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“He told me he was immune to his mother’s glamours,” Adam said. “Spells might not work on him.”
“That is useful to know, thank you, but I doubt it applies to blades or bullets,” Silver said. “Adam, we need your Sight.”
He wasn’t certain he’d ever had this large of an audience before, but he closed his eyes and reached out.
The knight’s magic lay thick and powerful in the ground and air. She’d laid her wards deep and likely reinforced them every chance she got. There were no gaps.
“It’s defended,” he said.
“Which is no surprise.”
Silver drew his sword and sliced out, but the blade rebounded.
“These will take a while to break.”
“The house knows us,” Adam said, tilting his head toward Dautre. “You should let us go ahead. She may be hurt.”
“I don’t like it, but you are not wrong.” Silver turned to Dautre. “You showed today that you are willing to protect your kind at the cost of your own life. Show that same concern for Adam and I will take it into consideration.”
“I already do, sire.”
“Then go, and be careful.”
They crossed the invisible boundary and Adam immediately felt Silver and his team begin applying pressure to the wards.
“Let us hurry,” Dautre said.
“Back door or front?”
“I cannot imagine he doesn’t expect us.”
“Front door it is, unless you want to split up?”
“Under no circumstances.”
“Onward then.” Adam drew his sword and gestured toward the porch.
They crept forward, senses extended.
Adam opened his Sight as wide as he could, looking for traps or spells. He hoped Dautre’s superior eyesight would serve for anything non-magical.
It felt like it took forever to climb the steps, but in truth it was only seconds.
Adam considered doing something he’d seen on TV and counting down with his fingers, but he’d likely only confuse Dautre, so he tried the handle. The door wasn’t locked. It swung open.
They stepped inside the grand, white hall.
The first thing he noticed was the temperature. It was colder than usual. He scanned the space, looking for North to appear on the stairs and say something about making the elves welcome before he triggered his diabolical trap, but nothing happened.
Adam led Dautre to the conservatory. Downstairs they had room to maneuver, room to fight or flee. He hoped to find her there, tied to a chair or something.
If they were lucky, and he was never that lucky, North would have fled and left his mother behind. Ideally she’d be unconscious, and they could get her help before things went sideways.
The cold was coming from the conservatory. Once again, the back door was open.
“Adam,” Dautre whispered. “I smell blood.”
They found the knight in the snow.
