“So ‘hurry’ is what you’re saying,” Burke said.
Malachi nodded. “It would be best.”
“We’ve waited long enough,” Darby said. “Let’s do this,” and she pulled a handgun from a shoulder harness and held it like a pro.
“Gunnar, Gavin,” Malachi said. “Pull the outside guards right and away. Darby and I will take Rutledge and the operatives at the wing.”
“And Burke, Claire, and I will take the box,” Liam said.
Malachi nodded. “And may God have mercy on us all.”
• • •
Gavin and Gunnar began with a scream, a long and haunting yell as they emerged from the gate, immediately banked right, drawing off a couple of the guards. Darby and Malachi ran straight ahead toward Rutledge. He screamed out orders while Nix looked momentarily shocked, but then threw the male Sensitive to the ground toward the box, trying to get him to hurry.
I’d always thought there was something off about her.
“That’s our cue, kids,” Liam said. “Burke, you wanna work your magic?”
“On it,” he said, and his image fluttered and disappeared.
“Right up the middle to the box,” Liam said, talking to the spot where Burke probably was. “We’re right behind you.”
“On my way!” Burke said, and the only things that remained of him were the impressions he left in the grass.
We followed at a run, Liam at my side, gun drawn and shooting at operatives, as he kept an arm around me. I was, I thought, supposed to be saving my magic for whatever awaited me in that box. So I didn’t try to rip the weapon out of anyone’s hand, although I would have enjoyed seeing the look of magic-induced panic on their gun-wielding faces.
“I’ve got Nix,” Liam said, and I could hear that little revengy thread in his voice. He wasn’t just fighting for humans; he was fighting for his brother.
She met Liam with a bansheelike scream, thrusting her staff at him. He dodged it with a kick, aimed a punch at her side, which missed.
Burke came back into focus on his knees in front of the box. “Focus, Claire,” he said, snapping my gaze back to him and the terrified Sensitives.
“Phaedra. Tom. Good to see you again. Rutledge brought you here?”
The guy, who must have been Tom, nodded. “He wants to open the Veil. He threatened to kill our families—to hurt them. He’s already turned so many into wraiths.”
“We know,” Burke said, inspecting the box. It was made of pale gray marble. There were seven golden dials that looked like watch gears scattered across the top, golden hinges along the edges, golden keyholes along the front. Six of the gears were popped up. One was still nestled in its slot in the marble.
“He’s unlocked six so far,” Phaedra said. “He’s been bringing them here, one at a time, making them work the encryption. And when they don’t do it, or can’t do it, he lets the Veil break them.”
“I already gave him my key. I’m so sorry. So sorry.” Tom was sweating, crying, nearly feverish with magic that poured off him. I knew the feeling. Understood it well.
“Don’t sweat it, Tom. We’re going to get you some help, okay?”
“Just hers,” he said. “It’s the only one left.”
“It may not matter,” Phaedra said. “It may not take unlocking the last one. The Veil is wild.”
Burke put his hand on one of the locks, blew out a breath, and concentrated. His image flickered like an old, broken television, but nothing on the box changed.
Phaedra screamed. I looked back. Nix had grabbed her arm; Liam was on the ground a few feet away.
Malachi nodded. “It would be best.”
“We’ve waited long enough,” Darby said. “Let’s do this,” and she pulled a handgun from a shoulder harness and held it like a pro.
“Gunnar, Gavin,” Malachi said. “Pull the outside guards right and away. Darby and I will take Rutledge and the operatives at the wing.”
“And Burke, Claire, and I will take the box,” Liam said.
Malachi nodded. “And may God have mercy on us all.”
• • •
Gavin and Gunnar began with a scream, a long and haunting yell as they emerged from the gate, immediately banked right, drawing off a couple of the guards. Darby and Malachi ran straight ahead toward Rutledge. He screamed out orders while Nix looked momentarily shocked, but then threw the male Sensitive to the ground toward the box, trying to get him to hurry.
I’d always thought there was something off about her.
“That’s our cue, kids,” Liam said. “Burke, you wanna work your magic?”
“On it,” he said, and his image fluttered and disappeared.
“Right up the middle to the box,” Liam said, talking to the spot where Burke probably was. “We’re right behind you.”
“On my way!” Burke said, and the only things that remained of him were the impressions he left in the grass.
We followed at a run, Liam at my side, gun drawn and shooting at operatives, as he kept an arm around me. I was, I thought, supposed to be saving my magic for whatever awaited me in that box. So I didn’t try to rip the weapon out of anyone’s hand, although I would have enjoyed seeing the look of magic-induced panic on their gun-wielding faces.
“I’ve got Nix,” Liam said, and I could hear that little revengy thread in his voice. He wasn’t just fighting for humans; he was fighting for his brother.
She met Liam with a bansheelike scream, thrusting her staff at him. He dodged it with a kick, aimed a punch at her side, which missed.
Burke came back into focus on his knees in front of the box. “Focus, Claire,” he said, snapping my gaze back to him and the terrified Sensitives.
“Phaedra. Tom. Good to see you again. Rutledge brought you here?”
The guy, who must have been Tom, nodded. “He wants to open the Veil. He threatened to kill our families—to hurt them. He’s already turned so many into wraiths.”
“We know,” Burke said, inspecting the box. It was made of pale gray marble. There were seven golden dials that looked like watch gears scattered across the top, golden hinges along the edges, golden keyholes along the front. Six of the gears were popped up. One was still nestled in its slot in the marble.
“He’s unlocked six so far,” Phaedra said. “He’s been bringing them here, one at a time, making them work the encryption. And when they don’t do it, or can’t do it, he lets the Veil break them.”
“I already gave him my key. I’m so sorry. So sorry.” Tom was sweating, crying, nearly feverish with magic that poured off him. I knew the feeling. Understood it well.
“Don’t sweat it, Tom. We’re going to get you some help, okay?”
“Just hers,” he said. “It’s the only one left.”
“It may not matter,” Phaedra said. “It may not take unlocking the last one. The Veil is wild.”
Burke put his hand on one of the locks, blew out a breath, and concentrated. His image flickered like an old, broken television, but nothing on the box changed.
Phaedra screamed. I looked back. Nix had grabbed her arm; Liam was on the ground a few feet away.
