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Of course, I thought wearily. Why on earth I’d actually expected the destruction of the keys to be a simple thing with few repercussions, I have no idea.
“Why would destroying the keys destroy the gray fields and earth?”
“Because blood was used in their creation, and it now links the keys to the structure of the portals. Destroy the keys, and you will more than likely shatter the power of the portals.”
“How is this different from the sorcerer forcing the gates open or the Raziq wanting them closed?”
“In either event, the link shared between portals and keys is not altered or disrupted. But destroy them, and the portals—which are woven into the very fabric of existence—are endangered.”
Well, fuck. What was I supposed to do now? Let a dictator win? Or worse still, the Raziq or the dark sorcerer?>This one was white rather than black, but its surface was just as slick and ran with the colors of the rainbow.
“I cannot feel any dark energy coming off this one,” Azriel commented.
“Did you feel it coming off the other one?”
“Yes.”
I glanced at him. “Then why didn’t you say something?”
“Because you wished to explore the option.”
Against my advice. He might not have said the words, but they swam through my mind nevertheless. The link between us was definitely getting stronger.
“So what sort of energy has this one actually got?”
“It is Aedh, and therefore neither light nor dark.”
My gaze returned to the stone. It sat there, all shiny and harmless-looking. Yet I suspected there was nothing harmless about the magic that went into the creation of this thing, whatever Azriel might think. “Does the Raziq magic also sit between the two?”
It certainly hadn’t felt like it, but after what they’d done to me every time they’d used it, it was probably fair to say I was a somewhat biased judge.
“Their magic is darker, but it is not powered from the dark path; rather it springs from darker desires.” I felt his gaze on me. “Trust me, even if you do not trust your father. You will not be harmed if you pick it up.”
I took a deep breath, then reached inside and gingerly picked up the stone. It was a little too warm against my palm, suggesting that it was more than mere stone. But I knew that already.
“There is a piece of paper with it.” Azriel reached in and took it out. “It says, The ward will be activated by a drop of the blood we share. Use it in a secure place.”
“If this thing is activated by blood magic, how can that not be a bad thing?” Misgivings filled me as I stared at the stone in my hand. I didn’t like it and I didn’t trust the magic within it. It came from the hands of my father, after all, and he was one of the bastards responsible for the evil that was the keys.
“The ward is not created from blood magic,” Azriel said. “Using a drop of blood to activate it would merely be a precaution to ensure that if it fell into the wrong hands, they could do nothing with it.”
I guess that made sense—except for the fact I had a body filled with blood and absolutely no doubt that the Raziq would use every last drop if they felt it would be in their best interests.
“Then my next question has to be, where in the hell are we supposed to find a secure place?”
“Your home is as secure as you are likely to get.”
“I’m staying at Stane’s for the very reason that it isn’t.”
“Against one who can astral travel,” he agreed. “But Ilianna’s wards ensure the Raziq cannot enter without difficulty.”
“Maybe, but my father is also Aedh, so how will that help?”
“I suspect he will have accounted for that in the creation of this ward.” He shrugged. “The only other truly secure place is the old ritual site on Mount Macedon. I doubt the magic within that place will allow you to enter with this ward, because its magic is Aedh based and that site is blocked to all things Aedh or reaper related.”
I studied the stone for several more seconds, then shoved it into my purse. The heat of it burned into my hip, despite the leather and fabric that now separated us.
“I’ll meet you at home, then.”
