“That’s our intention.”
He turned. “Come, I will lead you there.”
I shared a gaze with my friends, who nodded. Together, the three of us followed him from the tavern and out into the public plaza. It was easier to see the shadows of the ghosts now, though they were still far fainter than the man who led us down the quiet streets. White plaster buildings towered on either side of us, and the thin moon gleamed above.
“How long have they been at the temple?” I asked.
“Permanently? For a month. Though they visited before that.” He shook his head. “They were different from the other visitors, however. Too rabid. Too intense. Like wild animals, driven by instinct.”
Yikes. I shivered.
Our guide slowed as we neared the dark magic that was thicker on this side of town. It stank, reeking of sewage and rotten meat. He turned and caught my eye. “This is what they are doing to our city. Do you smell it? See it?”
I nodded, my gaze riveted to the dark gray glow ahead of me. It looked like a hazy barrier of smoke separated the temple from the rest of the town. Across an open square, there was a second, unguarded temple.
The guide pointed to it. “That is the temple of Baal, the brother of Anat. They were not interested in it. Only in hers.”
“And only in the warlike side,” I said.
“Yes. No balance.” He shook his head, spitting to the side in disgust. “I will leave you here as there is nothing I can do against the corporeal world. But beware, they have terrible magic. The dark side of Anat may be powering them.”
I nodded and tucked myself back behind a wall. My friends joined me. If we leaned around the corner, we could see the open square and the smokey barrier that separated us from the temple. It called to me and repulsed me at the same time.
Our guide disappeared down the street.
I looked at Mac and Seraphia. “How do you want to do this?”
“I say we sneak in and spy,” Mac said.
Seraphia nodded, and I had to agree that it was the best way. I touched my comms charm and whispered to Eve. “Can you see into the temple from up there?”
“There are some open-air spaces, but the haze makes it impossible to see the people. I can feel them, though. Like a bunch of rabid skunks making out in a dumpster.”
I felt my eyebrows rise. That was quite the visual. “What about a way in? Any entrances look less guarded?”
“Nope, it’s all surrounded by the same smokey substance. I think the main entrance is your best bet. They won’t be expecting you, at least.”
I hoped she was right. “Thanks, Eve.”
“I’ll stay up here for air support. Just shout if you need help.”
“I have a feeling you’ll be able to see it before I can shout.”
“Probably.” She cut the connection, and I peeked around the corner of the building. Everything was quiet and calm. I looked back at Mac and Seraphia. “Let’s move quickly to the front, then sneak in and stick to the shadows. We won’t make contact until we know what we’re up against.”
They nodded, and we set off, hurrying across the dark, silent courtyard. The temple itself was as simple and elegant as the rest of the buildings in town, though quite a bit larger. It was partially obscured by the haze, but not so much that I couldn’t make out the white plaster and burnished red stripe painted horizontally across the front, about two thirds of the way to the top.
The dark magic barrier pricked against my skin as we approached, but nothing terrible. It was hard to tell where the magic was strongest and where the barrier ended.
“It’s not that bad,” Mac whispered. “Usually these barriers hurt a hell of a lot more.”
I nodded, annoyed by the prickling but not in acute pain. We were nearly to the front steps when the air changed. Pain exploded, and I was slammed backward, feeling like an enormous mallet had slammed into my entire body.
An alarm shrieked through the night air, and I stared upward at the sky, every inch of me ringing with pain. On either side of me, Mac and Seraphia lay still, groaning.
“That was unexpected,” Mac said.
“Never seen a barrier like that.” Seraphia shoved herself upright. “A real sneak attack.”