by SA Magnusson
“Even if it means protecting the ley lines?”
Roland cocked his head to the side. For a moment, I felt the longing that had come before, but I solidified my barrier, pushing away that strangely compelling desire. Did Barden and Darvish have the same thing, or was Roland focusing his effort solely on me?
“The ley lines have been the target of many attacks over the years. All magical users would like to reach that power, and yet they are a primal energy. There is nothing that can change that, regardless of how powerful the magical user might be.”
“Have you been to the Mississippi recently?” I asked.
“Not recently, but would you like to stroll along the river with me?”
I ignored the comment. There was nothing else that I could do other than simply ignore it. It seemed as if he wanted to get a rise out of me, trying to throw me off, and maybe it was more than that. Maybe he thought that he could truly use his powers of persuasion to get to me.
“There was an attack recently on the Mississippi. The ley line there has been modified.”
Roland stared at me for a long moment. At first, I wasn’t sure how he was going to react, but then he pressed the tips of his fingers together and leaned forward. “Modified?”
“The power within the river is different. I’m not entirely sure what happened, but it has changed.”
“And how is it that you can tell such things?”
“Dr. Michaels can tell a great number of different things,” Barden said.
“Doctor?” Roland asked, turning his attention to me.
Great. Now I had a deal with Roland having a different interest in me. A five-hundred-year-old man who looked barely into his forties wasn’t the kind of person I wanted stalking me. Even worse was the fact that he was a vampire. And it wasn’t that he was unattractive, either. “The river is different. Which suggests that whatever has happened is intending to modify the ley lines, though I don’t quite know why.”
“What do you notice?” Roland asked.
“The power has shifted. I can’t really explain it any more than that, only that it is different than what it had been before.”
Roland sat back, surveying Barden and then me. “I’m not sure whether to believe that she is really that capable of determining the difference within the ley lines.”
“Then go yourself,” Barden said. “If you don’t believe Dr. Michaels, then feel free to take an opportunity to stroll along the river.”
“I wouldn’t stroll alone,” Roland said, waving his hand dismissively.
“You wouldn’t be alone,” I said.
He arched a brow and I shook my head.
“The mage council has several mages watching over the river. They have contained the spell, but I don’t know how long they will be able to do so.”
Roland chuckled. “Is this your way of trying to compel me to face the mage council?”
“Don’t go yourself,” Barden said.
“You think I fear the council? We have a treaty in place that protects me.”
“Perhaps, but you also are so risk-averse that you would want to expose yourself. I know you, Roland, and I know just what you are willing to risk.”
Roland smiled widely, his gaze locked on Barden. “Are you so certain that you know me, Barden Leifan?”
“Where would you like me to start?”
“Is this some sort of test?”
“If that’s what you intend. Much like me, you aren’t originally from Minneapolis.”
“How many people my age really are from Minneapolis?”
“There are quite a few natives of power that I know who would make that claim,” Barden said.
“Fine, but they have a different sort of power.”
I looked over at Barden, frowning deeply. Did Native Americans have a different sort of magic? I hadn’t given it much thought, but they would have been here first, and the power of these lands would have certainly called to those who had a tie to magic.
“You once called Virginia your home, though you didn’t last long there.”
Roland pressed his lips together in a tight line.
“You moved west, chased out of some of those earliest places, hunted much like the trials in Salem. It was a different time, and there wasn’t tolerance for those with any sort of difference.”
Roland’s eyes continue to narrow.
“From what I could find, you settled in Chicago for a time. You stayed there until attention began to build, and by the time you made it this far west, the magical world had settled a little bit more within this country and you were able to avoid persecution.”
“Enough,” Roland said.
“I can share with you what I’ve discovered of your family heritage, if you would prefer,” Barden said.
“I think we’ve heard all that we need,” Roland said.
“I’m not certain that we have. As I have said, you didn’t believe that I know you, and yet, I want to assure you that I have a great many resources working to ensure that I know everything about those that I might come in contact with. You see, I might not have the same traditional wealth as the vampire families or some of the ancient mage families, but I am not without means.”
With that, I thought I understood the reasoning behind Barden’s approach. The dark mages had been attacked for centuries, accused of a dangerous sort of magic. Not only did they have to fear people outside of the magical community learning, but they had to fear those within the magical community, too. Unlike the mage council or the vampires or even the shifters, they had no way to accumulate wealth, which put them at a disadvantage when it came to people like Roland Vangalor. It put them at a disadvantage when it came to the mage council, as well.
Realizing that made me respect Barden even more. I had respected him before, but knowing what he’d gone through, knowing the extent that he had done to reach the level that he had, I couldn’t help but be impressed by him.
“And what of you, Barden Leifan? Would you like me to share what I have learned about you?”
“You can share all that you want. I don’t have any vested interest in maintaining those secrets.”
“All men have secrets.”
“Perhaps all men like you have secrets, but mine are more of a business nature.”
Barden sat comfortably, though it seemed as if he had some tension still within his hands. He rested them on his lap, and though they didn’t move, it seemed as if he were on edge, waiting for the possibility that he might need to erupt.
“If you two are about done?” I asked.
“Yes. I think that we are about done,” Roland said.
“Will you help us with this?”
“I’ve already made my position clear,” Roland said.
“Even if it has to do with the ley lines?”
He turned his attention to me. As before, there was that strange longing that surged within me and I solidified my barrier, preventing him from forcing it on me. “If there is what you discuss, I will take a look at it. If there’s anything of value in it for the mage council,” he glanced at Barden for the briefest of moments, “or the Dark Council, then I will be sure to pass on what we might know. In the meantime, I think it’s time for us to part ways.”
Barden lingered for a moment, watching Roland. The door opened behind us and a pair of muscular men appeared.
“I will find my people,” Barden said.
“I don’t know what you refer to.”
Barden grunted, getting to his feet and nodding to Darvish. We wound our way back through the building, and as we went, it felt as if eyes were on us. I ensured that we had a barrier wrapped around each of us, splitting it so that all three of us were protected, and only when we were back outside under the darkness did I finally let out a breath. We climbed into the van and Barden raised a finger to his lips as Darvish pulled us around the drive, speeding toward the street.
When the itching crawled along my skin once more, I breathed out.
�
��Did you discover anything?” Florence asked.
“Only that they have the knowledge that we seek,” Barden said.
“He didn’t reveal anything,” I said.
“No. He revealed exactly what we suspected, but I worry that we shared too much with him.”
“Telling him that the attack on the Mississippi River changed the ley line?”
Barden nodded. “The vampires will be drawn to that. And because of that, they will want to know how they might be able to use that power for themselves.”
14
It was late by the time we reached the Mississippi River, but Barden had made a good point that we needed to watch, prepared for the possibility that the vampires would come, that the temptation of discovering runes of power would be too much for them.
Faint moonlight bounced off the river in the distance. From here, the sense of something being not quite right was much clearer than it had been before. I didn’t know what it was, only that it felt unsettled. I normally wasn’t aware of the power within the river quite so potently. Maybe having lived along the Mississippi—or near enough to it—all these years had made it so that I no longer felt its typical effects.
I summoned my sword, using just the faintest light to push away the darkness and the shadows, wanting to see how many members of the mage council were here protecting the spell.
I only counted one.
“Could they have really abandoned it already?”
“What?” Barden asked.
“There’s only one here,” I said.
“The promise that I had been given by Sharon was that there would be more than one.”
“I only see one mage.”
“Then something is wrong.” He glanced over at Darvish, who quickly pulled out his phone and tapped in a number before slipping it back into his pocket.
“Do you think Roland has already arrived?”
“It’s possible, but this would be too soon even for him. He would’ve wanted to prepare, especially as he knew the council was involved. He wouldn’t have wanted to risk himself so quickly.”
If it wasn’t Roland and the vampires, then what?
I looked around, searching for any sense of magic that might indicate what was taking place. There was a subtle sense, and it came from the one mage I saw, but from nowhere else.
“Something is wrong,” I said.
I summoned my sword completely, making the darkness evaporate. It wasn’t so much that night faded into light, but more that the strange purplish glow of the sword allowed me to see more clearly.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Barden asked.
“Seeing as how I’m not sure what has happened, I want to be prepared. The last time I was attacked, I almost didn’t have enough protections.” And that time, the Mississippi hadn’t been completely modified, at least not in such a way that I would notice it. Now, there was more of a sense of a change.
I reached the spell, and as I did, I realized what felt wrong.
The protections the mage council had placed around it were gone.
Barden recognized it as well and began to make a steady circle around the spell, infusing power into it.
“Why would they return to this spot?” I asked.
“Perhaps it’s important,” Darvish said.
“Maybe, but there are other places along the river they could have used. Why come back here?”
“Certain places have a greater proximity to the Veil,” a voice said behind me.
I spun, holding my sword out.
The dark-haired mage stood behind me, smiling. In one hand, she held a slender length of metal, a wand that reminded me of those the vampires had used.
Could that be what she was?
She didn’t strike me as a vampire, though she had enough strength and quickness that it was possible. She was young, though apparent youth didn’t always mean anything, not when it came to magic users.
“This place is particularly connected. There is a reservoir of water deep underground that is fed by the river, and with the right combination of spells, we can tap into that and modify it in the way that we need.”
She stood casually, unconcerned about the fact that I held my magical sword. She was unconcerned about the fact that Barden held a spell ready. And she was unconcerned about Darvish nearby, standing in a martial arts pose.
“Why are you doing this?”
“This is merely a plan that has been in the works for a long time. Unfortunately, you have gotten in the way. You don’t even know what you’re doing, but soon, you won’t be a threat any longer.”
“Who are you?”
“Only someone who has come to a greater understanding than most on this side.” She darted forward, swinging her wand.
I brought my sword around and the wand bounced off the sword.
If I had thought that I might be able to carve through the wand, I was mistaken. She continued forward in a motion, and Darvish had to duck out of the way, barely avoiding getting struck.
Barden stood in place, his hands moving in a complicated pattern, and a spell built from them. A burst of light erupted from his hands, streaking toward the other mage.
She twisted her wand, merely a flick of her wrist, and the spell was drawn into the wand.
“You have some power,” she said. She flicked her wrist again and the spell—possibly even the same one—burst back out of the end of the wand, striking Barden in the chest. He went flying.
I didn’t have a chance to turn and check on him. Barden was a powerful mage, so I didn’t worry that he was completely injured, though this woman had overpowered him with nothing more than a flick of her wrist and use of the magic wand.
Sliding forward, I flowed through a movement, hacking down with my magical sword.
She twisted, blocking, and brought the wand around and slammed it into my chest.
Hurriedly, I forced the barrier into place with barely enough time.
Power struck the barrier, sending me staggering.
She swung toward Darvish and I held out the sword, pushing power from the end of it.
I’d never attempted that before, but had I not, her wand would’ve connected with Darvish’s head.
The blast from the end of my sword caught her on the hand and her attack missed, giving Darvish the chance to duck. He spun low, swinging his leg around, and she jumped over it.
Darvish didn’t hesitate, continuing through a series of movements.
I had known that he was skilled in martial arts, known that with his magical connection, he would be talented, but I had never seen him fight quite like this before. He and I had discussed sparring, and seeing him now, I realized that I probably wouldn’t be able to survive a spar with him. He was simply too fast.
Somehow the mage kept up with him.
Every time he brought his leg around, trying to sweep hers out from underneath her, she managed to either jump or she blocked. She was skilled, and though I didn’t know if it was martial arts training or simply reflexes, the back-and-forth impressed me.
I lunged forward, keeping my sword out of Darvish’s way but wanting to help.
I released the connection to the sword and as she neared, I swung, connecting with her shoulder. Power exploded out of me, slamming into her shoulder.
She staggered but caught herself faster than she should have.
Shit. Even one of the shifters had been slowed by that kind of attack. She shouldn’t have been able to ignore it so easily.
She flipped, landing between Darvish and me.
The suddenness of the movement, and my surprise at the acrobatic way that she twisted, caught me off guard. She spun her wand toward me, catching me in the stomach. Even with my barrier in place, the force of the blow knocked the wind out of me, doubling me over.
Her knees swung up. She would’ve caught me in the head had Darvish not barreled into her.
They collapsed in a tangle.
I stood, trying to catch my breath, a
nd started toward her when Barden grabbed me.
“Wait,” he said.
“Darvish can’t handle her on his own,” I said.
“Perhaps not, but you aren’t able to do anything either. She is far too powerful.”
“The three of us—”
“The three of us won’t be able to overpower her, either. With the way she dismisses my spells, we need something more.”
He started to make a quick circle around me, the pattern not completely regular, and when he finished, power surged through him.
“Draw what you can,” he said.
“Barden—”
He shook his head. “This is my contribution.”
I knew what he was doing. He had connected me to power on the other side of the Veil. It was a powerful spell, and it was one that required considerable strength. Because of that, it drained him much more quickly.
He wouldn’t be able to fight at all, not when using power like this.
The summoning circle connected me to the other side of the Veil.
I had connected in this way before, but when I had at that time, Barden had been tired, weakened by the assault from the Siren vampires.
This was a mage in full control of his power. The connection was solid and power surged through me, filling me.
I drew upon it, letting it fill me as I summoned my sword, and stepped forward.
The mage kicked Darvish off her and he flipped through the air before landing back on his feet. A gash on the side of his head dripped blood. His eyes had a glassy appearance, and I knew from evaluating concussion patients that he wouldn’t be able to withstand many more attacks like that.
Drawing through the connection to the other side of the Veil, I sent a burst of power from the end of my sword and at the mage.
She caught it with the magic wand, and I considered cutting off my connection to power, but followed with more and more instead.
She gripped the end of the wand with her other hand. Her jaw clenched.
“Not just a mage,” she sneered.
I ignored her, drawing more power. The wand began to tremble in her hand, the metal buckling. Whatever runes she had placed on it, and whatever power she was able to draw through it, could be disrupted, and I was determined to do so.
