Conrad Edison and the First Power: Urban Fantasy (Overworld Arcanum Book 5)

by John Corwin

  "Was that a memory fog potion?" I asked.

  Ambria giggled. "She won't even remember seeing us."

  "You're ruthless, aren't you?"

  Her expression sobered. "So is the world, Conrad. Sometimes we have to be ruthless too."

  We walked down the hallway. The rooms here used actual keys instead of keycards. Ambria stopped near the end and knocked on the door. No one answered, so she used a spell Granddad Stan had taught us to pick the lock.

  I was so tired I took off my shoes and flopped on the bed. Exhaustion claimed me in an instant.

  The man in white regards me with satisfaction. He says something. His words sound clearer, but still elude my understanding. Before I can ask him another question, the vision fades to black.

  A ray of sunlight shining through a slit in the curtains woke me up. My head and neck ached and my stomach rumbled. I clicked on the lamp. Ambria wasn't in the room or the bathroom. The clock on my arcphone read seven minutes past noon.

  I slept really late. That explained why I felt so ravenous. The latch clicked and Ambria stepped inside clutching bags.

  "You're finally awake." She set down a paper bag on the table.

  A delicious aroma drew me to it. Croissants with ham and pastries greeted me. I took a huge bite of one and moaned. "You're a life saver."

  "Me or the croissants?"

  I grinned. "Both."

  "I do my best." Ambria dumped clothes from another bag. "I thought we could use another change of attire and fresh underwear."

  "Clean underwear sounds heavenly." I stuffed more food in my mouth. Once sated, I sat back and sipped on tea from a paper cup. "I suppose we should head back to the train station."

  "I spoke with Max again this morning," Ambria said. "Still no word from Galfandor, but everyone is still safe at the campground."

  "That's something at least." I opened the curtains and looked at the quaint, old-world buildings lining the street. "Hopefully that lycan lost our scent. I'd hate to lead Talbot back to our friends—provided he survived."

  "Our encounter was all over the news." Ambria removed an éclair from the bag. "Some of the phone videos taken clearly show Talbot using a wand. Unfortunately, he escaped before the police could apprehend him."

  I turned on the television and flicked a few channels until I found one of the twenty-four-hour news stations. I set my arcphone to translate again.

  Explosions rocked the parked cars where Delilah's missile had hit just after the police killed her. "A weapon similar to the one used by the man was found on the woman's body. Police are still searching for answers in this bizarre incident. Was it terrorism, or something completely different? Twenty-three police lost their lives in the brutal attack."

  A frozen image appeared of me and Ambria, our faces tight with terror as we fled from Talbot. "Police are still searching for these children." The camera zoomed in on Ambria's hand. "As you can see, she has a weapon similar to the one held by the man in the background and the deceased woman."

  The scene focused on Talbot. Volleys of silver bullets streaked through the air. "Authorities still have no idea how the weapon works. The only bullets recovered from the scene were the ones used by police."

  A pair of newscasters appeared on the screen and the image retreated to the upper right of the screen. "Are police really calling those weapons?" the male newscaster asked. "They look like magic wands."

  "That's right, Edward," the female replied. "The authorities said the wands are not disguised guns, and they have no idea what fired the rockets." She shook her head. "And yet, we can clearly see those missiles coming from the ends of the wands in the video."

  High-definition video of Talbot filled the screen, his lips peeled back in a cry of rage. The playback slowed, showing the magic missiles weaving together from glowing energy at the tip of the wand.

  "I know this sounds far-fetched, Ana, but it almost looks like magic."

  "People all across the globe are looking for answers, Edward," Ana replied. "Thankfully, we all know there's no such thing as magic."

  The video resumed normal speed, but switched back to the newscasters just before the missiles hit the police.

  The newscast showed a man in a police uniform standing on a podium. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the twenty-three men and women lost in the attack. I assure the public that we are doing everything possible to discover how and why these attacks took place."

  Ambria swallowed a piece of éclair. "This is terrible. If the noms realize magic exists, it might start a war between us and them."

  "Why do you think they'll go to war?" I said. "Plenty of noms would love to use magic."

  "Perhaps, but just as many will see us as a threat." Ambria switched off the TV. "I hope they convince themselves it was something else."

  With my hunger abated, the aches in my neck and head rose to full volume. I lay back down on the bed and groaned. "Do you have any more of Percival's magic poisoning paste?"

  Ambria removed some from her satchel and handed it to me. "You're still feeling poorly?"

  I put a piece in my mouth and sucked on it. The aches melted away. "I don't feel as bad as yesterday, but I'm still not a hundred percent."

  "Is the paste helping?"

  "Immensely." I closed my eyes. "Just give me a moment and we can go to the metro."

  "Of course." Ambria squeezed my hand and kissed my lips. "There's no rush."

  When the pain receded to a dull throb in the background I pushed myself up. Ambria wore a cute red beret and a black-and-white-striped blouse with a red skirt. She twirled. "Do you like it?"

  My heart skipped a beat. "You look adorable." I took her hands in mine and pulled her to me. "Beautiful beyond words."

  Ambria melted in my arms. "Oh, Conrad. I've wanted to hear you say that for so long." Big brown eyes looked up at me. "I just want to savor every moment just in case—" She shivered.

  "In case we die?" I pecked a kiss on her nose. "We'll all die someday, Ambria, but I plan to have plenty of more time with you."

  She smiled. "I hope so." Her hand caressed my neck and she pulled me in for a long kiss.

  I hope we have more time. But I knew it was unlikely I'd survive the fight with my father. I pushed unpleasant thoughts from my mind and kissed Ambria again. My body tingled and responded in embarrassing ways, so I sighed and released her. "We should go."

  Ambria handed me the bag of pastries and a new satchel with my clothes. "Yes, let's."

  We boarded the metro and sat across from a man reading a newspaper. Ambria stiffened, eyes wide. "Look."

  Our terrified faces filled the picture on the front page. Above it hung a bold headline in French. The question mark at the end likely meant the translation was Have you seen these people?

  Ambria pulled her beret a bit lower over her forehead and looked down. "I should've gotten you a hat."

  A girl staring at a smartphone looked up at us then back down at her screen several times. She discreetly tilted the phone up and I realized she was trying to take a picture. Her phone sparked and a puff of smoke coiled into the air. The girl shrieked and dropped the ruined device.

  Ambria tucked her wand back beneath her cardigan, a smug smile on her face. "These noms spend too much time on their phones already."

  Unfortunately, I knew the girl was just the beginning of our problems. My arcphone chimed. I looked at the screen and saw a text message. Louvre. South side. One hour. –Kanaan.

  I checked the contact symbols and confirmed the message was indeed from Kanaan. Relief flooded me. "Look." I showed the message to Ambria.

  Her eyes widened. "Oh, thank god, Conrad. We're saved."

  I squeezed her hand. "We were already saved thanks to you." I stroked her cheek. "You're quite the badass."

  Ambria giggled. "I'd do anything to save you."

  A man with a newspaper got up and stalked toward us. He pointed to the picture on the front page and spoke in French.

  I shook my head. "I
don't speak French."

  "You are the people in the picture," the girl with the ruined phone said in a light accent. "I know it is you!"

  "Yes!" A teenaged boy said. "I thought the same." Eagerness lit his eyes. "Were those people using magic? Are you wizards?"

  "It was magic," the girl said. "I just know it."

  "Magic?" Ambria scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

  "You are British, no?" the boy said.

  The man with the newspaper said something in a loud voice and more people craned their necks our way. The metro slowed to a stop. Several people dashed off the train as if their lives depended on it.

  "That's definitely not us in the picture," Ambria said. "We weren't even in Paris yesterday."

  A man in police uniform stepped inside. Fingers pointed our way. His eyes narrowed and he said something into a radio.

  "This is ridiculous," Ambria said. "We're just tourists."

  The boy held up his smartphone, a picture of Ambria zoomed in. The resemblance was undeniable.

  "This is getting out of hand," I said as the man with the newspaper started shouting and waving the policeman over.

  In a moment, we'd likely be in handcuffs.

  Chapter 21

  Ambria slipped a small sphere into my hand and whispered in my ear. "Get ready to run."

  I held up the memory fog bomb.

  "What's that?" the boy asked.

  The train stopped.

  I blew on the potion bomb once, twice, three times.

  The doors slid open.

  "Go!" Ambria threw her potion bomb toward the policeman and dashed through the open doors.

  I ran to the door and tossed the potion bomb to the boy. "Here's the magic you wanted." I jumped onto the platform outside.

  Gray smoke filled the car. Waiting passengers shouted and cried out in dismay. People scattered. Ambria and I kept our heads down and ran with the panicked mob. We didn't stop running until we reached street level. We walked several blocks then hailed a taxi. I checked my wallet and realized I barely had enough money for a single train ticket back to Italy.

  I hope Kanaan has a way out.

  We reached the Louvre fifteen minutes late, thanks to the debacle on the metro and clogged traffic. We walked to the south side of the glass pyramid and pretended to sightsee with the other nom tourists. Thankfully, none of them seemed the least bit curious about us.

  Ambria turned in a circle. "I don't see him anywhere."

  "I hope he's still here." I sat down on a marble bench and studied the faces in the crowd. Kanaan wasn't among them.

  "I am here."

  Ambria and I jumped up and found the magitsu master standing behind us. He wore jeans and a black T-shirt. Though his attire blended him in with the noms, it was strange seeing him out of his robes.

  "How in the world?" Ambria shook her head. "Never mind. I'm just so happy to see you, I might burst."

  "It appears you have made international headlines." Kanaan started walking away from the bench so we followed him across the street and onto a bridge with a spectacular view of the Seine. He stopped in the middle and looked at the water. "We will rejoin the others."

  "Do you have a portal somewhere?" I asked.

  He shook his head. "Trains must suffice."

  "Where have you been all this time?" Ambria asked.

  "Watching those associated with Victus. Learning new ways around Queens Gate." Kanaan turned toward her. "It seems the wandslingers have been particularly adept at finding you."

  "Lycans and the wandslingers slaughtered everyone in Galfandor's secret organization." Ambria shuddered. "It was awful."

  "The Night Watch is no more?" Kanaan's eyebrows rose. "This is troubling."

  "I can think of stronger words than that," I said. "They were going to help us fight Victus, but he'd already infiltrated them with an infernus."

  Kanaan pursed his lips. "Was Garkin there?"

  I shook my head. "Talbot, Delilah, and some lycans."

  "Did they bear crescent moon tattoos?"

  I thought back to the ink on the back of the dead lycan's neck. "Yes."

  "Brothers of the Hidden Moon." Kanaan's lips pressed together. "It appears they have taken a side."

  "Who are they?" Ambria asked.

  "A cult who believes our moon is but a fragment of the real moon." He turned and leaned on the concrete balustrade. "They believe the hidden moon is in another realm where they will reign supreme." Victus shook his head. "They are lycan supremacists just as Garkin's followers, the blooded, are Arcane supremacists. Though they would usually fight each other, it appears Victus has forged common ground."

  "How is it possible to twist hate into a bond?" Images of the carnage twisted my guts. "They're fools."

  "Garkin continues to fill his ranks with battle mages," Kanaan said. "Zarin constructs another demon foundry. Creatures of the Dark Forest swell the ranks of the monster army every day." He frowned. "We do not have the numbers for a frontal assault."

  "So we have no choice but to wait until we can go to Seraphina?" Ambria threw up her hands. "I don't know how up to date you are on everything, but it'll be weeks before Eden aligns with Voltis and we can even start the hunt for Justin Slade in Seraphina. For all we know, Aerianas already killed him and his army."

  "I phoned Max before I met with you." Kanaan stroked his beard. "The Fallen at least offer us a chance to find more allies. For now, we have few options."

  "If Victus gets the foundry back online, he'll clone more important people and infest every supernatural organization until it's impossible to root them all out." I smacked my palm on the railing. "We can't just sit back and wait. Once Ivy and Nightliss come online, we have to attack."

  "Attack who, exactly?" Ambria challenged me with raised eyebrows. "Do we know where Victus is? Can we take him out, or should we rush in willy-nilly and fight Garkin and his blooded?"

  I turned to Kanaan. "Do you know where Victus is?"

  He shook his head. "The facility in Montana is abandoned. I know Zarin works on another foundry because I spied upon the battle mages moving supplies through a portal."

  "Where did the portal go?" I asked.

  "It was too heavily guarded, even for me." Kanaan folded his arms across his chest. "Garkin and his allies move everywhere with portals, making them difficult to track."

  "Portals, hmm?" Ambria tapped a finger on her chin. "Maybe we don't know exactly where they are, but if they're using omniarch portals, that certainly narrows down the possibilities."

  "Correct." Kanaan gazed into the distance. "I searched abandoned facilities—the Grand Nexus, Thunder Rock, Three Sisters, El Dorado. I then turned to the public waystations like the Grotto and La Casona. Though many are blocked or guarded, none are actively in use."

  "I don't think Garkin would use public waystations to ship battle mages," I said. "That would draw too much attention."

  "Precisely." Ambria frowned. "Master Kanaan, are there any abandoned facilities you haven't checked out?"

  Kanaan shook his head.

  "That leaves two possibilities." Ambria turned to me. "Gwyneth said there are portable omniarches."

  "Yes," I said. "But she said Underborn doesn't know of anyone who has one."

  "That leaves one other possibility, and it would be the perfect place to set up a secret lair." Ambria arched an eyebrow. "I think they're using the omniarch next to Stoneshire."

  Kanaan nodded. "I agree. We should inspect it at once."

  Stoneshire, the underground mansion beneath Arcane University, had been built by Justin Slade and the resistance. It was a refuge, a safe place after the mansion aboveground had been destroyed in the battle that claimed the life of Moses.

  Max, Ambria, and I lived and trained there for weeks, and at the time it felt more like home than even the house at the corner of Dowling and Bucket. Max had named the underground mansion Stoneshire since it was constructed out of the bedrock of the cavern, and also because he grew tired of calling i
t the underground mansion all the time. To think that the place we'd once called home might now be the headquarters of pure evil filled me with anger.

  "How are we supposed to get there?" I said. "By train?"

  He nodded. "Yes. We must travel to London."

  Ambria pointed a thumb at herself. "You're taking us with you?" She held up a hand to stop his reply. "Not that I'm complaining, but Galfandor and the others think we're too young."

  "Age does not determine ability." Kanaan put a hand on her shoulder in an unusual show of affection. "You have proven yourself a worthy student, Ambria Rax. You are capable."

  My jaw dropped open and I felt a tinge of jealousy. "What about me?"

  The magitsu master nodded. "You show promise, but you lack focus. Instead of mastering one talent, you pursue many and excel at none. You also allow troubles of the past to cloud your meditation."

  "I'm good with my spells," I protested. "I can still meditate."

  "Spells are but one facet of magitsu." Kanaan's hand blurred and something tweaked my ear.

  "Ouch." I covered the side of my face with a hand. "What was that for?"

  Kanaan's hand flashed again. Ambria twisted and slapped it away before it reached her ear, every bit as quick as she'd been against the battle mage in the hotel hallway.

  "You are dead. She is not." Kanaan gave Ambria another small nod. "You have continued to practice."

  Ambria beamed and bowed slightly. "Yes, Master Kanaan."

  "How much extra practicing have you been doing?" I asked.

  "Even before the wandslingers first found us, she found time to train on her own." Kanaan pursed his lips. "In the time left to us, you must achieve greater focus, Conrad."

  I looked at Ambria. Instead of jealousy, pride swelled in my chest. "You're glorious, did you know that?"

  She giggled. "I suspected it, but I love hearing you say it."

  Both of Kanaan's eyebrows rose. "I see you have taken the next step together."

  Ambria laced her arm in mine. "If that's your way of saying we're dating, then yes."