Whispers of Nowhere

Chapter Fourteen: Part Two

Forneus squinted against the brilliant glare of the streetlight towering over him. He swept his gaze over the deserted street, trying to determine exactly where in London they had come out. Unlike the Spectrum's other portals, all of which led to specific coordinates, the one in The Hall of Tears had been designed to send anyone travelling through it to a random part of the city. There was a catch, though; anyone coming from the Spectrum needed to have someone else stationed within the city limits ready to receive them, and it was through this individual that their location was chosen.

In this case, that individual was Athian.

Forneus didn't doubt that the informant was lurking somewhere nearby, watching as they emerged from the swirling vortex in front of the solitary Victorian house at the end of the street. His gaze passed over the boarded up windows and doors, passed the sentinel pines on either side of the front entrance, all the while wondering if Athian was watching them from the shadows, waiting for them to come to him.

As they cautiously made their way past the wrought-iron gate at the bottom of the driveway, Phenex called out, "Come on out, Athian! We know you're here."

"This is the last time I let a Reg. Force dog call the shots," a voice answered. Forneus watched as a figure separated itself from the shadows, slowly making its way down the house's front steps. "I have other appointments to keep, I'll have you know—and with clients far more important than either of you." He frowned, luminous green eyes narrowing in disapproval.

"Sell it to someone who cares," Phenex scoffed. "Or have you forgotten how I let you off after the smuggling ring incident? You owe me, Bajang."

"That was two years ago!" Athian complained. He looked at Forneus, as though hoping to garner the other's sympathy. When this failed, he sighed. "Geez, you make one mistake—one mistake!—and they never let you forget it," he muttered, running a hand through short, jet-black hair.

"You should count yourself lucky that you caught me in a good mood that day," Phenex said, summoning flames into his right hand. "Now, are we going to get down to business, or do I have to show you what happens to demons who waste my time?"

"Okay, okay, you don't have to get nasty." Athian raised his hands in a gesture of compliance. "We'll get down to business, firebird. But only 'cause I like you."

"I'm honoured," Phenex remarked dryly, banishing the flames from his fingertips with a flourish.

"You should be," Athian snapped, eyes roving between him and Forneus. "And what happened to coming alone, exactly?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Phenex countered, folding his arms across his chest.

Athian blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about. Between you and me, I'm the only one who kept his word." He gestured to the seemingly empty yard around them, pale lips tugging into a self-satisfied smirk. "As you can see, there is no one else here. But hey, don't take my word for it—feel free to check for yourself."

"I think I will." Phenex turned to Forneus. "Unless of course you'd like to do the honours?" His tone suggested he knew what the answer would be before Forneus even gave it, one corner of his mouth curling in a wry grin.

"Gladly." Forneus set to work, leaving Phenex to watch over Athian while he scanned the perimeter. He strained his ears for the slightest sound; the crunch of a dried leaf underfoot, an exhalation of breath, a whisper. Anything that would indicate there was someone lurking in the shadows nearby.

Hearing and seeing nothing, he sent a series of electrical impulses into the ground, channeling the current through the tips of his fingers and down the trunk of the pine closest to him, focusing on as much of the perimeter as he dared. The harder he concentrated, the higher the likelihood of him accidentally shocking Phenex and Athian in the process. Phenex he knew could handle it, but he wasn't entirely sure the same could be said of the informant.