AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We are on our way. Have the debris removed before my team’s arrival.” He released the button on the panel.
With a sense of determination, I rose from my seat and approached my parafinai. “We will figure this out.”
Daryn took my hand. “Indy, is there any chance we missed an explosive device? Obsidian magic is designed to repel an outward attack. If the explosive was inside, it would have been useless.”
Indy shook her head. “We swept every room used by either the hunters or the council. Hell, we even checked any mundane business that the supernaturals frequent. I scanned the Little Italy Pizzeria myself.”
Daryn led me to the door with Kaine and Indy following. “I figured, but we have to assume that Magnus or one of his cohorts put a device in the museum. They must have shrouded it somehow.”
Hunters were running in several directions as we entered the hallway. I had to admire Daryn’s composure. I could feel his need to run to the vehicle, but those on site needed some time to ensure it was safe for us to breach the museum and he couldn’t panic under any circumstances. A hunter had to remain level-headed under pressure and Daryn was the epitome of stability. Every time I didn’t think I could be prouder of him, he proved me wrong.
We passed the cafeteria that held just about every kind of food a hunter could crave, but the inhabitants were darting to their posts. It was one of the few times they didn’t stop to take their food to the disposal and tray after tray was left abandoned on the long tables.
We exited the building as the alarm shut off and headed for the SUV parked closest to the base entrance.
Kaine and Indy got in the back as I took the passenger’s side.
Kaine slammed his door. “Do you think this was some kind of retribution? The museum holds a lot of archived weaponry and some magical items, but the loss would be more emotional than damaging in the long-term.”
Daryn checked his phone when it beeped. “There is no evidence of theft, so far, so you could be right. This may have been retribution. The base is too well protected, so the museum may have been the only target they could get to.”
I pursed my lips as Daryn started the vehicle. “You are assuming this was Magnus or the hybrids? Something left from the war with the king?”
Daryn pulled out of the parking lot. “Who else is there?”
CHAPTER 2
We left the hunter base, kicking up gravel as we hit the dirt road. The silence was eerie as Daryn gripped the steering wheel tightly. It didn’t take long to crest the edges of the downtown core.
The streets of the city were eerily silent as we drove toward the museum, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by an atmosphere of tension and dread. It was as if the very heart of the city had paused, holding its breath, in the wake of the shocking news. While the mundanes couldn’t see the museum, they had to have heard the explosion and gone for cover until the source was identified.
I couldn’t fathom how the magically protected museum had been breached. The silence inside the car mirrored the silence of the city streets. While the seasoned hunters had faced countless challenges, this was different. This was a threat to something we had considered invincible, and it shook us to our core.
My fingers tapped rhythmically on my thigh, a nervous habit I couldn’t shake as I replayed the news report in my mind. How could anyone have penetrated the museum’s defenses? Thepriceless artifacts housed within were in danger, and we couldn’t afford to let them fall into enemy hands.
Daryn’s jaw was clenched, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. We exchanged worried glances, but words eluded us. There was a shared understanding that this mission was different, that the stakes were higher than ever before.
As the cityscape passed by in a blur, the looming presence of the museum drew nearer. Its towering, majestic facade, which had always symbolized strength and protection, now stood as a grim reminder of the vulnerability we all faced. While the mundanes saw the old warehouse, that magic no longer worked on me. Wisps of smoke still streamed from the roof as we parked.
Lochlan was standing by the entrance as we exited the vehicle. His grim face looked like a thundercloud as we approached him. “Daryn, the site has been stabilized, but it’s bad. With the exception of the new records room, which had its own protection barrier, there is almost nothing left.”
Daryn put his hands on his hips as we stared at the wreckage.
The odd tendril of smoke still billowed ominously from the shattered remnants of the building, a stark contrast to the grandeur it had once exuded. It was a haunting testament to the destructive force that had befallen this place of beauty and history.
The museum, a symbol of culture and preservation, now lay partially destroyed, its once-sturdy walls reduced to rubble. The facade, which had once welcomed supernatural visitors with open arms, was marred by gaping holes and scorched edges. It was a grim reminder that even the strongest defenses could be breached. That anything and everyone was vulnerable.
The acrid scent of smoke hung heavy in the air, stinging my nostrils, and making it difficult to breathe. I could hear the faint echoes of alarms still wailing in the distance, as the mundanes continued to search for the source of the explosion. The councilwould issue a statement with a plausible excuse, but the truth was much more vicious.
Daryn took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. We followed his lead, determination etched into our expressions as we surveyed the damage. We all knew what this meant and what we needed to do. Lochlan entered the remains of the doorway and we followed silently.
As we ventured further into the museum’s depths, I couldn’t help but think about the artifacts that were lost to the ravages of this inexplicable attack. The weight of the situation pressed upon me, but it only fueled my resolve to uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.
Daryn pointed to a dammed wall. The pile of rubble reminded me of a stone sandcastle. There were a few embers on the broken pieces of wood amongst the debris. “How did you get the fire out so fast?”
Lochlan’s jaw ticked. “The explosion was shrouded, and the lack of oxygen suffocated the fire. The mundanes were looking for the source before we realized it had happened. Our perpetrator placed the barrier over the structure, but didn’t soundproof it. We assumed the explosion was a mundane building at first.”
Daryn stopped and stared at a pile of broken glass shelves. “How could someone shroud an event of this magnitude?”
