The Shadow City (The Demon-Born Trilogy Book 2)

by L. C. Hibbett

  Niamh opened her mouth and began to sing. I twisted my head to try to catch Sam’s attention, but in that instant, the world around me vanished and was replaced by a vacuum. A swirling place of aching sadness. The room and everyone in it had disappeared, only Niamh’s haunting melody remained. I followed it, powerless to resist its pull.

  The images began to appear in a flash on either side of me, and slowly they transformed from black-and-white stills into snippets of life; vivid and full-bodied. I caught a glimpse of Lizzie in a long flowing dress, her eyes clear and unburdened, a small baby in her arms, and a young man by her side. I tried to hold onto the image and focus on the words her lips were forming, but it was gone too quickly, like a moment of life seen through the window of a moving train. We rushed on, barreling past a girl squealing with delight as she clutched an open letter under the proud eyes of a gray-haired couple. The girl looked so light, so radiant with happiness, that it was only when the image had faded that I realized the girl had been Niamh.

  A blast of cold hit me like a brick wall. I tried to back away, but I couldn’t escape the cloying tendrils of dread as the Spirit Demons surrounded me. Visions of war overpowered me as I watched battle scenes merge with throngs of people, moving slowly as if their bodies were no longer their own, mothers still clutching infants to their breasts as they marched forward to their death. Sacrificed to the Veil. I tried to tear myself away from the relentless flow of images, but I was as powerless as the people I watched.

  Then they were gone. But the scenes of war and heartbreak continued to thunder over me. Different wars, different eras—the passage of time measured in battles and blood. Swords clashed, pyres blazed, guillotines sliced through flesh. I caught a glimpse of Lizzie and Niamh working together, pulling a young boy from the rubble of a collapsed building, with St Paul’s Cathedral in the skyline above their heads.

   The pictures began to slow and the world I recognized from my own time began to emerge, until we stood on the blood-soaked soil my feet had touched only the day before. The bodies had been pulled from the ground and the soil brushed from their faces. Guardians lay entangled amongst the corpses of their prisoners. The image closed in on a young man. His fair hair was cropped close, and his pale skin was striking in contrast to the black of his Guardian’s uniform. He was beautiful.

  I felt myself leaning closer, drawn in against my will when his eyes flew open. I struggled to escape from the terror in their blue depths, but there was no release. His mouth gaped open, and together we screamed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The room erupted in chaos. Emily shot out of her chair and fled from the room, scattering furniture in her wake as bursts of energy escaped from her fingertips. The High Guardian barked an order at two of the other Council members, who bolted from the platform and after Emily.

  Emmanuel stared at Niamh reproachfully. “Her brother. Was that necessary?”

  “She doesn’t choose what people see. People draw themselves into her mind, she can’t help where they go. Emily brought us to him.” Lizzie’s voice was tired as she spoke in unexpected defense of her sister. I wondered had she chosen the wrong path through Niamh’s thoughts herself in the past.

  Emmanuel opened his mouth to speak, but his words were cut short by Lizzie exhaling the contents of her lung in a low wheeze and collapsing to the floor. Her eyes rolled back, and her mouth hung open. My fingers pulled at the golden band on my wrist, and my heart ached for Eve’s healing presence.

  Aza bent down and placed her hand gently on Lizzie’s forehead, and a weighted look passed between her and Niamh. Sam and Megan pulled closer to Lucas and me. Brandon’s eyes moved rapidly from one point of the courtroom to another as he surveyed the scene before us.

  Gabriel pressed his hand against Niamh’s waist as he attempted to move past her to get closer to Lizzie, but she held her position fast. “Aza and I will see to Lizzie. Seers are more sensitive to projection—my memories may have sparked a vision, but I don’t believe it would be wise for you to remain with us. You and Emmanuel should see the children back to the location we discussed earlier. Now.”

  Lizzie ceased convulsing and inhaled with a shuddering gasp. Niamh widened her eyes pointedly that Aza, who grabbed Gabriel and Emmanuel by the arms and shoved them in the direction of the exit. Gabriel glanced from Lizzie’s prone body to Aza’s fierce, brown eyes. She touched his wrist. “Friend, please. We will keep Lizzie safe, but you must get the children out of here.”

  Gabriel’s posture transformed as if Aza’s electricity was flowing through his veins and remaking him in the shape of a warrior. He moved with such speed and ease that we were standing at the door before I had time to process my distress at leaving Lizzie behind. I dug my fingers into Gabriel’s hand as he tried to pull me over the threshold. “Wait! We should bring Lizzie. We shouldn’t leave her.”

  Megan pleaded with me. “She’s with her sister. She’s safe. We need to go, Grace. Can’t you see the way those Council members were looking at us? We need to get out of here.”

  I cast a final glance at Lizzie’s body as the door slid closed, just in time to see her jolt upright and scream out a warning. Sam’s fingers gripped my upper arm like a vice. Emmanuel’s eyes widened, reflecting the horror written on Gabriel’s face. Lucas grabbed his Spirit Blade with one hand and Brandon’s arm with the other. Nobody moved. Megan twisted her head to face Emmanuel, but before she could open her mouth to speak, he responded with a raw whisper. “Run.”

  For a heartbeat, there was silence, followed by the sound of footsteps moving closer, gathering speed and momentum as they echoed down the long corridor. A flame ignited behind Emmanuel’s amber eyes, and when he spoke again, his voice was no longer whisper. “Children, run!”

  We ran. Gabriel led the way, and Emmanuel took the rear, surrounding us all with some form of magical cloak. Gabriel sent a blast of energy ahead of us and one of the intricate stained-glass windows shattered in a hail of breathtaking colors. He sent the shards whirling over our heads and down the corridor behind us as we vaulted over what remained of the frame and out onto the campus lawn. A roar of curses and expletives escaped the building as the glass connected with its intended target.

  I didn’t look back. I pushed my body as hard as I could until I came level with Gabriel. “We need to turn left at these gates, then take a right, then the fourth left, then straight on until we face the water.”

  My heart pounded at the sight of the imposing gates, now pulled closed and heavily padlocked. I braced myself for the climb, but Gabriel thrust his arms forward again, and with an earsplitting shriek, the wrought iron gate tore free of its hinges, flew through the air and down the path behind us. Screams of rage and pain erupted from the rear, but they were far too close to give me any comfort. Gabriel darted onto the pavement and turned right. I tried to grab the back of his shirt to drag him in the correct direction, but he was too fast. “Gabriel! You going the wrong way. I memorized the route.”

  Instead of faltering, he pushed himself harder, and his long limbs slid over the concrete with unnatural ease. I cursed under my breath and chased after him. Sam and Megan had passed me out. Lucas and Brandon were close behind me, but I could see the sweat soaking through Brandon’s shirt. Emmanuel gave me a stern prod with his finger, and I bolted forward in a desperate attempt to catch up with Gabriel again.

  He nipped and weaved through side streets and alleys until we came to the back entrance of a grand, elegant building in the center of what Lizzie had described as the old quarter of the city. Gabriel pressed his hand against the plain white door, and it yielded to his touch without as much as a twist of the handle. He shepherded us into the small narrow hallway�
��and slammed the door shut behind Emmanuel. His voice was tight. “Were we seen?”

  The Master leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment. “Not by the Guardians who were sent after us, no. We managed to shake them off. Mostly thanks to your levitating gate trick.” Emmanuel exhaled and opened his eyes. “But we could have been seen by anyone else. I did my best to conceal us from view, but I have no idea if the cone I created was strong enough to shield us from prying eyes, it’s so difficult to disguise a moving target. And my magic is not what it once was.”

  Gabriel pressed his lips together and tipped his head toward the door at the end of the passageway. Lucas pushed it open, and we trailed past him into a dusty living room. The room itself was beautiful, and the intricate plasterwork on the ceiling and the opulent chandeliers screamed of wealth and luxury. I stalked over to the mahogany table and threw my rucksack down, coughing as a cloud of dust rose from the table. I pulled open the zip began to rifle through the packed contents of the bag.

  “What are you doing?” Sam stared over my shoulder.

  I unearthed my mobile phone from inside a pair of clean underwear and tapped my foot in frustration as I flicked through the permission to access mobile coverage abroad notifications. “Ringing Cat.”

  “God, Grace! We’re in the Shadow City being hunted by the High Council. On their own turf. There are better times to check in with your family.” Megan rolled her eyes and peeked through the net curtains with her Spirit Blade clutched in her hand.

  I entered my password and watched the display, waiting for the signal sign to appear. “Lizzie said we were under attack.”

  “We were under attack. We just escaped from them. Smashed window, flying gate, running fast—ring any bells?” Megan’s tone was sharp.

   “What happened last night? Did the council think you were lying about the Spirit Eaters?” Brandon watched Gabriel and Emmanuel set up their spell with wary eyes.

  Emmanuel sighed. “In a nutshell—yes. I think they thought we were lying about pretty much everything. The seemed convinced that the Shadow Children are engaged in an elaborate plan to destroy the Veil.”

  The icon for mobile signal flashed at the top of the screen, and I felt the pressure in my chest loosen. Gabriel and Emmanuel finished placing an additional charm over the building. Emmanuel shot Brandon a heavy look as he went to check on the back window. A notification of three voicemails popped up, and I dialed into my message service. I could feel Megan frowning at me as I pressed the phone to my ear. “I know we were under attack, smartass, I just want to check in. Okay?”

  “Fine.” Megan began to defrost as her fear abated.

  I felt my breathing relax as I listen to her interrogate Gabriel about how long he had owned the property for, who knew he owned it, and how much he had to pay in tax for an idle piece of real estate. My phone connected to the message server and I pressed it against my ear as the first voicemail began to play.

  My hand shot up to silence the others, and the knot in my stomach started to pull tight again. I pressed the speaker button, and the sound of distant shouting filled the air. A male voice came on the line, and I stared at the handset with wide eyes. The man coughed into the phone, and his voice was muffled, but it was clear that it was Mathas. He coughed again before speaking. “Grace, can you hear me? There’s been an attack on the house. They’re here. They’ve come for—”

  End of message.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Megan opened the slip on the side of the slope, beside the flat rock I had sat on with Lizzie the day before. Night had claimed North Carolina, but the usual solitude of Grandfather Mountain was shattered by screams and shrieks coming from the hilltop. Fires, both magical and natural, burned on the peak, and slips and portals lay gaping randomly. I gripped my Spirit Blade and prepared to leap up the rocky path, but Sam slithered in front of me and blocked my way. “Wait, Grace. Someone’s coming.”

  Gabriel pulled both of us behind him and narrowed his eyes on the figures emerging from the darkness. He raised his hand in a silent salute and a short, neat Shadow separated itself from the others, who were hurrying toward an open portal. I squinted at the approaching figure and exhaled in relief as Mathas came into view. His arms were pulled tight against his body, and his eyes scanned the periphery like a desert snake.

  Emmanuel and Gabriel stepped forward to greet him. The Master’s voice sounded gravelly as the acrid smoke filled his lungs. “Mathas, we came as soon as we could. I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have left, but I don’t understand how they found us. And the Guardians—”

  “Are assisting us,” Mathas said.

  Blood pounded against my eardrums. “What? No, Mathas, they just chased us through the Shadow City. They didn’t believe us, about the massacre at the Silent Home. They probably think it was all us, some twisted plan to deceive the Council and damage the Veil.”

  I looked at Gabriel and Emmanuel for reassurance. The Master gave me a grim nod, but Gabriel’s stare was fixed firmly on Mathas.  His eyes were narrowed. “How did the Guardians locate the house, Mathas?”

  “Elizabeth brought them here, boy, and whatever your theory is about the Guardians they are up at the house right now, fighting alongside the cell members that were left behind. It’s not looking good. The Brothers are powerful. They won’t leave until they’ve got what they came for.” Mathas fell silent and stared at the skyline as the air above us grew colder. The Spirit Demons were close, circling.

  Sam’s body tensed. “Is Peter up there? Is he with the Spirit Eaters?”

  “They haven’t come close enough for us to see their faces, but it’s them all right. The Spirit Demons move on their command.” An icy cloud passed overhead, and Mathas grabbed my hand and pushed me toward Sam. “You two need to get out of here. One of the other Masters has offered refuge for the Demon-Born. He was the first to raise the alarm today, came back to warn us the Spirit Eaters were coming. He has a portal that will bring you to a safe place. Grace, your sister and your niece are just about to go through with Cain. We need to hurry.”

  Mathas looked at Gabriel, Emmanuel, Lucas, Megan, and Brandon. “You need to get yourselves up to the barn. Those bastards have surrounded the place with fire, and that kid Jasmine refuses to leave without her brother.”

  Gabriel shot up the hillside like an arrow, clearing rocks and bushes in a single bound. Megan, Lucas, and Brandon scrambled after him with their Spirit Blades unsheathed. Sam made to follow them, but Emmanuel blocked his path. “Samuel, you must go to safety, take Grace and leave.”

  “Jasmine needs our help, Emmanuel. She won’t leave without Eli, she’ll never leave him behind. If there’s a fire…” Sam’s strained voice cut into my chest like a broken bottle.

  Mathas grabbed Sam roughly by the sleeve and jerked forward. “Boy, she is in danger because you’re still here. You’re what they’re searching for. Nobody is safe while the Demon-Born are still here.” He shoved myself and Sam in the direction of the nearest portal, about ten yards to our right, and began to make his way back up towards the hilltop. “Go! You’ll find the other Demon-Born when you go through the portal. Master William said he had everything arranged.”

  Mathas increased his pace and started to run back toward the action. As he began to shift into a huge gray wolf, his voice carried back down to where we stood. “Master Emmanuel, your cell needs you.”

  Emmanuel shot us an apologetic grimace as he squeezed our shoulders and nudged us in the direction of the open portal, before opening a slip and disappearing into thin air, presumably reappearing somewhere closer to the action. I called after Mathas. “How did William open a portal? Does he have a Demon? Why didn’t he just open slip?”

  There was no answer. Mathas was alre
ady gone.

  Sam grabbed my wrist and began to run toward the portal. I dragged my feet. “I don’t like this, Sam. That Master William was a total creep. He hated us, the Demon-Born, you could tell just looking at him.”

  We closed in on the open portal, and Sam squeezed my arm. “Can you sense the others?”

  “I think so.” I closed my eyes and focused harder on the threads of life flowing from the opening. “Yeah, I can feel them.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I think I can sense Ozzie too. Is that possible?”

  “You think this William guy is sending us to the New York cell? Or maybe Luke’s mom’s already sent Ozzie to William for safe keeping?” Sam peered into the moist, fragrant undergrowth on the other side of the slip and raised an eyebrow. “Not what I expected German headquarters to look like. But if the others are in there?”

  “And we’re keeping everybody in danger by saying here…” I bit my lip and Sam ran his thumb over the inside of my wrist. A sudden blast of light erupted from the mountain top, and the temperature dropped instantly.

  Sam flattened me against his side and hurled us both through the portal in a single movement. The air on the other side of the portal was humid, and my feet sank into the dense soil, but the icy chill from Grandfather Mountain wound its way around my heart and froze my bones.

  I ripped my fingers through the air searching for a hidden magical trigger to close the gap. “Sam, they’ve broken the charms that were protecting the house. They’re coming. Oh, my God. The Spirit Demons are looking for us, what if they can sense we’re still here through the open portal, but they think the others are concealing us? They’ll kill them. Like those people this morning in the Silent Home. They’re going to slaughter them.”