Page 75 of Arcane Entanglement

“Sly,” Viggo barked as they closed in on the doorway where flames crackled and spit. “You know what to do!”

Solomon nodded grimly. He reached inside his coat and withdrew a small leather pouch before darting around the side of the building. Viggo felt the weight of his own bag against his chest, filled with the magical countermeasures that had saved their lives more than once.

There was no time for finesse.

He barrelled through the church entrance while yelling out Evander’s name, ignoring the searing heat of the fire and the alarmed shouts of the constables outside. Smoke stung his eyes as he tumbled to a halt in the narthex and squinted at the chaos within.

There, in the midst of it all, stood Evander.

Their eyes collided across the burning nave.

Surprise widened the mage’s gaze.

“Sorry I'm late!” Viggo called out, a grin tugging at his lips despite the dire situation.

Relief danced across Evander’s face.

“Your timing could use some work!” he shot back, voice tight with tension. “But I’m damn glad to see you!”

Before Viggo could respond, a bolt of sinister energy cracked the air towards him.

Instinct had him diving to the side.

He rolled behind a fallen pew as more attacks pelted the slabs around him.

Though he was immune to most threats of a magical nature, there was no point taking any chances, especially in the face of magic he had not encountered before.

Viggo’s pulse raced as he came up in a low crouch behind a cracked pillar. He peered around the column and took stock of the situation from his new vantage point.

A group of cloaked figures were advancing on Evander and the Met officers. Though the casters were doing their best to defend themselves with the wards in their weapons, they did not stand a chance against dark magic.

Viggo stiffened.

Some of the mages moved with eerie synchronicity, their pupils glowing an unnatural red. Realisation dawned, drawing a muffled curse from his lips.

He knew from Evander and Ginny’s accounts that Magnus had looked that way when he’d been trying to hurt them.

Those mages are being controlled, just like Magnus was!

There was movement at the back of the church. Solomon was darting stealthily from pew to pew. Their eyes met through the smoke-filled air. Viggo gave a sharp nod. Solomon dipped his head and reached into his pouch. He withdrew a handful of small, glass marbles.

Viggo’s breath misted in front of his face. A chill was spreading through the church. His startled gaze found Evander.

His heart stuttered.

Ice and wind swirled around the mage in a furious dance as he defended the casters at his side from their enemy’s strikes, his handsome face set in a fierce mask. A wall of frigid air blasted outward from him, knocking back his nearest foe and briefly extinguishing some of the flames ripping through the church.

Viggo swallowed.

The power and control Evander demonstrated as he shielded his associates was a far cry from the cruel, capricious magic he’d grown up fearing.

This was magic wielded with the intent to protect.

A dark mage broke through Evander's defences and bore down on a young constable. Rufus moved to intercept the man, Evander too focused on the battle before him to notice the incursion.

Viggo surged to his feet and crossed the distance to the mage in a few long strides. Evander’s magic proved a temporary obstruction, one he had to grit his teeth and force his body through, losing a precious couple of seconds.

He caught the mage's arm just as he was about to deliver a deadly spell to the inspector and wrenched it backward with brutal force.