Entwined Realms Volume One(94)
The vault door, one of the most magically protected items in the entire world, was hanging off its hinges. Items were scattered in sparse clutter while row upon row of shelving was empty. While not everything was taken, even someone with no knowledge of the contents could tell it was sacked.
Wulver hit a comm panel. “Tec, talk to me.”
A posh British accent replied. “Fully half our people are damaged, over fifty confirmed casualties, which includes several of our healers. I’ve made the call for back-up, but that will not be a quick process. I’m compiling what has been taken from the vault and will be finished shortly.”
“Get down here as soon as you have that list.” Wulver turned to Laire. “How did they get into the vault? A hundred mages working together shouldn’t have been able to break it open, and a lone vampire waltzes in here and does just that?”
“Larissa Miller. She’s a null. Magic has no effect on her. Walking into that vault was as easy for her as walking into a grocery store.” Laire began banging her knuckles into her forehead. “I should have caught it. I should have thought.”
Fallon grabbed Laire’s hand. “Stop the crazy. How could you have known?”
“She was born at the Great Collision. I concentrated on the fact that magical powers never materialized, but the ability to not be affected by magic is also a power. It’s just so much rarer I overlooked it.”
“But you put a shield on her and that worked,” said Aislynn.
“No, I didn’t. I put a shield around her. She only affects magic she comes into contact with. If I bothered to look into it, I would have found dozens of examples of how magic items broke around her.”
“And she didn’t know this about herself?” Aislynn asked.
“She lives in the most perfect place to not know it. Think about it. The least amount of magic they can get by with, no interest in pursuing magic, and while powers materializing would have made an impression, how do you figure out you cause the absence of something?”
“Yet the vampires knew about her when we didn’t.” Anyone who knew Wulver knew that tone of voice did not bode well for anyone in his path.
Before any response could be made the elevator opened and Tec walked out, his gingery curls sticking up at all angles. “Three-hundred and forty-seven items,” he said, the list in his hands grabbed by Laire before he came to a standstill.
“Almost half gone,” Wulver said, voice low. He scratched his cheek, fingers curled against the angry-red scar. He stopped and he looked up, his eyes on Laire. “They didn’t spend all that effort to get her solely to break into the vault. They need her for something very special. Search the list. What is big enough to start the rip and specifically needs a null?”
Laire was the embodiment of concentration, her eyes flying over the list. Her eyes stopped their movements and she jerked back, her mouth forming an O. “What day is today?”
“Tues-” began Ais, but Laire pulled out her phone and scrolled through the calendar function. Her teeth ground together when she found what she had been searching for.
“Well?” demanded Wulver.
Laire’s eyes were wide, horrified. “They have the Stone of the Four Souls and the Dagger of Kerith Tay. They’re going to use her to release the Four Demons.”
“The demons the gods themselves had to band together to trap?” Aislynn’s voice shook. “There is no way a necromancer could control them. Not even to rip the realms asunder would they chance bringing them into this world.”
“I might not have any love for fangboy,” Laire said, her lips giving a little twist. “But I can admit how powerful he is. If any necromancer ever had the ability to control them, it would be Reign.”
“And he’s arrogant enough to be willing to try,” Fallon finished. “When?”
“Tonight,” responded Laire. “Tonight is a blue moon. It has to be tonight, when the moon is at its zenith. It’s the only time.”
Aislynn spoke. “It’s impossible to go against them tonight. Even if we knew where they are. Our forces are decimated. The mages used most of their spells to fight the invasion, the healers are overwhelmed, and our warrior strength is cut in half.”
“We can discover where the ceremony will be held.” Shadow stepped through the wall and pulled someone behind him. It was an acolyte, the one who walked with Larissa and the vampire, his hands bound behind him. “I caught him on the way out. I’ve already blocked his link with his master.”
“I do love that freaky shadow magic stuff you do,” Laire said, normal smart-assy coming back into her voice. Shadow tilted his head toward her, the only concession he heard the praise.