Chapter 22

“Bohdi’s people are paranoid.” Leone walked into the next room. “This is a run-down building, just like the hundreds of empty ones around the city.”

“I will be happy if we find some kind of clue to at least point us in the right direction.” Bastian leaned around the doorframe and glanced into the room his uncle had gone in.

“We have too many directions now, Bas,” Trendan said, sounding bored by all of it.

“Not necessarily. King Troy told me that it is possible for Alterealm people to have old souls that haven’t been reborn,” Bastian smirked at Abe, making him wonder if he knew. “Maybe more Alterealm women can be others to our males.”

“Ninety percent of the male population wouldn’t care where they were from at this point,” his brother agreed.

“He also reported that aside from our realm, two more have found traces of magic in agricultural areas that were dying off.”

Abe lifted an old piece of plastic with his sword and glanced into the room. “That mage, Arwan, was a leech.”

Bastian snorted, “Yes, good description. He was sucking the life out of many locations.” He looked past him and then turned when there was nothing to see, “I still can’t believe we’re going to have a meeting of all the realms at the Circle of Stones in two days.” He glanced at Michael, “I don’t know who suggested there, but if any invited are traitors to their realms, we’ll know immediately, and I’m betting they won’t realize it because no one has been there in so long. It’s on no one’s radar.”

Michael nodded. “I’m hoping for a few at this point, so we can stop chasing our tails around.” He paused and watched Leone open a door and proceed into another area. “Prince Art says he’s following up on where that dish from your realm was made.”

Bastian grinned. “I look forward to the results of that. Did he find this Sem person?”

Michael shook his head. “No, not yet.”

“Does this strike you as odd? A metal-lined hallway inside this dingy old building?” Leone stepped back to stand in the doorway and pulled one of his swords from his back.

Abe exchanged a look with his uncle Chase and both of them pulled out a weapon and headed to where Leone had gone. He glanced behind to see Bastian and his brother Trendan pull out their silver wands, and a chill went down his spine. His weapon could injure a body, but theirs sucked the soul from their body. He’d take a blade injury over that.

“The floor also changed when we went around that corner into this hall,” Trendan said quietly.

Abe hadn’t even noticed that.

“It’s creeping me out,” Leone whispered, moving a few more feet forward.

“There’s a door,” Chase motioned to the end of the hall.

“I’m going to get the others on the phone, so we have backup.” Leone stopped and pulled out his phone and dialed. “Yeah, Michael, we’re checking out that building that Bohdi told us about. It’s rundown for the most part, but the hall just went from old dingy building to high-tech shiny metal.” He sent Chase a look, “That’s why I’m calling.” He nodded. “Yeah, at the back of the building.” He nodded some more. “Okay, we’re going to proceed with caution.” He hung up and put his phone away. “The others are on their way.”

“Well, let’s go see what’s behind door number one then,” Chase grinned.

“You’re not waiting for them?” Trendan glanced from his uncle to Bastian.

Bastian smiled. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“I like him,” Chase looked at Abe and smiled. “Shall we?” He motioned for Abe to continue.

Abe felt like it was some sort of test, so he wasn’t going to object and tell him he’d prefer to follow. With slow steps, he started toward the door. The floor looked like tile but was made of metal, and he’d watched far too many movies about trip plates and booby traps to be comfortable walking on them. Of course, he couldn’t say anything to the others, or else they’d think he was either mental or a wimp, and he wasn’t sure which would be worse.

“Stop,” Leone said softly, then caught up to him and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. “Never go through a door alone.”

Abe nodded. “Chances of it being unlocked?”

His uncle shrugged. “I’m more worried about spells and stuff that will electrocute me.”

“Oh.” Abe hadn’t thought of that, and why would he? He had a lot to learn about what to expect and what his family dealt with.

“Check it,” Chase said from behind them.

Leone glared over his shoulder at him. “Why me?”

“King,” Chase said with a tone of amusement.

“Beth won’t care if I end up crisply fried.” Leone blew out a breath and reached slowly with his hand toward the door.

A low rumbling sound echoed around them.

“What did you touch?” Chase was turning and looking all around them.

“Nothing,” Leone growled.

Abe held his sword toward the door and stepped back quickly when a wall shot out of the other one. It connected to the other side with a loud clang, and the door was gone. He turned to see Bastian running for the other end of the hall. A wall closed off that end, too, and then there was complete silence.

Chase turned around and looked at his brother. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything, I reached for the door.”

“You had to have hit something. Walls don’t just appear for no reason.”

Abe turned back and looked at the floor. Going as close to the wall as he dared, he stomped on it. Nothing happened. It was solid with no give. Backing up, he looked up and then saw it. “There’s a sensor on the roof.” He informed them. “As soon as something breaks its path, the walls close.”

“Okay, so how do we make them go back?” Bastian looked at the ceiling at the other end and then waved his hand in the air. “There has to be a camera or something somewhere.”

“Is there a panel in the wall?” Trendan walked over to him and then put his hand on the wall beside where it had closed off. “They have to have a way to open it or see who is here.”

Gripping his sword firmly in one hand, Abe started to run his hand over the cool wall, pushing against it, looking for access. “There has to be something.”

“Can you hack it or something?”

He paused and looked at his Chase. “Hack it?”

“Yeah, you know, wiring or that computer stuff you do.”

Abe shook his head. “I’d need wires or a keyboard or something to do that.”

“I cannot go out this way with you lot,” Chase put his hands on his hips and looked from one end of the hall to the other, “When I expire, it will be in an epic battle.”

“Feel free to beat up the walls,” Leone went back to the end with the door and then started checking the other side of the wall.

A loud bang had them all spin around with weapons ready. It was coming from the other end of the hall. Something was hitting the other side of the wall with great force.

After the third time it hit, Leone chuckled. “That’s gotta be my…”

The wall went flying and screeched across the floor. Where it had been stood Aunt Bethany, her hands held out with sparks arching between them. Beside her stood his Aunt Paisley and Kinsley.

“Move out of the way,” Beth said as she started walking to the other end of the hall where Abe stood. As she walked, she quickly assessed that her mate was, in fact, fine.

Abe backed out of the way but wanted to stay close enough that he could see what was happening. He’d seen her do a few things in practice, but never when she was outside of a safe space.

She lifted her arms in the air, and the arc brightened to the point that he had to squint.

“You got this,” Paisley said, her own hands held out in front of her.

His Aunt hit the wall twice with such force that Abe was shocked that it had come from her tiny body. When the steel gave in with a loud bending sound, Kinsley took over and sent it flying out of the way. She had taken out the wall and the door.

Abe hurried into the room behind them. Paisley stepped around the corner, “I don’t think so,” she was focused on a man that looked like he was trying to run for the other door. Now he stood there, his arms flailing like he was trying to run, but his feet were stuck in place.

“Uh uh,” Kinsley tossed a knife in the air and then directed it at a second man. The blade stopped an inch from his face and hovered there. “Sit.” She demanded. He sat.

Abe gave her a wide birth, making sure he didn’t block her line of sight and went over to the man and held his sword at his throat. The blade that had been hovering lifted in the air and went whooshing back across the room to her hand.

“Are you seeing this?” Paisley hissed, “This is a command center.”

Abe was trying to look around and keep an eye on the man at his feet. Bastian came over and then nodded. “I’ve got him. Your skills are needed to figure out what we’ve found.” Abe kept the weapon in hand and wandered to the other side of the room. There were screens and computer equipment spread out along one wall.

“What is all of this?”

“This,” Paisley sat down in one of the chairs and pulled a keyboard closer, “is how they’ve been ahead of us half the time.” She tapped a few keys, and the images on the screens changed.

Abe leaned closer and looked. “That’s the bus station.” His eyes widened, “and that’s the gym Aunt Autumn used to go to, isn’t it?” He’d heard enough stories to recognize any location that had been regaled in the tales of their fights.

“It is.” Chase turned and then smiled at Beth. “Thank you for getting us out of the tin can, Sparky.” He looked from her to Kinsley, “How were you elected to come? Where is everyone else?”

His Aunt put the knife back in the case behind her back, “they, uh, were dealing with a situation.”

“Situation?”

Paisley got up. “We need this place locked down so we can follow all the feeds. There could be locations we haven’t found yet.” She walked over and looked down at the man that Bastian stood over.

Chase cleared his throat. “Situation?”

Bethany went over and hugged her mate. “The furniture arrived, and they guys were busy.”

“Furniture?”

Leone kissed the top of her head. “I knew. Why do you think I volunteered to come here?”

Paisley typed on her phone. “I’m getting Kara over here to see what these two know.” She glanced at Chase. “Alona and Mitz have reassigned a few rooms on your side for the nursery and your new room.”

“My new room?” Chase pulled his phone out. “What is wrong with my current room? It’s been my room since I came of age,” he stabbed his phone with his finger.

Kinsley chuckled. “Something about not enough space.”

“Space? We could play a game of football in that room. What can we possibly need for one child? They’re tiny and can’t even move on their own…” He continued to mumble as he walked out of the room, his phone against his ear.

Abe watched the others grin and exchange looks. “Do you think there are more locations on here?”

Leone nodded. “Why else would they still be here with that much security?” he motioned to the twisted wall lying on the floor.

“Is it always like this?” Trendan glanced at his brother.

Bastian smirked. “Always. Isn’t it glorious fun?”

His brother didn’t look as enthused as Bastian. Abe suspected they had as much in common as he did with his own sibling, Ellis. They were day and night. Where Abe liked organization and routine, Ellis changed more frequently than the weather. He was still surprised that Ellis was working so hard and consistently with Arius on the new prison. He may have been older than Abe by a few decades, but his maturity seemed to be a century behind him.

“Once our relief has arrived,” Bastian looked at Abe, “we’re to go to Nova’s. I’m told you needed to speak with Liri?”

Abe’s spine stiffened; he’d forgotten that she asked. “Uh, yeah, she wanted to talk about something when we were at the circle of stones.”

“If it’s about more sky diving, your answer is no.” He glanced at his brother, “he can port us there, and you can go check on Princess Aireese’s progress with our chef.” Bastian pulled out his phone and glanced at it. “Eventually, all these little pieces will fit together, and we’ll have some scores to settle.” He grinned at his phone and put it back in his pocket, “Tor says Aunt Bella is asking about her daughter again. Do you feel like handling that?” Trendan gave his head a quick shake. Bastian sighed, Me either. We’ll have Mother handle it.”

Abe looked around at the others in the room, “I’m not very practiced at porting.”

Bastian grinned at him, “That could be interesting, seeing where we end up.”

Trendan looked sternly at his brother. “Not a good time to get lost somewhere.”

“I need distracting, Tre, you know why and let’s just say I’m running out of patience.”

Trendan nodded, “I know.” He rolled his cuff, “I’m going to talk to Dad and bring him up to speed before contacting Aireese about Glen’s memories.”

Abe turned back and looked at the computer as his aunts flipped through locations and brought them up on the screen. He’d rather stay and help them and avoid the talk with Liri, but he’d said he would, so he was going to. Did he tell her she was his mate? From all the conversations about women from Solrelm, that was probably the last thing she wanted to hear. Her entire existence was to reproduce more women for her realm. His Aunt’s had talked a lot about keeping her in Alterealm so she wasn’t bartered off to the highest bidder—or something like that. He couldn’t think about that; it made him want to kill something.

“Abe.”

He jerked his head around and looked at his Leone. “Yeah?”

“You and Bastian can go. We’ll stay here until we know what we’re doing about all of this,” he waved his hand around.

Abe nodded, “Okay, uh, yeah, we’ll go to Nova’s now.” He hoped that was where he took them. He’d only been outside it, though, so that was going to have to do.