Page 123 of Ascendant King

“So the end of magic is also the beginning of it?” Isaac shook his head in confusion. “How does that make sense?”

“No, think about it.” Jack drew a circle in the air with his finger. “We start with the magic, it goes to the ley lines. Mages use it or don’t. They give back, or they don’t. Then, it disappears in the distance. We are standing in the center of the river. Wedon’t notice where it goes after it leaves us because there’s plenty of water.”

“That makes sense,” Lily said. “But why do we need to go to the Los Santos River?”

“For the same reason that all of our sacred places are built near the aquifers or lakes. Because magic flows where water flows.” Cade drew a finger down his tattooed forearm, then through the air in the twisting shape of a river.

“That’s just a metaphor,” Lily said uncertainly.

“No. It’s not.” Cade looked at me. “Because fire is the opposite.”

I blinked, realizing what he was implying. “Both times, we got rid of the magic poison through fire. But the Los Santos River is an artificial one. There’s no water that flows through it naturally.”

“No waternow.” Cade looked at me. He needed me to get it. He needed me to back him because he was uncertain himself.

“No water now.” I considered. “But once upon a time, all of the rivers flowed out to sea here. You think it’s still connected?”

“I’m going to the end of the ley lines.” Cade’s hands pressed together, and I could see his knuckles going white.

“Doing this, we make some big enemies. We also help a lot of people. A lot of supernatural creatures.” I looked at him. “What do you need us to do?”

“If this is anything like the poison in House Bartlett, it’s going to try to protect itself. After all the damage mages have done to magic, it’s not going to understand that I’m trying to help it.” Cade exhaled. “It’s going to be very dangerous.”

“So you need us to protect you until you’re done.” The van bumped, and my shoulder pressed against Cade’s. He was still too warm, too feverish. “You think this is where Leon is?”

“Maybe. There are a few other places that are central to magic. I just saw him in the middle of a web of it.” Cadeclosed his eyes, reliving moments I couldn’t see. “He’s the most powerful mage I’ve ever seen.”

I covered his hand with mine, squeezing his fingers until he opened his eyes, searching my face. I didn’t let myself doubt, didn’t let myself feel anything other than complete confidence.

“He’s not the most powerful mageI’veever seen.” I stared until Cade looked away, his cheeks flaming bright red.

The van bumped again before slowing to a stop. Pablo turned around in the driver’s seat.

“Boss?”

I unbuckled my seat belt, stretching forward in the van until I was leaning between the driver’s and passenger’s seats. Pablo leaned forward too, Samuel next to him doing the same.

“Bro—” Samuel shook his head.

In front of us where there should have been large industrial buildings, factories, and storage units, there was a forest. Tall trees shadowed the ground. A herd of deer grazed what should have been sidewalk.

“Is this an illusion?” I turned, asking Cade.

He pressed his body up against my back, leaning forward to see. Then, he shook his head, but slowly, uncertainty written into his expression.

“What is it, then?”

A hawk swooped low, screaming as it almost glanced off the windshield before disappearing back into the trees’ canopy. Cade continued staring, and I opened the door, stepping out onto the asphalt. I could see where it disappeared into the forest, cracking and breaking apart, letting green plants grow in the gaps.

The magic vibrated on my skin, making the hair on my arms stand up. When I breathed in, I smelled the clean, pure forest scent, overlaid with car oil and damp pavement.

It was like I could smell the city, even if I couldn’t see it anymore. Behind me, I heard car doors opening, wolves murmuring.

“We wait for reinforcements.” I kept my words calm, not letting the uncertainty and doubt I felt creep in. “For now, Evelyn, I want you to take three other wolves and see how far the forest goes.”

It had to have boundaries. Someone would have said if the entire Los Santos River had turned into a forest overnight.

Nia grabbed my arm, tilting her head. She was frowning into the forest, her fingers digging in to my skin.