Flattery. For what purpose? His earlier statement came across as an insult. Now he covered it up with flattery.
“I suppose I had best be going,” he said.
“It seems like you just got here. Did you not want one of my secrets?”
“Yes, but you’re not weaseling my secrets out of me in one night so I’ll give you some time to think over what secrets you have,” he said with a chuckle. “That and I’d like to be home before the riot tonight hits its climax.”
“Right,” Zoe let out a terse sigh, “that’s not the only thing–”
Zoe blinked. She blinked again. Cold water dripped down her spine as she jumped to full alertness.
“Riot?”
“Oh yeah, nasty little thing,” Rex said with a wide smile. “Saw it on my way into town. Seems like half the population is gathered around some warehouse just outside town. They’re all up in arms with torches and pitchforks.”
“Torches and…” Zoe let out a short laugh. “You’re joking. You are, right?”
“Well,” he said as he flashed his grin again, “maybe about the pitchforks. They have wands instead.”
Zoe frowned and pulled out her cellphone. Four missed calls in the last half hour, all from Wayne. How did I miss these?
She immediately called him back.
“I’ll just see myself out then, yeah?” The door slammed and he was gone. Zoe didn’t even notice him walking to the door.
She was too distracted with waiting for Wayne to pick up.
By the sixth ring, a click sounded in her ear.
“Wayne?”
“You’re missing the party.”
Zoe gripped the cellphone in her hand. “There is something going on then?”
“Something. You could say that,” Wayne grunted out. “I tried to tell you earlier.”
After taking a deep breath, Zoe said, “I must have silenced my phone.”
She’d done no such thing and Zoe knew it. Wayne’s mirthless chuckle seemed to agree.
“Your girls are here.”
“Of course she is.” Zoe stopped and blinked. “Girls–plural?”
“Yep. Along with the pet demon.”
Zoe grit her teeth. Eva was one thing. Juliana was another. If Eva dragged Shalise into some mess, there would be words.
“Just tell me where.”
Chapter 019
“Get out of our town!”
“…more damage than…”
“…cost us our livelihoods.”
Martina Turner stalked through the gathered crowd with a grin on her face. Of course, it was well hidden in the shadows of her hood. Plenty others in the crowd had hoods. She wouldn’t be singled out because of it.
Her entire attire changed simply to avoid being recognized. It was amazing how wearing a distinctive costume every day made people’s gazes shift right over her when she changed to more normal clothing. Of course, a cowl and cloak generally wasn’t considered normal, but in a crowd of similarly dressed rioters, it worked.
Rioters gathered around the old warehouse. A decrepit building that was among the earliest abandoned had been made into the Elysium Order’s local headquarters. Thanks to their inhabitance, the building had been cleaned up nicely. One of its walls looked recently repaired.
Four white-robed guards stood outside the building. All four had eyes aglow, but none of them looked ready to attack. So far, the crowd hadn’t given them reason to attack.
Riot was probably too strong of a word. Residents of Brakket gathered around with signs. Protest more accurately described the current situation.
Of course, with a foci, everyone was armed.
Martina felt it was a good time to change the status quo.
Pulling a sheet of paper from her cloak, Martina held it in her hands. She ran a finger down the front. The large wrath rune in the dead center pulsed. Once. Twice. Three times before the faint glow covered the rest of the rune array. The entire paper melted into black sludge that evaporated into the night’s air.
That was it. No other visible changes. No magic signatures left behind to lead back to the source. Not even any evidence of the runic array. The other runes positioned around Brakket would follow this paper’s example before the night was done.
Martina turned and walked out of the crowd.
Voices were raised as she made her way through. Shouts and cries of rage echoed over the soon to be rioters. As Martina reached the back of the group, a fireball struck the brick building.
A well-formed fireball with a good deal of power behind it, if Martina’s eye hadn’t dimmed over the years. She thought for a moment about which resident of the city might have casted such a spell.
More fire, lightning, and even chunks of earth followed. A white blue shield appeared over the half of the building closest to Martina. Each impact caused a brief flash, but not a single fracture formed.
Regular thaumaturgy held no chance against the shields of the Elysium Order.
Martina took the increasing number of attacks as the cue to leave before the sisters decided to react.
She found herself a secluded corner of the crisscrossing streets and channeled magic into her wand. Once full, she tapped it against her forehead.
The angry roar of the rioting crowd was replaced by the serene screams of her own mind.
Shutting her eyes, Martina tuned out everything. Every noise, every smell, and all the feelings creeping across her skin.
Martina found it to be an unpleasant sort of travel, but had long since gotten used to its illusory effects.
She appeared on top of a rug that hid a six pointed summoning circle within her office. Not that she needed the gate. It just lessened some of the more unpleasant side effects.
Flicking her eyes open, Martina walked to and sat at her desk. She kicked her feet up on the desktop before hitting a button on her phone. She waited.
And waited.
Happiness from her plans nearing their end kept her from feeling even the slightest tinge of anger at her insubordinate secretary. Nothing the woman could do would ruin this night for Martina.
Probably.
It wouldn’t do to underestimate the capacity for idiocy amongst her servants.
On the very last ring before the phone switched to voice mail, the line connected. There was no video this time around but Martina could hear the riot progressing in the background. Explosions and the faint crackle of thunder echoed over the speaker.
Yet Catherine did not speak.
Annoying power plays, Martina thought with a grimace. The pissant never spoke first. For a moment, Martina wondered how long her secretary would sit there in silence.
Something to test another time.
Before Martina could speak, a small hissing noise came over the phone’s speaker. It ended abruptly with a loud snap.
“Did you just pop chewing gum in my ear?” Martina asked with a sigh.
“Not gum,” she said just before another pop sounded over the phone.
“Do I want to know?”
“That, Martina, is a question only you can answer.”
Martina grit her teeth together. Thinking about it carefully, Martina decided she did not want to know. Whatever her secretary said would only further grind on her nerves.
After another period of silence, Martina asked, “is Zagan with you?”
“Don’t know,” came the nonchalant reply.
Martina felt her lips form a thin line as they pursed together. “I swear, if either one of you fu–”
“There are a couple of teachers and a few of your students.”
Martina sat up, hoping she did not have to go back out there. There were things that needed doing before dawn. “In the riots? I was told th–”
“No. They’re standing on the roof of a building opposite mine. I watched the students arrive on the back of Arachne. The teachers teleported in.”
“Are the instructors going to interfere? Who are the students?”
Catherine made the popping noise before responding, “don’t know.”