Page 62 of Magic Claimed
And what better way to stoke fears than an unprovoked attack by a monster straight out of humanity’s darkest stories?
If he could make humans fearful and suspicious of their Idrian neighbors, there wouldn’t be nearly enough laws in place to keep anyone safe. History was a long tale of violence against those who were different, motivated as much by fear as by hatred. And Idrians might well be the next target, unless we could find Blake and put a stop to his efforts. While also managing to convince the human authorities that Callum wasn’t involved and that the city wasn’t in danger.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure I could promise them that last bit.
And in the meantime, there were seemingly countless other fires to be put out. Callum unconscious, maybe slipping away from me. Kids missing in what might be part of a larger conspiracy. Kes still potentially being hunted…
No.
That way lay despair. I had to face one thing at a time and remember that I was not alone.
Logan tugged on my arm, so with one last backward look at the gathered crowd, I followed him through the kitchen, out the back door, and down the alley towards The Assemblage.
I was perfectlyready to pick the lock again if I had to, but in a testament to Angelica’s genuinely awe-inspiring skills, in the hours since I left that morning they’d already established a guard at the door. And if I’d been less exhausted and shell-shocked, I probably would have cheered at the sight of him.
“Hi, Kevin.”
I had no clue where Angelica had found him on such short notice, but I couldn’t fault her choice. Kevin was the human security guard who’d been on duty the night of the Symposium. He hadn’t run then either, so it was little surprise that he’d remained stubbornly at his post in spite of the fiery chaos he’d just witnessed only half a block away.
He took one look at me, and I could see his mustache start to bristle in annoyance.
“Still don’t have a badge,” I admitted, my words coming out a little shaky thanks to the aftereffects of fear and adrenaline.
He opened the door anyway, not cracking so much as a smile. “You’re on the list,” he said sternly. “But next time I’ll need some ID.”
I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry. “Thanks, Kevin. Missed you too.”
We found Angelica pacing in the foyer, every hair in place, wearing a perfectly pressed business suit and heels. She was staring at her phone, folding her arms, and muttering to herself… until she spotted me.
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” she demanded,and I could have sworn I saw color returning to cheeks that were noticeably paler than normal.
“Dead,” I answered coolly. “Didn’t have my charger last night.”
“Well, we have a new problem.”
When did we not?
“What is it now?”
“The court found out what happened in Colorado.”
Well, crud.
“They claim to want proof that Callum is still alive, so they’re sending a delegation and threatening to fire me if I don’t provide his location and access. I don’t know how long I can keep them from finding out about his condition.”
And after what she’d said about the possibility of traitors in the Shapeshifter Court…
We couldn’t allow this delegation anywhere near Callum until he was awake.
I looked at her sharply. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I need to know where your loyalties truly lie. If your oaths conflict, what are you going to choose?”
She stared back at me, for once without her usual sneer of disdain. “If I answer that question honestly, will you believe me?”
There might have been a day when I would have said no, but I felt like I understood her better now. We were wildly different people, but like me, Angelica was a fierce defender of those she cared about. She was uptight, exacting, and made every effort to exert control on the world around her, but it was out of a desire for rightness. For safety. She was not a liar or atraitor. I’d already staked Callum’s life on that, and I was willing to stake mine too.
“Yes.”
“No siren magic?”
