Page 77 of To Crave Deeply
There was a low rumble, and the shadow around my wrist morphed back into the wall of the barrier. The mist parted in front of me, and a large, cloaked figure stepped into the clearing. I could tell he was tall even before he stood in front of me; not as tall as Torsten, though. His face was hidden by the hood of his cloak.
“Hello, Lori. I’ve been waiting for you.”
What the fuck? Who was this guy?
Torsten came to stand next to me as this mysterious guy stepped closer.
“Who are you? And what have you done to the base?” There was no doubt in my mind that this guy was responsible for the barrier. There was something about him that called to the magic burning in my core.
“Only what I was asked to do. Looks like I turned up in the middle of some fun,” he said, and even though I couldn’t see his face, I could hear the smile in his words.
I crossed my arms across my chest. “If you don’t tell me who you are, I will squeeze your kneecaps until you squeal.”
The hooded figure snorted. “I’m quaking in my boots. But if you must know, I’m here to train you. I just seemed to have dropped in at a most unfortunate time. It appears that all Hell has broken free.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked, my frustration starting to get the better of me.
His fingers wrapped around the edges of the black hood, and he finally pulled it from his face. “My name is Edwin Garrick, and I have been requested to introduce you into the world of shadow mages.”
My breath hitched. “You’re a shadow mage.”
“Yes,” he replied as he stepped closer still. He was quite imposing to look at. His hair was black as pitch, cropped short at the sides and brushed back off his forehead. He had strong features, an aquiline nose, and a firm mouth. His eyes were magnificent and unusual. They were a dark grey and shimmered like there was starlight buried in their depths.
There was something mischievous about the curl of his mouth, and I instantly knew that the imposing façade was just that: a mask, meant to frighten and keep people away.
“I thought we were rare?” I asked. I couldn’t believe I was having a conversation with someone like me. I didn’t think I’d ever meet another one.
“We are,” he replied with a smile. “As far as I know, there are only three of us in existence.”
Wow. “How did you find me?”
“It wasn’t difficult. News of a new shadow mage spread fast. As soon as I heard of your existence, I reached out to Master Crowe. I had to meet you.” His eyes took on an intensity as he stared at me, and I got the distinct impression that he was taking me in and finding me wanting.
“Is this your handiwork?” I asked, pointing at the barrier behind him.
“Yes. As soon as he knew who I was, Alec asked me to put something in place to strengthen the wards. So I created a shadow wall.”
“Impressive,” I mused, but he just shrugged his shoulders. At least Alec and the team had gotten back okay. My mind turned to Jasper. I wondered if he was back yet. “Come on. Let’s get inside and find out what the Hell is going on.”
Chapter 24
LORI
The base was in turmoil. The secondary teams were running about frantically, and there was so much chaos it was hard to manoeuvre anywhere without crashing into someone. A field hospital had been set up in the large dining room, and I could see Levi working away, his hair standing on end more than usual.
This was bad.
I strode towards Jasper’s office and prayed that he was in there. The door was closed but I could hear a firm voice barking orders from the other side. My heart soared and I threw the door open and rushed in.
“Jasper—”
My words died. Alec stared back at me looking like I’d caught him mid-flow in a conversation. He muttered something to his companion, one of the secondary team leaders, dismissing him from the room.
“Lori,” Alec said softly as he strode towards me. “He hasn’t returned.”
“Yet,” I replied shortly. “He hasn’t returnedyet.” I hoped Alec hadn’t resigned himself to the idea that Jasper was lost forever. I certainly hadn’t. And when we’d finished dealing with the riots, I was going straight back to Hell to find him.
“You’re right,” Alec conceded as he cupped my shoulder. “I see you’ve met Edwin?”
