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“You didn’t push?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what type of spell she used, so it’s safer not to. At the very least, it might have tipped her off that we’d found him.” She hesitated, her expression a mix of fear and determination. “If there’s magic, you’ll need me along.”
“That’s too danger—”
“Yeah,” she cut in, “for you if you blunder blindly through whatever spell she’s set up. I have a good chance of unraveling it if I’m close enough to examine it.”
I wanted to argue, but I could also see her point. We wouldn’t save Tao if we couldn’t even get into the building. “What if it’s dark magic?”
“It didn’t feel dark. It felt like a simple guarding spell, but I’ll know for sure when I’m there.”
I nodded and looked past her to Stane. “Are you going to be all right alone?”
He snorted softly. “It’s not like I have any choice in the matter. Besides, as I said, they need me alive to sign the papers. Just make sure you’re there to rescue us once I do.”
“Then we’d better get going—”
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“Wait!” Ilianna turned and bolted for the car. She rummaged through her bag for several seconds, then came back carrying a can of drink in one hand and something clenched in the other.
“Here,” she said, offering what looked like an old copper coin to Stane. “Swallow this.”
His look was one of disbelief. “Swallow it? Why in God’s name would I want to do that?”
“It’s a talisman of protection. The Charna won’t be able to spell you.”
“And I can’t wear it because …?”
“Because whoever is meeting you might know enough about magic to rip it from your throat. If you swallow it, they can’t.”
“But they can gut me.” He picked up the coin somewhat gingerly. “It feels heavy.”
“It’s neither heavy nor large,” Ilianna said impatiently. “And it’ll pass through your system within a day or so. Don’t be such a baby. Swallow it.”
He gave her a somewhat dark look, but put the coin in his mouth. She offered him the can. He took a long drink, then shuddered. “God, I can feel the thing sliding all the way down to my gullet.”
“Bullshit.” Her voice wasn’t in the least sympathetic. She glanced at me. “Shall we go?”
I nodded, glanced at Stane, then headed for the car. Ilianna climbed into the front passenger seat, but Azriel was nowhere to be seen. And this time, I couldn’t feel the heat of him. Maybe he’d decided to keep a little more distance between us, just in case I decided to ask any more pesky questions.
The thought brought a smile to my lips, but it died just as quickly. I had a friend to rescue, and it was time to start concentrating on that rather than a reaper who held far too many secrets.
Tao was being held in a long red-brick building that had obviously been a warehouse at some stage in its past. There were old metal roller doors at regular intervals along its length, and the windows that dotted the front façade were small, solid, and barred with rusting metal grids.
“There’s no way I’m going to get my ass through those,” I commented. “Even if I could get the grids off without making a racket.”
We’d parked in the building site just down from the warehouse and on the opposite side of the road. There were other cars parked here, so we wouldn’t look too conspicuous, even though the site itself had no construction work currently ongoing. I crossed my arms and leaned back against the Jeep, my gaze sweeping the roofline. It was a single-story building, so getting up there wouldn’t be a problem. But the metal roof looked as solid as the brick walls, and breaking in would create way too much noise. Hopefully, there was a back entrance that would provide a more viable option.
I glanced at Ilianna. “You got anything yet?”
She held up a hand to silence me, her expression intent. I leashed my impatience and called Azriel instead. He appeared beside me, his arms crossed as he studied the building. The sword at his back was dark. Whatever magic set it off was currently silent.
“I can feel life forces inside,” he said. “Three of them. None is the dark witch.”
“Would the protection spell placed on the building restrict you from entering or set off the alarms?”
“Human-cast spells are usually aimed at flesh or spirit. I’m energy. That”—he nodded toward the building—“would not stop me.”
