I spin about, taking in my new surroundings. There are no people—only a sheet of desert broken by three pyramids. Alec once told me about spells like this one. Illusion zones. In reality, no one here was actually magicked out of existence. The spell merely creates the illusion of a separate little world until a certain task is completed. Which gets me thinking.
This might be how Giza looked thousands of years ago, back when Calibur was the fountain.
All of a sudden, the ground beneath my feet vibrates madly, throwing me off balance. Knox steps to my side and wraps his arm around me.
“Earthquake,” he says.
I scan the horizon and gasp. “It’s not an earthquake.” I point at the pyramids. “Look.”
The three pyramids of Egypt, some of the largest structures ever built, do something I never thought would happen.
They move.
The ground trembles as these huge stone structures shift closer. Dirt, sticks, and rocks kick up around their base as the pyramids slide across the sands.
The sight is beautiful.
Magical.
And absolutely terrifying.
The pyramids are moving. What the WHAT?
Within seconds, all three pyramids tower around our little group. The structures have altered in other ways as well—they’re now all the same height. I turn in slow circles, taking in the changes around me.
“Do you guys see this, too?” I ask. “Or have I finally lost it?”
“Oh, I see it,” says Knox.
Alec steps up. “The glyphs on my back feel like they’re on fire.” He looks to Knox. “Is that the same with you?”
“Yeah.” Knox pulls up his T. Sure enough, the markings on his back are in bright colors. The glyphs have changed as well.
I read the new text on Knox’s skin. “Activate the fountain. Share its bounty.”
Inside my soul, my wolf whines with excitement. “Why don’t the glyphs say to go fight the bad people?” she asks.
“Because,” I reply in my head, “if we’re lucky, the Shadowvin won’t show up.”
“You’re no fun,” huffs my wolf.
I rub my neck and read the glyphs again. “As instructions go, that’s not very specific.” I focus on Alec. “What about you? What do your glyphs say?”
Alec peels off his sport coat and white button-down shirt. I don’t ever think about Alec in a romantic way, but facts are facts. This guy is ripped. For her part, Elle is doing her best not to stare.
And failing miserably.
My best friend will drool soon if she isn’t careful.
Alec turns so his back faces me and Knox. “What does it say?” he asks.
“Same thing,” replies Knox. “Activate the fountain. Share its bounty.” Alec pulls on his shirt and jacket. The guy’s sport coat is loaded with gemstones, and he rarely takes the thing off for long.
“Well,” drawls the Colonel, “that’s still not very helpful, is it?”
“Let’s try the Codex Mechanica.” I look down at the device in my hands. “What do we do next?” The discs whir and spell out the same answer.
* * *
“Activate the fountain. Share its bounty.”
* * *
Knox, Alec, Elle, and I all try asking the question dozens of different ways. The Colonel watches, looking very fae as he moves his cigar from one side of his mouth to the other.
He’s up to something, that tricky old guy.
Even so, prying secrets out of the Colonel can wait. Instead, we all focus on finding novel ways to ask the Codex Mechanica the same old question. The answer never changes. Eventually, the Codex goes back to what I think of as its resting state: all the discs are set to showing no glyphs at all. In other words, it’s saying: I’m done answering the same question for you people.
Time to try something new.
Elle pats the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. “What do we do now? We can’t wait here forever.”
I stare down at the device in my hands. “The answer has to be in this box, one way or another.” I don’t say what I’m really thinking, though.
We simply must find a solution before the Shadowvin arrive. Otherwise, things could get ugly—and fast.
Chapter 32
I run my fingers across the chipped wood of the Codex Mechanica. There must be a way to use this device to start the ceremony.
Come on, inspiration. Any time now.
Knox moves to stand at my side. His body heat and strength envelop me, calming my heart. Inside my soul, my inner wolf beams with delight.
“Our mate is here,” she croons. “He’ll help us; you’ll see.”
I give Knox the side-eye. “Got anything for me?” Just now, Knox was a total idea machine, thinking up new ways to ask the same old question to the Codex Mechanica.
“Yeah.” Knox wraps his arm over my shoulder. “Close your eyes and clear your mind.”
I take in a shaky breath. “Okay.” I shut my eyes. Memories appear. There’s West Lake, the Denarii League, and finally, my papyri translations. Specific glyphs stand out in my mind. They overlap in a dance of connections.
I open my eyes.
Suddenly, parts of the fountain’s story come together for the first time. Time periods align. Tiny scraps become part of a bigger whole. Words pour out of me in a rush. “When magic first came into the world, all the power was undifferentiated. A mess. The First Wardens figured out how to divide it into shifter, fairy, and witch. There were three types of magic. And now? There are three pyramids.” I tap the top of the Codex Mechanica. “Plus, three discs are kept in here. I think all of them work together somehow.”
“Three discs, pyramids, and wardens.” Alec takes on one of his catalog poses where he sets his fist under his chin and stares at the horizon. “You’re on to something.”
Knox leans in to kiss my cheek. “My brilliant mate.”
“Thank you.” My face heats, and it’s not from the weather. Meanwhile, my inner wolf prances with joy.
Elle eyes the Codex Mechanica. “So, what do we do with it? Asking more questions is out.”
“I think I know.” Opening up the Codex Mechanica, I pull out the silver disc and turn to Elle. “This is for you.”
“Okay.” My best friend scoops up the round object from my palm.
After that, I hand the ruby disc to Alec and the golden one to Knox. All the while, the Colonel stands nearby, silent. The nub of his cigar is now lit; a winding trail of smoke curls up from the tip. His expression is the definition of intense interest. He’s still up to something.
Oh, well. A mystery for another day. That is, if we live through this one.
My wardens all hold their respective discs. For a long moment, nothing happens.
Then the world changes again.
Before, the pyramids shifted across the ground. Now, my three wardens move across the sands. This time, they don’t walk so much as get magically swooped across the earth while standing upright. Magic places Elle, Alec, and Knox each before a different pyramid.
After that, I’m moved as well. It’s like an invisible rope is tied around my waist, pulling me across the desert until I stand in the center of the three pyramids and wardens, the vortex of it all.
A deep voice booms across the desert. “I will come to start the ceremony.” I don’t see the speaker yet, but I’m know that super-deep tone anywhere.
It’s the Void.
At the Void’s words, the device vibrates in my hands. Looking down, I examine the now-empty wooden box in my grasp. Red smoke envelops the device.
Magic.
All of a sudden, the edges of the Codex Mechanica snap. Seams crack. Smoke winds up from the side panels. With a great whoosh, the device disintegrates into dust. Tiny particles cascade through my fingertips.
I suck in a shocked breath. Who’s casting spells on the Codex Mechanica, just when we need it most? I look to the Colonel. “Did you do that?”
“No, sugar. But I’ve seen c
astings like that one. Someone preset a spell to destroy the device once the Void said he was on his way.”
Elle frowns. “But you need the Codex Mechanica to have another ceremony.”
“Maybe,” I say slowly. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”
Even so, a sinking feeling crawls into my bones. There’s one group who’d love to make sure this is the last time this particular ceremony ever takes place. The same people who have no intention of harvesting magic for anyone but themselves.
The Shadowvin.
I scan my surroundings, looking for telltale signs of darkness. Nothing but daylight stretches in every direction. The Shadowvin aren’t here. Sadly, the Codex Mechanica isn’t around, either.
“Don’t worry your head, darlin’.” The Colonel rolls up his sleeves. “I’m on the watch for them Shadowvin.” He gestures to my wardens. “And you’ve got other things to think about.”
Before me, my three wardens now transform. Knox’s body turns all gold, just like it did back in the principals’ office when I thought he looked like an Oscar statue. At the same time, Elle changes so she looks like she’s formed entirely of silver. For his part, Alec appears as if he were carved from a single massive ruby. Beams of late afternoon light reflect through his semi-transparent body. I blink hard, not believing what I’m seeing.
Nope, they’re still there … and made entirely of gold, silver, and ruby.
My wolf finds these changes wonderful. Inside my soul, she romps about in a happy circle. “Our mate is solid as metal,” she declares. “Even better for fighting.”
“I hope you’re right,” I reply in my mind. This is yet another fae-style answer, though. In all honesty, I have no idea what will happen once the ceremony starts. Will any of us be able to move or think, let alone fight?
I turn in a slow circle. Knox, Alec, and Elle now stand in front of their respective pyramids, a disc gripped in their hands. There’s no transfer of magic happening, so even though the Void made his announcement, the ceremony hasn’t really started yet. Handing out the discs helped, but there is something missing.
That’s when I remember it.
The dollar the Colonel gave me.
Reaching inside my pocket, I pull out the crumpled bill. On the front, there’s the familiar image of George Washington’s face. But on the back?
There’s a pyramid with an all-seeing eye above its peak. And that’s my clue from the Colonel. He handed me this dollar in the limo, saying it would help when the time came.
Crafty old fae dragon.
I examine the bill more closely. The image is similar to what Child Me drew in her sandbox—an all-seeing eye above a pyramid. An idea sparks. What if the discs from the Codex Mechanica aren’t just cogs in a machine; they’re irises for cosmic eyes?
Only one way to find out.
I cup my hand by my mouth. “Your discs from the Codex,” I call to my wardens. “Lift them up.” To demonstrate, I raise my arms, cupping my hands together as if cradling an invisible disc. A heartbeat later, Alec, Elle, and Knox all hold their respective discs above their heads.
Nothing happens.
Then, all three discs flicker with the barest light. A crimson brightness shines from Alec’s orb.
Silver for Elle.
Golden for Knox.
Elle’s grip on her disc tightens. “It wants to fly away,” she calls. “I can’t hold it for much longer.”
“That’s fine,” I say. “You can let go.”
Knox glares at the disc in his grasp, then shoots a worried glance in my direction. “You sure it’s safe?”
The honest answer here is I have no idea. Saying that won’t help any, though. Instead, I opt for a true but somewhat misleading answer. “The discs need to rise above the pyramids.”
I think.
“Here goes,” calls Knox. After opening his hands, he lowers his arms. Little by little, Knox’s disc—which just began to glow with golden light—rises a few feet in the air.
Excitement pulses through my limbs. This is really happening.
After that, Elle and Alec release their discs and lower their arms as well. Just like Knox, their discs keep glowing while rising a few feet into the air. Elle’s disc shines silver; Alec’s flares red.
Inside my soul, my inner wolf yips in delight. “We’re doing it,” she croons. “The ceremony will be over any moment, and then we can leave with our mate.”
In all honesty, I’m not convinced the ceremony is ending any time soon. That said, I don’t want to rain on my inner’s wolf’s parade, so I opt for a noncommittal answer.
“I hope you’re right,” I reply in my mind.
After that, the discs move even higher up their respective pyramids. As the glowing orbs ascend, their brightness intensifies. At the same time, the sides of each pyramid become awash in either red, silver, or golden light. A sense of awe chills my skin. I’m not sure if the ceremony is in full swing yet, but it certainly seems like we’re getting closer.
Knox, Elle, and Alec all stand in their places, their bodies stock still as they watch the discs rise. Only the Colonel moves as he takes the occasional puff from his cigar.
Soon, the glowing discs reach the tops of their pyramids. Once there, they hover above the structures’ peaks.
I grin from ear to ear. This isn’t just working; it’s going pretty smoothly. There are no Shadowvin to be seen. Everyone’s safe and comfortable. It’s taking a little while, but we’re working together and figuring things out.
My mind captures an internal image of this moment. How the discs glow above the peaks of the three pyramids. The way each disc shines with a different shade of brightness—red, silver, or gold. No mistake about it. Those definitely look like supernatural eyes, just like the back of a dollar bill.
And beneath those glowing discs, my three wardens stand at the base of their pyramids, their bodies seemingly made of crimson, silver, and gold. All around, the desert stretches in every direction, a sheet of sand under a bright blue sky.
The scene is unexpected.
Overwhelming.
Perfect.
Hope lightens my soul. Maybe there’s no connection between the ceremony and Calibur’s death. It could all have been a big misunderstanding. Perhaps what’s happening right now is the entire ceremony, end of story. After all, magic is shining out here from supernatural eyes. Those discs could also be sending power and energy out across the world. My role as fountain could be as simple as standing at this spot, watching it all happen. Some small part of me warns this theory’s too good to be true. More of me decides that it’s about time I had something go easy.
This could really be it. The ceremony might almost be over.
All of a sudden, the ground vibrates beneath my feet. Great rumbles echo through the air. The pyramids vibrate on their foundations. I blink hard, not believing what I’m seeing.
Then again, the ceremony may not be over just yet.
The desert floor trembles more violently, kicking sand and dust up into a low cloud that reaches ankle height. The rumbling turns so loud, it’s as if I’m trapped inside a thunderclap. The pyramids shudder on their foundations. I stare in disbelief. These are three massive structures. I never expected them to shift across the desert, let alone move again.
But that’s just what they do.
The pyramids rise, their bases lengthening as they soar toward the heavens. Within seconds, the truth becomes clear. These aren’t pyramids.
They’re obelisks.
Turns out, these famous pyramids are actually just the pointed tops of long, spear-like structures that had been buried deep underground. As the three obelisks rise, the eyes above them shine even more brightly. A zing of shock moves through my nervous system.
It’s official. This ceremony is very far from over.
Dark clouds churn overhead, blotting out any trace of blue sky. Heavy white mist rolls across the ground. From atop the pyramids—I mean, the obelisks—the colored discs kee
p radiating their respective shades of red, gold, and silver. As the sky darkens, those colors shine more brightly.
A massive figure rises from the white haze that covers the ground. It’s a man made of pale mist, standing over eight feet tall, and with eyes as black as midnight.
The Void.
His deep voice echoes across the desert. “Fountain!” he cries. “Where are you?”
My stomach lurches. Out of reflex, my gaze locks with Knox’s. We’d talked about this moment on the plane ride over. What would I do when the Void arrived? In the end, we decided to trust our instincts. And right now, my intuition is saying the Void isn’t here to hurt me. All the guy’s ever done is stand around and ask for his fountain. Maybe he’s here to help.
Maybe.
A small voice in my head says that’s a big maybe. The Void could also be here for an all-you-can-eat fountain buffet.
“Fountain!” he cries again. This time, the Void looks genuinely sad. No question about it. I’m trusting my instincts and answering.
I only hope it’s the right choice.
Lifting my chin, I face the supernatural creature before me. “You want the fountain? Here I am.”
Inside my soul, my wolf comes to life. “Wait a second!” she cries. “We should fight this monster, not talk to it.”
“No, the Void isn’t evil. He’s here to help us.” But even as I speak the words in my mind, they come out as more of a question than a statement. What do I know about any of this, really?
Inch by inch, the Void floats closer. My heart beats so quickly I’m surprised it doesn’t burst. The Void pauses before me, all eight feet of white mist and unclear intent. For a long moment, I wonder if I’ve just made a huge mistake.
Then the Void’s dark eyes crinkle with a smile. “Fountain.”
I answer his grin with one of my own. “Yes, that’s me.”
“Dark to light. Day to night. Magic to Void. Give your bounty.” The Void stares at me with his all-black eyes. “Will you do this?”
Shifters And Glyphs Page 27
