Fated

I laughed. ‘Not all mages are the experienced type.’ I’d almost finished with the contents of the backpack. She’d done a good job; I had everything that was likely to help. One item remained: a blue disc with serrated edges. I could feel that it was some sort of focus, with a fair charge of energy inside it. ‘What’s that?’

‘Talisid said it was a communicator,’ Luna said. ‘He said it was synchronous?’

I’d picked the disc up and was studying it. ‘Huh. I didn’t know they’d managed to get these working.’

‘Will it work from in here?’

I nodded. ‘He must have been expecting something like this. Even for a Council rep, this wouldn’t come cheap.’ I looked at Luna. ‘Ready?’

Luna nodded and I pressed several of the edges in sequence. They began to flash blue. I set the thing down and waited.

The lights changed from blue to green and a ghostly holographic figure appeared, standing on the disc, twelve inches tall. It was Talisid. ‘Verus!’ His voice was muffled but clear. ‘Where are you?’

‘Where do you think?’

‘You’re inside?’

‘Inside, and likely to stay inside. What’s happening out there?’

‘Are you all right? Who’s with you?’

‘Luna and Sonder. We’re fine.’

Talisid’s figure seemed to relax slightly. ‘That’s the first good news I’ve heard all day.’

‘What happened?’

‘Cave in.’ It was hard to make out fine detail on the small projection, but Talisid’s clothes looked scuffed. ‘I don’t know who it was, but the whole room and most of the stairwell’s rubble. We’re starting to dig through, but —’

‘Talisid?’ I said. ‘That wasn’t really what I was asking.’ I didn’t raise my voice, but there was an edge to it. ‘I gave you advance warning an attack was coming. I gave you the most likely day. You had twenty-four hours to prepare and a full Council security detail. Onyx had three people.’

Talisid said nothing. He didn’t look happy.

‘Please tell me you got at least one of them.’

‘We haven’t been able to confirm anything yet.’

‘That’s a no, isn’t it?’

Talisid was silent and I put a hand over my eyes. ‘I’d ask for an explanation, but hearing the full details of exactly how you screwed up is kind of moot at this point.’

‘Look, Verus, I’m getting enough crap from the Council right now. I don’t need any more from you.’

‘And we’re inside a sealed-off relic with anywhere between zero and four Dark mages who want to kill us. Who do you think got the better end of the deal?’

Talisid stayed silent. I took a deep breath and got myself under control. ‘Where’s Griff?’

‘We don’t know.’

‘How many of the Dark mages made it inside?’

‘We don’t know. It’s possible they were caught by the collapse—’

‘Don’t bet on it. Who else is there?’

‘We don’t know. It’s bad out here, Verus. We’ve got dozens injured and at least three of the security staff are dead; Onyx went through them like a buzz-saw. Everyone we can spare is on medical detail or digging out survivors or on guard, and we still haven’t linked up with everyone. Everyone was in the wrong place, it’s as though—’ Talisid checked and then went on. ‘I was with Ilmarin – he’s an air mage, one of the ones in the Great Court. He told me he felt something go after Onyx’s group during the attack. Completely invisible, both to the eye and to magic. The only reason he could sense it was by the displaced air. He has no idea what it was.’

I closed my eyes again. ‘Perfect,’ I said once I’d got myself under control. ‘Anything else while you’re at it?’

‘You know what it was?’

‘It’s called Thirteen. She works for Levistus. I don’t suppose you can give us any sort of help?’

‘If the portal’s still open—’

Luna spoke up. ‘It’s not.’

Talisid looked at her, then back at me. ‘We might be able to jury-rig the thing with some kind of worldgate. If we can follow the trace—’

‘Can you get that done in four hours or less?’ I said.

Talisid was silent. I sighed. ‘I’ll take that as a no. Anything else?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Talisid said. ‘I wish I had some better news.’

‘I wish you did too.’

‘I’ll call you as soon as we learn anything.’