Siobhan, Wren, and Elias crouched to the side of the lake, staring at the spires rising from the center. If their insides weren't so dangerous to all magic kind, they might've been beautiful. Pure white, like the Crystillium used to help create them, yet reflective like a mirror. On a clear day, the world surrounding the spires replicated on each surface. Three points rose to the sky, the building formed a perfect triangle. Siobhan didn't think it was coincidental one end of the triangle pointed toward the highlands. The spire on that end had an odd shape on the tip, one Siobhan often mistook for an eye. As if it were overlooking everything or suggesting it watched those living north of the mountains.
A single bridge spanned the width of the lake, feeding into the road leading to the city. It was the only visible entry into the structure. The spires weren't the only buildings on the lake, though the rest stuck to the eastern and western shores. The south had the grove where Siobhan and company currently hid, while the north was an empty plain covered in snow. It was another design Siobhan felt wasn't a coincidence. Sneaking in from the north was near impossible with the open land leading to the wall.
"I don't see any windows," Wren muttered.
"You won't as there are none," Siobhan said. "There are areas that can be opened to create windows, but they're never opened. The King finds the spires more intimidating if they reflect the world, opening a window would break up said intimidation. There's enough light through torches and totems that they don't need windows."
"Unlike normal spires that you'll find on the tops of churches," Elias said, "these are built wide enough to house people. The flat base of the triangle is where the Vanguard generals sleep, but the nobles and King take up residence in the spires. The northern point hosts some Grand balles. Regular patrols walk on top of the battlements ensuring nobody can encroach the spires from the lakes surface."
"How do we get in?" Wren pointed toward bridge as a portion began rising and bending in toward the spires. "Looks like they're closing up."
"We weren't going that way anyway."
"Why not?"
Siobhan laughed. "Gee I wonder why not. 'Excuse me, Mr. crimson-cloak, this is the man you're looking for but hey, can you let us in the spires so we can look for his fiancé?' Yeah. That'll work."
Elias stood up and stepped to the edge, kicking off both booths. He stepped into the water; the bottom of his robes dragged against the shore. Both hands lifted the fabric over his head before he tossed it toward a bush. His arms stretched parallel to the ground as the fins grew out from his elbows. Soft pops rose from his spine as the flesh bubbled and another fin curled outward.
Siobhan stood up and removed her cloak, tossing it on the same bush as Elias. If anyone happened upon them, they'd simply think someone was stupid enough to go for a swim, there wasn't any need to hide them.
"We're going to swim? In the lake? In the middle of the winter? Do you not see the chunks of ice floating on the surface?" Wren shrieked, rubbing his hands against his arms.
Siobhan smiled but didn't look at him. She stepped up beside Elias and grabbed his right arm. Water lapped against her boots, but only for a moment. Air rippled over the water's surface, pushing the liquid away from her feet. It continued to ripple, bending around her, and rising up to curve over her head. She kept one hand on Elias but reached the other toward the solidifying ripples. One finger pushed against the newly formed bubble, stretching it outward without popping.
"Aquantian magic. So long as we're touching one, we can breathe under water in our own perfect sphere of oxygen."
"That. Is. Awesome." Wren's eyes widened as he scurried to Elias' left, grabbing the Aquantian's arm. As the air rippled at his feet, he chuckled and released his grip. The air popped and stilled. When he touched Elias' arm again, the air rippled.
"Enough, Wren! Do you want to go tonight or not?" Siobhan snapped after Wren released his grip for the third time.
He grinned and grabbed Elias' arm for the final time. When the bubble around Wren fully formed, they sank into the water together, diving underneath. Their bubbles shifted with the force of the water but didn't break. Elias' feet propelled them forward; neither Wren nor Siobhan could do anything to aid him when their bubble kept the water away. Chill from the water's temperature tried to break through their shield, but it was otherwise a perfect balance. Not enough light filled the bottom of the lake, clouds still covered the moon, but tips of seaweed rose from the depths and bent against the surface of the bubble.
The speed of Elias' push made crossing the miles of lake appear instant. As if they could've blinked and been from the shore to the underbelly of the spires. Elias dodged anything in their path, moving with the direction of the stone walls feeding into the depths of the spires. When Elias stopped swimming, he shifted his body as if he stood in the water and closed his eyes.
"What's going on?" Wren asked.
"Shh. He's listening to see if it's safe."
Siobhan looked up. A golden glow brightened toward the north, disrupted only by the moving water and the debris floating within. She glanced to Elias, his legs kicked slow to keep them from sinking, but not fast enough to propel them to the surface. Silver hair drifted around his head, moving slow like the seaweed floating around him. His gills pulsed rapidly, sucking in water and releasing bubbles. She remembered the first time she saw an Aquantian within their element. Her first time seeing Elias as more fish than man frightened her. For nearly a month she couldn't look him in the eye. Eventually he took her under the water to meet with other Aquantians and it became more beautiful than frightening. Each one was unique, from the patterns of their skins, to the adaption of their fins. Some had no legs, instead they had a single tail fin, while others simply developed webbing between their toes. Elias was one who could do both.
If he needed greater speed, he allowed his magic to consume his legs and return him to his original form. Over the years he'd learn to control the shift within the water, keeping only that which he couldn't control. Siobhan never understood why, but she always assumed it was because of his choice to live a life of servitude to her family. Like giving himself over to the water would somehow break his commitment.
"We're clear. The patrol has passed," Elias said. He shifted his body to push them forward before stopping again. Siobhan moved herself so his hand touched her back, keeping contact for the bubble. She grabbed the edge of a wood pier jutting out into the water and lifted herself up before her bubble burst. Wren followed.
Wren gasped as soon as he stood on the edge of the pier. "What the hell?" He stared at Siobhan, his mouth hanging open. "What happened to your eyes? They're. . ."
"White? Like snow? Sometimes they have a tint of blue to them depending on the way the light hits them." She smiled. He was so mesmerized by her; he didn't seem to realize his eyes changed slightly themselves. Gold flaked his blue eyes, subtle, yet still there. It was the only change she could see in him. How could he be so human looking yet hold magic that wasn't a mage's magic? Wren was a curious case and it drove her insane with fascination.
Wren stepped forward and lifted her lip with one hand. "Are those fangs? You have fangs?"
She pushed him away and spit. "Get your filthy fingers out of my mouth! It's not polite to touch a lady's fangs." She turned around and lifted her shirt, revealing the scale pattern on her back. Wren gasped again and dragged his chilled fingers over her spine. Muscles in her stomach twitched at the glide of his soft fingers. His touch followed the curve of her scales on either side of her spine.
"They look like feathers but feel like scales."
"Because they are scales. They're like a birthmark for a Draygon. We each have a unique set of scales we're born with somewhere on our body. I'm lucky that mine are on my back and hidden by clothes. Others aren't so lucky." She lowered her shirt, sighing as she turned back to him. "Magic doesn't work in the spires unless you have the bracelet."
"Or are an Aquantian who isn't affected by Crystillium," Elias added.
"Not even Changeling potions work in here. Everything I covered with magic is now here for you to see. Congratulations, Wren. You're seeing the real me."
Wren continued to stare at her, his eyes moved from hers to the salt and pepper hair braids hanging over her shoulder. She could only imagine what he thought of her real appearance. If he wanted to scream and run, she wouldn't blame him. Most of her time spent since leaving Draygon was wondering how humans would react if they truly saw her. Master held his ground, but that had as much to do with the profit he could make from her as opposed to his acceptance of magic. If there was something to be gained, Master could accept anything. Her people weren't common in the lowlands. Actually, since she'd fled the highlands she couldn't remember seeing a single Draygon anywhere.
"You have an hour before the patrol comes down here again," Elias whispered. Both arms floated beside him as the water jostled his body.
"Did you hear how many patrols are running this evening?"
Elias shook his head. "Their conversation wasn't that informative. Most of it was about the party happening tonight and the beautiful serving girls they plan to ravish. Much of the Vanguard will be busy patrolling the upper levels, but that doesn't mean they didn't increase patrols down here as well. I know only the one I was listening to will return here in an hour."
Siobhan sighed and grabbed her staff parts clicking them together. She kept the blades hidden but her finger rested on the button. "Stay out of sight, Elias. We'll be back as soon as we can."
"Be careful, M'lady." He dived under the water and vanished within the depths.
"What is this place?" Wren asked.
"An escape route for the king and nobles. See those rocks sticking up from the water and the one on the other side of the pier?" Wren nodded. "Those aren't actually rocks. They're boats concealed with Vanguard mage magic. In case of an attack, all wealth is escorted down here."
"Doesn't seem like the most secure escape route given it feeds right into a lake which would be in the middle of an attack anyway."
Siobhan shrugged. "It's not my doing, I just know what it is. Average person doesn't even know this area exists in the spires; it's not listed on any structure map. How they plan to get the boats out, I don't know, but I'm sure it has something to do with Vanguard mages and explosions of the wall hanging into the water." She scurried to the narrow metal door and pushed on the tips of her toes to look in the small window. Torches lit the corridor on either side as it fed toward the center of the spires. There would be no place to hide if the patrol came back before they were through the passage.
Sio-bhan-n.
Her eyes narrowed at the hiss of a voice calling her name. The air was still, heavy with the aroma of being untouched for days aside from the regular patrols. She waited, staring into the passage.
"Are you okay?" Wren touched her shoulder.
"Fine. Thought I heard something. Stay behind me." She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of chalk rock. "Every turn we make, I'm going to mark the direction we came from discreetly with this. If we get separated, follow the mark, and get back here as quickly as possible. Keep your voice low and do everything I say with no argument."
Sio-bhan-n.
She flinched. Her chest tightened and a vibration rolled along her spine. One hand touched the door as she closed her eyes. Though she didn't feel nauseous, she didn't feel right either. Both head and body swirled with restlessness.
"Siobhan?"
"I'm not exactly thrilled to be in a place where I have no power!"
"I can go alone and . . ."
"Get yourself killed." She huffed and opened the door. "Follow me, moron."
The depths of the spires were suffocating. Air was heavy, stale, unmoving by even a gentle breeze. Most of the lower depths were under the lake, water dripping from the cracks in the wall and mold clinging to the rough stone. Siobhan thought it should've been cooler under the spires. But it wasn't. She tugged on the collar of her shirt as the sweat built on her neck. One hand touched the stone when she reached the end of the corridor. Heat pulsed through the stone, drawing into her fingers like a virus. Her hand retreated as she closed her eyes and released a breath. Was it the Crystillium in the walls making her sick? She hadn't remembered experiencing this discomfort the last time she was there.
Sio-bhan-n. Come to me.
She peeked around the corner, looking in either direction where the corridor split in four directions. The glow of the torches flickering in their scones fought with the darkness of the narrow pathways. She knelt, drawing a small arrow pointing back where they came.
The muscles in her stomach convulsed. A tingling crawled through her skin, both legs quivered under her weight.
This was a bad idea, she thought, releasing another slow breath. Curse you, Wren. Curse you. And curse me for allowing this!
She sighed and forced her legs to steady under her as she crossed to the other side and continued in a straight path toward the center of the spires. Air continued to thicken the farther inside they went. Wren touched her back on occasion. She wasn't sure if it was to let her know he was still back there or if it was to comfort her in some way. With how she was feeling she was certain she looked as bad.
"How do you know where we're going?" Wren whispered when they came to the end where the corridor T'd off in 3 directions instead of four.
"I'm feeling the magic exerted by the mages. When you're trained, you'll be able to feel someone's power if you focus. It's like thousands of bees all buzzing inside you, telling you where the power is." It wasn't a complete lie. There was a sensation another magic user got when another cast near them. Problem was that wasn't what Siobhan was following. She knew they were heading in the general direction of the first collection of mage pods, but it was the voice drawing her closer. The hiss gliding on the stale air beckoned her no matter how much she wanted to resist it.
She marked another arrow before hooking to the right. Her hand flexed against her staff, itching to release the blades for some small resemblance of comfort. The voice continued to call to her, a whisper licking her ear, a tug pulling on her senses. If not for Wren, she'd have been smart enough to turn around and run back to Elias, leaving that hellhole behind. Maybe if she told him about the voice burying into her mind he'd understand and agree to try again after further research. But she didn't know how to explain it to herself.
Siobhan stopped and grabbed Wren's arm, yanking him down when she crouched. Their path fed into a large circular room. Water dripped from the walls and ceiling into a narrow gutter circling the base of the wall. She glanced around the corner before shuffling in a crouch to a railing overlooking the center of the room. Large green pods leaned against the walls on the lower level, broken up only by two narrow staircases. She raised a finger to her lips and nodded toward the center where three Vanguard generals pushed around a mage.
Their laughter echoed off the walls as they pushed the mage between them like she was a ball. She did nothing to fight back or stop them. Both arms wobbled to her side as she stumbled into the Vanguard Generals hands before he pushed her to the next. The three of them played a game of mage catch.
"Look at it," one Crimson-cloak said, grabbing the mage and pulling her closer. He waved a hand in her face. "Stupid bitch can't do anything to stop me."
He pushed her back to his counterpart who also pulled the mage closer. His hand reached into her robes as he bit her neck. She did nothing to stop him or scream as his teeth clamped down on her flesh. The soulless mage lay against his chest like a log, motionless, uncaring to the hands exploring her body.
"Have you ever thought what they'd be like in bed?" the Crimson-cloak with his hand in her robe asked. "Do you think it still works down there?"
Wren growled and shifted beside Siobhan. She touched his arm, shaking her head when he looked at her. There was nothing they could do to help. A fight would call too much attention to themselves in a place where attention was the last thing either of them needed. He gritted his teeth and fisted both hands.
"I tested one out the other day." The third Crimson-cloak crossed his arms and smiled. "He was a useless log on the bed, but I have to say I rather enjoyed it. A little gray root shoved down his throat and he stood at attention for me."
The other two laughed, passing the mage between them as the third demonstrated his meaning. Siobhan rolled her eyes as he thrust his pelvis at nothing but air, his hand grabbed his crotch as his tongue dragged against his lips.
"I still don't understand how you like that. Give me a nice pair of breasts to a pe—"
"Enough!"
Siobhan grabbed Wren and dragged him to a pillar nearby as a fourth crimson-cloak entered from an opening across from them. Her hand tightened on her staff as she looked around the pillar, watching him descend the stairs, hoping he hadn't seen them. The other three Crimson-cloaks stopped pushing their mage toy and stood straight, backs stiff. Between them, the Vanguard mage settled. Both arms hung to her side, eyes open and staring into the void. It was as if nothing happened.
"Did you forget we have a patrol to do?" He grabbed the arm of the mage and dragged her toward one of the open pods, shoving her inside. He didn't care her head hit against the side of the pod before he slammed the front closed. "You can play with the dogs later."
"Yes sir," the three said, following their leader as he climbed another set of stairs.
Siobhan held her breath as she watched them, hoping they didn't come down to her entrance. Three other exists stood between them and the stairs. Wren pulled his bone dagger from his belt, biting his lower lip.
"Have you ever tested out one of them, sir?"
"Of course I have! It's a rite of passage for all of us. If you haven't tasted their flesh, then when we're off duty I'll make sure you bed one this very night! It can be a pleasuring experience if you ignore the fact they're as motionless as a dead fish." He hooted and adjusted his crotch. "The best part is you can screw them all you want and never worry about any bastards coming out!"
Siobhan sighed when the crimson-cloaks exited before their pillar. Again she touched a finger to her lips and slow crouched to the wall, looking done the corridor. The four men laughed and continued to talk about the exploits of the mages in bed as they faded into the darkness.
"That was too close," she whispered.
"They . . . she . . . how . . ." Wren stammered, pointing toward the lower level. His neck and face reddened with every exasperated breath.
"Don't worry, they don't feel anything."
"That doesn't make it better!"
"Keep your voice down, dammit." She shook her head and descended the stairs. "I know it doesn't, but it's the only solace we magic users have when we think about what the Vanguard mages endure."
Wren investigated the closest emerald pod; one hand brushed over the smooth surface. "They look like they're sleeping."
"Essentially they are." Siobhan looked inside a pod holding another mage. He stood against the back, arms tight to his side, eyes closed. A hum whirled from inside the pod. Her hand touched the outside. Vibrations pulsed against her palm, a sign of the energy pumping in from a tube above the pod. "They're in a kind of stasis when in these things. Somewhere in the spires is a central hub that feeds each pod with energy when closed. It somehow keeps the mage nourished so they never have to eat, go to the bathroom, or do anything. Hell, the Crimson-cloaks could abandon this place and leave the mages behind and they'd never know. They'd simply die of old age and never see the light of day again."
Wren grabbed the handle on the pod.
"Don't. We can't free them all, Wren. We don't have the manpower."
"But . . ."
"Trust me, I know. This could easily be me in one of these damned things. We're here for Natalia and only Natalia right now. Be quick and see if she's in one of these. There's several other hubs like these and we might not have time to get through them all."
"We can't just leave them here!"
"Aye we can and we will. That isn't our deal, Wren. I'm helping you with Natalia, but I'm not going to take on the entire Crimson-cloak force to do so! As soon as we open one of these, they're going to know."
He gritted his teeth, staring at the green-tinted mage trapped inside the pod. "How does magic allow this to happen? Can't the mages just snap their fingers and annihilate anyone without it?"
"Some magic can, aye. But we're as vulnerable as any warrior if caught by surprise. A single Crystillium dart or a blade basted in it cutting through our flesh, and no magic can overcome. We're not invincible, Wren. The Vanguard have found a way." She pushed on his shoulder. "We can talk later. Right now, find out if Natalia is in here."
Come to me, Siobhan. All answers shall be revealed.
Siobhan grunted, watching Wren scurry from pod to pod. Both arms trembled as she fought off the nausea forming in her gut.
"Please tell me she's here," Siobhan muttered too low for Wren to hear. He continued bouncing from one pod to another, checking inside. When he reached the last one, he shook his head.
"She's not here."
Come to me, Siobhan.
Siobhan leaned against a pod, grimacing. Her stomach tightened, flinching with every hiss of her name. Goddess she wanted to puke. She wanted to curl up in a dark hole and wither away. Why did she feel so terrible? Wren grabbed her shoulder, pulling her away from the pod.
"Seriously, are you all right?" he asked.
Siobhan huffed and pushed his hands away. "I'm fine. Follow me."
"If this place is affecting you can turn back, and I'll go on by myself."
She chuckled. "And you know how to follow the hum of magic to lead you to each hub?" One hand dragged against the wall more to help keep her upright than anything else. Both legs wobbled with every step, her breath wheezed with her gasps. Turning back is exactly what she wanted to do, but her body wasn't listening even without not wanting to leave Wren behind.
***
They searched through three more hubs holding the mages pods and came up empty three more times. Siobhan was starting to believe Natalia wasn't there, or at least they wouldn't find her that night. Their hour had long since ended and they were living on borrowed time. She looked back down the corridor they'd just exited as Wren searched the pods. No sounds came from the darkness, no signs of an impending patrol, but that didn't mean they were safe.
She leaned against the wall, sweat dripping along her temples. Her staff was heavy in her hand as she shifted it between them in hopes to ease the aching in her arms. This wasn't right. None of this was right. From the moment she met Wren, everything was too easy. The lack of crimson-cloaks searching for them could attribute to the ease of escaping Scanla. She had the hags to thank for Firnlan. But there, in the spires, coming across only one patrol? It wasn't right. None of it.
Siobhan leaned forward, resting her staff on both knees as she huffed. Why was it so easy? Why weren't their more patrols? Her mind couldn't think. Answers wouldn't come. There was only the voice calling for her, beckoning her deeper into the labyrinth that was the underbelly of the spires. She had to find the voice. That was the only thought making sense to her. Yet she knew it shouldn't.
"She's here!" Wren tapped both hands on the emerald hub.
"Wait for me, don't open it yet." Siobhan released the parts of her staff and tucked them through their hoops behind her back. Still her legs were mush as she stumbled toward Wren. It was as if she were drunk. But drunk on what?
"You look awful, Siobhan."
"I said I'm fine!" She reached into her purse and pulled out two strips of cloth she'd packed before they'd left. "Before taking her out of the pod, tie her hands with one of these and cover her eyes with the other. Binding her hands will keep her from using her magic and covering her eyes will keep the Vanguard from using her to find us. Be ready to throw her over your shoulder and run as soon as we pull her out."
"Run? You can barely stand."
"Don't worry about me. You saw how I was marking the walls, follow the arrows and get her out. Don't wait for me, just go."
"Siobhan—"
"I'm not going to argue with you, Wren. Your priority is your girl, nothing else. Remember you said you'd listen to me no matter what." She gripped the handle to the hub and inhaled. "Ready?"
Wren nodded. He stepped back to allow room for the pod door to open. Siobhan flexed her hand against the handle. Though she'd never heard the alarm sound, when her and Master had snuck into the spires previously, she'd wanted to do the same thing as Wren, free them all. Master warned her not to open any of the pods regardless of how bad she wanted to. She twisted the hand and pulled open the door, jumping back to allow Wren to tie up Natalia's hands.
Nothing happened.
No alarm or lights flashed. No Crimson-cloaks descended upon them with weapons draw. There was nothing.
Siobhan frowned, watching Wren tie Natalia's hands, and cover her closed eyes. He carefully pulled her forward, lifting her tiny body over his shoulder. Her tied hands fell against his back, short auburn hair flopped downward, but she otherwise didn't move. Wren knitted his eyebrows when he turned around, adjusting Natalia's weight.
Sio-bahn-n. Come-e.
She turned toward a dark tunnel that didn't match any corridor they'd gone down before. It was hastily cut like an afterthought in the stone walls. Air gushed through the opening, the first signs of fresh air she'd felt since entering the spires underbelly.
"Shouldn't there be an alarm? Is it silent?"
Siobhan stepped toward the tunnel, ignoring Wren's question. Her eyes narrowed, staring into the black hole where light seemed to just end. Her name continued to hiss through her with the same speed of the wind tracing her cheeks. It was cool against her sweaty skin. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The wind caressed her like an old lover, matching the seductive call of the voice.
"Siobhan?"
"Get her out of here, Wren. Take her to Elias and hide her in the meat locker and you take that Changeling potion, I don't care how much but take enough to hide yourself for at least a day. I'll be there shortly and we're leaving immediately." She stepped toward the tunnel, tilting her head.
"I'm not leaving you in here. Something isn't right!"
Her hand gripped a jagged stone jutting out from the gaping hole. One fingernail brushed against the rough edge, breaking off a small chunk. Too easy. All far too easy.
Forward. Come.
She closed her eyes, her head wobbling and spinning. So tired. Forward. She had to step forward.
"You came for your fiancé. Now get her out or all will be for nothing." She wanted to look at him. Hell, she wanted to go with him. But she couldn't. Forward. Her legs wanted to go forward toward the voice hissing from everywhere. It buried into her ears, drummed through her mind, and pulled on her limbs. "I'll be okay, Wren. You can't carry her and help me. So either you leave her back in the pod to go with me, or you take her and escape."
"Dammit, Siobhan. This isn't right!"
No, it wasn't right. She wanted to say exactly that. Turning around, escaping with Wren, that is what's right. She could rationalize why it was so easy. Maybe she could shake it off as being a result of the party raging overhead and the need for extra security. It could be the truth. While the Vanguard forces were formidable between the generals and the mages, they were also a cocky lot. She couldn't remember the last time there was talk of a siege on the spires. Letting down their guard would be a natural result of their believed peace.
Siobhan didn't look back at Wren when she did the one thing she didn't want to do.
She stepped forward.