Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

They crossed the street, still wary. Something about this place made Gunter wish he could stay in dragon form, but the road was too confined.

“How do we even get in there?” Zahur looked all around. “I see no coded garage opener. Oh, there’s a side door here. Maybe it’s unlocked. Nikki, you got any elements for unlocking spells on you?”

“Of course I do.” Nikki patted the messenger bag slung over their shoulder.

“Perfect, might need some.”

Zahur had a hand almost on the handle when Nikki cried out in alarm and reached for him. “NO, LET GO!”

To Zahur’s credit, he reacted near instantly. He pulled away sharply, but his proximity was enough to set off the trap. A sharp flare with the force of an explosion burst out, spreading outward in a wide enough arc that it threatened all nearby.

Gunter snatched Nikki on instinct, throwing them both to the ground and rolling three times before coming to a stop, his body hovering over and shielding the slender mage. He could feel Nikki’s warm pants of air against his neck, the tight grip they had on Gunter’s shirt. Gunter’s elbows and knees weren’t thanking him for the maneuver, but better he be bruised than either of them seriously hurt.

Frantically, he looked down into wide purple eyes, evaluating Nikki. “Alright? It didn’t touch you, did it?”

“No,” Nikki said breathlessly. For some reason, a blush bloomed high in those pale cheeks. “No, I’m alright. Um, but let me up. That fire is only going to get worse.”

Gunter rolled up and off, then gave Nikki a hand up. Nikki took it but didn’t linger. They unlatched the top of their messenger bag, quickly combing through for an ingredient.

As they worked, Gunter checked on Zahur, who was already back on his feet and several feet away from the blaze sweeping through the garage.

“Alright?”

Zahur gave him a nod. “Nothing some aloe vera can’t handle. Nikki’s warning came just in time. Thanks for that, little mage.”

“My pleasure. And the reason I’m here.” Nikki poured an element into their open palm before throwing it with some force against the building. Untouched snowflake, from the smell of it. In a dramatic stance, like a Shakespearean actor in need of a spotlight, Nikki boldly proclaimed, “Shoo, naughty one! Be gone with thee! I banish thine foul flames.”

Theatrics aside, the magic and spell element worked, as the magical flame died down considerably.

Nikki glared at the stubborn spot still lingering. With another handful, they threw some more at it. “I said, gone! Geez, take a hint already.”

The flame finally went down, and Gunter took in a breath.

“Well. That didn’t go exactly to plan.” Zahur looked around, unease written all over his face. “I don’t mind telling you, that was a little too close for comfort. Magic’s all over this place, and I can’t detect it with my nose. Even with Nikki on the lookout, we barely noticed in time. We need to get a herd of mages in here, dismantling all the spells one by one. If I can’t safely get to the right spot to pick up the trail, then we’re out of luck. What do you want to do?”

Gunter blew out a breath and looked around. “I knew this would be hard, but I don’t want to risk all three of us. We’re in enough danger as it is. Your king tried to pick up the trail outside of here and got confused on who he should be following, so I don’t recommend that method.”

Zahur grunted and nodded. “I know. He talked to me about it before we left. Hence why I wanted to go inside and try to track it back out.” Zahur passed a hand over his short, wiry dark hair. “Nikki, no insult to you, but I think we need to stop here and come back with several mages and dragons. People who are good at defusing spells like that one. We’re liable to lose a limb otherwise. I didn’t expect this place to be riddled with that many dangers. This was a garage they used all the time, right?”

“Daily,” Nikki confirmed. “And I can’t say for sure, as I didn’t get a chance to study it, but the spell could’ve been set where if a non-Jaeggi mage touched it, it’d go off automatically.”

“Makes sense. It allowed the right people to pass without harm, and saved them from taking it down and putting it back up all the time. Which would have gotten tedious.” Gunter frowned at the charred garage. He understood Zahur was right to be cautious. They’d thought themselves braced and prepared to go through here, but even wary, this trap had still almost gone by undetected.

He understood, but it rankled. They might well be on top of a potential answer. To walk away a third time bothered him. The more time passed before locating the Jaeggi, the more dangerous the Jaeggi became. They had time to regroup, after all. They had a chance to hunker back down in a fortified position. And no one wanted that to happen.