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I glanced ahead. There were no cars parked along this side of the warehouse, so we were safe from discovery. “And the other three?”
“Working.”
“So there’s no one in the warehouse at the moment?”
“That I’m not so certain of.” He touched my elbow, lightly guiding me forward again. “The strange energy is very definitely present at the rear of the building, and I cannot see past it.”
I frowned. “So is it magic, or something else?”
He hesitated. “I think it is magic, but it feels fouler—more corrupted—than anything we’ve come across so far.”
Considering we’d come across some pretty foul magic, that was saying something. We cautiously made our way down the driveway. There were two large loading bays down this side of the building, but both roller doors were down and locked. There was also a regular door at the far end of the building, with a wooden bench sitting under a nearby tree and a bin filled with rubbish and cigarette butts to one side of it. Obviously, a retreat for the smokers.
We walked across to the door and Azriel tested the handle. It turned. He glanced at me, one eyebrow raised in surprise, then carefully opened the door and slipped inside. I followed.
There were no lights on in this section of the warehouse and the air felt cool. There was also a feeling of vastness to the darkness; it almost felt as if it were one big, empty space. And yet there were shelves nearby, most of which held stock, if the odd-shaped shadows were anything to go by.
I’m not feeling anyone close by, I said. And I still can’t feel the magic. Where is it?
Ahead and down.
His fingers clasped mine; then he tugged me forward. Though our steps were whisper quiet, they nevertheless seemed to echo. Or maybe it just seemed that way because of the tension that was beginning to build within me.
Down? Meaning we’re dealing with yet another basement?
It would appear our sorceress has a penchant for them.
Well, let’s hope this one doesn’t contain any nasty surprises.
He glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes bright in the cover of night. That is another thing I would not bet on.
I certainly wasn’t. She’d been one step ahead of us all along, so it would be stupid to think that she’d be unprepare
d when it came to her remaining bolt-holes. She had to be aware by now that we’d already destroyed—or otherwise made unusable—at least three of her ceremony and storage sites.
We continued across the vast space. As my eyes got used to the deeper darkness of this place, I realized that most of the shelves held a mix of tableware, home décor, and glassware, from all over the world. Some of the names stamped on the crates I recognized, and they were definitely upmarket. If Margaret Kendrick was another identity of Lauren’s—or Mike’s, given that we had no idea which form or sex our shape-shifter actually preferred—then she was obviously doing rather well. There was a fortune’s worth of stock sitting in this warehouse alone.
About three-quarters of the way across the warehouse, Azriel made a sharp turn left. The laden shelving towered above us and made it seem like we were walking through a canyon. Ahead a green exit sign glowed brightly at the top of a single doorway.
I frowned. That’s the rear wall of the warehouse—are we heading back out again?
I doubt it, given the energy I feel is below, not aboveground. He stopped at the doorway and lightly pressed his fingertips against the sturdy metal door. Nothing happened. Be wary. Whatever it is I feel, it lies beyond this door.
I nodded and drew Amaya. Her hiss was a sound of displeasure. Draw sooner, she muttered. Safer.
Not when there’s nothing attacking, I replied. Don’t tell me you’re bored back there, Amaya.
Not, she replied, somewhat huffily. Concerned am.
I grinned and stepped back a little as Azriel raised Valdis and shoved her point into the door’s deadlock. With very little fuss, her flames melted both the lock and the bolt, and the door swung silently open.
It looked altogether too much like an invitation for my liking.
The door didn’t open to the outside world, but, as Azriel had suspected, into a basement area. The stairs leading down into deeper darkness were concrete, and the air smelled reasonably fresh. But it was too black to be ordinary darkness, even if there was no immediate sense of danger. I certainly couldn’t smell anything that represented any sort of threat.
And I can’t sense anything because of that foul energy. His expression was grim when his gaze met mine. This time, you will stay behind me.
I nodded. While I might not be able to feel any threat, the fact that he couldn’t was enough to have warning bells ringing. Be careful. The dark sorceress is aware of what you are, and she’s had the time—and no doubt the coaching from Lucian—to work out some way of nullifying your presence.
