“You told us three minutes,” Kyle said.
I was moving to the doorway, laying down a pair of gold discs into the corridor, one by each wall. “Last time it was three minutes,” Luna said.
“Argue later,” I said curtly. I glanced over at the back of the storeroom. The second entrance was sealed off . . . probably, but there was no time to check. “We’ve got incoming.”
Luna, Variam, and Kyle took cover, hiding behind crates and in the corners. I stepped behind the statue. I could hear shouts and running footsteps echoing through the mansion; they weren’t converging on us quite yet, but they were getting louder.
I rested a hand on the chestpiece of my armour. My armour is plate-and-mesh, an imbued item that’s alive in its own way. It had been a gift from Arachne many years ago, and since then it had grown with me, adjusting itself in response to our battles. I’d put it on before leaving the Hollow. I’m going to be counting on you, I said through the dreamstone. The armour seemed to pulse in response.
Hurrying footsteps came down the corridor, slowing as they reached the door. From the futures where I looked out, I could see a boy in his twenties stop in the doorway, staring openmouthed at the light show. “What the f—”
Kyle shot him with a Taser. The adept went down, jerking. Kyle moved in with another syringe full of sedative. “Movement,” Vari said.
“Hey!” a voice shouted from down the corridor. “Someone’s here! Hey!”
“Yo, Alex,” Variam called. “Weapons free?”
“Knock yourself out.”
There was a takatakatak as someone opened up with an assault rifle. Bullets slammed into the statue, ricochetting into the walls and floor. I stayed crouched, searching through the futures. He’s twenty feet down the corridor with an AK, I told Variam through the dreamstone. Two of them at the moment but more coming.
Got it.
The shooting stopped. In the sudden quiet, I could hear more footsteps converging, along with the sound of muffled voices. He’s going to advance, I told Variam. Five seconds.
A pause, then the guy with the assault rifle appeared down the corridor. Through the futures I could see him, maybe twenty or so with a round face, eyes bulging a little in concentration as he advanced with his gun forward.
Variam leant around the corner and hit him with a burst of focused heat. The boy’s blackened corpse hit the floor with a thump, and hot air rolled into the room, carrying the nauseating smell of burnt flesh.
Luna wrinkled her nose but didn’t say anything. Running footsteps sounded down the corridor, followed by more shouts. Guessing they won’t try that again, Variam said.
Not after seeing that, I said. I reached out to Luna and Kyle as well. Keep your heads down, they’re going to keep up fire—
Another assault rifle opened up, along with a handgun this time. Bullets whined and chips of stone flew from the statue. I wondered what would happen if a lucky shot hit the cube, and decided I didn’t want to find out. Vari, can you tell them to stop that?
In answer, Variam chucked a fireball around the corner. I saw the red flash flicker on the ceiling; there was a yell and the gunfire cut off.
Silence fell. From down the corridor and around the junction, I could hear someone swearing, their voice muffled. Someone else was calling for backup. What do you see? Variam asked.
I looked through the futures where I went out and down the corridor. I think they got the message. There was only one guy in view, a kid of maybe twenty, dressed in combats and a leather jerkin. He was holding a handgun that looked too big for him, and was peering around the corner down the corridor at the storeroom. I remembered him from my last visit: his name was Trey. They’re holding.
Alex, Luna said. You can hear?
Yes.
Something’s wrong. Luna sounded worried. I think when Onyx and his guys stole the statue, they damaged it.
I glanced up. The red-and-white lights were just visible from behind the statue, the magical signature still shouting out to everyone in range that something big was happening. I couldn’t feel any sign of a gate. Is it working?
I don’t know, Luna said. I’m going to give it some help. “Vari,” she called. “Cover me.” She moved out to the statue, putting herself in full view of anyone down the corridor.
I heard Trey shout something, but before he could raise his gun, Variam stepped out. Trey leapt for cover as Variam scorched the intersection.
“Thanks,” Luna said over her shoulder.
I got to my feet. Luna was studying the cube, frowning. The beams of light were still playing over it, but while some had matched, the others hadn’t. “Almost,” she said, half to herself. “Just a little push . . .” She laid one hand on the cube, the silver mist of her curse turning to gold.
I watched uneasily. I didn’t like Luna having her back to the door like that. “Make it quick.”
“Don’t rush me,” Luna said absently.
Golden mist seeped into the crystal. One of the beams wavered, then intersected, becoming a solid line linking the cube to the statue. A second followed. “There,” Luna said.
“Movement,” Variam said, not taking his eyes off the corridor.
“Luna, move,” I said.
“I said don’t—”
Red light bloomed from the end of the corridor. A ball of fire roared towards us, growing and darkening as it flew, turning the carpets and light fixtures to ash. It was headed straight for Variam, and behind him, Luna. I saw Variam’s hand go up as he started his shield.
I snapped out a command word. The gold discs flared into life, a plane of force materialising in the corridor, sealing it off from wall to wall. An instant later, the fireball struck and exploded two feet from Variam’s nose. Flame raged, scorching the walls, trying to burn through the forcewall . . . and failing. The corridor went dark.
Think you had it? I asked Variam.
Kind of glad I didn’t have to find out.
Luna hadn’t turned around. “Vari, tell that guy to keep it down, will you?”
“I’ll ask nicely.”
Another fireball came flashing down the corridor, exploding uselessly against the wall. Elemental magic can be rock-paper-scissors, and fire magic is very bad at cutting through force. “You two, move,” Kyle said to Luna and Variam. “You’re giving him a free look at where you are.”
Variam glanced over his shoulder towards Luna, then went back to looking down the corridor.
The cube’s unlocking sequence was picking up speed. “We good?” I asked Luna.
Luna didn’t take her eyes off the cube. The golden mist of her curse was still seeping into it. It had been one of the first tricks she learnt, redirecting the good luck of her curse to an external target. “Almost.”
“Pyre’s moving,” Variam said sharply.
“There!” Luna said. She took her hand away from the cube, starting to turn.
The futures changed, new possibilities flashing up. Luna, down!
Fire exploded inside the room. I was already ducking into cover, left arm coming up to shield my head; flames licked at me but my armour soaked up the heat. The blast lasted only an instant and was over, smoke trailing from the statue and from the wooden crates I’d been hiding behind. I looked up and my heart jumped. Variam was standing unharmed. Kyle had made it to cover in the far corner. Luna was on the floor, scorch marks on her back.