I couldn’t get the door open fast enough. Ty and Tray tried to stop me, but after one fierce glare they let me be.
The room was filling with smoke. Nic was already rushing around
to bring everyone into the main rom. I looked around, but I couldn’t tell where
the smoke was coming from. It just seemed to be everywhere.
“What happened?” I asked Nic.
“I have no idea. The window shattered and smoke started pouring
it.”
“Have you seen any flames?”
“None.”
“They want to flush us out. For some reason they don’t want to
launch an outright attack on a Committee building,” I said as I brought my sleeve
up to cover my face. The smoke was getting thicker.
“Vanessa… we can’t stay in here, we’ll suffocate,” he said
amidst a fit of coughing.
“We can’t go outside either. The room next to us, is it empty?”
I asked.
When Ty nodded, we all started moving at once. It didn’t take me
long to get the lock open with a bit of magic. They really should ward against
that. I jerked my head toward the window, and James and I crept up to it.
Slowly and carefully I pulled the curtain back just enough to peer through.
There were two witches in the courtyard behind the building. One
of them was coaxing a small fire to increase in intensity, while the other was
directing the smoke through our broken window.
“Thomas still has his bow and we’ve got your magic,” James
murmured to me as we watched.
“I’ve got a better idea. I was able to catch the signature of
one of the Committee member’s magic,” I said with a grin. “That means I can
send him a fire message.”
“What will that get us?” Nic asked.
“We can get the Guard to surround them. So far we’ve had to play
defense. I’m more than a little ready for some offence.”
James kept an eye on the witches in the courtyard while I
slipped away to send the message. I didn’t want to be too close to them, but
they would feel my magic either way. At least this would only be a little
burst.
It wasn’t long before my phone rang.
“Parker,” I answered.
“I have contacted the Guard. I also warned them you might send
something out from the second floor. I wouldn’t want them storming up to get
you too.”
“I appreciate that. Do you have any witches on staff?” I asked.
“None that will be close enough to help. What do you have in
mind, Ms. Parker?”
“Just little containment.”
“Very well. I shall meet with you in your room soon. We don’t
have time to wait.”
“We helped ourselves to the room next door,” I said.
“Very well.”
We both hung up, and I turned to Cassidy.
“You up for a bit of containment?” I said with a grin.
“I would love to be of assistance,” she replied.
“I will aid as well. I would like to see firsthand what we are
up against,” Randle added.
The three of us went to the window and watched as the witch’s
frustration grew. They hadn’t expected it to take us this long to leave.
I focused on the fire for a minute, trying to gauge the amount
of power being used to keep it alive. It didn’t seem like he was worried about
it getting snuffed out.
“As soon as that fire goes out get ready to freeze them where
they stand,” I murmured.
I took a deep breath, shattered the window with a brief touch,
and flung a solid chunk of magic at the flame. It went out immediately, much to
the surprise of the witch fanning it. Before they could react, their bodies
froze mid movement. I summoned more of my magic and did my best to mimic the
bubble they had used against me more than once. I wasn’t as strong as they
were, but I hoped it would hold.
“I don’t think we can hold them for long,” Randle said through
gritted teeth. “Their magic is fighting hard against ours. I’ve never seen
anything like it.”
“The Guard needs to hurry then.”
I felt a surge of magic join mine. It surprised me enough that I
almost lost my grip on mine.
“I can help you keep their magic in check,” Gus said as he
stepped up next to me.
Dex also squeezed in and added his magic to Cassidy and
Randle’s. Still, they were focused and strong. I didn’t know what was taking
the Guard so long.
“In Vale they train fairies with witches in combat. They learn
how to fight each other. It isn’t so much that they are strong, it’s that they
are skilled at exploiting weakness in other’s magic,” Gus said. “While their
governance is brutal, their unity among races is unmatched.”
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