Besides, there was the nagging fear that this might eventually hurt the Chatri.
Magnus pointed toward the flames. “Stop them.”
The old man shook his head. “It’s impossible.”
“Wrong answer,” Magnus snapped.
“Only Anthony can halt the spell now that it’s been cast.”
“Fine, then bring me the druid.”
“He’s not here.”
Of course he wasn’t.
Magnus grimaced as the druids covertly stepped backward, knowing that his power was shimmering around him with a golden aura.
“Where is he?” he demanded, trying to leash his temper. It would be a shame to accidentally turn one of the druids into a pile of goo.
“With the Commission.”
“Damn,” he muttered.
“I’ve traveled to the caves,” Tonya abruptly said. “I can take us there.”
He sent her a frown. “No.”
“Yes.” She shot back. “My decision, not yours, prince.”
Magnus bit back the urge to argue. The one thing he knew about this female was that to try and tell her she couldn’t do something was the one certain way to make sure she dug in her heels.
And, in truth, he knew that he would need her assistance.
A female as a partner. Who would ever have thought it?
“Very well.” He gave her a slow nod, his heart forgetting to beat as he was rewarded with a dazzling smile. Then he grudgingly returned his attention to the men watching him with a completely unwarranted belief that Magnus was going to be their savior. “Will killing the druid break the spell?”
“That is only the first step,” the man said.
Magnus knew it couldn’t be that simple.
“What else must be done?”
“To cast the Compulsion spell that’s controlling the Oracles, Anthony must have a blood sacrifice and a focus object.”
Magnus frowned. His magic came from his own powers. Human magic-users had to manipulate the power that was found in nature. Or steal it from the blood of a sacrifice.
He’d never had to understand what went into casting a spell.
“What object?”
“It can be anything.” The druid shrugged. “An amulet. A crystal. Even something personal like a piece of jewelry. It must be destroyed.”
Kill the druid and destroy a piece of jewelry. That seemed doable.
“Will it be with him?”
“Not necessarily.”
Ah. There had to be something.
“Then how do we find it?”
“It will give off a pulse of magic,” the druid answered.
Tonya made a sound of impatience. “Along with a thousand other items. The caves belong to the Oracles,” she said. “All of them will have amulets and crystals and God knows what else.”
“True.” With a frown, the old man turned to share a whispered conversation with his fellow druids. There was a brief discussion, or maybe an argument, before he swiveled around to meet Magnus’s impatient glare. “My brothers and I can combine our magic to vibrate any objects that happen to be druid in the cave.”
“Vibrate?”
“Yes. The movement will give off a small hum. That should make it easier to find.”
Magnus supposed that was as good as it was going to get.
“Fine.” He glanced toward his beautiful imp. “Tonya—”
She reached up to place a finger against his lips. “We’ll talk when this is over. Are you ready?”
He gave a grudging nod.
The sooner they were done, the sooner he could have this woman alone in his bed.
And he wanted that very, very much.
“Hey, wait for me,” a small voice demanded as Levet waddled forward.
“No,” Magnus growled. “No way.”
Tonya tried and failed to hide her smile. “Actually he’s very good at seeing through illusions. We might need him.”
The idiotic creature stuck out his tongue. “Oui, I am a gargoyle of many talents.”
“Fine,” Magnus growled. “Let’s just go.”
Tonya lifted her hand, waving to open the portal. Then she gave it another wave. And another.
“Oh shit,” she breathed, her eyes wide with terror. “We’re too late.”
Cyn’s sanity was hanging on by a thread.
Pacing the cramped cell, he searched for any weakness in the smooth stone walls before turning his attention to the iron door that refused to budge.
He grasped the handle, giving it a mighty yank. Nothing happened.
Which meant that it’d been magically connected to the stone that surrounded it.
Dammit.
Whirling on his heel, he moved to where the two vampires lay on the ground. Bending down, he grabbed one of Styx’s large shoulders and allowed his power to flow from his hand into his Anasso.
Not all vampires could share power, but as a clan chief he could perform a basic healing.
“Styx,” he muttered, his fingers curling around his Anasso’s arm to give him a shake. “Wake up.”
There was a low groan before Styx was reaching up to shove away Cyn’s hand.
“Cyn, you are a vampire with a death wish.”