Page 9 of Magic Unrestrained

“What the hell are you doing here?” Gage demanded, his voice low, barely masking his surprise.

Savannah’s gaze flickered from him to the symbols on the walls and then back to him. “I could ask you the same thing.”

Gage’s jaw tightened. “I work here. What’s your excuse?”

“Last time I checked, so did I.” Savannah held his eyes, her own narrowing slightly as if she were weighing her options. Then, she seemed to make up her mind and sighed. “I’m working undercover.”

Gage blinked. “Undercover? For who?”

Savannah crossed her arms, her gaze steady. “Not the cops, although there are plenty of supernatural cops. I’ve been investigating Falwell and Vesper for weeks now. There have been… disappearances. People are going missing, and I’m convinced it has something to do with whatever the hell is going on here.”

Gage took a step toward her, his mind racing. “And you think Falwell and Vesper are behind it?”

Savannah nodded; her expression grim. “I don’t have proof yet, but this—” she gestured to the room around them, the dark symbols glowing ominously on the walls, “—this confirms my suspicions. Something dark is happening here, and it’s bigger than we realized.”

“‘We?’” he asked.

“My sisters and me. I’m the baby of the family, which is more annoying than you can possibly imagine.”

Gage’s mind spun as he processed her words. Sisters? How had he not realized that Savannah was one ofthe Duvalls? The sisters had a widespread reputation as demon-hunters. They were also known to take on other supernaturals if needed. He’d known something was off, but this? If the Duvall sisters were involved… “What do you and your sisters think?”

“Uh, I haven’t exactly shared my suspicions with them.”

This was far worse than he’d imagined. He glanced back at the symbols, the remnants of dark rituals, and felt the weight of the situation settle heavily on his shoulders.

Before he could say anything else, a low, guttural growl echoed through the room, followed by the sound of scraping stone.

Gage and Savannah both spun toward the source of the noise, their muscles tensing, Savannah reaching for the jeweled dagger she kept tucked into her waistband. From the far cornerof the room, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a hidden tunnel. And from the shadows emerged a figure.

A short, hunched figure with beady eyes and sharp, jagged teeth.

“Grungle?” Savannah blurted, her voice a mix of surprise and confusion.

The creature—Grungle, apparently—gave a toothy grin, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Looking for you, little water fae. Important news from the underground.”

Savannah groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Grungle, let me rephrase, what do you want?”

The creature, who Gage now recognized as the Sewer King, shuffled forward, his beady eyes darting between them. “Disturbances in the city’s waterways. Dark magic, bad things stirring. Figured you’d want to know.”

Savannah sighed, glancing at Gage. “This is Grungle. He, uh… runs the sewer system beneath the city. He’s a… friend. Sort of.”

Grungle nodded enthusiastically, his sharp teeth flashing. “Best friend. Close, close. Very helpful.”

Gage raised an eyebrow, glancing between Savannah and Grungle. “This just keeps getting better and better.”

Savannah shot him a withering look before turning back to Grungle. “What kind of disturbances?”

Grungle’s grin faltered, his expression growing serious. “Bad things. Shadows moving in the water. Creatures that don’t belong. Power coming from below. Dark power.”

Gage felt the chill in the air intensify, his demon side stirring restlessly inside him. “So, this isn’t just about The Obsidian Lounge.”

Savannah’s eyes darkened. “No. It’s not.”

Grungle nodded, his beady eyes wide with urgency. “Big trouble brewing. Need to stop it before it spreads. Sewer system’s just the beginning.”

Gage exhaled slowly, his mind racing. This was bigger than he’d thought. If Grungle was to be believed, far bigger. He glanced at Savannah, and for the first time, he considered telling her the truth. She deserved to know what they were up against. And if they were going to stop whatever dark force was rising, they would need every bit of strength they could muster.

Even his.

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