13

Carrow

A terrible, tragic fate?

The ghostly figure of the ancient man stared at me, his gaze shadowed. He repeated, “You must stop them.”

“That’s our intention.”

He turned. “Come, I will lead you there.”

I shared a gaze with my friends, who nodded. Together, the three of us followed him from the tavern and out into the public plaza. It was easier to see the shadows of the ghosts now, though they were still far fainter than the man who led us down the quiet streets. White plaster buildings towered on either side of us, and the thin moon gleamed above.

“How long have they been at the temple?” I asked.

“Permanently? For a month. Though they visited before that.” He shook his head. “They were different from the other visitors, however. Too rabid. Too intense. Like wild animals, driven by instinct.”

Yikes. I shivered.

Our guide slowed as we neared the dark magic that was thicker on this side of town. It stank, reeking of sewage and rotten meat. He turned and caught my eye. “This is what they are doing to our city. Do you smell it? See it?”

I nodded, my gaze riveted to the dark gray glow ahead of me. It looked like a hazy barrier of smoke separated the temple from the rest of the town. Across an open square, there was a second, unguarded temple.

The guide pointed to it. “That is the temple of Baal, the brother of Anat. They were not interested in it. Only in hers.”

“And only in the warlike side,” I said.

“Yes. No balance.” He shook his head, spitting to the side in disgust. “I will leave you here as there is nothing I can do against the corporeal world. But beware, they have terrible magic. The dark side of Anat may be powering them.”

I nodded and tucked myself back behind a wall. My friends joined me. If we leaned around the corner, we could see the open square and the smokey barrier that separated us from the temple. It called to me and repulsed me at the same time.

Our guide disappeared down the street.

I looked at Mac and Seraphia. “How do you want to do this?”

“I say we sneak in and spy,” Mac said.

Seraphia nodded, and I had to agree that it was the best way. I touched my comms charm and whispered to Eve. “Can you see into the temple from up there?”

“There are some open-air spaces, but the haze makes it impossible to see the people. I can feel them, though. Like a bunch of rabid skunks making out in a dumpster.”

I felt my eyebrows rise. That was quite the visual. “What about a way in? Any entrances look less guarded?”

“Nope, it’s all surrounded by the same smokey substance. I think the main entrance is your best bet. They won’t be expecting you, at least.”

I hoped she was right. “Thanks, Eve.”

“I’ll stay up here for air support. Just shout if you need help.”

“I have a feeling you’ll be able to see it before I can shout.”

“Probably.” She cut the connection, and I peeked around the corner of the building. Everything was quiet and calm. I looked back at Mac and Seraphia. “Let’s move quickly to the front, then sneak in and stick to the shadows. We won’t make contact until we know what we’re up against.”

They nodded, and we set off, hurrying across the dark, silent courtyard. The temple itself was as simple and elegant as the rest of the buildings in town, though quite a bit larger. It was partially obscured by the haze, but not so much that I couldn’t make out the white plaster and burnished red stripe painted horizontally across the front, about two thirds of the way to the top.

The dark magic barrier pricked against my skin as we approached, but nothing terrible. It was hard to tell where the magic was strongest and where the barrier ended.

“It’s not that bad,” Mac whispered. “Usually these barriers hurt a hell of a lot more.”

I nodded, annoyed by the prickling but not in acute pain. We were nearly to the front steps when the air changed. Pain exploded, and I was slammed backward, feeling like an enormous mallet had slammed into my entire body.

An alarm shrieked through the night air, and I stared upward at the sky, every inch of me ringing with pain. On either side of me, Mac and Seraphia lay still, groaning.

“That was unexpected,” Mac said.

“Never seen a barrier like that.” Seraphia shoved herself upright. “A real sneak attack.”

I followed, aching all over as my heart raced. The alarm still sounded, a shriek that was surely alerting the people within to our presence.

“Will our transport charm get us out of here?” I demanded, my mind racing with plans as I staggered upright.

Mac stood. “Yes, but do we want them to see us out—”

Five robed figures shot out of the temple, breaking through the misty barrier like it didn’t even exit. Their magic preceded them, sounding like war, the clash of swords and cries of pain. It smelled like it, too—blood and smoke and dirt. Their robes were crimson red, with hoods obscuring their faces.

We couldn’t run now. We needed to get some information at least.

My gaze darted to Seraphia, the smallest and quickest of us. “See if the barrier is open where they came out. They ran through like it was nothing so maybe it has dropped. Mac and I will provide cover.”

She nodded, and it was too late to go back.

One of the robed figures raised a hand and hurled a blast of black smoke at us. It thundered like horses’ hooves, and through the smoke I spotted an equine nose and galloping legs.

Mac and I dived to the right. As I flew, I took a glancing hit to my legs as the magic blasted by me. Pain radiated outward.

Seraphia darted into the shadows along our left, clearly intending to sneak around the back of the robed figures who sprinted toward Mac and me.

A bolt of lightning blasted from the sky, hitting the ground between us and our attackers. They slowed, rearing backward. Eve’s attack bought us a few precious seconds, allowing Mac and I to rise.

I plunged my hand into the sack of potions at my side and withdrew a stunner, hurling it at the nearest figure. It slammed into his chest, sending him whirling backward, unconscious.

One of his buddies had already powered up another smoke blast, and he hurled it at us. This one was brilliant green and shrieked like a banshee. Mac lunged left, hurling a dagger as she flew through the air. It pierced one of the bastards right in the throat, and he slammed back to the ground.

I darted right, barely avoiding the banshee blast, then dug for another potion bomb. If we could just take these guys out and Seraphia could find the entrance, maybe we’d have a few minutes to sneak in and do some recon before the others realized we’d taken out their partners.

The three remaining red cloaks charged us, their robes flapping ominously on the wind. No matter how fast they ran, their hoods stayed over their faces. They carried ancient swords that looked like something from a museum.

Had they stolen them?

They didn’t seem to possess the same long-range magic as the two we’d already taken out.

My hand closed around a third potion bomb and I dug it free, hurling it at the closet one. He was nearly upon me, so close that I could see the shadow of a face beneath his robe. The glass orb smashed against his chest and he went rigid, toppling over.

Behind them, Seraphia was nearly to the part of the temple they’d exited. I prayed she could find the weak spot in the barrier.

Next to me, Mac clashed with one of the robed figures She punched him in the face so hard his head snapped back, then leveled a kick to his gut that sent him flying.

The fifth was nearly to me, now. No time for a potion bomb. I took a page out of Mac’s book and leveled a hard kick at his midsection, feeling a satisfying thud as his sword arm swiped out toward me.

I ducked the blade, taking a slice to the arm that burned like hell. He was off balance, though and tumbled backward.

At that moment, Seraphia reached the barrier and touched it, searching for the opening. The alarm shrieked again, and the barrier blasted her backward, sending her flying ten feet through the air before she slammed to the ground.

“Crap. There is no weak spot,” Mac cried. Blood dripped from her cheek, and she clutched at a wound in her side that I hadn’t seen her receive.

Damn it, we were in trouble.

The robed figures must be immune to the barrier, or perhaps you could only exit but not enter. Whatever the case was, we couldn’t get inside.

“I think more are coming,” Eve shouted. “I can cover you with one more bolt, but I’m running low on power.”

I looked at Mac, my mind whirring. Three of our attackers were unconscious from potion bombs, but the two wounded ones were rising unsteadily to their feet.

At the temple, a dozen more figures charged out into square. Seraphia still hadn't managed to sit up, either.

Eve’s lightning blasted the ground between us and the attackers, the bright light blinding and the noise nearly deafening. It bought us time, though, and I turned to Mac to shout, “We can’t take them all. But we can take one back for interrogation.”

Mac nodded and dug into her pocket for a transport charm. “You’ve got your charm?”

“Yeah.” We’d each need one if we were both going to carry an unconscious body back. Eve had her own, thank fates. “You get Seraphia. I’ll meet you at the Hound.”

“Be careful.” She darted toward our friend, who was still unconscious. Fear pierced me. Please be okay.

I sprinted toward the closest unconscious body. I didn’t need to be grappling with one of conscious ones, even if they were injured.

The robed figures sprinted down the temple stairs, powering up their magic. It glowed around their hands as I neared the body I’d chosen. I could feel their power in the air, the dark magic that reeked of death and decay. Several of them raised their hands, magic sparking around their palms.

One of them hurled a shrieking green banshee blast right at Mac as she grabbed Seraphia and hauled her upright. It was nearly to them when she slammed her transport charm to the ground and dragged Seraphia into the silvery gray cloud.