by Simone Pond
It didn’t take long to notice the scent of gardenias. When I had first met Somer at Lifting the Fog, I assumed she wore heavy perfume. But now that I had become more familiarized with my gifts, I realized that was Somer’s scent. And if she had such an intense calling card, that meant she wasn’t human. She was of the supernatural variety. Whether this was good or bad, I didn’t know yet.
I stopped in front of a door with a red light above the entrance and didn’t bother knocking. Asher and Rocco followed me in without a word.
“I’m here to see Somer Barrett. It’s an emergency!” I shouted at the receptionist.
“She’s already dealing with about three other emergencies. You’ll have to wait,” she snapped back.
“This is a straight directive from Cagliostro himself. Why else would I be standing here?” I told the girl, not knowing if my bluff made any sense whatsoever.
She grudgingly stood up from her desk and waved us to follow her deeper into the office.
Just like Somer’s office in San Francisco, she was surrounded by glass. She liked to keep things completely transparent. Pacing around her office, spewing off instructions to whoever was on the other end of the call, she ignored the receptionist and us.
“I told you, this story must run across all platforms. Not just the electronic boards. We need it to flow directly into their brainwaves. Do you understand?” Somer paused. “Well, if you understand, then make it happen. I need the message to deliver in exactly forty-five minutes. Get on it!”
Somer yanked her earpiece out and flung it across the office, almost hitting me in the face. When she looked up to acknowledge her guests, her almond-shaped eyes widened and she froze.
“They claim they’re here on behalf of the boss,” the receptionist said in a bitchy tone.
Somer nodded, stepping closer and ushering us into her office.
“That’ll be all, Taylor,” Somer told the receptionist, who spun away in a huff.
“Hi, Somer,” I said, cocking my head.
“How lovely to see you! How long have you been in Neo-Babylon?” she asked with exaggerated enthusiasm; the cameras were watching.
“Just arrived. Lovely to see you, Miss Barrett.”
Somer waved her hand across the air. The office windows shifted to black. She then pointed to a seating area with some couches.
“Why don’t we sit down and catch up,” she said.
nineteen
Somer looked exactly the same, glossy black hair pulled back from her face, red lipstick and black frames. Only there was something a little different about her since the last time I had seen her. She had a subtle periwinkle shimmer around her edges.
“How long have you been in the city?” Somer asked casually as we made our way to the couches.
“Just arrived today. I have so many questions,” I said.
Before we continued our faux conversation, she whispered a spell, swirled her hands above her head, and formed an iridescent bubble around the seating area.
“Okay, we’re good now,” Somer said, more relaxed.
“So, obviously you’re supernatural. Had me fooled.” I sounded a little bitchier than I had wanted, but I was upset that my former boss—who was known for her honesty and rectitude—was now working for Cagliostro.
Somer kept her attention on me. “I’m a mage.”
“You’re a freaking witch?”
“If you want to get specific, I’m a ‘techno mage,’ and there’s a big difference.”
“From where I’m sitting,” I said, glancing around her lavish office, “I don’t see a difference … So what enticed you sell your soul to Cagliostro?”
Somer let out a soft laugh and pressed her lips together to evenly distribute the color. “I’ve done nothing of the sort.”
I pointed to the shimmering bubble around us. “Is this a trap? Are you going to turn us over to your boss?”
She crossed her long legs. “This entire city is bugged. Cagliostro has spies everywhere. Especially in The Spire. If anyone happens to be monitoring us, this conversation will seem like a business meeting.”
I was having trouble getting a read on Somer. “It would’ve been nice to know I was working for someone evil,” I said.
She raised her perfectly arched brows. “First of all, I’m not and never have been evil. I’m benevolent. And despite what it looks like, I haven’t turned to the Darkness. I’m simply ‘playing nice’ with a certain someone so as not to get slaughtered.” Her dark brown eyes sparkled.
“So you gave up your news blog, specifically dedicated to exposing corruption, to work for the world’s most evil demon mage?”
“It only appears as though I’m working for him. But I’m undercover. There are a bunch of us.”
“Come on, Somer. Your face is all over the monitors, broadcasting his propaganda and brainwashing the entire country. What’s left of it.”
“So it appears,” she said, coolly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“We’re working on a way to reverse the mind-control spell using his own equipment.”
And there it was, Somer’s real reason for being in cahoots with Cagliostro. She was working behind the scenes to take him down. I should’ve known better than to doubt her level of genius.
“Well, then I guess I ain’t mad at ya,” I teased.
She laughed. “We’re on the same team, sweetie.”
“I’m curious, did you know about me being a Protector?”
“Of course I knew about your background. Why do you think I hired you? I only want the best. And you were my rising light.”
I actually guffawed. “Please.”
Rocco nudged my knee, reminding me of why we were there.
“What’s the tower for?” I blurted.
“All the details are a bit muddled, and I have access to only my specific area in the media department. But part of the tower is for distributing communications and ‘ushering in the New Era of Light.’ However, there have been numerous conversations about his plans to finally get rid of that ‘old, outdated and pointless relic’ also known as the Monarchy. So make of that what you will.”
I had an idea and dug deeper, the way any decent investigative journalist would do. “So, tell me something. Where does the city get its water supply?”
Somer cocked her head in confusion. “That I do not know. Let me check.” She closed her eyes for a few moments, then returned to the conversation. “Apparently, we’re situated above a large underground aquifer.”
I knew exactly what Cagliostro was doing. “He’s going to use the tower as a massive transporter to send his army to the Monarchy. After he unlocks all the Scrolls, that is.”
Asher leaned forward. “That’s got to be it, Fiona.”
Somer nodded. “Sounds plausible. It seems as though his army is growing by the day. We’ve been running a lot of military recruitment spots as well as propaganda against the Monarchy.”
Though Cagliostro still needed all seven Scrolls to amplify his power, there was still a chance he might try to reach the Monarchy without my Scroll. He was that brazen. And we couldn’t risk it working.
I leaned forward toward Somer. “We need to find the Sacred Scrolls immediately. Any clue where to start?”
“They’re highly protected and that would fall under military operations. If you want those details, you’ll need to investigate General Hackett, Cagliostro’s head military demon,” Somer said, checking her phone.
Rocco let out a biting laugh. “And we’re supposed to just mosey on into a general’s office?”
“Do you know who you’re sitting next to?” Somer motioned to me. “Fiona Farrow can extract information from a stone.”
“Things are a little different now,” I said, modestly.
“If you can go up against the evil you’ve faced, you won’t have any problems with General Hackett. He might be a high-level demon, but he has his weaknesses …” She looked me over in such a way that my ins
ides lurched.
“Are you suggesting I use my—”
“Wiles …” Somer winked, then checked her phone again. She stood up abruptly. “Quick. Hide. In the audio booth. Keep your hoods up and remain facing the microphone.” She swished away the bubble of protection and ran over to her desk.
The three of us scurried into the audio booth situated off to the side of the seating area. We pulled up our hoods to conceal our identities and huddled around the microphone.
The door to her office opened, and before the person spoke, the stench hit my nose: bologna. I peered over my shoulder and saw Cosby—Cagliostro’s lackey demon-vampire hybrid who had double-crossed me in New York City—standing before Somer’s desk. I homed in on their conversation …
“We need the 60 spot sooner,” Cosby said in his high-pitched nasally voice. “The boss has stepped up his timeframe on the operation and he wants to make sure ‘morale’ is high.”
Somer did her best producer fluster. “This is unacceptable. I’ll have to bring in talent and engineer …”
“Tut-tut. You are not here to give me excuses, Miss Barrett, just results.” He looked toward the audio booth window, right at us. “What’s going on in there? Why haven’t they changed into proper uniforms?”
Somer remained calm, keeping her eyes directly aimed at Cosby. “I was spitballing ideas with PR, and we thought it might be interesting to record some of the new residents chanting, then pipe it through the feeds intermittently throughout the day. These type of alpha waves are successful in keeping spirits high. That is what we want, isn’t it?”
Cosby nodded his head. “I like it. All right. But don’t let this interfere with the new spot. You have until midnight.”
After Cosby left, we stepped out of the booth. Somer raised her hands again and created another protection bubble.
Rocco looked at me. “I wanna trail him.”
“What? No way. We can’t separate.”
“Come on, Farrow. We don’t got much time. And we need to find those Scrolls. The more leads we follow the better. Let’s divide and conquer,” Rocco said.
“That’s usually the exact line someone says before everything goes to shit. You know that, right?”
Rocco laughed. “I’ll be okay, Farrow. Let me gather whatever I can from that no-good hybrid and I’ll meet up with you and Asher later.”
As much as I didn’t want to separate, the detective was right. “Okay, you win. But just be careful. If Cagliostro captures you, that’s the end of Glimmer City and Ezra … and my parents.”
Somer rummaged through her top drawer. “Here are some VIP passes for the event at the Semiramis Palace tonight. General Hackett will be in attendance. You’ll need proper attire, so you and Asher can use my place to get dressed.” Somer scribbled her address down on a piece of paper. “When you get to my place, phone the concierge and explain that you’re with Spire Productions and need to be outfitted for tonight’s gala. But I’m warning you, there’s heavy security in my building.” She reached into her desk and pulled out three vials containing dark purple liquid. “You’ll want to drink a little of this; it’ll disguise you as security guards without releasing any scent of magic.”
“Will you be at the event?” I asked Somer.
“I’ll be working on this appalling morale-building spot. But if you go to my bedroom and remove the screen off the third monitor from the top left, you’ll find a burner phone. You can use that to contact me.”
I patted Rocco’s shoulder. “You concentrate on Cosby, while Asher and I go after General Hackett. Between the three of us, we can probably figure out where Cagliostro has the Scrolls. Let’s regroup right here at midnight.”
“Midnight,” Rocco said, nodding.
I still didn’t feel a hundred percent about splitting up. Together we were stronger. But we didn’t have much time.
“If one of us doesn’t show, something went wrong. That means move forward. Do whatever it takes to find every single Scroll and get to the Protectors he’s holding prisoner. Then get out of the city to regroup with the others.”
Rocco smiled. “On it, Farrow.”
Somer pointed to the vials each of us held. “The magic potion only lasts up to fifteen minutes, and you each have two doses. So use it sparingly. I can’t help you if you get captured. Understood?”
I gauged Somer one last time, discerning if there was anything remotely suspicious. Deep in my gut I knew she was on our side, but I just wanted to be sure. “I have one question for you,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“What’s your Plan B?”
Somer closed her eyes a moment, then looked at me directly. “There is no Plan B. Either we stop Cagliostro from reaching the Monarchy or we can kiss humanity goodbye. I’m not about to go down without a fight, and I know you aren’t either, Miss Farrow.”
She was absolutely right about that.
twenty
Asher and I each drank down one dosage of purple liquid, then put the vials away for later. We encountered no trouble after leaving Somer’s office and heading to her apartment. The only problem was my lack of energy. Since we had transported out of the desert dimension, I had been operating at full capacity. Ezra had always warned me that if Protectors don’t take time to recharge, the magical Armor would be of little use. And if I was planning to attend the gala to extrapolate the location of the Scrolls from General Hackett, I’d need some rest.
Asher and I walked into Somer’s posh apartment building. The place glistened like it was made out of diamond glass and the residents were just as flawless. We passed through the lobby without any interference and took the elevator to the penthouse.
When I stepped into Somer’s place, I froze.
“Wow,” I said, scoping out the extravagant room filled with museum paintings, expensive rugs and opulent furniture.
“Fit for a queen,” Asher said.
“I guess it pays to work for the Shadow Order,” I joked and got dizzy from laughing. I really needed a nap.
“I’ll call the concierge. You get some rest.” Asher kissed my forehead.
I didn’t bother arguing. I didn’t even ask him to join me. My eyes were scratchy and dry, and my skin itched and burned. The effects of spending time in that desert dimension. Though I was exhausted, I forced myself to take a long, hot shower, rinsing off any residual grains of sand. The fresh water soothed my sunburn and replenished my parched body.
***
I woke up to Asher whispering softly, “Time to get ready.”
I could’ve easily slept another ten hours on that mattress of puffy clouds, but there was work to do. Rolling out of bed, I caught a glimpse of the dress hanging on the back of the door. It was a stunning blush-colored sequined gown with a plunging neckline and open back. Way out of my league on so many levels. I held the gown up to my body; the pale pink hues brought out the auburn undertones in my hair and complemented my fair skin tone.
While I gaped at the dress, Asher put on his charcoal tuxedo jacket and slicked back his dark hair with some of Somer’s products. Heat coursed down my legs. My hormones started pumping full force. I’m sure Asher caught a wave of the pheromones because he glanced at me with his gorgeous blue eyes twinkling.
“I found the burner phone,” he said.
This wasn’t the conversation I wanted, but we did need to stay focused on the matter at hand. Still, I couldn’t help it if my hormones were doing acrobatics.
“Somer already sent a text,” he continued. “General Hackett usually spends his time in the VIP room, but I trust you’ll be able to make his acquaintance.”
“Sounds good,” I said, trying to sound professional, though my heart was racing.
Asher sat on the bed as I slipped into the sequined gown. He attempted averting his eyes, but I caught him glancing over a couple times. He stood up and stepped behind me—our reflection together was magical. I turned around slowly as he rested his hands gently around my waist, stroking the curv
e of my back. He leaned down, his eyes all dreamy-like, and kissed me. The soft tingle from his lips spread over mine, reaching across my cheeks and trickling down my body all the way to my knees, which actually buckled. His sturdy arms held me closer, and his kiss grew more determined. He began walking me backward to the bed, both of us moaning and groping each other.
“We can’t,” I mumbled, nibbling on his lip.
Asher stopped and gently pulled back, then straightened himself. “You’re right. It’s just that dress. You in it …”
My cheeks flushed. “You’re not so bad in that tuxedo. But if we don’t focus, we might not ever get to enjoy moments like this one. And I’m counting on there being a lot more.”
He grinned. “Plenty more. An eternity’s worth.”
I stepped back and finished getting ready. “So, a few things. I know we need to find the Scrolls, but I’d like to locate Charlotte, if possible. She gave me a code. 3626. Maybe a room number? Or building number? Also, I’m worried about Soraya. She could be in trouble. How about while I’m dealing with Hackett, you track them down? Divide and conquer, and all that …”
“I don’t know about you being alone with Hackett,” he said.
“I know how to handle men like him.”
“Either way, just be extra cautious. This is their city, we’re merely visitors.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him.
“A man with a weakness for beauty can be the most dangerous kind.”
“I don’t plan on getting that close to the demon. I can flirt from a distance.”
Asher winced a bit. “How will I reach you if I find Charlotte or Soraya?”
“Give me the burner phone and if you find them, get to Somer’s office and send a text.”
He picked up the sequined clutch I’d be carrying from the nightstand and put the phone inside. Then he picked up the business card Thomas had given to me. I had set it there before taking a shower.