Page 57 of Signs and Wonders

Tyler looked at Seth. “You and Evan do this all the time. You put your lives on the line. Does it get any easier?”

Seth managed a sad smile. “You were a soldier. Did it ever get easier going into battle, knowing that not everyone would make it out?”

Tyler shook his head. “No. We just learned not to think about it, to push it down and cover it up. I was loyal to my unit. But I love Cameron. That’s completely different. I can’t imagine life without him. We have to get him back.”

“Let’s go.” Seth ended his call with Teag and left his laptop running. He turned to Tyler. “We’re going to find Cameron and get Evan and Brent back. Then we’re going to kick Swain’s ass.

“We have to leave our cell phones turned off and in the car,” Seth told him. “That also means no walkie-talkies. Portable CB radios are permitted in the Quiet Zone, but they won’t work underground, and they aren’t secure. So once we’re in, there’s no way to let Evan and Brent know we’re there.”

* * *

Travis and Drakewere already waiting at the back entrance to the spa cave. The unremarkable opening was partially hidden behind a stand of scrub bushes, easy to miss unless someone knew what to look for. The crack in a wall of rock provided a narrow doorway to a passage that led into the natural caverns.

Brent was with them, pacing and upset. Seth felt his heart sink.

“What happened?” He tried not to assume the worst.

“Evan and I broke into the spa to get the relic,” Brent told him. “I was guarding the door. Swain must have already been inside and locked me out. I sent Danny’s ghost to warn Travis, but he must have been somewhere Danny couldn’t reach.”

“The cabin.” Travis looked from Seth to Drake. “Too much salt. Danny reached me once I left. We were too deep in the Quiet Zone for phones to work, so I couldn’t let you know right away.”

“Shit,” Seth muttered. “Swain’s got two descendants. It’s the full moon. We’ve got to get in there and get them back.”

“I went all the way through the passage to the door for the ritual room,” Drake told them. “The path is clear, and there aren’t any guards.”

“The ghosts confirmed that there are three people inside the nearest cave room—I’m guessing that’s Cameron, Evan, and Swain,” Travis said. “The spirits saw an unconscious man brought inside through this tunnel earlier today—probably Cameron.”

“Can they help out in a pinch when we go against Swain?” Seth asked.

Travis nodded. “I’ve explained what we’re doing. They have witnessed past sacrifices. Some of them were victims. They aren’t strong enough, even with my energy, to fight Swain for you, but they will do everything they can to help.”

“Change of plans.” Seth ruthlessly pushed down his worry. “Travis and I will go into the cave. We stand the best chance against Swain, and we’ve done this before. That lets Tyler, Brent, and Drake pull the alarms, get the civilians out of here, and avoid a catastrophe.”

“Hell no,” Tyler objected. “It’s Cam in there. I need to help.”

Seth laid a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have magic, and Swain does. If you get yourself killed, it doesn’t help Cameron. But you can save lives. When the warlocks die, things get real bad, real fast. You’re safer far away.”

Tyler clenched his jaw hard enough Seth could see the muscle tic. “I won’t desert Cam.”

“You’re not deserting him.” Seth strained to keep his voice low. “We are wasting time. Please—we’ve fought the witch disciples before. We know what we’re doing. Cameron won’t forgive us if we get you killed.”

Tyler turned away in a huff, and Seth let out a breath of relief.

“Good luck,” Travis told the others as the groups parted.

“Same to you,” Brent echoed. “See you on the other side.”

Travis turned to Seth. “Take these.” Travis opened his hand to reveal several silver bullets with sigils scratched into them.

Seth frowned. “What are they?”

“Runed bullets. The silver affects creatures, and the runes weaken magic,” Travis replied. “Something new we’ve just started using—they work real well.”

“Thanks.” Seth reloaded his gun, keeping his original ammunition handy, although he hoped to avoid a shoot-out.

Seth led the way into the tunnel, with Travis behind him. They had heavy-duty flashlights, a duffel full of salt, weapons, and basic caving equipment. Each man carried a handgun. Seth checked before the group split to ensure they all wore protective charms.

While the damp rock smelled of mold and wet earth, the tunnel had clearly seen recent use. Fresh footprints were sharp in the mud on the floor. No roots or cobwebs covered the tunnel, and Seth could catch a faint whiff of cigarette smoke.

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