Chapter Eight

The museum was taped off, just as I’d expected it would be.

I knocked on the front door for a while, hoping someone would answer so I could retrieve my bag, but either no one was there, or we were being ignored. Fine, I’d get my stuff later.

We walked around to the conservatory exit the Tamer had come through. Ashe went close to the door and started sniffing. It wasn’t long before she picked up on magic.

“Tamer?” I asked.

Not only was her nose sensitive to magic, she’d been trained to parse different magic scents. She nodded.

“Great, let’s go.” I hopped onto her back and she was off.

It had been a long time since I’d ridden Ashe while we’d tracked something, but it was an intensely familiar feeling, even if we were running down concrete sidewalks past office buildings and cafes, versus cobblestone roads, apothecaries, and rustic bakeries.

As the city woke up, we caused quite a stir. I could imagine how many pictures of us would be making the rounds on social media today. Especially after the interview aired.

I wondered if I’d still have a job at the dojo after Sensei Takahara saw it. Maybe he’d ask me to start teaching magic-era style fighting. A girl could hope.

Ashe ran the entire length of Manhattan and crossed the bridge back into Brooklyn, and it wasn’t long before I realized she was heading to Kiabi Park.

I wondered if she’d take us back to the Cillari Stone. She diverted from the park’s paths, but it wasn’t exactly where Gideon and I had gone. I was thankful for her ability to navigate dense brush; it made for a much better trip this time.

After a while, Ashe slowed, and we came to a small cave opening embedded in a huge rock formation. Ashe tossed her head and growled.

I jumped off her back and unsheathed the Gladius, which pulsed like a heartbeat against my palm. I had never had a weapon feel “alive” the way the Gladius felt. I’d imbued swords, spears, and axes with Firi and Zesu stones for an extra fiery or windy kick, but they’d never felt like this. Divine magic really was…something else.

Ashe and I exchanged a look, then approached the cave opening from the side.

The Tamer must have been here. Would we find more like her, or had it been just her hidey hole?

The darkness was thick, and I couldn’t see much beyond the entrance, despite the morning sun. The sword’s glow provided more illumination than I thought it would, so I felt encouraged to step inside.

The ground underfoot was gritty, and it smelled dank.

There was only one path forward, so we followed it, and though it narrowed from the cave opening, it wasn’t too constricting for Ashe’s bulk. The path turned a few times, then led us into a small open space, beyond which the path continued. I felt a touch of magic, but it was too faint for me to figure out what kind.

We moved closer to the other path, where the air had a slight shimmer to it. The currents spun in an oval, and a light vibration thrummed against my skin.

“A time warp.” It was Temporal magic I’d picked up on.

We’d encountered our share of time warps during the magic-era, as they were Temporals’ go-to for magical security. If we touched it, we’d find ourselves back at the opening of the cave, with the time we’d spent traveling to this point lost. If we came back, the same thing would happen again.

It was a deterrent from trying to go farther, but I’d heard of time warps used as punishments, keeping someone in an endless loop while they repeated the same action over and over again. When people talked about the different types of magics, Temporals were often categorized as dark magic users. Depending on how time magic was used, I had to agree.

I stood there frowning at the time warp for a few moments. We had to get beyond it, that much was certain, and an idea was slowly forming. My Shaper magic was of no help here, but what about a bit of Divine magic?

A Diviner’s magic could purify all other types of magic, essentially nullifying it. Purification was used on Talented people who used their magic to hurt, murder, or cause chaos. Ashe and I had rounded up many a magic murderer and brought them to face a judge who’d sentenced them to purification.

Knowing your magic could be taken away was enough incentive for most Talented not to turn to a life of crime. But there were always outliers.

I had no idea if I could purify a time warp with the sword. I almost wanted to laugh at the notion of a Shaper with a Divine sword trying to purify Temporal magic, but hey, wouldn’t know unless I tried, right?

“Here goes nothing.” I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, then lifted the Gladius up, bringing it across my body, then sweeping it back to the other side.

As I did, a blade of white light raced out from the sword, just like when I’d faced the Jigori at the park, and slammed into the time warp. And to my utmost surprise, the warp dissipated. The vibrating air currents were gone, as was the feel of Temporal magic.

I whistled. “Well, would you look at that.”

Ashe made an approving sound, then we carefully headed down the path. This path had been guarded for a reason, so I had no doubt whoever we came across wouldn’t be happy to see that we’d gotten past the security system.

The path was mostly straight, with a few turns, and Ashe and I slowed when it started to open up. When we came to the end, there was again a shimmering mass of vibrating air, but this time it wasn’t a time warp.

It was a time pocket. Another Temporal construct.

I reached out and pressed my fingers against it, not surprised when I was met with resistance. It looked like an almost opaque mass of air, but it was solid, like the skin of a drum. I could walk through it, but it would take some time and wouldn’t be a pleasant experience, since I was not a Temporal. When Ashe and I had woken up, it had taken a lot of effort to push through the time pocket that protected our cave, and once we’d gotten through, we’d been hit with intense vertigo, nausea, and splitting headaches that almost knocked us back out again.

I had no desire to relive that experience, especially because I needed to be stable so I could face what was on the other side. I glanced at the sword. Like the time warp, could I purify it?

Only one way to find out. “Just you, me, and this sword, think that’s enough to deal with whatever’s behind door number one?” I asked Ashe.

She whuffed, a much more impressive sound in her Circoux form. I stepped back and raised the Gladius, ready to see if I could purify it out of our way, when the air suddenly tightened, and there was a pop in my ears like I was at a high altitude.

The time pocket collapsed and Temporal magic washed over me.

I experienced a dizzying feeling and my stomach roiled, but it was nothing compared to if we’d pushed through the time pocket. The discomfort passed, and I was able to get my bearings and keep the contents of my stomach where it belonged.

Which was good, because before me stood three pissed-off-looking people, each holding a weapon aimed at my throat.

“Kill her quickly,” one of the two men said. He was Black, dark-skinned, and looked to be in his sixties, with hair that had gone all white, including his facial hair. He held a short sword.

The petite woman next to him held a sharp-looking sickle, her blue eyes roving over me calculatingly, while the other man, who was short and stocky with a ruddy complexion and well-muscled arms, looked ready to use his mace to smash my skull in.

“Or perhaps we can talk first?” I suggested. “If you don’t like what you hear, we’d be more than happy to take you on.” I drew the sword up, and an uncertain look flickered in their eyes as they took in its glow and probably also felt the Divine magic wafting off it.

Ashe threw her head back and released a stream of blue-black fire. When she lowered her head, the look she gave the trio said next time her aim would be different.

“Who are you?” the woman demanded. Her auburn hair was loose around her shoulders, and she looked to be the youngest of the three, somewhere in her forties. All of them were dressed in loose linen pants of various bland shades, and tunic style shirts with wide sashes around their waists. The sashes were adorned with a circular buckle embellished with a bejeweled sundial. Something that had been worn only by high level Temporals.

Looked like Varian’s theory was correct. Temporals had moved forward through time under the Auraxa Reiv.

“My name is Pennrae, and like you, I am Talented.” I indicated Ashe. “This is my Familiar, Ashe.”

The first man lowered his weapon, his look becoming less hostile and more assessing. “I recognize her. She is the one I recently witnessed on the screen.”

The other two startled, and lowered their weapons as well, their eyes growing wide.

“It is her?” the woman asked.

“Indeed. She is one of us. Her journey here just differed.”

“How did you get past the warp?” the second man asked, eyes narrowing.

“I have a special sword.” I did a series of quick moves to show them that I knew how to use it. I didn’t anticipate finding other magic users and having to fight them, but we all had weapons, so it was best to stay alert. Since they’d lowered theirs, I lowered mine, but kept it ready at my side.

They exchanged looks again, and I took a moment to look around.

The cavern we stood in wasn’t very large, although the ceiling was high and clustered with stalactites. There was no one else here, but there were three openings that led away from the cavern, each blocked by a time pocket.

“My name is Marcai,” the first man said, bringing my attention back to them. He extended his hand and we shook. “This is Chelara, and Sorjin.” Chelara shook my hand as well, and Sorjin nodded at me. “You must understand our initial hostility, as being found by outsiders is what we endeavor to avoid at all cost. I have heard your story and was relaying to Sorjin and Chelara what I learned about you. While I would not have minded a meeting, I certainly hadn’t expected you to show up here.”

“Sorry for the intrusion,” I said. “There was a Tamer who caused a lot of trouble and we tracked her magic here. Similarly, there was a Fire Conjurer who wreaked some havoc. Something tells me I would have tracked him here as well.”

“Yes,” Chelara said gravely. “Unintentionally, they made it above ground.”

“You’re Temporals from the magic-era, right?”

“Yes,” Marcai replied.

“Temporals were known to have the ability to travel only to the past and return to the exact time they left. How did you move to the future?” I remembered what Varian had theorized, but I wanted to hear what they’d say.

“When the world was being destroyed by the Majimorta during the Auraxa Reiv three hundred years ago, a number of Temporal villages sought safety by jumping through time with our families and creatures,” Chelara said. “Knowing the extent of damage would be catastrophic, we took anyone from neighboring villages who wanted to come with us. However, our intention had been to travel to the past in order to forewarn of what was to come.”

“It has never been recorded that Temporals moved through time under the Auraxa Reiv so we had no idea what to expect,” Marcai continued. “It was a time when not only our nexus point was open, but all of them. We believe the magnitude of power released from the Auraxa Reiv allowed us to bypass the limitations of our magic.”

“It was not the safety we intended to procure, but we were saved nonetheless.” There was a sad note to Chelara’s voice, and I could understand why. Stepping through time thinking you knew where you were going and ending up somewhere completely different with no way to go back must have been a doozy.

But at least they’d saved themselves and many others from the Majimorta’s destruction.

“We wound up in a time that had already been shaped by the events of the Auraxa Reiv,” Sorjin picked up. “We spent a number of years connecting with other Temporals who jumped, building networks of time pockets across the world so we could move around more easily.”

“We attempted to integrate into the above world once more,” Chelara continued. “Hoping we could revive magic, but when we did, we were hunted by a Jigori.”

“Did a Necromajin hitch a ride when you time jumped?”

“We are unsure,” Marcai said, shaking his head. “We lost a number of our own before we realized we would never be safe above ground.”

“Our only safety lies in our time pockets, as they are removed from the natural timeline and thus undetectable by the Necromajin,” Sorjin said. “Our time warp, which you so easily maneuvered past, is our first line of defense.” Little bit of a hostile tone, this one. I couldn’t blame him.

“So here we have remained for over twenty years,” Chelara said. “Part of the world, yet not.”

“I saw your story…”

“How?” I interrupted, frowning at Marcai. “Television signals work in time pockets?”

He slanted a smile. “We maintain hubs within time pockets above ground that allow us use of some modern conveniences.”

“I see. I don’t mean you any harm. I’m working with someone who is aware that you exist and have been hunted by a Jigori. He wants to help keep you safe.”

“There’s no one who can offer us better protection than what we can do for ourselves,” Sorjin said.

“And yet those of us above ground haven’t really been safe these past few days. What with the Conjurer and Tamer.” I frowned at them. “How did they get above ground and why couldn’t they control their magic?”

Marcai’s shoulders sagged, and Chelara’s and Sorjin’s expressions were grave.

“Perhaps it will be better to show you,” Marcai said. “Come with us and we shall explain further.”

“How do we know we can trust her?” Sorjin said sharply. “She just said she’s working for someone who wants to find us.”

“Sorjin, she’s one of us,” Chelara said gently. “She’s been alive since the magic-era, she can understand. She can help.”

I didn’t know if I could, but I didn’t say anything.

Sorjin visibly ground his teeth, but nodded. “Fine. I will reestablish the time warp and pocket and return.” He strode away, and Ashe and I followed Marcai and Chelara across the cavern to one of the time pockets.

I noticed a brief hesitation in both of them, then Chelara lowered the barrier and stepped through. Marcai held his hand out and indicated for Ashe and me to go through as well. Now it was my turn to hesitate.

“I promise we do not wish to ensnare you in any way,” Marcai said. “It is a matter of trust for us to reveal more of our community to you. We simply hope for your understanding, as someone who is kindred with us.”

That gave me a faint feeling of foreboding. What exactly did they want me to understand? Only one way to find out.

Ashe and I stepped through the opening, and after walking down a short tunnel, emerged into a massive cave.

The ceiling was so high, I couldn’t see it, the walls extending into shadows. Despite the shadows, the space was well lit with a bright white light that came from thousands of winking crystals studded in the walls. Those had to be the work of Earth Conjurers who would have uncovered the crystals, then enhanced their natural properties to bring forth that glow.

There were rock formations scattered around, and much of the ground was covered in grass from which plants, flowers, and trees were thriving. As we walked farther in, I realized that the rock formations were caves, and that the caves were homes. There was furniture set up around many of them, some had small, well-maintained planted areas, and there were cooking pits everywhere. Nostalgia surged through me. Other than the cave setting I could have just stepped into any small magic-era village.

There were children running and playing, adults lounging on benches and chairs, and magic-era creatures everywhere. All the creatures were calm, no doubt because there were Tamers here to keep them that way.

A Haellin came over and licked my hand, startling me. Haellin were similar to mini Shetland ponies with sheeplike fur and floppy rabbit ears, and were docile by nature. The Haellin then danced a curious circle around Ashe, who lowered her head and let it butt her. I had to admit to a slight choked-up feeling at not only seeing another magic-era creature again, but seeing Ashe interact with one for the first time in three hundred years.

The ground shook slightly, and I looked over to see a Pachrall some distance away, picking up a massive boulder and moving it to where the Earth Conjurer controlling it indicated. Pachrall were massive creatures made of earth-based matter. The most commonly constructed Pachrall were assembled with compacted dirt and rocks of varying sizes with ropes of vines that held their form together. Their heads were usually a featureless accumulation of smaller stones. During the magic-era, they were used similarly to this one—heavy manual labor such as house building, forestry work, and making roads and bridges.

Looking at this Pachrall, which had tufts of grass on top of its head and buds of flowers growing from several dirt-packed crevices, I was reminded of an event during the magic-era when a village held a contest to see which Earth Conjurer could create the best-looking Pachrall. I smiled at the memory. The winner had been a Pachrall formed entirely from carefully lifted flower beds so it looked like a walking garden with butterflies and bees following wherever the Conjurer directed it.

I heard a deep-throated call and saw several Iloxi romping with one another up ahead. Several of them had horns that arched back from their heads and looked over a foot long, which indicated that they were at least a couple decades old. Even from here I could see the vibrant tones of their jewel-colored eyes. Ashe started. Circoux were one of the few creatures that could keep up with an Iloxi’s speed, and Ashe had always engaged with any we’d come across.

“Would she like to go to them?” Chelara asked.

Ashe shook her head, but I nudged her. “Go on, you’ll know if I need you.”

I was still wary, but seeing more of the community, the playing children, the adults cooking or relaxing, made me feel like there probably wouldn’t be cause for Ashe and me to have to fight our way out of here. Ashe hesitated, but I nudged her again, so she ran off toward the Iloxi, who released loud barks at her arrival before they were all chasing one another.

“Come this way,” Marcai said. Sorjin had now rejoined us.

I was led to the left side of the cavern, where a series of caves were set up. The activity over here was much quieter. The trio stopped a few feet away from the first cave and turned to me.

“Before we established our safety, we suffered greatly at the hands of the Necromajin and his Jigori,” Marcai said. “Our numbers fell, and we were scared that we would die out.”

“We had to take measures to ensure our community regained itself,” Chelara continued. “Despite the threat of the Necromajin, it is still our hope to rejoin the world and foster a new era of magic.”

I frowned, a sense of foreboding coming over me. “What measures did you take?”

“We…”

“Pennrae? Is…is that you?”

My eyes widened, my breath caught in my throat, and I felt like a lightning bolt had been thrown through me at the sound of that soft-spoken voice.

Chelara, Sorjin, and Marcai were still in my line of sight, might even still be speaking, but I had tuned them out like a switch had been flipped. The person who’d spoken was behind me, so I slowly turned on my heel, feeling my heart slamming against my ribcage as my brain struggled to believe I knew who that voice belonged to.

“It is you,” came a voice that sounded as shocked as I felt. Our eyes locked, and I didn’t know if I should cry, scream until my throat was raw, or both.

“Kinari,” I whispered.