by Mary Fan
He squinted as the late afternoon sun peered through the trees lining the road. Ribbons of red and gold streaked the white clouds above. He stepped on the accelerator, hoping to shave a few more minutes off the journey. Five hours was a long time to spend in a vehicle, and his shoulders were starting to cramp up. Almost no one used the roads anymore, since people rarely traveled between cities, and when they did, they traveled by magical means. He hadn’t passed any other vehicles during the journey. The emptiness was pretty creepy.
For the most part, the government didn’t patrol North America’s vast web of old, virtually unused roads. There weren’t enough Sentinels to cover the vast nation anyway. But the Triumvirate was still searching for Flynn, so Williams had cast a shielding spell around the vehicle before they’d left—one that formed a bubble that made it undetectable by enchanted means, and one with a radius wide enough that Flynn wasn’t anywhere near its edges. That way, he wouldn’t accidentally touch it and render it moot.
A flock of birds crossed the fast-darkening sky. Though they looked like sparrows, Flynn was sure they harbored supernatural powers. If they didn’t, they would end up monster chow unless they found safety before night fell. Same goes for us.
From past attempts, the Risers had learned that the number of Sentinels in Augustine fell by half after sundown. Because who would be dumb enough to enter an abandoned, unguarded town at night?
The idea sent a shiver down his spine. Who knew how many unknown dangers lurked ahead? He wasn’t sure which he was more afraid of—the Sentinels guarding the Archive or the monsters he’d have to get past to reach them.
“Hey, Flynn.” Tamerlane pointed out the window. “See that building up ahead, on the right?”
Flynn noticed a one-story shack at the side of the road. The windows were all broken, and claw marks streaked the wooden door, a chilling reminder of the creatures he’d likely encounter. “Yeah.”
“That’s our stop. Any closer and the Sentinels could spot us approaching. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way.”
“All right.” Flynn stopped the vehicle by the building, wondering what had happened to its former inhabitants. Spotting a brownish-red splotch on the doorframe, he realized the likely story was that a monster had killed whoever lived there, and his gut twisted. He stepped out, stretched, and looked through the vehicle’s back window.
Flynn rapped his knuckles against the glass. “Aurelia!”
Her eyes popped open. “We’re here?” The glass muffled her voice.
“Yup.” Flynn approached the trunk and opened it, revealing the small cache of weapons they’d brought. As he grabbed two trank guns, Aurelia came up beside him. She seized her twin swords and strapped them on, forming a black X across her back. It looked to Flynn like a set of deadly angel wings.
Knowing they’d probably run into at least a few razorbirds, he reached for a bow.
Aurelia smacked his hand. “No way. Here—use this instead.” She picked up a pistol.
“But you told me the other day that arrows were better, since they stay in a monster and keep them from regenerating.”
“Yeah, but you’re not ready to wield them in combat.” She handed him the pistol. “Guns are easier.”
Knowing she was probably right—his archery skills were rudimentary at best—Flynn stuck the pistol into his belt then picked up a sword. It was the same one he’d used to take down the hellhorn, and he was becoming comfortable with it.
Tamerlane pulled a brown jacket over his forest-green T-shirt. “There’s only about two hundred yards between here and Augustine, since we’re cutting through the woods. If we hurry, we should be able to get there before dark.”
Flynn strapped the sword to his back. “Sunlight doesn’t seem to deter the supernaturals anyway.”
Aurelia slung a bow over her shoulder. “You two got all your bits and pieces?”
Tamerlane held up his wand. “Yup.”
“No fair.” Aurelia slammed the trunk shut. “I wish I could conjure stuff.”
Flynn followed Aurelia and Tamerlane into the trees. He wished he’d also had the foresight to bring a jacket. Although his black shirt had long sleeves, it was hardly enough to keep out the chill. The temperature had been mild enough at the Citadel, but evidently, driving five hours north meant entering colder climates. Then he noticed that Aurelia was wearing her usual black tank top and wondered how she wasn’t freezing.
Shadows stretched across the ground, and what was left of the sun dotted the forest floor with fading yellow light. Ahead, the edges of a brick building jutted through the foliage. Tamerlane stopped by one of the trees and pointed his wand at its thin, scratched trunk. He whispered something under his breath, and a long X appeared on the bark, faintly glowing blue. He was marking a trail for their return journey. Flynn hoped the glow wouldn’t draw any creatures to their location.
They made their way through the trees in silence, and with each step, Flynn felt his muscles grow a little tenser. The Rising was counting on him. He was their last resort. If he failed to get the map…
He shook his head, trying to calm himself. Fear could only slow him down, as Aurelia had told him several times. Still, no matter how he tried to reassure himself, anxiety kept its icy grip around his heart.
By the time he stepped out of the trees and onto the cracked pavement of an Augustine street, the sun had retreated entirely, leaving behind a fading, purplish-blue sky. Empty black windows stared from two-story brick buildings, and shattered glass lay on the ground, glistening under the remnants of the day. Peeling, faded paint still advertised the goods and services of stores that had long ago disappeared. Hinges creaked as doors swung, disturbed by the breeze. There was no sign that anyone else had been here in ages. No light either—not a single glow from any of the abandoned buildings or the tall black streetlamps lining the sidewalks—just the eerie bluish tint from the fast-fading sky.
Recalling the directions he’d memorized the previous day, Flynn turned left and walked down the empty street. Aurelia strode beside him, her eyes alert and darting around, doubtless searching for any signs of trouble. As planned, Tamerlane headed in the opposite direction to set up the diversion.
Aurelia grabbed an arrow from her quiver. She started to raise her bow then stopped. “False alarm.”
Flynn searched the darkening sky but didn’t see anything. After a moment, a black, crow-like creature soared across the rooftops, apparently heading for them. Certain it was a razorbird, he pulled out his pistol, but Aurelia grabbed his wrist.
“Put that away,” she hissed. “Shooting will alert the Sentinels to our position.”
“But—” Flynn broke off as the bird changed directions, disappearing into the woods behind them. Apparently, it hadn’t been a threat after all.
Aurelia released her grip. “Told you it was a false alarm.”
Flynn put the pistol back into his belt, regarding her curiously. “How do you do that? Know when things are coming before they come?”
“I’ve been doing the whole monster-fighting thing all my life, remember?” She stuck her arrow back into the quiver then slung the bow onto her shoulder. “I pick up on things other people don’t.”
That’s amazing. Flynn wondered if, given enough time and training, he’d someday share Aurelia’s uncanny ability to predict trouble. He continued down the dark street, and though he kept his footsteps as light as he could, they seemed horribly loud compared to Aurelia’s.
The sign for Augustine University came into view, barely visible under the crescent moon. Vines grew over the rectangular stone sign, which sat in a bed of flowering weeds. Seeing the wide white sidewalks leading toward tall stone buildings, Flynn imagined what the place must have looked like before the creatures of the Underworld forced everyone to seek shelter in a protected Triumvirate city. Throngs of university students and professors must have crossed
those sidewalks, discussing intellectual matters and seeking new ways to think. The Triumvirs claimed to have saved humanity from the Lord’s wrath, but seeing what remained of a place that once held promises for the future, Flynn wondered if there had really been all that much to save.
He and Aurelia crossed the campus, heading for the library that served as the Archive. An object in the middle of the sidewalk caught his attention—two thin pieces of metal attached at a hinge like a notebook. As he drew closer, he recognized it as a laptop computer—one of the many items on the Triumvirate’s list of banned technologies. He stared at it contemplatively. Long ago, Norm scientists had figured out how to turn a bunch of chemicals and metal bits into a machine that could store and process information. You could tap your fingers on a bunch of buttons and make words appear on a glowing surface, just like the Enchanters could point their wands at a piece of paper and make the words in their heads appear as they thought them—except there had been no magic involved in making the machines, and it saddened him to think about how much knowledge had been lost since the Triumvirs had taken over.
“What is that?” Aurelia nodded at the broken machine.
“Computer,” Flynn said. “Norms used to use them to share ideas around the world. Almost everyone in the former United States had one.”
“No wonder so many got fried when the specters started screwing with electricity.”
“Do you really think tech was banned because of the supernaturals? Or was it because the Triumvirate didn’t want Norms besting Enchanters at anything?”
Aurelia opened her mouth to respond then froze. She removed the bow and quiver and placed them on the ground beside her.
A sense of unease gripped Flynn. Aurelia must have seen or heard something, which meant a creature was lurking. He glanced at her. “What’s—”
“Shh!” Aurelia drew her blades and took a few steps forward, eyes fixed on the building ahead. “Stay here.”
Flynn watched her, wondering what she’d seen. The doorway to the stone building stood open, its wooden door leaning against broken hinges.
“Metal fire.” Aurelia clanged her enchanted swords, and the blades glowed yellow.
A black, panther-like creature with glowing eyes materialized before her in a puff of red smoke, baring its sharp white teeth.
Daggercat. Flynn barely had time to acknowledge the creature’s presence before Aurelia sliced at it. It stood on its rear legs, and knife-sharp claws shot out of its two front paws. The air shook with its unnaturally high-pitched yowl.
Flynn drew his pistol. A bullet between the eyes would end it. But before he could take aim, the daggercat vanished in a cloud of red.
Aurelia spun, holding her two glowing blades out at her sides. “Ooooh, daggercat… La, la, la, where aaare yooou?”
The daggercat reappeared beside her, wisps of red smoke swirling around its muscular black body. She whipped her blades at its neck, but it vanished again before the weapons could meet their target. A second later, it reappeared on her other side. Though she lunged at it so quickly she looked like a blur, the monster once again disappeared before she could strike.
Flynn kept his pistol out in front of him but didn’t dare fire. With the frequency of the creature’s teleporting, a stray shot could hit Aurelia. She and the daggercat moved farther and farther away from him, and he took a few steps closer, hoping the daggercat would stay still a moment so he could get a shot in. The ground in front of him darkened. A chill ran down his spine. Searching for the source of the shadow, he noticed a black cloud passing before the full moon.
Except it wasn’t a cloud.
A flock of shadowhawks—creatures that looked like inky shadows come to life—descended fast. But it wasn’t their hooked beaks or razor-like talons that made them dangerous. They also had the ability to induce hallucinations in their victims, bringing people’s worst nightmares to life.
He shuddered. Though their powers wouldn’t work on him, he was still vulnerable to their physical strength. What was more, if they got too close to Aurelia, they would distract her from her fight with the daggercat and give the monster an opening.
He couldn’t let that happen. She’d always had his back, and now, it was his turn to have hers. He fired into the air, hoping to draw the shadowhawks’ attention. The winged monsters rapidly descended upon him, and the noise of beating wings filled his ears. He didn’t have enough bullets to take them all, so he stuck his pistol back into his belt and grabbed his silver-bladed sword.
Blackness surrounded him, and the creatures’ high-pitched shrieks tore through the night as they swarmed around him. He sliced through the air, taking two down at once. The fallen shadowhawks dissolved into smoke before they hit the ground.
Their sharp beaks scratched at his arms as he continued swinging his sword. Pain shot through him from every direction. His skin stung under their talons, and his body ached under the blows of their wings. He gritted his teeth and reminded himself that he had it easy. He could take a few scrapes and bruises, and their most dangerous power was useless against him. But it was hard to feel like he had any kind of advantage when countless monsters assaulted him from every direction.
He briefly glimpsed the light of glowing blades and menacing red eyes. Aurelia was still combating the daggercat. He had to keep the shadowhawks focused on him. He kept swinging in hopes of wearing down the swarm.
The pecking beaks and beating wings vanished. Flynn lowered his arms, confused. The remaining shadowhawks flew toward Aurelia, who dodged a swipe from the daggercat’s sharp claws.
Flynn dropped the sword and grabbed his pistol. He took aim and fired at the deadly birds. He hit one, which burst into wisps of smoke, but the flock kept flying. He fired a second time, but his shot missed. He was about to try again when he realized the shadowhawks were veering away from Aurelia. They flew into the sky, and he kept his pistol raised and watched until they disappeared into the distance. It wasn’t until the last one had vanished that he allowed himself to believe that he’d actually beaten them back.
But his sense of victory was short-lived. The daggercat’s sudden earsplitting yowl sent him whirling back. Aurelia yanked one of her blades from between its eyes. The creature fell onto its side, but Aurelia’s expression was anything but victorious.
“Dammit, the Sentinels would’ve heard that!” She looked around, alarmed.
Three flashes of gold appeared above—three Sentinels had goldlighted to their location.
Oh, hell. Flynn dropped his pistol and grabbed his trank gun, but before he could fire, the Sentinels vanished. They reappeared in bright flashes, surrounding Flynn and Aurelia with their wands outstretched.
“Drop your weapons,” said one, a woman with a black bun and an unsympathetic glare.
Apparently seeing no way out, Aurelia grimaced, dropped her trank gun, and held up her hands in surrender. Flynn glanced at the three wands aimed at him. Their spells could knock out Aurelia, but they couldn’t harm him.
He grabbed Aurelia’s shoulder and pushed her to the ground. “Stay down!” He fired his trank gun at the nearest Sentinel. It hit him right in the chest, sending him to the ground. Bright-red wand blasts flew at him, singeing his skin. He ignored them and fired at the next Sentinel, who fell as well. When he turned to take down the third, he saw the woman already in the process of falling.
Aurelia sprang up, trank gun in hand, and Flynn realized she’d knocked out the last Sentinel. Her expression relaxed. “Thank you, Tamerlane.”
“Tamerlane?” Flynn knitted his eyebrows in confusion. “What’s he got to do with—”
A loud boom interrupted him. An explosion of blue and green sparks spewed over the rooftops. Gold flashes appeared above the university, and Sentinels flew toward the gushing lights. A second boom tore through the air. Turning, Flynn saw blue and green sparks exploding over the other side of campus.
>
“Get your weapons!” Aurelia exclaimed.
Flynn shoved the trank gun back into its holster, scooped up the pistol he’d dropped, and ran to grab his sword. After sticking both the pistol and the sword back in their places, he turned to Aurelia, who was slinging her bow and quiver onto her shoulders.
“C’mon!” She dashed down the walkway.
Flynn sprinted to catch up to her. They rounded a corner, and the Archive—a wide structure of white stone with towers protruding from the corners—became visible between two brick buildings. Blue and green sparks lit the sky behind it. Tamerlane must have caused a third explosion.
Aurelia held out a hand to stop Flynn. “We should split up once we get inside. The Sentinels will have figured out by now that someone’s after the Archive. Tamerlane’s distraction won’t fool them all, and they can track essences—including mine. You’re Untouchable, which, in this case, also makes you undetectable. I’ll draw their attention while you go after the map. Meet you back here in fifteen. Got it?”
“If they can track you, doesn’t that mean you’ll get caught?” Flynn asked.
Aurelia raised one eyebrow at him in an expression that clearly said, “You’re dumb.” Apparently, she wasn’t going to dignify his question with a response. She sped toward the Archive and flattened herself against the building then gestured for him to follow.
He ran to her and ducked up against the white stone. The Archive’s door was around the corner, and there would undoubtedly be guards. Aurelia held out her hand, tacitly telling him to wait, and inched toward the edge of the wall. She leaped around the corner, vanishing from sight. A man’s cry rang out. Alarmed, Flynn followed.
A patrolman aimed a gun at Aurelia, who swept her left leg at his arm, knocking the weapon from his hand. She planted her foot on the ground then kicked up her right leg and rammed her heel into the man’s stomach. The guard slammed against the wall, and his head banged against the stone. He crumpled to the ground beside a second, already unconscious guard.
