“Turn your manuals to page two forty-six,” Nichols said, flipping open her own book.
Aiden heard Dylan’s barely repressed sigh. School and the wardens, the two things Dylan hated most, combined for maximum dislike. Even with Warden Bradley gone, Dylan would never enjoy this.
“Today we’ll be covering some of the regulations around search and seizure of property. Regulations within Shadow Valley are stricter than they are outside the city, and we’ll be discussing both.”
Aiden truly wanted to learn all this although it was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it was important for him to understand the laws and regulations that supernaturals needed to obey, especially now that he’d be enforcing them. On the other, it lent a lot of weight to Dylan’s complaints that the wardens had too much power.
In a broad sense, there were a lot of similarities to American laws, but supernaturals had fewer rights, and the wardens had far more authority than their counterparts in the outside world. As Aiden read his way through the current section, that became clear again. Within Shadow Valley, people had property rights and the wardens—or police—needed a warrant to search. But in the rest of the country, the wardens only needed “reasonable suspicion.”
Aiden frowned as he took notes. From the muffled, unhappy sounds Dylan was making, he was drawing a similar comparison.
“So, does anyone want to summarize that?”
Aiden prayed Dylan wouldn’t volunteer.
Out in the hall, someone started shouting. The sound grew louder, and then the door burst open. A woman stood in the doorway, eyes wide. “The extremists are attacking!”
Dread rolled through Aiden, leaving him frozen with fear. A hand gripped his arm, and he looked up to see Dylan staring down at him.
“Come on!”
For a second, panic choked him. I can’t. Not after last time, when they were completely overwhelmed and Aiden had almost died. But then he thought of his parents, of all the other people in town who had no magic. Aiden had to at least try.
The fog cleared from his mind, and he stood, yanking on his coat. “Where?”
Dylan tugged him out of the room. “They’re attacking from the east side of town, through the main road and the woods.”
The hall was full of running people, and the chaos made Aiden’s anxiety shoot up. He swallowed hard, trying to shove it back down. This wasn’t going to be a repeat of the attack on prom, where he huddled behind a speaker while his friends fought for their lives.
There was a crush of people at the door, slowing them down. As soon as they were out, Dylan started running again, though much faster this time. Aiden struggled to keep up. Cars rushed down the street, some of them with lights flashing and sirens blaring, all of them heading east.
The car was parked at the end of the block, and they got in. With the doors closed, the noise outside was muffled, and Aiden’s harsh breathing filled the car, fogging up the window. His mind tried to seize on terrible images of what was going on and all the ways he could be killed.
The tornado siren roared to life. For a second, Aiden feared a storm was bearing down on them, but then he realized it must be alerting the whole town about the attack.
Dylan yanked the car away from the curb, almost hitting a passing car. He fumbled for his phone. “I gotta call my mom.”
“I’ll do it.” Getting into an accident wasn’t going to help anyone. Aiden called Bryn, each ring seeming to last an eternity.
When she picked up, Aiden filled her in. “Don’t worry, I’m coming.” Although her voice wasn’t calm, it was assured, and Aiden remembered her huge dragon form crashing through the treetops to rescue him and Dylan.
The wardens were more prepared this time. People from all over Shadow Valley would rush to help. Aiden and Dylan weren’t trapped in a narrow hallway underground.
It wasn’t hopeless. It wasn’t. Aiden tried hard to make himself believe it.
* * *
Flashes of magic lit up the night. Several cars blocking the road ahead forced Dylan to slam on the brakes. Aiden swore as the car jerked to a stop. They could turn around and try to search for another way through, but that would take time. The fighting looked close.
“Let’s go.” Dylan got out, glancing back to make sure Aiden followed him. His friend looked like he was about to have a panic attack.
They ran down the block and turned the corner to find a huge battle. Dylan recognized some of the people as wardens, shields filling the air between them and a group of extremists. One of the houses nearby was a smoking ruin, and several more had scorch marks and other signs of damage from spells.
A figure with bluish-white skin stepped from behind a tree, and his magic streaked across the snow-covered ground, leaving jagged ice in its wake. The spell cut through one of the warden’s shields, and he went down.
Dylan moved to join the fight, but Aiden gripped his arm. “We should wait for help.”
“We are the help.” He would still need to be careful, but there was enough room out here for him to use his fire. This wouldn’t be a repeat of the prison.
Aiden gasped. “Nuala! We need to get the potions. It’s not ready, but maybe it’ll work—”
The dark fae had seen them and sent a pale blue ball of magic hurtling toward them. Dylan brought his hands up, but Aiden was faster. A barrier formed a split second before the spell hit. Dylan tensed. The ball shattered, magic crackling along the barrier.
A bright flare of light slammed into the dark fae and he stumbled. Dylan turned to see Mr. Johnson in the street, using a car as cover. Although Dylan hated himself for it, seeing the warden made him feel better.
“We need to go now,” Aiden said. “Mr. Johnson and the others can hold them off while we get the potions.”
“There’s no time,” Dylan told Aiden.
Another defender fell as they watched. Dylan couldn’t turn away from this and drive across town for potions that might not work. The spell needed blood…
“Over there.” Dylan pointed at the nearest house, and they took shelter around the corner. “I have an idea. Can you keep your shield up?”
“Yeah, but—”
“Just do it.” If he explained what he had in mind, Aiden would refuse.
Aiden frowned, but the air around them shimmered as he summoned a barrier. Dylan lifted a hand, and a ring of fire formed around them, burning through the thin layer of snow. Dylan closed his eyes, picturing the first symbol before he burned it into the ground at his feet.
“What are you doing?” The question echoed, and Dylan looked up to see both Aiden and Mr. Johnson staring at him.
Shit. “Aiden, keep the barrier up no matter what. Trust me.” What a stupid thing to ask of him. The last time they were in this situation, Dylan had burned his best friend.
But Aiden swallowed and said in a shaky voice, “Okay.”
Dylan drew the second symbol, heart hammering loud enough to overpower the sounds of fighting all around them.
“Stop this right now.” Mr. Johnson stepped forward, but Aiden’s shield stopped him. “Both of you.”
The placement of the next symbol meant Aiden had to move a few inches. Dylan stood next to him, looking him straight in the eyes. “I’m getting us help.”
“I know.”
Dylan’s chest tightened, and he turned away before he could do something stupid, like cry. Fire danced along the brown, frozen grass as Dylan formed the third symbol.
“I know you mean well, but this isn’t the answer. The fae can’t be trusted—”
“I’m fae. You trust me enough to force me into becoming a warden.”
“This isn’t the same.” Mr. Johnson put his hands against the barrier, and they lit with magic.
Dylan tensed, remembering how easily Morgan had destroyed Aiden’s shield. Aiden took a breath, the scent of fresh leaves and rich earth growing stronger. Mr. Johnson pushed harder, a drop of sweat trickling down his face. The barrier held.
Dylan pictured the next symbol, trying to shake off the distracting sense of déjà vu. As he drew it, the energy of the spell buzzed along his skin. Now for the next step.
Fear clutched at his stomach, but he had to do this. All this was his fault, and he had to make things right.
“How will this work? We don’t have any potion.”
Aiden would try to stop him as soon as he realized what Dylan was doing. “Swear you’ll help me finish this ritual no matter what.” He never would have asked Aiden to make a binding promise, but this was too important.
For a second he was worried Aiden would refuse. His friend frowned, giving him a long look. Mr. Johnson yelled at them and kept trying to force his way through the barrier. Aiden glanced at the warden before turning back to Dylan. “Ok. I swear.”
Dylan took off his coat and let it drop, then pulled up his sleeve. I hope you understand I’m doing this for you. For everyone else too, but mostly for Aiden. Dylan brought out his claws, and before he could lose his courage, he sliced deep through his left arm.
“Dylan!”
“Keep the shield up!” His blood splattered on the snow and mud at his feet. The spell pulled on the energy. Even in the darkness the blood looked bright, the coppery scent of it overpowering the smell of Aiden’s magic.
“What are you doing?” Aiden pleaded in a watery voice.
“What I have to.” Pain throbbed along his arm as blood kept pumping out. “Fionnuala Siridean, I summon you. With the power of my blood, I summon you. Fionnuala Siridean, hear my call. Fionnuala Siridean, come forth.” Wow, there was a lot of blood. Dylan’s legs folded under him, and he went down hard.
“Dylan, stop!” Hands wrapped around his injured arm, trying to stop the bleeding.
“You swore,” Dylan said. Was that his voice? It sounded so weird.
Aiden groaned. “You tricked me. Oh God. I can’t let you die.” His tear-streaked face looked a little blurry.
“Draw the last symbol in the air. You have to finish it.” Dylan could barely lift his good arm.
Choking on sobs, Aiden pulled one of his bloody hands from Dylan’s arm and wrote in the air. His green-gold magic shimmered, forming the last part of the spell. Then they waited a few endless breaths.
God, he was going to be pissed if he died and this didn’t even work.