“She cast a winding sheet spell on me,” said Jonas. “I escaped easily, of course.”
The Vicomte’s gray eyes narrowed. “But that’s Mistress level.” His voice dripped with doubt. Like the mages back in the garden, he couldn’t imagine a real Necromancer would survive the Tsar’s purges.
Wait until I unleash my power.
“No, Your Eminence.” Hannah helped Jonas drag me inside. “She’s a Grand Mistress.”
The Vicomte chuckled. “Did I hear you correctly? I sent you off to deal with a troublemaker. Now you say she’s a Grand Mistress Necromancer. Why I trust you Fantomes is beyond me.”
“We are sorry to disappoint,” said Jonas earnestly.
The Vicomte waved his arm. “We’ll see. Hopefully, there’s a little power in this wench. I’ve been killing myself trying to eke out magick from the sad specimens that are currently in my collection.”
A jolt of anger rushed up my spine. Specimens? These were my people.
“She will complete your vortex watch,” said Hannah. “You can rely on it.”
“Perhaps. If this bitch has had any kind of training, then it’s a distinct possibility.” His gray eyes flared with hunger. “Genesis Rex has given me nothing but trouble tonight. How I’d love to have that vortex watch charged up and ready before I return to the ball.”
So you can kill him, you mean.
Worry churned inside me. The Vicomte was out to murder Genesis Rex. Down here in the dungeons, there were still wards against Caster magick. I couldn’t get a message to Rowan through Tamu. Even worse, I couldn’t afford to use the little magick I had for anything outside of grabbing vortex watch and escaping. Rowan would have a far worse problems if the Vicomte got his hands on a fully charged totem ring.
Some rustling sounded in the distant corners of the darkened room. Were Ada and Veronique out there somewhere? With the size of this chamber, it could easily be a trick of the ears.
The Vicomte eyed me carefully. “Don’t you think you need to restrain her more properly?”
I worked hard to stay limp in Hannah and Jonas’s arms. A surprise move was my best chance here. I must save it for the perfect moment.
Jonas sniffed. “No, she’s under a sleeper spell. Eight of us cast it. This one won’t awaken for hours yet.”
It was an effort to keep from smiling. That’s what you think. That hybrid magick must have protected me from the full effects of the sleeper spell. Something to remember for the future.
If I have one, that is.
“So you say.” The Vicomte did not sound convinced. “I’ll have a look myself.”
Sharp footsteps sounded across the stone floor. My heart beat so fast, I felt sure everyone could see the pulse in my throat. The Vicomte’s chilly hand gripped my chin and forced my head upright. It took every scrap of my Necromancer training to appear asleep when what I really wanted to do was cast an attack spell.
Wait, Elea. You need that vortex watch first.
Foul breath cascaded down my cheek as the Vicomte moved in closer. “Are you really asleep, I wonder?” The Vicomte then slammed his fist into the side of my head. Pain ricocheted down my skull. I didn’t show any reaction. After years of controlling the painful deluge of magick, that punch felt like nothing. The Vicomte leaned in once again. “She doesn’t look like much. Still, I’d rather have my vortex watch working sooner rather than later. Set her onto the machine.”
Hannah and Jonas dragged me deeper into the chamber. We hadn’t gotten more than a few steps inside when I felt it.
A total void of magick in the air.
Every last wisp of Necromancer energy was gone. It made sense since this was the place where they drained Necromancer power. It didn’t help me any, though. If I was going to get the vortex watch and escape, I couldn’t rely on being able to quickly pull in fresh power.
Oh well. The little magick I had gathered would have to do.
“Elea! Elea!”
That was Ada. She’s here, right now, in this very room.
I pushed away Hannah and Jonas. Standing on my own, I scanned the darkened recesses of the chamber. I couldn’t see a thing.
“She awakens,” said the Vicomte. There was a calculating note to this voice. My training told me to consider that before anything else, but my heart wouldn’t have it. Ada was somewhere nearby. All I wanted to do was find her.
“I’m here, Elea. Here!”
I took off into the darkness, following the direction of Ada’s voice. Rushed footsteps sounded behind me. I was pretty sure Hannah and Jonas were trailing me. Even so, I couldn’t be bothered with them right now. Ada needed me.
“Jonas. Hannah. Cease your pursuit,” commanded the Vicomte. “I want to see what she’ll do.”
“But she’s strong,” said Hannah.
“And there are fourteen of you in this room. Call it an experiment.”
I didn’t care what the Vicomte called it so long as I found Ada. I stumbled around as my eyes adjusted to the lack of light. Other than the mages, the place seemed empty.
Did I imagine that voice?