by Jayne Faith
I walked past them to a bathroom stall, where I popped into the living realm. I waited until the sounds of voices and movement died away, and then stole out of the stall to the racks. Quickly flipping through the uniforms, I took two of different sizes, just to cover my bases. Back in the bathroom stall, I pulled on the uniforms over my clothes. Fortunately, they were cut in a roomy style similar to the garb I’d seen on the news in clips of marines deployed to desert areas. These uniforms were medium gray instead of khaki.
I couldn’t button and zip everything, but I didn’t think it would matter. Things I wore or carried in pockets seemed to move just fine from the living realm, through the in-between, and back again, but I couldn’t carry objects in my hands in my transitions between realms.
I had to wait while a few women came in and out, and when it was quiet once again, I filled one of the sinks, faded to the in-between with my triple layered clothing, and used the trick of the water to get back to Rogan’s. There, I peeled off the uniforms and folded them into a pile. Then I called Deb.
“How would you and the other witches like to be in charge of Evan’s getaway car?” I asked.
“Of course we will,” she said almost before I’d even stopped speaking.
“You could get in a whole lot of trouble. Not to mention, you know, die at the hands of the mages.”
Part of me really wanted her to back out. But I knew she wouldn’t. And I knew I couldn’t save Evan without her.
She scoffed. “Is that the best you’ve got? Walk in the park.”
A faint smile almost stretched my lips, but it was too serious. I couldn’t joke around.
“I’m going to steal a Supernatural Forces truck,” I said. “I’ll call you later tonight and let you know where to find the truck and what to do, okay?”
“Got it,” she said. “We’re going to stop them, Ella. We are.”
“Okay,” was all I could manage.
“Love you.”
“Love you, too,” I echoed.
I waited until well after sundown, put on all the clothes again, and then went downtown via the in-between. Getting the truck out turned out to be a fairly simple matter. Like before, I walked into the parking garage. Loki and I found a truck for the taking on the second floor, and we hopped up on the hood and shimmied through the pane-less windshield and into the cab. Then I transitioned back to the realm of the living.
I had a few minutes before a fresh shift of soldiers would head out from headquarters toward the rip. I started the engine. Loki appeared on the seat next to me, looking at me expectantly with his tongue out.
Two trucks came growling down from upper levels, and I waited until they’d gone by before pulling out and quickly catching up. The windows were so darkly tinted and the garage so dim, there was no way the soldiers could identify me. No one tried to stop us as the three trucks rolled out. I purposely slowed, letting the other two go through a light. Stopped at a red, I waited until the trucks were out of sight and then put on my signal.
I hadn’t been sure where to hide the truck until a I had a stroke of genius earlier in the day. Lynnette’s garage. I had the code from previous functions at her house. If she were there, she wouldn’t dare come out and try to stop me from parking the truck. And if she’d fled, I didn’t have to worry anyway. Either way, if someone happened to find it, the stolen truck wouldn’t get traced back to me.
When I got to Lynnette’s Victorian style house and went around to the alley where the garage entrance was, I found her white SUV was gone. I pulled in, killed the engine, and then peeled off the uniform clothing and left it in the front seat.
I stood outside with Loki for a moment looking into Lynnette’s courtyard, where I’d taken the oath to join the coven. I watched the windows, thinking perhaps she was hiding out in there somewhere even though her car was gone. But there was no flicker of movement. The house even felt silent and empty, somehow. Maybe she would sell it and slip away to some other place where she could once again start gathering admirers and collecting power.
Loki and I ghosted back to Rogan’s, where I called Deb and told her where the truck was.
“If you and the other witches can use collective magic to your advantage, do it,” I said. “But I don’t think I’ll be able to join in. I’ll have to disappear into the in-between as soon as I get Evan away from the mages.”
“I expected as much,” Deb said.
“I’m going to check on the rip site and see if there’s any sign of the Steins,” I said. “If you all can gather somewhere, that might be best. You’re going to have to move out really fast as soon as something pops at the rip.”
“I’ve got a plan, don’t worry,” she said. “Just do what you need to do.”
“Okay, we’ll talk soon.”
We hung up.
We didn’t know the exact timing of the conflux. It could happen after about three in the morning or any time until about midnight the following night. I expected the mages would want to use the cover of darkness rather than try to carry out their plan in broad daylight. Or maybe that wasn’t the sort of thing that mattered to them. The Steins were supremely entitled. They probably wouldn’t feel the need to hide.
I found a long, heavy jacket of Logan’s, put it on, and then used the in-between to go to the puddle in the ravine just beyond the restricted zone of the Boise Rip. Loki and I hiked up to a ridge, and I wrapped the coat tightly around me and sat down on the packed dirt facing the rip. He sat next to me, alert like a sentry.
I had no idea what to expect. Would the Steins float down like angels from the sky with Evan? Would they have gotten permission to come onto the site and arrive with a Supernatural Forces escort?
I nearly nodded off as the cold and lack of activity at the site began to lull me. A soft whine from Loki sharpened my attention. Someone had arrived. On another ridge outside the restricted zone, a van had pulled up. Two people had gotten out, and they were maneuvering equipment around.
I used my necro senses to catch one of my circling demon spies and send it over to the newcomers. Through its eyes, I saw that it was a news van and two men were setting up what looked like broadcasting equipment.
My heart punched against my ribcage. It was starting. And it looked like the mages wanted the world to see the whole thing.
Chapter 24
ANOTHER VAN SHOWED up shortly after the first. And then three more.
By the neon blue light of the rip, I watched the armored vehicles below, still tracing their patrol circles around the perimeter of the site. Would the mages force the soldiers to clear out? Unlikely. Supernatural Forces was there to help protect the public from ripspawn. They didn’t report to the Order of Mages. Plus, the mages would want everything to look above-board. They’d allow the soldiers to remain and continue securing the site, and probably wanted the guards there so their lofty mage minds didn’t have to get distracted by keeping the riffraff off the site.
But the mages wanted it all captured and broadcast. They intended to put on a show.
I pulled out Rogan’s phone and called Deb.
“The mages aren’t here yet, but something’s happening,” I said. “News crews have arrived. I think you guys better get into position. Wait until the mages arrive, though. I think we’ll have time while they stage their play. If you can join some other trucks coming onto the site, do that. If not, just roll in like you belong.”
“How close should we try to get?” Deb asked.
“The closer the better,” I said. “But hang back enough so you don’t stick out.”
“We haven’t talked about where we should take Evan,” Deb said.
“Yeah, I know. I’ve been thinking about that. There’s really no place to hide. I think you should take him straight to Supernatural Crimes headquarters. Tell Lagatuda what’s going on and beg for help. That’s all I can think of.”
“It’ll work. He’ll listen. He’ll help us,” she said, her voice strained with tension.
I w
inced, hating that I was causing her so much stress. She should be in bed asleep, not getting ready for some insane rescue mission in a stolen truck.
“I’ll do my best to hold them off,” I said. “And if I get the chance, I’ll tell Evan to run like hell to you.”
“We’ll get him to safety, Ella,” she said. “It’s going to be okay.”
“It’ll take a miracle. No matter what, just . . . um—” My voice wavered, and I had to stop. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Just . . . Promise me you’ll wear a seat belt.”
“I promise.” I could hear the faintest of smiles in her voice.
We ended the call, and I pushed Rogan’s big coat off me, so I’d be unencumbered when I needed to move. I stuffed the phone in the pocket of my cropped leather jacket. My chain whip, heavy in its pouch on my belt, rattled faintly as I moved, as if a reminder that it was there for my use.
I watched as the activity picked up below, but I didn’t dare try to go any closer. Nearly an hour went by, and I started to wonder if this was all just staging for the next day or night. But then the black town cars began to roll in.
Part of me had expected the mages to arrive in some dramatic, otherworldly fashion. They didn’t, though. The cars pulled into a neat row, like dark bricks lined up side-by-side. Doors opened, and people began stepping out. Even from such a distance and with only the light of the rip to illuminate the scene, I spotted Damien right away.
My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t see Evan anywhere, though. Where were they hiding him?
Keeping low, I moved back over the ridge, so I’d be completely out of sight if anyone happened to look my way. A small flock of minor demons came through the rip, and I caught the mind of one. I kept it flying with the others, waiting for when the flock split up as they usually did. For a few seconds, I was lost in the sensation of flapping wings and cold wind streaming past. Then the flock began to break up, and I turned my demon back in the direction of the rip.
Swooping it low over the surrounding hills, I steered the demon past the news vans and down into the natural depression of the restricted area. More equipment was being unloaded down there, but it didn’t look like weaponry.
When my phone buzzed against my ribs, I nearly shrieked. I fumbled to answer it while still keeping control of the demon.
“Hey, the news coverage has started,” Deb said. “No live stuff yet, but they’re gearing up for it.”
“The mages just arrived,” I told her. “Damien’s there, but I don’t see Evan.”
“They’re playing another fake interview with Evan right now. He’s, oh god, he’s talking about how he’ll go into the rip, and how he knows the risk is great. He said . . . he said he knows he may not make it out of this alive, but that’s okay. It’s worth the sacrifice.”
My anger flared. The mages really were setting up my brother as a martyr, a tragic hero for the ages. A modern sacrifice on the cross for the salvation of humanity.
“It’s time,” I said. “I’ll call if there’s anything else I can tell you that might help.”
“Okay, we’re leaving now.”
The call went dead, but I didn’t have time to feel anxious about Deb. Another car had just arrived. I watched as I caught another minor demon and sent it in the direction of Lynnette’s so I could track the progress of the stolen truck as Deb and the witches made their way here.
My breath hitched as I watched my brother step out of the car that had just pulled up. He stood there with Damien’s brother, the one with the death magic who’d yanked me out of the in-between. Damien’s brother was so close to Evan that their arms touched. They walked unnaturally close to each other toward the Steins and a couple dozen other mages who’d come for the conflux.
The brother must have been controlling Evan somehow, requiring the proximity or maybe even constant contact. Good. If he had to focus on my brother, he wouldn’t be able to interfere with me moving between realms.
Spotlights popped on down below. Activity by the news vans picked up and lights went on there, too, as anchors began filming their introductions to the scene. There were a couple dozen vans lined up, and through the eyes of my demon spy, I recognized logos from national news channels. I even recognized the faces of many of the anchors.
The rip pulsed dramatically, as if somehow aware of all the attention focused on the area.
There were no helicopters, and I couldn’t see any news people down below. The mages wanted the coverage, but they didn’t want any interference. Or maybe Supernatural Forces had ordered media to stay back. Regardless, there were plenty of eyes on the scene, and I suspected that everyone in the U.S.—maybe the world—was tuned into the live feed coming from the area.
My eyes were glued to my brother. Part of me wanted so badly to pop into the in-between, ghost down there and rip Evan from the mages’ grasp, and race away with him. But Deb and the witches weren’t there yet.
I checked in with the progress of the stolen truck. Deb and the others were maybe fifteen minutes away, still. I was antsy, but not too worried. The mages were still milling around. We probably had hours before anything happened.
But just as I started to tell myself the timing would be fine, they started to move toward the rip. Loki whined at my side.
“Easy, boy,” I whispered.
Evan was toward the front of the procession of mages. Damien’s brother held onto Evan’s arm. Damien’s parents walked first. And my old partner stood at Evan’s other side.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw more shifting around among the media. They were scrambling. Maybe they hadn’t expected any action yet, either.
The mages gathered in a semi-circle about fifty feet from the base of the rip.
Suddenly, I felt and heard a low rumbling vibration under my feet. I swiveled around but then realized it was coming from deep in the earth. The mages were already tapping into the power of the ley lines that ran through the hills.
Oh, shit. They were going to do it now.
The mages began to glow as if their skin emitted soft white light. Lightning crackled overhead, arcing down from high above and striking the ground between the mages and the rip. More bolts rained down around them. The air was filling with magic so thick with power I could almost breathe it in.
Damien’s brother towed Evan up closer to the rip, left him there, and returned to the other mages. White magic began streaming from the mages and forming a nebulous cloud that crept toward Evan.
I couldn’t wait. I faded into the in-between. In the realm of souls and mist, I leapt from the ridge and ran. I couldn’t see the mages or my brother, but I knew where they were. As I ran, I felt for the ley lines of the in-between and drew their silvery power, pulling it until I thought I would explode.
Then, going against the natures of both realms, I materialized back in the land of the living, dragging the in-between power with me.
I’d never drawn so much of the death magic. It surged through me, pounding through my living body, punishing me with exquisite pain for trying to force the power to move where it didn’t belong.
The mages were ahead of me with their backs turned. They were completely focused on my brother. He was surrounded in a cloud of milky white magic that lifted him off the ground. They were going to shove him up there, into the rip, and hold him there while they streamed magic into him and through him until he died.
Rage spilled through me like a flash flood. I must have screamed because a couple of the mages turned. Damien was one of them. His eyes widened when he saw me.
I felt blood running from my nose, and I smiled grimly as the world went red. Still holding the silver magic of the in-between, I drew huge gulping waves of blood magic. I wanted to die, it hurt so much. But the fury within me and my helpless brother in my sights fueled me.
I hurled the crimson magic at the mages. It hit them like a tidal wave, and on contact their skin began to blister and bleed. They shrieked in agony. I took the opening and streamed silver magic at
them in bright pulsing bombs. The first I aimed at Sheila. She was clawing at her eyes with bloody nails and didn’t even see it coming. The silver blast hit her, and she toppled over and went still. I hadn’t destroyed her soul completely, but I’d delivered a serious blow. I hurled more in-between magic and more mages collapsed, but I was running down. I couldn’t draw much more without blacking out. My nose gushed warm fluid, and my head pounded a hard, agonizing warning. I knew what it meant. I was on the brink. Much more, and there’d be no healing, no coming back.
But they’d released their hold on Evan. He crashed to the dirt in a heap, unmoving. I raced to him and gathered him up in my arms. I didn’t have the strength to carry him, though.
“Evan, wake up!” I screamed at his slack face.
Where were Deb and the witches? Close. They were almost there.
I had to try. I had to try to get him out. I slid my arms under his armpits and began stumbling backward, dragging him.
The mages were either still or writhing around in the agony of my blood magic. It wouldn’t last, though. I had to hurry. My head swam, and black spots blotched my vision. I had to release my magic, or I’d pass out.
All I could think of was getting Evan away from the Steins. But my legs shook. I could barely stand.
There were shouts. Soldiers running. At first I thought they were coming for me. But they were looking past me. Then I felt the magic flare from the rip. Something huge flew overhead, low enough to stir up wind with its wings. An arch-demon. I looked up. Two more of them came through the rip.
I stumbled. Movement on the ground drew my eyes. The blood magic was dissipating. The mages were getting to their feet. Damien had me in his sights.
“No,” I breathed. “No, you can’t have him.”
My former partner and friend walked toward me, and as I watched him move, it was as if the world had slowed down. I tried to keep going, but I was too weak.
