by Ciara Graves
When we passed through a room filled with transports, I stilled. There were numbers above each one designating where they went. Most weren’t in this state. How was this allowed? If anyone with ill intentions, like hybrid mages or Shuval herself, got into this room, we’d be in deep shit.
Rafael nudged me and glanced around. “Saw this the first time I was here,” he said quietly as we fell back from the others. “Apparently this is sanctioned.”
“How?”
“No idea, but I don’t like it either.”
I nearly told him about the key needed to get to Sector 1462 then wondered if that was even needed here. I scoured all the numbers, searching for any hint that there was a transport strictly for that sector, but then we were through the room, and being led up a large set of stone stairs. The living quarters for the mages were on the top floor, near the rear of the building. The further we walked, the more I noticed this structure was far larger on the inside than it was on the outside. It had to take up several city blocks, easily. From the outside, it was a large stone building that took up one lot. I could get lost wandering around these halls.
“Here we are,” Joseph announced, but his words were overshadowed by shouting coming out of a doorway to our right. “This apartment belonged to three mages. Two of them are dead and the third we barely managed to keep alive. He was wounded badly.”
“Is he here?” I asked.
Joseph nodded. “Inside.”
More shouting burst from the room.
Nor growled loudly. “Right, let’s get this over with.”
“Who’s in there?” Rafael pulled Iris aside as Nor entered the apartment.
“Quin Nolan. He’s throwing a fit about the Feds traipsing around his home.” She looked pissed and not at me for once. “Two of his mages are dead, and he’s worried about our messing up their sacred space with our bad hoodoo or something.”
“He’s just going to have to get over it now, isn’t he,” I said.
I smiled at Rafael as he rolled his eyes. I was pretty sure he asked for strength from one god or another, but I was already walking through the doorway and into the massive apartment.
The far wall was completely gone, like it had been blown out, just like mine was. Several robed men stood near Nor, all of them with their faces drawn and pinched in anger. Across the room, two bodies were covered with blankets. Near the door, another mage sat, holding a bandage to his head, as a second mage tended to his wounds. I assumed he was the one who survived the attack.
“You and your people need to get out of here, now,” Quin shouted at Nor. “I will not have them acting as if they own this building. They do not. You have no jurisdiction here.”
“You’re in Sector 21, aren’t you?” Nor challenged. “This is my city, and every sector is under my watch. You follow the same laws as the rest of us. Two of your people are dead, Nolan. If you want me out, the first thing I’m going to do is come back and arrest you.”
“For what?”
“For hindering my investigation. If you kick us out, it’s going to make it look as if you’re covering up their deaths. Everyone will think the mages are responsible for the gargoyles’ arrival. Is that what you want? All that bad publicity?”
“They already have it, as far as I’m concerned,” I chimed in, and they turned to look at me. “What? Just saying Liam Manchester was one of yours. Look at all the shit he started.”
Quin stepped around Nor.
Rafael moved as if to intervene, but I held out my arm. I could handle myself around one mage. Not like he was a hybrid. He might be the leader of the Gathered, but I’d faced down plenty of villains far worse than him.
As soon as he stepped closer though, my eyes widened, and I cursed.
I recognized him. He was at Damian’s the night I failed to retrieve Liam. He was the one who spoke the loudest about my joining them, the bastard. Then, another thought crossed my mind, and my blood ran cold. Would he say my real name? Expose me? His brow twitched, as if he was considering it. He opened his mouth, and I waited for shit to hit the fan.
“If it isn’t Mercy Temple, the bounty hunter,” he said. “I hope you have come because you have decided to see reason.”
I let out a small breath of relief. “You wish.”
His smirk faltered, and he squared his shoulders. “You should be the one getting arrested. She nearly killed three of my mages, Chief Nor. I would assume that also falls under your jurisdiction?”
Nor shrugged. “From what I hear, they threatened her.”
I kept my face blank, but my mind raced. He could only know about two, right? I hadn’t told Rafael about the third until a little while ago. Only Damian had known. I let it go when Quin started talking again.
“They are merely trying to stop her from being a danger to herself and others.”
“Oh, piss off,” I said.
The mages in the room gasped.
Behind me, Rafael huffed.
Whether in agreement or disapproval, I wasn’t sure. Didn’t care either. “I’m not joining you. Ever. I suggest you get that through your thick skull before any more blood is spilled because of your stupidity.”
“You insolent little brat.”
“I’d watch that if I were you,” Rafael warned him. “She’s here with us, and if you insult her again, I would be more than happy to escort you to the Fed building.”
“On what charges?” Quin demanded.
“I’ll think of something. Don’t you worry.”
“Chief, you need to put a muzzle on your demon.”
Rafael gnashed his jaws at Quin.
Nor simply walked toward the dead bodies. “I want to know exactly what happened here. How about we all wait to kill each other afterward, yeah?”
“The dead can’t tell you anything,” Quin said, continuing to look at me.
“You have a surviving mage, yes? Where is he?”
“Here,” I said, walking over to the mage, shooing away the one patching up his wounds.
He was looking at the floor, mumbling under his breath. His eyes were full of fear, but we didn’t have time for him to wait for him to get over what he witnessed. We needed answers.
“Hey,” I snapped my fingers in front of his face.
He jumped with a yelp.
“Up here. Look at me.”
His dark brown eyes met my gaze, and he stilled.
“I know this is hard, but I need you to tell me about the attack. The gargoyles came after you and your friends. Why? What were you doing?”
He shook his head, and his eyes looked around, like he was paranoid. He wasn’t going to tell me anything, but I glanced over my shoulder at Iris and grinned. She could get him to talk especially as messed up as he was at that moment.
“Iris, care to help me out here?”
She joined me without question and crouched in front of the mage as I backed off to give her some room to work.
“It’s okay, I know what just happened was terrifying,” she said softly, her power pulsing with each word, “but I need you to focus on me and only me right now. Can you do that?”
His head immediately turned toward her and her soothing voice.
“I want you to tell me what happened here. What were you doing before the gargoyles attacked?”
He tensed, but then the words tumbled out of his mouth in a mess. “We were doing our experiments like always.” His voice was hoarse like he’d been yelling, probably had been if his attack was anything like what I endured.
“Experiments on what?” I asked Iris quietly.
The mage sighed heavily. “I’ll get in trouble.”
“What were you experimenting on?” Iris’s voice rang with power.
I found myself leaning closer to her. I gave myself a hard shake and called on my own magic to block out the influence of her mesmerizing voice.
“Artifacts,” the mage said.
I had to do everything in my power not to give anything away.
; “What artifacts?” Iris asked without my giving her direction to do so.
“The Phantom Scroll and the Bloodied Idol.”
Shit. Those were two more artifacts on our list that we hadn’t tracked down yet. And this was why. The damned mages had them. How many other artifacts did they have hidden away in these halls?
I glanced at Rafael. He didn’t seem to pick up on those names, or how I reacted. Good. That meant I had some more time at least until everything rushed back to him. I turned my attention to the mage again.
“We were testing their magic,” the mage went on, “then there was this horrible scratching sound on the glass.” He shivered, holding his head as he shouted, “They came through and they… they killed them.”
“Was there anyone else with them?” I whispered to Iris.
She repeated my question.
“No, just the monsters. They came for me, but I’d taken the items and hid them. I don’t know what happened then. They killed them and then it was like they heard a voice. They flew out the window and were gone.”
Iris shut her eyes and stepped away from the mage. “Anything else?” she asked me.
I didn’t even get a chance to say anything when Quin marched across the room and hoisted the man up by his robes. He shook him then slammed him into the wall. “Where are the artifacts?” he raged and did it again.
l I grabbed hold of his arm and yanked them apart.
“You get off me.” Quin raised his hand, eyes glowing with his power.
I was faster with my blade. The sword unfolded right across his throat.
He froze.
“How about we all calm down?”
“He has broken our laws. He must be punished.”
“What are you talking about?” Nor stormed over but didn’t yell at me to lower my blade, so I kept it in place, blocking Quin from getting to the injured mage.
“We are the keepers of sacred artifacts. Keepers only,” Quin said, his gaze not leaving my face. “If they were using their magic on them, using them at all, it is a direct violation of our laws.”
They’d been using the artifacts when the gargoyles attacked. My fingers readjusted on the hilt of the sword. Rafael said Sherwood acted strangely when he was asked about his work. He claimed he’d been working here, but if his work was against mage laws…
“Where’s Greg Sherwood?”
“What do you want him for?” Quin made to move.
I clicked my tongue and moved closer with the blade.
“If you require him, I’ll bring him to you.” Joseph hurried out of the room.
“Mercy, what’s going on?”
“The artifacts,” I told Rafael, “I think they have something to do with why the gargoyles are attacking.” I threw a look over my shoulder at the trembling mage. “You said you hid them. Go get them. Now.”
“Those artifacts belong here. With us,” Quin shouted as the mage took off.
“If they’re involved in this crime, they will be coming with us,” Nor argued.
“You can’t.”
“Actually, you’ll find that I can.”
That’s not what I wanted to hear. I needed to get those artifacts to Bowen, so he could lock them away in his vault. Shuval and her hybrids couldn’t get their hands on them. Not that I didn’t trust the Feds, but I had little faith in those items remaining in their evidence locker for very long. Shuval’s minions would get to them one way or another, and potentially kill a few innocents on the way.
I added stealing the artifacts to my to-do list.
Rafael stepped closer, a calculating look I did not like in his eyes, but I was saved from answering any questions when Joseph returned with Greg in tow.
“You,” I said, removing my blade from Quin and aiming it at Greg. “Time to come clean. Does your work have anything to do with an artifact? One you had at your apartment at any time?”
His wide-eyed look was all I needed to see to know the answer was yes.
“What have you gotten yourselves into?” Quin glowered at Greg. “Explain yourself.”
Greg cowered under his leader’s glare, then his spine stiffened, and he stood up straighter. “Do you have any idea how much power is held in those artifacts?”
“I do. Which is why we’re meant to protect them. Not to use them.”
For about a minute, I felt sorry for Quin. Learning his mages broke their own laws and brought this shit down on all our heads. But then I remembered what he’d put me through the last few days, and my sympathy disappeared.
“Your act of taking them from our vault has led those monsters to us. You let their power be known, and now two of our number are dead, while countless more innocents have been injured. All because of your stupidity.”
Sherwood’s fear vanished, and he lunged at Quin.
I barely moved my sword in time, so he didn’t cut himself open.
Rafael grabbed him by his shoulders and shoved him into the waiting hands of two more Feds.
“Where is the artifact you stole?” Quin strode right up to Sherwood but didn’t touch him. “Where is it?”
“Here. After the attack, I brought it back here with me.”
“Then you were there the night of the attack,” Rafael said slowly. “You lied to everyone.”
“I couldn’t let you confiscate it, not when I’m so close to unlocking its true potential. The Doomcaster could be used for greatness if you’d just give me a chance to prove it.”
Quin shook his head, disgusted. “He is all yours, Chief Nor. Take him. Take them both. They are no longer members of the Gathered.”
The injured mage returned with a bag in hand. He handed it over to Rafael, then was led out of the room without a fight.
Quin looked like he was about to lose what little control he had on his temper. “I will have the third artifact found, and all three will be locked back in our vault here.”
“I’m afraid I need to take them for our case.”
“What for? You know the artifacts are the reasons the gargoyles have been summoned.”
“Yes, and we still don’t know by who or what. Or even why. I’m sorry, but until these gargoyles are taken care of, they will remain in our possession. Clearly, the security you have around them is not as impenetrable as you thought.”
Quin’s jaw dropped. “Are you suggesting I cannot take care of my own house?”
“I’m saying you allowed these artifacts to remain in your possession unbeknownst to any government organization. If what these mages say is true and they have untold power within them, if they’d fallen into the hands of whoever summoned these gargoyles, we could be looking at a higher body count. Or worse.”
Oh, it could be much worse alright, but I kept that bit to myself.
“You will hand them over to me until the gargoyles are hunted down and destroyed. And until I know who brought them here in the first place. Do you understand me? Or should I have you taken to the Fed building as well and hold you there until this is all cleared up?” Nor towered over Quin as he stalked toward the mage. “Do I make myself clear, mage? You have put everyone’s lives in danger here. Everyone’s.”
“You can’t do this to me.”
“You know the world you live in. Magic comes with a cost, and this is it.”
“Sir, he’s right,” Joseph spoke up, not flinching at all when Quin turned his furious gaze to him. “We were wrong to assume we could keep such items safe. The temptation to use them is too much for some of our kind. They must be removed from these premises.”
Quin straightened his robes, turned on his heel, and walked toward the door. “I will have the Doomcaster found and brought to you. Do not ask me for any further help in this matter. You and your people are on your own.” He started to step out, then stopped and came back to me. “You can consider your invitation to join us as rescinded. Permanently. No mage who is part of the Gathered will ever have anything to do with you.”
“Such a pity,” I replied, smirking when hi
s own smug smile faltered. “What? You thought that would bother me?” I lowered my voice so only he could hear. “Two hybrids came from your precious mages. If I find more, if I learn that you have anything to do with how they came about, these gargoyles will be the least of your worries.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a threat, alright. One that should keep you up at night. You might be the leader of the Gathered, but I’m the daughter of Eamon Edge. You all haven’t seen anything yet.”
His brow twitched, but he backed off and left the room, yelling for the rest of the mages to join him. They did, all except Joseph Sycamore.
“Why are you staying behind?” I asked.
“Because there is much work left to be done. I will ensure the third artifact is brought to you, Chief Nor. But might I suggest you don’t lock them away just yet?”
“Why the hell not?”
“The gargoyles are at large. You need something to draw them out. A trap using these might not be such a bad idea.”
Rafael eyed me.
I was anxious to get out of there away from his accusing look.
“I do not want to risk these items being out in the open. Anything could go wrong.”
Joseph nodded. “It’s true. However, you don’t have to have the items there. These artifacts are powerful. They leave behind traces of magic that can take days, weeks to wear off.”
Rafael’s hand tightened around the bag.
I knew exactly where his mind went.
“If we merely bring them to a place, let the magic taint it for say an hour at most, you can take them to a secure and warded vault. They will come to where they feel the magic is the strongest. At least that is what I would assume, judging by what has happened so far.”
“Rafael? Mercy? What do you think?”
I wasn’t surprised to hear him ask Rafael’s opinion, but what would he want with mine?
“I’m just along for the ride,” I told him, holding up my hands.
“If we do this, we have to be ready for them,” Rafael said, his voice tinged with anger, but not for the gargoyles. He was angry at me again. Surprise. “Bullets don’t do anything to them. Mercy was only able to decapitate one with great effort. The ones after that she chased away with her magic. But they lived.”
