Page 55 of Signs and Wonders

“What did you make of that?” Brent asked as Evan plopped down on the foot of his bed.

“Josh was definitely surprised. The spa wasn’t supposed to be closed. I don’t buy the ‘water leak’ story,” Evan replied. “I wish we could call Travis and Seth to make sure everything’s okay. I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“Yeah, me too. Which makes it all the more important that we get in there tonight.” Brent shouldered out of the small pack he had worn all day as Evan did the same, and they both took a moment to go through the contents, making sure they had the tools, defenses, and weapons they might need.

“We can’t call them, but I can see if Danny can connect with Travis,” Brent said, taking advantage of having a medium as a work partner.

Brent closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Danny? If you can hear me, please find Travis and ask if there’s trouble, then let me know.”

He stayed quiet for several minutes. “Okay. Thanks for trying. Stick close—we might need to do this again.”

Brent opened his eyes. “Something’s up. Danny couldn’t find Travis—that only happens if he’s behind wardings or salt lines.”

“So we’re on our own, at least for now,” Evan said. “And if Seth and Travis left the hotel room for somewhere more closely protected, odds are Swain’s up to something. We might be the first responders if Swain’s taken someone.”

“I’ve got my lockpick,” Brent said. “Now all we have to do is wait for everyone to be busy at the concert.”

Evan couldn’t shake the urgency he felt, but he knew that getting caught breaking into the spa would blow their cover and put their whole mission at risk.

“Once we get the door open, I’ll go inside and steal the anchor—assuming it’s there. You stay outside and guard the entrance,” Evan said.

“What if Swain shows up?” Brent’s expression made it clear that he didn’t like Evan’s plan.

“Then you can go for help,” Evan explained. “I’ll make sure there aren’t any workers or stray maintenance people in the spa—just in case there really was a leak. But I’ve got a gut feeling that Swain wanted everyone out of the space because he has other plans for the cave behind it, and that can’t be good.”

Evan left it unspoken that he feared Swain had captured either Cameron or Seth—or both.Or maybe he knows I’m here and figures one descendant is as good as another.

“Shoot first and ask questions later.” Brent relented, but still clearly disliked the choice. “I’ll be through the door in a heartbeat to back you up.”

“I’m hoping we won’t run into Swain or get hauled away by the cops,” Evan said. “And don’t forget—if Swain’s got shifters, the silver jewelry is our best protection and the only way we can tell the real version from the fake.”

“Do you think there have been shifters among us the whole time we’ve been here?” Brent asked. “Is Wellington one of them?”

Evan shrugged. “Not necessarily. I guess it would be convenient to have a body double to fill in for you, but that would apply more to Swain than his lieutenants. And if the research we’ve done is right, the doppelgangers are for blackmail and fraud, so they’re more likely to stick to the Hub.”

“For all the times I thought it would be nice to be able to send a clone into the office when I wanted a day off, I think I’ve changed my mind,” Brent said.

They waited in their room until the concert started. The small size of their group meant that their absence would be noted, but Evan figured they could beg off with a story about indigestion if anyone asked.

One desk clerk worked in the lobby. Evan and Brent watched out of sight until she went into the back office, then they slipped down the steps toward the lower levels. If anyone intercepted them, Evan figured he would lie about being confused about where the music event was being held, and they would try again in the middle of the night.

To his relief, they saw no one. As far as Evan could tell, Summit was largely empty except for their small group of initiates and the few staff members they had encountered. He didn’t know whether there really were no other guests or if other seminar attendees were busy with lessons and meditation in another part of the compound. But he was grateful for having fewer people to dodge.

Brent took point, and Evan kept a lookout while his partner used a lockpick on the spa doors, to no avail.

“Let me try,” Evan said after several unsuccessful attempts, changing places with Brent. Evan pulled some of the sigil disks from his pocket and chose the one he wanted, avoiding the need to draw a rune. Then he held the disk in his left hand while he placed the flat of his right over the lock and summoned the small spark of rote magic he had learned from Seth. He felt the energy tingle against his skin and warm the lock, which opened with asnick.

“Nice trick. You’ll have to teach me that one,” Brent said.

“Sure—after we get out of here.” Evan eased the spa door open and peered inside.

“Whoa,” he murmured, and Brent crowded in beside him to have a look.

The doors opened onto a large area that was a mix of natural cavern and human-fashioned cathedral. The ceiling and some of the walls were part of the bedrock, while arches and pillars made of stacked stone gave the huge grotto an otherworldly feel.

A waterfall flowed into a large, shallow pool. While the pool’s sides and bottom were concrete, the deck areas were made from natural stone, and the water had a slightly emerald hue. Artful lighting illuminated the space while placing the focus on the cave elements, making the area seem intimate and fantastical. Comfortable loungers clustered in groups of two or four providing places for guests to read and relax.

“That’s fancy,” Brent sounded impressed.

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