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Just in time, because then her magical creation shot up and out, the arc growing and stretching across the whole area, like a silver rainbow enveloping it. And then silver streams began shooting out from it, threading all over, until the building and a good portion of the forest was covered entirely by a silver dome. She twisted her hand and it became translucent, disappearing from view and detection, while still being in effect.

It was hiding the presence of Nyx and Kai from the outside world, making it look like no one was in the building, something she’d been able to employ without her magic directly touching the structure and setting off any alarms that a being of such mammoth power was present.

Remarkable.

Fortunately, I was just within the confines of it, so I could still see the reality within.

That was when I caught sight of a puff of black smoke on the main floor, a moment before Kai and Nyx emerged, still enveloped in the smoke, which was acting as shadow to conceal them—conceal them to anyone but a dragon—using what was known asshadow travel.

The main floor of the Unity Council building was a combination of elegant functionality and mysticism, glistening black walls and furniture with silver accents throughout. A circular chamber dominated the space, the place where the Council convened, high-backed stone chairs inscribed with shimmering runes of their respective factions.

Beyond the gathering space was an area designated for the supernatural public, those who came to the Council for various issues that they needed assistance dealing with, for justice and protection too. Rows of seating were arranged in a semi-circle around a raised platform where said grievances or issues were heard. Floating pale-blue lanterns drifted overhead casting an ethereal glow.

I watched Kai and Nyx travel up the glowing winding staircase to the second floor where they really needed to be—the Restricted Archives. That area housed the Council’s guarded information and intel concerning the supernatural world, including volatile things like Ariana’s test results.

The two of them approached the center of the space, a chamber pulsing with protective enchantments and wards, where scrolls floated suspended in glass containment fields.

Kai took control and led the way, identifying Ariana’s quickly.

It was a golden shimmering scroll floating in one of the containment fields that was marked with Celestial scripts that were ever-changing.

Now came Kai’s part of the mission.

He had to bypass the ward without detectionandthen also replicate the test exactly as it was, while only touching it very briefly so his magical essence and signature didn’t have time to be registered by the protections in place. If it was registered, then he’d be identified as the thief, as having accessed what was outlawed.

I honed in with my dragon hearing and listened in on the situation as it transpired.

“This place is really something,” Nyx commented, looking all around in awe while he kept the shadow travel going and enveloping them.

“What’s actually impressive is the control you have over your abilities tonight.”

“Yeah?”

“Definitely.”

“Thanks, Kai. I’ve been working on it. Holding to my plan for this last year like I told you about.”

Kai smiled, then turned his full focus to the task before him.

He called his rose-gold magic to the fingertips of his right hand, just those specifically glowing vibrantly, indicating the precision that would be needed.

He shifted his weight, then stepped right up close to the containment field that was levitating the golden scroll that was Ariana’s test results.

I started as he uttered an odd command.

“Zhairen fa’vahl.”

I frowned, trying to place the words.

The familiarity rolled over me, much of my childhood spent studying ancient tongues, given that my culture was rooted in an ancient existence, was finally coming in handy.

Kai was speaking an ancient language similar to Proto-Indo-European and fused with other ancient dialects.Yield to the forgotten.

His magic flamed on his fingertips and I watched in awe, just like I saw Nyx doing, as they passed through the ward.

He grunted, pushing harder, then speaking another command with a whole lot of vehemence,“Zhairen fa’nuriel.” Yield to what was before.

Motherfucker,he’d found an impressive loophole.