Silver Clouds Dirty Sky A Montague and Strong Detective Novel (Montague & Strong Case Files Book 4)

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “Council politics aren’t complicated,” she said with a smile. “The balance is established by three factions: vampires, werewolves and mages. Remove one of those, and the balance is destroyed.”

  “Instant civil war.”

  She nodded. “More importantly, humans become wholesale targets again,” she said. “That would anger the mages and spark another supernatural war.”

  “They need someone to keep them in check,” I said, understanding. “With something that scares them more than the sword.”

  “The order of succession is not democratic among my kind. I am their deterrent.”

  “Ken informed me when he gave me the sword.” I looked into her eyes. “I’m not feeling great about this. What about the meeting with Valen?”

  “Preventing a war takes precedence over protocol,” she said. “Do you trust your mage?”

  “He’s not my mage, but yes, I trust Monty.”

  “And he says this method is viable,” she replied. “I trust you, so I place my life in your hands, again.”

  She lowered her hand and let it rest on my chest.

  “Don’t let your guard down,” I said. “The Blood Hunters are still out there.”

  “I will address the Blood Hunter situation upon my return, once stability is re-established in the Council,” she said. “You’ll be returning soon?”

  “Thomas is sending us one at time, to avoid what he calls ‘signature interference’.” I looked back to see him still tapping at the computers. “Once you’re safely through, I’ll go next, and then Monty. We’ll be right behind you.”

  “That is acceptable.” She moved back to the center of the circle. “Tell the mage I’m ready.”

  I let out the breath I had been holding. My chest felt tight, and I pushed the feeling to one side.

  “I’ll see you soon,” I said, stepping back.

  She checked her watch. “Make sure he sends me back during the evening.”

  I stood next to Thomas. “If she arrives during the day, I will be upset,” I said. “You don’t want me to get upset.”

  “Why? Do you turn green and musclebound?” he deadpanned, raising a hand in surrender at my expression. “I’ve checked the runes and numbers several times, as per Tristan’s instructions. She will make it through fine.”

  “Let’s proceed,” Monty said, and stepped to the edge of the circle. “Thomas?”

  “Ready. Once you unleash the corsolis, I can reroute it to power the circle. Then I’ll cast the riftrunes and off she goes.”

 

  Peaches rubbed up against my leg and nudged me, nearly knocking me down. I crouched down and rubbed his back.

  “She needs to go back home. After she leaves, we go next.”

 

  “When aren’t you?” I asked as he rumbled at me. “Fine, when we get back we’ll go to Ezra’s. Now, move back, Monty is going to do something dangerous.”

  We stepped back while Monty began to gesture. Violet tendrils of energy shot out from his hands as an orb formed in front of him. It was a small, dim orb, and I thought maybe he had gotten the spell wrong when it flashed, bursting with violet light, blinding me.

  Spots danced in my vision as I saw Thomas approach Monty. Thomas gestured, and I saw the orb of the corsolis funnel into the edge of the circle. Violet streams of energy trailed into the floor. I saw Monty still gesturing as the circle thrummed to life.

  Thomas began gesturing again, and white runes slammed into the circle. In seconds, a large rift opened in front of Chi. She looked back at me, nodded, and stepped through.

  The rift closed behind her, and Thomas raced back to the computers. Monty stopped gesturing, and I could see the sweat on his face as he caught his breath.

  “I’d prefer not doing that again,” Monty said. “For at least a few decades.”

  “Did it work?” I asked, stepping close to Thomas. “Tell me it worked.”

  “One second.” He tapped furiously on the keyboard. “She’s through.”

  I sighed with relief until I heard Monty behind us.

  “Thomas, the circle is still active,” Monty said, concern in his voice. “The corsolis should have been expended with the rift. The circle should have gone dormant.”

  “That’s correct,” Thomas said, nervously looking at the screens. “The ley-line is still blocked. The circle should be inactive—wait.”

  I heard Peaches rumble and growl. I drew Grim Whisper, and Monty stepped back from the circl which had shifted in color from violet to deep red.

  “That doesn’t look good at all.” I loaded entropy rounds into my gun and made sure Ebonsoul was accessible. “Why is it still active?”

  “Buggery bollocks,” Thomas said under his breath. “We have incoming.”

  “We have what?” I asked, as the center of the circle erupted, sending pieces of the stone floor everywhere. Monty cast a shield and deflected the shrapnel that headed our way. A large arm had punched through the floor. It was attached to a creature that was mostly flame and horror.

  “This is your last day, mage,” it roared as it crawled out of the hole in the floor.

  I looked at Monty, who shook his head and pointed at Thomas.

  TWELVE

  THOMAS KEPT TAPPING furiously on the computer. A shimmering wall of white energy formed at the edge of the circle. The energy increased in intensity as the demon slammed its fists against the wall.

  “Thomas, I think the angry demon is looking for you.” I pointed at the large creature in the middle of the circle.

  “We need to leave. Tristan, in the safe room there’s a runic exit on the far wall opposite the door. All of you go. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Monty and I ran for the safe room. Peaches stayed close to me as the demon pounded against the circle and then stopped. I looked at the circle and saw the demon looking down.

  “Monty?” He turned and looked in the same direction. “How smart are these demons?”

  “Some of them are highly intelligent.”

  The demon disappeared from sight.

  “If a summoning circle is broken, say, like that one there,” I said, “does that mean it can get out?”

  “Run, now!” He gestured and sent orange runes into the floor behind us. They joined and formed a large lattice along the floor.

  The demon had dived through the center of the circle and was about to pay us a visit outside of it. We ran into the safe room. Monty placed his hand on the far wall, and a section slid back, revealing a staircase.

  “Thomas!”

  Thomas slid into the room a second later, and we bounded upstairs into St. Paul’s Cathedral. Thomas gestured, and a barrage of white symbols flashed along the floor. A rumbling sound followed.

  “You collapsed the entire level?” Monty asked.

  “That will only slow it down,” Thomas muttered distractedly. “How did it get through? The circle should have prevented that kind of incursion.”

  “Is this part of Mage 101?” I asked, rubbing Peaches. “When in doubt—demolish?”

  “How long before it’s free?” Monty asked, ignoring me. “Before it accesses the surface?”

  “Hard to say,” Thomas said, narrowing his eyes and looking at the floor. “I have failsafes in place to prevent minor demons from coming through the circle.”

  “I’m not a demon-whisperer, but there was nothing minor about that thing down there,” I said, looking around to make sure it wasn’t coming through the walls or floor. “This means we can’t leave Demon City?”

  “Without a ley-line circle, I’m afraid the answer is no.”

  “Chi made it safely through?” I asked, pulling out my phone, dialing her number, and putting it on speaker.

  “I’m here.” Her voice was calm, but I could hear the undercurrent of anger. “I thought you were right behind me?”

  “We’ve h
ad some technical difficulties—the circle is gone,” I said. “Are you safe?”

  “I’ve had to convince some eager vampires that death is still an option—stupid children,” she said. “How long before you arrive?”

  Monty shook his head. “We would have to disable the inhibitor rune blocking the island from the line,” he said. “That takes at least three mages. In this case, I would assume more considering its range. We need to find my uncle.”

  “Call me when you arrive,” she said. “I’ve convened the Council to deal with the Blood Hunter threat.”

  “They were quite ready to let the Blood Hunters eliminate you.”

  “You need to be careful,” she said, her tone serious.

  “Me?” I asked, confused. “Why would I need to be careful?”

  “The Blood Hunters are after the dark blades,” she said. “Your mage made it impossible to get one. Where is the other blade?”

  It didn’t take long for it to dawn on me. “Shit,” I said. “Can you keep the Blood Hunters there busy for a while? Will the Council cooperate now that you’re back?”

  “I’m certain some of them were surprised at my return,” she answered. “But they will comply. Erik wanted to send your mage a message.”

  “Yes?” Monty said.

  “He wanted you to know that the Ghosts will arrive soon,” she answered. “It appears they will need to travel through conventional methods, due to the island being locked down, but they are on their way.”

  “Did he mention how long before they arrived?”

  “A few days at most. Prepare.”

  “I’ll call you once we get back,” I said. “Be careful.”

  “Find another circle, stay away from the Consortium, and demons,” she said. “Stay safe.”

  “Working on it,” I said as she hung up. I glanced at Monty. “How many Ghosts are there?”

  “There are a total of seven Ghosts active at any given time,” Monty said. “Oliver would never send all seven to one location—the Elders would never approve.”

  “You have Ghosts after you?” Thomas asked, surprised. “What did you destroy this time?”

  “Nothing. The Elders are overreacting,” Monty answered. “It was just a void vortex.”

  I held up two fingers.

  “You cast two void vortices?” Thomas asked. “Inside a city?”

  Monty nodded. “They were under control and the city is still intact.”

  “I’m surprised they haven’t erased you.” Thomas narrowed his eyes and looked at the floor. “The level has settled, and the demon is contained—for now.”

  “We need to deal with this demon problem before they arrive.” Monty stood and straightened his jacket. “At the very least, we need to find my uncle and get off this island.”

  “I don’t have the Morrigan in my speed dial. Do you?”

  “The Morrigan?” Thomas asked with a hint of fear. “As in ‘Chooser of the Slain’ Morrigan?”

  “Yes, that one,” I said with a smile. “If Dex plays his cards right, she could be your aunt, Monty.”

  He glared at me with a shake of his head.

  “First, we need some place safe that isn’t above a contained demon trying to get to us,” Monty said, looking down at the floor. “Preferably somewhere I could get some tea.”

  “I know just the place,” Thomas said.

  THIRTEEN

  WE HEADED OUT into the maze of streets around St. Paul’s Cathedral. After a few turns, we headed down a dead-end street. Thomas gestured, and a sign came into view. The blank wall turned into a door of what I recognized as a pub.

  “Cool Cats & Blokes?” I read the sign over the door. “Sounds like your kind of place, Monty.”

  “As long as they have tea, I don’t care what it’s called.”

  We entered the pub, with Thomas leading the way. He took us to a table in the back room. The pub itself was mostly empty. It held the smell of old wood and alcohol. I instantly liked the place. As I looked around, I noticed it was covered in runes.

  “This is a neutral place?” I asked Thomas, who had approached the bar and was coming back with a tray of drinks and a large bowl.

  “More like shadow. Unless you have the key, you won’t find it.”

  He placed a large cup of Earl Grey in front of Monty, who closed his eyes, lifted the cup to his lips, and just took in the aroma with a soft hum of approval.

  “Why don’t you and the tea get a room?” I asked as Monty took his first sip and groaned. “Really, you need help.”

  “All I ever need is a good cuppa.”

  “I figured you weren’t a big tea drinker, so coffee?” Thomas asked, handing me a cup. “I’m afraid that’s all they have.”

  I sipped the coffee, winced at the taste, and immediately reached for my silver flask covered in glowing skulls. Thomas narrowed his eyes at the flask as I poured a spoonful of the hot Valhalla Java into the cup. I took another sip, and it instantly became the best coffee in the universe.

  “That is orlandgasmic,” I said, reverently inhaling more of the aroma.

  “Excuse me?” Monty asked, giving me a look.

  “It’s when something is shaynetastic and then taken to the ultimate level, especially when it comes to coffee.”

  “Now you’re just making up words.”

  “It’s new—feel free to use it,” I said and took another sip of my javambrosia.

  “I don’t speak gibberish,” Monty scoffed.

  “Says the mage who’s constantly muttering a strange language under his breath,” I answered, keeping the cup close to my face.

  “That flask, where did you get it?” Thomas asked, placing the large bowl on the floor. I noticed it was full of meat.

  “What is that bowl made of?” I asked, grabbing Peaches by the scruff before he dived into it.

  “Aluminum,” Thomas answered, looking at the bowl. “Why?”

  “Do not eat the bowl.” I tugged on Peaches until he looked at me. “Got it? Only the meat.”

 

  “He chews through anything softer than titanium. Hope you aren’t attached to that bowl.”

  I let go of his scruff, and Peaches proceeded to vacuum the meat into his stomach.

  “He does enjoy meat.” Thomas looked down at Peaches for a few seconds and then back at me. “The flask?”

  “It was a gift.”

  “From Hel?”

  “How did you—?”

  “What is it filled with?” he asked. “I’ve heard the stories.”

  “It tastes like super coffee to me, but I doubt that’s what it is.” I poured a few drops into his cup of tea and put the flask in my pocket. “They didn’t give me the recipe, just told me not to drink more than a spoonful.”

  He took a sip of his tea and opened his eyes wide.

  “That’s spectacular,” he said in wonder. “It’s the best cup of tea I’ve tasted in my entire life. I’ve read about these flasks, but they aren’t given to mortals, according to the texts.”

  Monty placed his cup gently on the table. “Who stands to gain from eliminating mages, Thomas?”

  Thomas grew serious. “It’s not just the elimination of mages, but using demons to do it,” he said. “The demon we just saw was sent. It wasn’t summoned.”

  “Are you on someone’s shitlist?” I asked. “Because we haven’t been here long enough to piss off anyone—besides the Consortium.”

  Thomas looked at me. “That would be enough, trust me.” He folded his hands on the table. “Who do you think will get blamed for the Tate’s destruction?”

  I pointed at Monty. “Him?”

  “No, not yet,” Thomas said. “Initially, it will be the vampires, werewolves, and mages who don’t belong to the Consortium. The Tate was a designated neutral meeting ground. When they mobilize—it won’t be pretty.”

  “They will use this to declare war on the vampires and werewolves, won’t they?” Monty asked. “We were just a convenien
t catalyst.”

  Thomas nodded. “This has been happening since the demons started appearing in the streets.”

  “I noticed the Consortium was all human,” I said. “The Dark Council has three groups: vampires, werewolves, and mages. Why doesn’t the Consortium?”

  “The three factions exist here as well, but the Consortium is older, with deep ties to the past,” Thomas said, and sipped his tea with a groan. Between him and Monty, the tea drinking was getting uncomfortable. “Here, they’re distinct groups that don’t mesh. The mages wouldn’t mind eliminating the other two.”

  “The demon knew you,” Monty said, looking at Thomas. “What have you been up to?”

  Thomas sipped his tea and looked away. “I may have angered some powerful people,” he muttered, sipping some more tea. “People who, I think, are controlling the Consortium.”

  “If mages and specifically demon-whisperers are being killed, the list has to be short.”

  “Demonologists, not demon-whisperers, but it’s a valid question,” Monty said. “Why target that sub-class?”

  “There are members of the Consortium who have shifted without going through the proving.” Thomas looked around before continuing. “Even Delane was just a mage several years ago. Now he’s an Arch Mage.”

  “Ascending to Arch Mage takes at least a century,” Monty said. “How did he manage to shift so quickly?”

  “I think they’ve discovered a new power source.” Thomas tapped the table. “I can’t prove it yet, but this power source allows them to shift faster, and with more power than usual.”

  Monty rubbed his chin. “The demons?” he asked. “Are you saying the Consortium is harnessing demonic energy to accelerate shifts?”

  Thomas nodded. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. First, it was the inhibitor rune. Under the pretext of containing the summoning. Except that it also had another effect.”

  “Cutting off the ley-lines and preventing teleportation, vastly diminishing the ability of the mages on the island,” Monty said.

  “Not all of the mages,” I corrected. “At least not Arch Mage Delane. He used a considerable amount of energy inside a dampened room.” I remembered how Delane switched the polarity of the runes inside the Tate. “How did he change it from inhibiting to boosting?”