his hands. “You’re valuable. Only you can wield that blade. Only you can close the veil. Go back to the castle. As soon as this fight is over, I’ll get the weapon and come straight to you.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” I said, flinching when another boom shook the walls. “You should know by now that I won’t run from a fight, and I especially won’t leave you here to fight on your own. We’re a team, Dorian Kostas. Whether you like it or not.”
A glint of admiration lit his eye before his gaze turned serious once again. “One day, Zoe Bennett, you’re going to be the death of me, but it won’t be today. Get out your weapon and use your power if you must. No need to hide it anymore. Do your motherfucking worst.”
We crouched low when we pushed open the door of the building. Outside, flashes of orange light battled with white. Both sides were casting spells with no abandon, throwing their worst at each other with only the empty street between them. It was a war-zone, and what was worse, we were fighting amongst ourselves. This shouldn’t be happening. We should be working with each other and not against.
But the Bone Coven had made it clear where they stood, and there was nothing left to do but fight. So, we crouched down low and edged down the drive, keeping our ears out for any sign of the enemy. It only took a few moments to find the heart of the fight. Masked rebels flung spells at Blood Enforcers, and bone mages crept up from behind to slice their blades into skin.
In the far corner, I saw Laura and Anastasia knocking back a few Enforcers, and my heart leapt into my throat. I rushed to their sides and joined the fray, Dorian just behind me. The battle blurred by at an impossible speed. A spell would fly my way, and my shadow magic would bat it to the side. Dark strands shot out of me, hitting every enemy in the gut. One by one, the mages fell until there was nothing left but a pile of bodies in the streets.
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