Gian
Mykyl. He was Athela’s father and the High Wizard of Esteril. The creator of the Tetrad. Conemar had used his recipe and Mystik creatures to create a new species, the Writhes. They were now deformed and scary creatures with sharp teeth, able to contort their bodies. I shuddered at the thought of them. Conemar had them attack me in the Mafra library, and I barely survived it.
Emily’s eyes shifted from the page in the ancient book she was staring at to the parchment. “Chosen one? Purest heir? Who’s that?”
Her questions made me wonder if I should have read that out loud. Nana’s elixir was fogging my judgment.
I glanced at her, not completely sure if telling her about Royston was a good idea. After all, Conemar once controlled Emily. But Nana trusted her, and Emily had come to my rescue after Veronique tried to kill me.
“It’s the one who will destroy the Tetrad.”
“The what?”
“It’s a monster created centuries ago as a weapon. It can control all the elements and destroy both worlds.” I decided she didn’t need to know that Royston was the chosen one. My fingers felt foreign as I carefully rolled up the parchment.
“That’s creepy.” Her attention returned to the ancient spell book. “This is so cool. There are so many spells I haven’t seen in Nana’s books.” She looked over at me. “A page was ripped out.”
“Yeah, it had a shielding spell on it.” I lowered the collar of my pajama top, revealing the crescent scar on my chest. “Nana used it to brand the spell into my skin. It prevents the Monitors from seeing me jump through the gateway books.”
Something banged against the window, startling us and causing Emily to drop the book to the floor.
Neither Emily nor I moved from our places on the bed. Another bang came from the window.
Emily started. “What is that?”
“I don’t know.” After grasping the Chiave sword, I pushed myself up from the bed. “Put everything in the bag and get in the closet.”
Chapter Five
Emily scrambled around retrieving all the Chiavi and books, and she’d barely finished when I reached the other side of the room. I waited for her to close the closet door behind her before peering through the opening between the curtains.
“Afton?” I pushed open the curtains at the same time she was about to bang on the glass again.
She jumped back, tripping over a garden stone and landing on some purple aster flowers. Her big eyes found mine, and she pointed to the front door.
“Why didn’t you ring the doorbell?” I asked, as if she could hear me through the thick glass.
Emily pushed open the closet. “Because it’s broken.”
I dropped the Chiave on the bed and headed for the hallway.
“Oh no,” Emily said. “You’re supposed to be resting.”
“I feel fine.”
“Nope,” she bit back. “I’m not getting in trouble for letting you walk around. I don’t want to cross Nana. She can be scary.”
“Her? She’s easy.”
Emily frowned. “I doubt that. Now get back in bed.” She nodded toward the bed before leaving me.
Not too long after, the front door opened and shut. Afton’s excited words were muffled against the walls, but I knew that tone. Something was wrong. Like, way wrong. I slipped out of bed and struggled to change into my gear.
The bedroom door flew open, and Afton rushed in with Emily on her heels.
“We have to leave now—” Afton stopped when she noticed I was slipping on my cargos. “Oh good, you’re getting dressed.”
“What’s going on?” I pulled my T-shirt over my head, wincing at the pain in my shoulder.
Afton paced the carpet. “I don’t know. Nana said to head here and get you out. I think the whereabouts of this hideout has been compromised.”
I struggled to get my foot into my boot. Emily knelt down and pushed the left one on, then the right.
“Where are we going?” I asked, fumbling with the straps. Every movement caused pain to shoot through my wounds. My muscles felt petrified from being in bed so long.
Afton’s eyes darted from me to the door. “We’re to meet someone at the Boston Athen?um. I’m not sure who because I lost service, and Nana didn’t answer when I called back.” She crossed over to the window and peeked through the opening of the curtains.
“Is Nana okay?”
“She’s fine,” Afton said, keeping her post at the window, rocking from foot to foot and wringing her hands.
The strap to my boot kept slipping out of the buckle. I heaved a long sigh before asking, “What’s Nana up to? She’s not in Seattle. Do you know where she went?”
“Okay, I lied,” Emily said. “She told me not to tell you. The Wizard Council has been enforcing more and more restrictions on the covens. Nana went to the Mystik League meeting in Eelsteed.”
Restrictions? The covens were home to the many different creatures in the Mystik world. I’d thought Nana and I were beyond lies now. She’d promised never to keep secrets from me again.
“Why would the council do that?” I lost hold of the strap again.
“She didn’t say.” Emily brushed my hand aside and secured each buckle for me.
“Thanks,” I said.
Emily straightened and wiped her hands on her jeans. “No problem. Now let’s get out of here before any uninvited guests show up.” She gathered the ancient spell book, and Gian’s journal and canister, and shoved them into my messenger bag. The sword wouldn’t fit in there with the other Chiavi, and she frowned at it.
“I’ll wear it.” I fastened my empty scabbard around my waist and slid the Chiave in.
There was a sound like hoofs hitting the cobblestone sidewalk outside.
I put on my trench coat and tightened the belt, tying it in a knot.
“Too late.” Afton turned from the window, panic shocking her words. “Duck!”
I dropped down to the floor beside Emily at the same time Afton dove onto the carpet. The window exploded, sending shards of glass shooting through the room and raining down on us. The pain from my wounds almost stopped me, but I clenched my teeth and hobbled up. With a flick of my wrist, I created my battle globe and threw it.
A flaming ball soared from my hand and grew in size before hitting a creature, half bull and half man, climbing through the window.
I glanced down at my hand. What the hell?
My globe had changed again.
A Laniar, a creature that looked more greyhound than human, leaped into the room, baring her teeth and readying to pounce. Her dark eyes burned like coals against her pallid skin. The look on her face was fierce and determined. I created another globe, and it was cold in my palm. The sight of it caused me to pause. It wasn’t mine. This one was white as snow.
The Laniar charged, and I hurled the globe at her. It exploded against her body and ice crackled across her skin until she was completely frozen.
Emily pulled on my arm, my messenger bag slung over her shoulder. “Come on!” she shouted. “This way.”
Afton followed us into the hall. “How did you create those globes?”