I might not know what was wrong, but I didn’t want – in any way – to put her in a position that would give the Brindle some sort of hold over her. Because I suspected that was what was involved. That her staying there, creating magic, would be a step onto a road and life that Ilianna had fled when she was a teenager. A path that Zaira had said, not so long ago, would find her daughter again.

“Are these stones really necessary?” she asked eventually. Her voice was even, but her expression was still troubled.

“The Raziq snatched me again tonight.” I hesitated, but she had the right to know exactly what we were all facing. “They threatened to not only kill everyone I care about, but make them ghosts. If these stones don’t work —”

“Heaven help us,” she finished, then nodded. “Fine. Once we unravel the energy imprisoning Mirri, I’ll help the Brindle make the aural wards.”

I couldn’t help but give a silent sigh of relief. Ilianna might well be stepping onto that path, but better that than her being dead. Or worse, a ghost. “Thanks, Ilianna.”

She nodded. “Anything else?”

I hesitated. “Yes, but it doesn’t matter now given you can’t really leave Mirri —”

“Just tell me what you need,” she cut in, voice flat. “If I can help, I will.”

“We need someone to create some sort of doorway into a warding circle.”

She frowned. “I do not think I could spare —”

“You do not need to,” Kiandra cut in. “I’ll send one of the fifth-year trainees. They will be more than capable of handling such a task.”

Being a trainee at the Brindle didn’t mean you were new to magic. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Witches came here to hone their skills and to become both a master and a teacher. I knew it took at least ten years to reach the master rank, so she was sending someone pretty damn proficient.

“Thank you, Kiandra.”

She nodded without looking at us. “Ilianna, I believe Rozelle is available. But look after her, reaper, or I will be displeased.”

Azriel bowed, the movement regal. “You have my word no harm will befall her.”

Ilianna caught my arm and guided me back out the door. “Has there been any word from Tao yet?”

“No.”

She grimaced. “I fear for him, Risa. I can’t see anything but fire in his future.”

“He’ll pull through this. He’s stronger than you think.”

“I hope you’re right.” But her expression said that I wasn’t.

And maybe she was right. Maybe there wasn’t any future for him. But that didn’t mean I could give up. I wouldn’t, not until every single option had been explored and abandoned.

We went back up to the next level and into a section that I knew from past visits held the sleeping quarters for the witches stationed here. Rozelle was tall, pretty, and looked all of twenty. Which meant she had either become magic proficient at a very early age, or she was much older than she looked. Most witches didn’t usually begin the master’s training until they were at least thirty.

Ilianna explained who we were and what we wanted, and Rozelle bounced up from her seat, gathering magical bits and pieces and carefully placing them into a carryall.

“Right,” she said, “Let’s go.”

Her warm tones held an edge of excitement that made me smile. Obviously, things had been a little slow here at the Brindle lately. I gave Ilianna a hug, then said, “Keep strong. We’ll all get through this, I promise.”

She smiled, but didn’t say anything. Because she knew, like I knew, my promise was empty. No one knew how all this was going to pan out.

Not even, I was beginning to suspect, fate.

Azriel transported us, one at a time, back to the warehouse.

“Wow,” Rozelle said, blinking rapidly and wavering a little as she reappeared. “That’s certainly a novel way to get about. Not something I’d like to do too often, though.”

“Yeah, sorry,” I said. “But we’re on a tight deadline and it’s the quickest way to travel.”

Tags: Keri Arthur Dark Angels Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net