“Now, now,” Rex said slowly, “just because it is a pain doesn’t mean I can go around spilling the secrets of my ancient magical knowledge. They wouldn’t be secret for very long if I did that.”
Ancient magical knowledge sounded very much like something she wanted to get her hands on. Zoe frowned, prompting a laugh from Rex. “Any hints?”
“Well,” he shifted his eyes from side to side as if checking for any eavesdroppers, “I suppose I could say that a lot of them are fairly
Her eyes narrowed, prompting another laugh from Rex.
“There are plenty of secrets that are more normal, to someone like you at least.”
“Perhaps we can trade. One of your secrets for one of mine.”
Zoe frowned. “I might have to get back to you on that one.”
“Oh, it doesn’t have to be about your culinary expertise. I am certain there are other secrets held by a fascinating individual such as yourself.”
Flattery. For what purpose? His earlier statement came across as an insult. Now he covered it up with flattery.
“I suppose I had best be going,” he said.
“It seems like you just got here. Did you not want one of my secrets?”
“Yes, but you’re not weaseling my secrets out of me in one night so I’ll give you some time to think over what secrets you have,” he said with a chuckle. “That and I’d like to be home before the riot tonight hits its climax.”
“Right,” Zoe let out a terse sigh, “that’s not the only thing–”
Zoe blinked. She blinked again. Cold water dripped down her spine as she jumped to full alertness.
“Riot?”
“Oh yeah, nasty little thing,” Rex said with a wide smile. “Saw it on my way into town. Seems like half the population is gathered around some warehouse just outside town. They’re all up in arms with torches and pitchforks.”
“Torches and…” Zoe let out a short laugh. “You’re joking. You are, right?”
“Well,” he said as he flashed his grin again, “maybe about the pitchforks. They have wands instead.”
Zoe frowned and pulled out her cellphone. Four missed calls in the last half hour, all from Wayne.
She immediately called him back.
“I’ll just see myself out then, yeah?” The door slammed and he was gone. Zoe didn’t even notice him walking to the door.
She was too distracted with waiting for Wayne to pick up.
By the sixth ring, a click sounded in her ear.
“Wayne?”
“You’re missing the party.”
Zoe gripped the cellphone in her hand. “There is something going on then?”
“Something. You could say that,” Wayne grunted out. “I tried to tell you earlier.”
After taking a deep breath, Zoe said, “I must have silenced my phone.”
She’d done no such thing and Zoe knew it. Wayne’s mirthless chuckle seemed to agree.
“Your girls are here.”
“Of course she is.” Zoe stopped and blinked. “Girls–plural?”
“Yep. Along with the pet demon.”
Zoe grit her teeth. Eva was one thing. Juliana was another. If Eva dragged Shalise into some mess, there would be
“Just tell me where.”
Riot at the Warehouse
“Get out of our town!”
“…more damage than…”
“…cost us our livelihoods.”
Martina Turner stalked through the gathered crowd with a grin on her face. Of course, it was well hidden in the shadows of her hood. Plenty others in the crowd had hoods. She wouldn’t be singled out because of it.
Her entire attire changed simply to avoid being recognized. It was amazing how wearing a distinctive costume every day made people’s gazes shift right over her when she changed to more normal clothing. Of course, a cowl and cloak generally wasn’t considered normal, but in a crowd of similarly dressed rioters, it worked.
Rioters gathered around the old warehouse. A decrepit building that was among the earliest abandoned had been made into the Elysium Order’s local headquarters. Thanks to their inhabitance, the building had been cleaned up nicely. One of its walls looked recently repaired.
Four white-robed guards stood outside the building. All four had eyes aglow, but none of them looked ready to attack. So far, the crowd hadn’t given them reason to attack.
Riot was probably too strong of a word. Residents of Brakket gathered around with signs. Protest more accurately described the current situation.
Of course, with a foci, everyone was armed.
Martina felt it was a good time to change the status quo.
Pulling a sheet of paper from her cloak, Martina held it in her hands. She ran a finger down the front. The large wrath rune in the dead center pulsed. Once. Twice. Three times before the faint glow covered the rest of the rune array. The entire paper melted into black sludge that evaporated into the night’s air.
That was it. No other visible changes. No magic signatures left behind to lead back to the source. Not even any evidence of the runic array. The other runes positioned around Brakket would follow this paper’s example before the night was done.
Martina turned and walked out of the crowd.
