by Linsey Hall
I climbed into the car. Aidan could say goodbye to Mathias. I needed to close myself off from these Shifters.
Matthias joined us ten minutes later, his arms laden with bags and a cooler. He handed them off to Aidan, who loaded them into the trunk.
Mathias loomed outside the car door, so I opened it. There was a fine line between protecting myself from Shifters sensing my magic and hiding out like a hermit.
“Thanks for the stuff,” I said, itching to get out of here.
“Thank you for doing this,” Matthias said.
“Can’t say no to a missing kid.”
He nodded and I shut the door. Through the window, I watched Aidan shake Matthias’s hand. Then he climbed in and cranked the engine.
Aidan didn’t speak as we drove out of the compound and through the gate. My shoulders were tensely bunched muscles until we were a few hundred yards away. Even then, relaxation didn’t come easily.
“You know where she is?” Aidan finally asked.
“Yes. Fairly close. Within two hours. Somewhere in the mountains north of here. I’m close enough that I should be getting a more localized feeling of where she is, but it’s scattered.”
“Magic?”
“Probably. This girl sounds like she’s valuable. Not to mention the Heartstone. Whoever stole her is going to be taking precautions. Let’s get closer and I should get a better feel for it.” At least, that’s how it normally worked. It wasn’t an exact science, that was for sure. Just intuition. A feeling that was never wrong.
We drove in silence, the desolate mountains rolling past. My stomach churned at the thought of how Amara must feel. I didn’t have specific memories of my childhood—just the one nightmare I’d had last week. But it wasn’t a stretch to think that Amara might be locked up in a dungeon like I had been.
“Why aren’t you on the Alpha Council?” I asked when thinking about Amara became too much. “You were clearly the most powerful one there.”
“Yeah, but that’s part of the problem. The Alpha Council is about equality. They make decisions together. Elenora leads formal sessions, but she’s not in charge. I’d create unbalance.”
There was something in his voice that I couldn’t pinpoint, but it definitely sounded off. “Yeah, I guess I can see that. But you don’t want to be on it?”
“Not really.” His fists tightened on the wheel, knuckles standing out white. “I like my life, and I’ve got enough responsibility with Origin Enterprises. And trust me—they don’t want me there.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me.” I could hear it in his voice. There was a darkness to it when he talked about not being wanted. And the way Angus had spoken about him…
“And there’s plenty you haven’t told me.”
That shut me up fast. He was right. Hadn’t he said it earlier? We all had secrets. Bad stuff about us, as he’d put it. Was his estrangement from the Alpha Council one of his?
My dragon sense pulled hard then. We were close.
I pointed to a turn in the road. “Turn there.”
Aidan turned the Range Rover onto the gravel road. A sheep scampered out of the way, charging up the mountain on the left. The sun was beginning to set, sending orange light over the hills and valleys.
“We’re close. I can feel it.” I reached down and ran my hand over the knife at my thigh.
“Magic, Cass,” Aidan said.
“I can use both.” I squinted ahead, looking for something out of the ordinary. The desolate peaks and valleys of the Highlands stretched out before me, cut through by the tiny gravel road we traveled.
“What the hell is that?” Aidan asked, pointing ahead of us about a hundred yards.
The structure was so well hidden that it took me a while to find it. Not only did the brown stone wall blend in with the mountain behind it, but magic had been used to help conceal it. A human would never have noticed it.
The structure was built into the mountainside, using the mountain itself for walls and part of the roof. But the distinctive domed top protruded just enough to make my heart sink.
“Shit,” I said. “Stop the car.”
Aidan pulled to a halt.
“That’s it ahead, but we need to approach on foot,” I said. We were about as close as we were going to get in the car anyway. “I have a feeling this is going to be a problem.”
“Her abductor didn’t take her far.”
“No. He must not have a transport charm.” I used them occasionally, but they were damned hard to come by. “And even if they did, this is a good place to hide out. If it’s what I think it is, it’s very protected.”
I climbed out of the car. Sharp wind cut through my leather jacket. I shivered. Even in summer, the Highlands were chilly. And night was falling. Sunset would come any second now.
We made our way silently up the mountain, careful not to let rocks slide beneath our feet. When I neared the flat wall that protruded from the mountainside, the electric zip of protective magic streaked across my skin. It prickled uncomfortably, warning me away.
“Strong magic,” Aidan muttered.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “The ancients who built this were good with protective spells.”
My gaze roved over the stone wall. I could see no door or hidden entry. Just a flat expanse of stone blocks. I skirted around it and gestured to Aidan to follow me. I scrambled up the last bit of the mountain toward the dome at the top, trying to keep my footing on the steepest bit.
I reached the edge of the dome. Because we were standing above the main part of the temple, the magic was even stronger here. Tiny electric shocks skittered all over my skin. If we screwed with this kind of magic or tried to break in, the protective spells would put up a hell of a fight. Might even collapse the temple, sealing in its contents.
And Amara.
Damn, it was getting dark. I glanced back over my shoulder to see that the sun had disappeared beneath the mountains. We needed to make this quick.
I turned back to the dome. There was enough light to see that the great stone blocks were fitted carefully together to form the gracefully curved shape, a feat of ancient engineering that impressed even me. Stone blocks of a darker shade of brown spelled out Camhanaich.
Dawn in ancient Scots Gaelic. I couldn’t speak the language, but I’d raided two Dawn Temples before, so I recognized the shape of the word even if I couldn’t speak the language.
Disappointment pierced me, sharp and bitter, and my shoulders sagged.
I wanted to stomp my feet and scream my frustration to the night, but I didn’t want to alert whoever was inside the temple. They probably wouldn’t hear me through all the rock, but better safe than sorry.
“We gotta get out of here,” I whispered. “Back to the car.”
“We can’t just leave her.”
My heart twisted at the idea of the little girl trapped in the temple. “I know, damn it. Just trust me for now.”
We made our way down the mountain, careful to keep our steps quiet. When we slipped back into the car, Aidan turned to me.
“What the hell was that?” he asked.
“That was a Dawn Temple.”
“A what?”
“It’s locked until dawn. And I mean locked. Those enchantments are serious. I didn’t want whoever was in there to hear us talking, though it was unlikely.”
“What’s a Dawn Temple?”
“They were built thousands of years ago by a group of Magica who worshipped the sun. You know how human archaeological sites like the Mayan pyramids are built to allow the sun’s rays into a special chamber at the solstice?”
“Yeah. This does that too?”
“Worse. These temples were built as places of worship. Like many religions, they had holy relics they wanted to protect. I’ve raided a couple. They took a page out of the humans’ book—or vise versa, I don’t know—and made it so that these temples will use the sun’s rays to trigger a spell that lowers the protection spells at dawn so that it
can be entered.”
I pointed to the flat stone wall we’d passed that had looked like it had no door. “That’s the entrance. It’s the only part of the temple that’s not made of mountain, besides the dome at the top. We’ll still have to figure out how exactly to get in because I don’t see a normal door, but at least we’ll have a shot once the protections are lowered.””
He nodded. “And the dome is the part that catches the sun’s light. That’s why it says ‘Dawn.’ It triggers a spell.”
“Yep. You speak Scots Gaelic?”
“Yes.”
“Talented.”
“You have no idea.”
“And cocky.”
“It’s not cocky if it’s true.” His grave gaze turned back to the temple. “So you’re saying we can’t get in until dawn.”
“Right. It’s impenetrable. The protective spells are too strong.”
“I felt that. I might be able to blow through the top. Or move the rock somehow.”
“Possibly, but whoever built this took Elemental Mages into account. Even if you could get in, it wouldn’t be without a big mess. It’d alert whoever is inside. If they have a transport charm, they could run with Amara. Or hurt her.”
“Agreed. The risk is too great. They don’t want to kill her because they need her. So we’ll come back tomorrow at dawn and sneak in.”
“Yeah. We’ll still have to figure out how to get in, but the worst of the protective magic should be dropped.”
“Once we’re in, we won’t be able to get out until the next dawn, right?”
“Depends on the spell. Most of the time, they just wanted to keep people out. We won’t know until we get in if we’re going to have to wait till the next dawn to leave.”
“We’ll deal with it then. In the meantime, we need to find a place to stay the night. Close enough that it’s easy to get back here early.”
“I’m not going back to Glencarrough.” I shivered. We hadn’t driven past any towns between here and the stronghold, but no way I’d go back there. We’d have to find something. “What’s near here?”
His shoulders tightened and his knuckles turned white where he gripped the wheel. I could almost feel his tension.
He sighed. “I know a place nearby. No one will bother us there.”
He started the engine, then did a three-point turn on the little road.
“But you don’t want to go there,” I said. “Why?”
“Not particularly, but it’s safe and close. That’s more than we can say for anything else around here. It’d be stupid not to take advantage.”
I frowned when he didn’t answer the why in my question, but dropped it. “Okay.”
About thirty minutes later, Aidan pulled the Range Rover onto an even smaller gravel road. A sharp zing of protective spells zipped through me, like a thousand pricks of a pin. I wanted to turn back immediately, which was no doubt the purpose of the spell.
“Ouch. You weren’t kidding about this place being protected.” The way the magic pricked against my skin was enough warning to stay away.
I glanced at him. His brow was furrowed and his fists gripped around the wheel. “You feel it too? Aren’t they your protection spells?”
If so, he should be exempt. Like how I could enter Ancient Magic when it was locked up, but other people couldn’t.
“They aren’t my spells,” he said. “They’re old. About twenty years. But they were made to allow me to enter. If they weren’t, they’d have knocked me and you on our asses about a hundred yards ago. They’re just so strong that they even affect people who are allowed to be here. It’ll pass.”
Weird. I’d never heard of protection spells that strong. From what I could feel, it was like an invisible force field that repelled anyone who wasn’t Aidan or his invited guest. That took a lot of magic. Considering how swank his place in Ireland was, I couldn’t wait to see this place. Must be a castle.
The car slowed as we reached a collection of small buildings. Though it was dark, the moon was full enough that I could make out the stone structures with thatched roofs. They were tiny and run down. When Aidan pulled the car to a halt in front of the largest building and got out, I frowned.
This was the place those badass protection spells were guarding? It was a hovel compared to his house in Ireland. It was a hovel compared to pretty much any house. Whoever had owned this place didn’t have a lot of money, so why had they spent such a massive amount on protection spells? Spells this strong usually took a few Magica to create. They’d be pricey.
Aidan got out of the car and I followed.
The chill night air hit me. I wrapped my arms around myself. “What is this place?”
Aidan grabbed the bags from the trunk and headed toward the front door.
“Aidan? Did you hear me?” I ran to catch up.
“Yeah.” His voice was gruff. “Sorry, mind wandered. It’s just a place I own.”
He stepped onto the stoop and ran his hand along the perimeter of the wooden door, no doubt unlocking another protection spell. When he removed his hand, some of the prickling on my skin dissipated, like the spell had deactivated. It was now almost comfortable to be here.
Almost.
Aidan pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped over the threshold. He waved a hand and a few lanterns burst into flame, sending a dim glow around the small cottage.
“Being an Elemental Mage sure is handy,” I said absently as I took in the room.
He grunted and walked to the rustic kitchen in the corner and put the bags on the small counter. I couldn’t see a microwave or anything modern like that, but there was an ancient fridge, and the rest of the space was equally old-fashioned. There was a tiny living room with no TV and a dining nook with a sturdy oak table.
“So this isn’t your hunting lodge?” I asked. It was the only thing I could think of for a place as remote as this, but I couldn’t imagine a guy like Aidan here. He was rich as hell and this place wasn’t charming rustic. It was just rustic rustic.
Added to that, he really didn’t seem happy to be here. His shoulders were tense, and he wasn’t usually so silent. Worse, his magic felt more chaotic, like he had less control of it. The sound of crashing ocean waves that I usually associated with his magic but didn’t often hear was thunderous. And his magic’s forest scent was stronger than ever, like a rainstorm had stirred up the evergreen.
“No,” he said. “I’m going to go get some firewood.”
Bemused, I watched him stomp out the door.
Very weird.
I touched the silver charm at my neck, using my magic to ignite its spell. I had a cellphone, but international fees were a bitch, so I preferred using my comms charm to get in touch with my deirfiúr when on jobs.
“Nix?” I said. “Del?”
There was a crackle and rustle, then Del’s voice came through. “Hey! How’s it going? What’s the job? Are we rich yet?”
I almost laughed, but the thought of Amara crushed it.
“Cass? Del?” Nix’s voice came through clearly.
“Hi, Nix,” I said as I walked to the sunken couch and sat.
“Hey. How are you? Are you being safe?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the job?” Del asked.
“Is it dangerous?” Nix added.
My voice caught in my throat. “It’s a little girl named Amara. She was stolen from the Alpha Council stronghold.”
There was silence at the other end.
“Shiiit,” Del finally breathed.
“That sucks.”
I told them all about the Heartstone and Amara’s role in tending it. “And I’ve found her. I just can’t get to her until tomorrow morning when the protections around the Dawn Temple drop.”
“Damn. But at least they need her alive so that she can tend the stone, right?” Nix asked.
“Yeah.” It was the only thought keeping me going, honestly.
“Where are you now?” Del asked.
; “Some weird, ramshackle cabin that Aidan owns. But it’s surrounded by more protection spells than even his estate in Ireland. But it’s a dump. It totally doesn’t fit with his lifestyle of private planes and estates. Honestly, it’s more our speed.”
Until we’d settled in Magic’s Bend and started making some decent money off of Ancient Magic, we’d stayed in a lot of places like this. Hell, this was nice compared to the barns and abandoned shacks we’d lived in our first couple years on the run.
I glanced down at the little wooden table next to the couch. My eye caught on a carving. I leaned closer.
Aidan.
The name was scratched in awkwardly, as if by a child.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.
“What?” Nix demanded.
“His name is scratched into the table. I think he grew up here.”
“Weird. So he didn’t come from money.”
“No. He made it himself. He told me that much before. But he never mentioned he grew up like this.” The prickle of the protection spells that affected even him popped into my mind. “It’s not the poverty. It’s the protection spells I’m weirded out by.”
“Yeah, that’s strange,” Nix said. “Ask him about it.”
“Yeah, I will.”
“By the way,” Del said. “That scroll is still sitting in your trove, right? Along with the Chalice of Youth.”
“Yeah.” I knew I needed to find a safe place for the two dangerous items I’d recovered on the job I’d done with Aidan last week. “But if he gets the scroll, he can read it and find out that you and Nix are FireSouls as well.”
It was one of the big reasons I didn’t want to give it to him.
“I know,” Del said. “But if we trust him with your life, we trust him with ours. You know he’s the best person to take care of the scroll. He could lock them up in some super vault he probably has.”
True. It was literally Aidan’s job to protect stuff. But still, Del was always the least wary of us.
“I don’t know, Del. Your life is more valuable to me than my own. And Nix’s. I’ve got a lot to lose here, so I’m wary. There’s so much I don’t know about him. He’s too good to be true, right?”
“That house doesn’t sound too good to be true,” Nix said. “Talk to him some more. Learn about him.”
