“Yes,” Kelsey replied. “There’s a window we should be able to get through. It leads us to the street outside, and from there we run until we get to a safe place. I’ll find a phone and call Trent.”
“Kelsey, it’s been twelve years,” Dev pointed out.
Kelsey shook her head. “He won’t have given up his phone. He might not keep it on him, but it will be someplace where he can access it. He’ll have a way for me to reach him. He’ll have a plan. We just have to get out of this building for it to work.”
Because her wolf was faithful. “I do believe that Trent would have a plan in place. If he thought there was a chance for us to come back, he’ll have prepared a way. And we have to know that Myrddin will likely have a way to block him as long as we’re in this building. He’ll have it on lockdown.”
“He might even have a way to know we’re in the building.” Dev looked around as though still praying for a weapon.
Daniel nodded. “Which is precisely why we should get out of here as soon as possible. If Myrddin’s had years in this building, he’ll have all sorts of alarms and security. Zoey, that canvas won’t fit through the window Kelsey’s talking about.”
I held on to it like it was a lifeline. “Then I’ll find another way out.”
Dean stepped in front of me. “Your Highness, there is no magic left in this object. It’s served its purpose and it’s dead now. There is no reason to bring it with us.”
I couldn’t believe that. The idea made my gut churn and my heart threaten to seize. “It has to work. There has to be some way. It brought us here. It has to be able to take us back.”
“No.” Dean’s tone was not without sympathy. “It was a tool that’s burned out. I’ve studied magic for years. There is no more magic left here. We can leave it behind and try to find another way. I’ll look for you, Your Highness, but for now, we must run. I sense a dark presence coming toward us. I sense anger and hate and so much rage.”
That got Daniel’s attention. He pulled the canvas from my hands and picked me up before I could protest. “Kelsey, take the lead. Dean, can you persuade whatever is coming to go another way?”
“No. I won’t be able to influence this one.” Dean had gone even whiter than normal. The kid was fair skinned but usually had an odd luminous quality to him. Now he turned the slightest bit sallow.
“Are you all right?” I didn’t fight Danny. He could overpower me, and honestly, in that moment I was so overwhelmed I wasn’t sure I could move on my own anyway. All I could think about was getting through that painting, making it come back to life so it could return me to mine. But something about the way Dean had paled broke through that need.
Kelsey eased through the doorway.
Dean seemed to try to shake something off. “Her presence is quite overwhelming. It’s unlike anything I’ve felt before. I don’t even need to get into her head to read her intent.”
“Her?” Daniel asked as he approached the door.
“The hallway’s clear,” Kelsey said quietly.
Dev took our back, with Dean behind him. “Turn to the left and we can skirt around the edge of Ether to get to the stairwell.”
“Yes, I sense a female witch.” Dean’s eyes had gone a bit glassy, though he continued to move with us. “She’s filled with dark energy. She’s given up much to gain her power, and she won’t let anyone take it back. She’s been powerless before, and now she’s a queen. She’s projecting quite loudly. I think she wants me to know she’s here.”
“She senses you?” Kelsey picked up the pace, starting to jog down the long hallway.
It had to be Nimue. She was certainly a queen, and I knew there had been times when she’d felt powerless. I was almost certain she also had a thrall stone in her head. It was the only thing that could explain the change in my once dear friend.
“She senses all of us,” Dean replied. “She’s stalking us. We’re her prey, and when she brings us all to her master, she will be able to take her proper place at his side. She knows I can sense her. She likes my fear. It makes her feel powerful. Wait. There was a moment. She felt one of you and she had a moment of weakness.”
“Nimue and I were close once,” I explained. Maybe I could get to her. The thrall stone should only influence her. It shouldn’t cause her to throw out all of her morality.
“She cares about one of you. She never thought she would see you again. God, she doesn’t want you to see her like this.” Dean put a hand on his heart, like it ached and he could ease it. “But she is resolved. She chose this path and she will see it through no matter what. She belongs to the darkness now.”