Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

CHAOS MAGE Chapter 2: New Enemies

Kommora gestured and, ignoring Southwark's spluttering, was helped towards the hole in the wall by Liore. Seiren was dismissed. Stepping back, Seiren took in the ruins, her fingers intertwining with Madeleine's. Both their palms were sweaty.

"You shielded me with burst magic," Seiren said, the images of the explosions coming back to her. "That was so reckless!"

"You'd frozen on the spot. I had to do something."

"You're not a soul any more! You can get hurt!" Seiren grabbed Madeleine's shoulders and ran her hands over her sister's arms and hands. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm glad it took you half an hour to remember I did that," Madeleine said with a laugh. "I'm fine, seriously. I'm the older sister. I have to look out for you — especially as I have my own body now."

Biting her lip, Seiren's eyes found Kommora again, clinging onto Liore and trembling, pressing a green rune onto her own chest. The twins followed her out of the hole in the wall. Seiren had been so distracted by Kristen's escape she'd forgotten about Madeleine — she kicked herself for being blinded by the moment again.

"Issue a warrant for the capture of Kristen Harred," Kommora said to Liore. "I don't know who we're up against or what they're up to, but the sooner we get word out, the harder it will be for them to hide."

"You want to release details about the execution too?"

"Too late to hide it. Saving our pride won't do us any good now."

Ash, Kommora's broad-shouldered aide, approached after having spoken to the medics tending to the injured guards. Liore nodded and passed Kommora over before hurrying off, her thin brown hair flying in her wake. Ash could probably pick up Kommora with just his forearm.

"No witnesses," he said in a low voice. Seiren could barely hear him. "They said the explosions came out of nowhere."

"Nowhere, my ass." Kommora closed her eyes and grimaced in pain. "Who can hide three explosive runes and not be seen?"

"They're honest soldiers, Mage. I know them personally. They wouldn't have betrayed the council—"

"Tents. Now."

Ash took Kommora over to the makeshift tent where the injured men were being tended to. Two were carted away on stretchers, heads lolling like a doll's. A medic opened his mouth at the sight of the approaching group and caught sight of the injured Kommora.

"Mage Haigh — lie down and let me check your—"

"Soldier!" barked Kommora. The nearest injured men did their best to snap to attention and salute, limbs permitting. The medic shrank away from the blaze in her eyes.

"Mage Haigh," said the nearest one in a rasping voice. Thick bandages covered half of his face and his hair was crusted with blood. "I swear on my honour — none of us saw any—"

"Tell me—" Her voice could have frozen molten metal. "—exactly what you saw."

"I... Yes, ma'am. I stood guard on the second post along the walls of the Chamber of King Cole Miracle at two fifty-five as planned. We heard nothing. We saw nothing. No civilians passed. No suspicious activities—"

And there, Seiren saw it. For a fleeting moment, his eyes glazed over as if he spaced out, and then he blinked, as if nothing happened.

"—and then the explosions happened. There was smoke everywhere. We followed protocol and evacuated—"

"That's enough." Kommora gestured at Ash, who fished out paper and chalk. It took her longer to draw a rune this time, having to pause several times to regain her concentration, but she managed a variant of the violet rune Seiren had seen earlier. "Bear with me, soldier."