Page 47 of Mantle

“Good. Ensure you erect them immediately as per Blackline Protocol.”

“I will.”

With that, Cornelius ended the spell and pulled his magic back.

“What is the Veiled Directive?” I asked.

“Think of it as an in between from processing and ending up in theVoid.”

“An in between with interrogation being a factor?”

“Yes. Necessary for that foolish being.”

“I don’t disagree. Nicely done. You walked the line between Cassius’ extreme approach and the law.”

“You can learn a lot from me.”

“I’m getting that.”

He smiled, then told me, “I’ll see to Velra, then we’ll re-erect the wards and head out.”

“Sounds good.”

Really good.

Arcanum Conclave.

Cornelius had informed me as we’d arrived that it was the name given to the clandestine group’s even more clandestine meeting location.

Their sanctuary, in essence.

We’d first emerged on windswept highlands cloaked in mist, but with a flare of his magic, the true meeting site had been revealed.

A structure hidden by illusion magic—Fae, if I had to guess, considering the effectiveness of it, seeing as though I hadn’t even felt it.

A cathedral rose up toward the sky, its elegant architecture absolutely striking.

Deep indigo stone was carved with glowing Fae markings and ancient symbols. Its spires were asymmetrical with thornlike arches wrapping around its base.

“The entire structure is embedded in dimensional anchors,” Cornelius informed me. “You could walk straight through the grounds and never feel it.”

“Very impressive.”

“Indeed. It was created by one of our members, Maelira Draxen. A Dark Fae four centuries old, a former magical advisor to the Dark Fae King, and since proudly defected and actively engaged in supporting the supernatural world. She focuses on building protections that transcend realm-bound magic.”

With a flash of purple light, the woman herself appeared right beside Cornelius.

Straight black hair with violet tones flowed down the back of a dark cloak-vest. It was sleeveless with an exaggerated collar and shoulder detailing. A slate-gray top was beneath possessing flared sleeves that gave her a stylish edge. Her pants were boasting utility sheaths on the outer thighs and a pair of heeled boots completed her bold look.

“Welcome,” she greeted me pleasantly, her gray eyes taking me in. “It’s a pleasure to have you join our clandestine ranks, sorcerer.”

“I’m clearly in incredible company.”

She smiled, then told Cornelius, “I’m done with the prep.”

“Very good. See you inside.”

With that, she disappeared with a cloud of teleportation.

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