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The front doors to the hotel opened, bells clanging against the glass.

“Gross, it’s still hot as Ignis out here,” Dallas said as she headed this way, Blue at her side. She pinched her shirt with one hand and billowed it, using the other to hand Blue a key. “Let’s hope the rooms have A/C.”

As soon as they got closer, Max said, “How’d it go?”

“As well as it can.” She handed Aspen a different key. “The rooms are a bit spaced apart, but we’re all on the ground floor.”

Max held his hand out for the key—

Dallas gripped it in a fist. “They only gave us one, so I claim key privilege.”

“What kind of hotel only gives you one key? I should have it, I’m the smoker.”

“Fair point.” She tossed it at him, and he caught it.

“What are we doing for dinner?” Dominic asked. “I’m starving.”

Malakai got on his bike. “Aspen and I are gonna take off. We’ll see you guys in the morning.” Aspen got on behind him, and the bike rumbled to life. He was ripping it away, toward the parking spot in front of room number twenty-three, before anyone could reply.

Dominic said, “I don’t think I’ve ever met such an arrogant, stand-offish prig.”

Max gestured for Dom and Blue to get in the SUV. “Let’s unload, and then we’ll go for dinner.” He was starving too. And angry. So he decided he’d take out his anger on a burger instead of looking for something to hit.

42

Caliginous on Silverway

YVESWICH, STATE OF KER

Night number two had rolled around, and Loren still hadn’t woken up.

Darien paced in front of the door to Chamber Number Five, fingers curling and uncurling. Inside the chamber, Loren slept upon the glasslike tabletop, her shimmering hair floating above her. Lines of raindrops drifted from floor to ceiling and ceiling to floor, and multicolored lights bobbed around her like fireflies, a few clinging softly to her limbs.

Night number fucking two, and Darien was about to lose it.

Tonight, Darien had instructed Tanya to activate every color on the screen. White hadn’t worked last time, so he was trying all of them now—every color of the rainbow.

And it still wasn’t working.

He glanced at the clock next to the door. They were nearing the thirty minute mark.

At twenty-eight minutes, Darien broke.

He grabbed the handle and swung open the door. None of the others tried to stop or follow him as he stalked into the chamber. Opening the door triggered the alarm, its keening wails slicing through the building. The door slammed shut behind him, and red lights flashed in warning as he crossed the room, water splashing under his boots. Bandit came out of his shadow, walking at Darien’s side as they approached the floating tabletop—and the girl they both loved.

Darien stopped beside it and gripped the edge, the grids of magic in the transparent material flaring and fluttering under the pressure. The siren kept wailing, rattling his eardrums, the red streaks of warning light passing across his face and Loren’s.

“I know you’re in there, Loren,” he bit out. “I know you’re in there, because I can feel you. And I know you’re scared. You’re scared and you think you’re alone but you’re not.” He smoothed the golden hair away from her face, thumbs grazing her cheeks. Warm—her skin was warm, but it lacked the usual flush she had when she was around him. Life—it lacked life. “You’re not alone, because I’m here—I’m right here, sweetheart. And I need you to fight. I need you to wake up, baby.” He banged a fist on the levitating tabletop, causing the magic to sputter and crackle. “I need you to come back to me—please.”

Behind him, the door handle rattled. Tanya banged on the wood and shouted through the window, her shouts muffled by the barrier.

Her pleas were soon silenced by the others restraining her—blocking her from coming in or leaving the corridor. Atlas must’ve figured out how to lock it—how to stop even a registered employee from getting in.

Darien kept his focus on Loren, his chest growing tighter the longer he called out to her and she didn’t answer. A Surge was building inside him, his own magic threatening to come out. He fought it, if only to protect Loren.

“I need you to fight, baby, I need you to fight.” He dropped his fist again. Harder. Shuddering the table. The rain and balls of light in the room shivered and bounced. “I need you to fight!” Bang! The siren kept wailing, and Darien kept hitting the table. “I NEED YOU TO FUCKING FIGHT!”

Bandit started barking, not in argument but encouragement. The sound volleyed sharply off the walls.