“It’s a demon,” I said, trying not to sound as worried as I felt. “Somehow, one managed to avoid the Ward’s prohibition.”
“That’s impossible,” Cinaed said.
“If it exists, it is possible,” Malachy said. “What matters is figuring out how to defeat it.”
Using our connection to the new Ward, I traced the demonic presence. Directly above us, trapped in the medicine wheel, was something ancient, powerful, and malevolent.
The true scope of Blackstone’s planning knocked the wind from my chest. Every time we thought we’d countered him, we found ourselves three steps behind. Blackstone seemed to have prepared for every contingency. He didn’t care if we’d saved Ailpein, he had other ways to destroy the Ward. A new Great Ward? No problem, he’d found a way around that too.
“I think it’s a demon prince,” I said, the words like ash in my mouth. “Blackstone used the wheel to summon it.”
“Rod?”Bart’s mental voice filled my head.
The timing of his call confirmed my fears.“How did we miss this?”
“I think Blackstone protected the medicine wheel from the banishment spell,”he answered.“We need you up here right away.”
I had a lot of questions, but none of them mattered.“We’re on our way.”
“How?” Cinaed asked. “None of the demons escaped the removal spell, and they haven’t breached the new Ward.”
The how didn’t matter. Blackstone circumvented the Great Ward and did it big. A demon prince trapped in a summoningcircle nearly killed Bart, Cael, and Jan. If Blackstone controlled this one and unleashed it on the world, he might be unbeatable.
“Bart asked us to come up and help,” I said. “We can figure out how Blackstone summoned it after we defeat it.”
We exited the door Bart, Cael, Eldwin, and Hro had used. The others had been busy once they left the chamber with Ailpein’s cell. Dead mages, their stones lying on the ground near them, lined the corridor. In my mind, I saw a furious Bart taking out his rage on anyone who stood in his path.
“Now that the new Ward is active, can it escape the medicine wheel?” Malachy asked.
It was a good question. “The wheel was designed to contain and control,” I said. “Unfortunately, the person in command of the demon is Blackstone.”
No one needed me to explain the implications of Blackstone in control of a demon prince. If we didn’t stop him, Blackstone would wreak havoc across the Earth.
As we approached the exit, I steeled myself for what we were about to see. Next to me, Cinaed also prepared for the worst.
“Hold onto the excess energy from your grandfather,”I told him.“Unless I’m wrong, we’ll need it once we arrive.”
Chapter Twenty
Cinaed:
The last stretch of the tunnel ended abruptly. Compared to the dim light inside the cave, the overcast afternoon was almost blinding. My eyes automatically adjusted, but Rod struggled to see after so long underground. He squeezed my hand briefly, as much to steady me as to reassure himself. It was also a reminder of what we were fighting to preserve. After decades of emptiness, we deserved a future together.
“Sweet Mother Earth,” Father whispered as he moved up beside me.
The still bodies of mages littered the ground. Most, but not all, had been associates of Blackstone. I didn’t recognize any of our fallen mages, but through our bond, I knew Rod recognized at least two.
Blackstone stood facing the medicine wheel, his back to the fighting as if nothing could touch him. His remaining mages were failing. They’d formed a perimeter around Blackstone, their black gems glowing with dark energy.
Avie, Chancellor Wilhelm, and the other Council mages were overpowering the fools who’d believed Blackstone’s promises of power. I almost pitied them, but anyone who thought Blackstone cared about anyone but himself or would share that power deserved their fate. Only one person could command the power of a demon.
Old stories talked of mindless creatures whose sole purpose was dominating our world. This being scanned the surrounding area with a calculated intelligence that stole my breath. It was three times the height of a tall human. Tiny wisps of smoke spiraled off its skin. Its features were surprisingly human-like, but the gray skin and red eyes left no doubt as to its race.
Rod’s brothers and their mates took positions around the demon. After a moment to orient myself, I realized they’d taken positions corresponding to their assigned points on a compass. The original guardians, no longer needed, but still powerful beings, arrayed themselves next to their replacements.
Gund held a short sword with a golden gem, and Cael held a similar weapon, only its stone was blue. I’d never seen the blades before but knew these were the Dreki and Orme Seaux. The pair glowed angrily, and the demon avoided looking at the swords.
I’d never seen a demon prince before, but I’d expected a warped, foul being. Instead, he was impossibly beautiful. He towered over the scene, easily three times my height, his red eyes taking in every detail of his captivity. When his gaze swept over me, the air rippled with a wrongness that made my inner fire blaze in defiance. He paused at Rod and me. A quizzical expression flickered across his features before he moved on.
