Page 44 of Of Flames and Crows

“Not many people knew about the three suspected Fire Magic users who went missing last month either,” Mae said slowly, her mind racing. “They never registered their ability with their covens. Could the Dark Council have found a way to identify and trace the location of Fire Magic users?”

“I doubt Barquiel or that Immortal lackey of his possess such knowledge,” Brimstone grumbled.

The blood suddenly drained from Nikolai’s face. “Shit.”

Alarm clenched Mae’s belly. “What?”

“The seer.” He met her gaze wildly. “I forgot about her!”

Mae blinked. She scowled as she recalled what Nikolai had told her the first time they’d spoken with Bryony. “You mean the one who foresaw my awakening?”

Nikolai nodded numbly. “There’s a strong possibility Raya is using her powers to identify Fire Magic users.”

“What…did you just say?!” someone choked out.

Mae’s head whipped around.

Cortes had risen to his feet. A thunderous expression darkened his face. “The name. What’s the name of this—seer?!”

“Raya Medeiros,” Nikolai replied, confused.

Cortes closed his eyes and shuddered. The bloodlust that filled his gaze when he opened them again gave Mae the answer she was looking for.

“Is she the one who damaged your core?!” she gasped.

Vlad and Nikolai cast shocked looks at Cortes. Surprise flitted across Budimir’s face.

“Yes.” A muscle jumped in the Colombian’s jawline. “She’s my aunt.” Cortes’s gaze locked on Mae. “Let me help you. I may not be able to use my magic, but I have contacts on this continent who can find Raya now that I know she’s close. In exchange, I want you to fix my core.”

Mae startled. “What?”

“I also have a request.” Budimir’s gaze swept the room before focusing on her. “I want you to help me save Roman.”

CHAPTER19

A woman’sscream jolted Roman out of his fitful slumber. He bolted upright, his heart slamming against his ribs. His fingers dug convulsively into the thin pallet he lay upon as his gaze swept his prison wildly, his vision already accustomed to the gloom.

It was empty but for the bare, stone walls surrounding him on three sides and the faint light coming from a flame torch in the corridor outside. Roman swallowed, braced his hands on the ground, and rose. A few steps took him to the iron grille making up the fourth wall and door. He peered outside, careful not to touch metal.

It was infused with black magic and had already scorched his palms once.

“It’s Laura,” a voice quavered in the darkness.

Roman’s gaze found the pale face staring out of another cell across the way. Both he and the man jumped when another scream came from somewhere in the distance. It faded into a long, low moan of agony.

Anger and fear surged through Roman.

It had been two days since he’d woken up in this hellish place. He’d been shocked to discover there were other prisoners in the dungeon where the men who had attacked him had brought him. His worst fears had been realized when they’d told him they were Fire Magic users too and apprised him of what had been happening down there.

There had been even more sorcerers and witches in the prison before he came. One, sometimes two people were dragged from their cell every day, never to return.

Roman didn’t have to be a genius to figure out the dreadful ending the missing magic users had met. From the bloodcurdling sounds he could hear coming from Laura wherever she had been taken to, the witch’s fate had already been sealed.

He hadn’t seen the red-haired sorcerer in the time he’d been down here. According to the other Fire Magic users, the guy’s name was Oscar Beneventi. He was the son of the Sorcerer King and the one who would inherit his seat at the head of the Dark Council.

Even though Roman knew little of the current politics of the magic community, he’d read about the Dark Council and the Sorcerer King in Katarina Vissarion’s journal. And he’d seen what Oscar Beneventi could do. Though he’d put up a valiant fight, it hadn’t taken long for the sorcerer to overpower him with his black magic.

The one difference between him and the other Fire Magic users trapped alongside him, and possibly his saving grace, was that his familiar hadn’t been captured. Roman suspected Oscar Beneventi was still pissed about that fact.

---