Page 45 of Rites of Passage

Nikolai drummed his hands on the steering wheel, face tight. “That asshole needs to learn to stop antagonizing people.”

“To be fair, he was right to come to Bryony’s defense.”

“Yeah, the High Council was totally out of order talking to her like that,” Miles grumbled.

Nikolai acknowledged their points with a grunt. His gaze met Mae’s in the mirror. He furrowed his brow. “I sure hope that bastard was joking about sharing a room with you.”

Mae bit her lip.

Vlad had brazenly announced that since he was Mae’s future consort, it made sense for them to stay together. Nikolai still wasn’t sure if he’d been serious or not; the incubus had disappeared before he could challenge him on the matter. According to Mae, he had a meeting with his associates in the city.

More troubling still had been the notable absence of April Blackwood, the Philadelphia coven’s High Priestess and a close friend of Bryony and Barbara. As the head of the coven hosting the Annual Grand Meeting, everyone had expected to see her and the more prominent members of her entourage at the hotel. There were already unpleasant rumors circulating amidst the witches and sorcerers attending the covenstead about Ephra Erwin’s displeasure with that state of affairs.

Though it was his first time attending the annual event, Nikolai could tell the High Council didn’t particularly get along with Bryony and her closest friends. The two witches had finally received word from one of April’s aides that afternoon, just before Nikolai and Mae had left the hotel. The sorcerer had confirmed that April would be at the reception that night.

Nikolai hadn’t been able to stop the sliver of dread that had taken root in his mind.Is the reason for April Blackwood’s no-show the demons Mae and Brimstone sensed in the city?

From Mae’s expression, she’d been similarly troubled by the witch’s absence. None of Vlad’s local contacts had reported anything untoward when he’d gotten in touch with them yesterday. Neither had the handful of sorcerers Nikolai knew in the city. Still, they were all conscious that the Dark Council going under the radar was likely a ruse to lull them into a false sense of security. His stomach tightened as he observed the thermoregulated hardcase next to Mae.

He was glad Violet, Miles, and Abraham were going to be part of the group assigned to guarding the samples. Since Violet and Miles knew the scientist they were going to meet, Bryony had suggested they stick around and provide magical assistance to the lab if required. He’d been somewhat surprised she’d suggested Abraham join them, considering the aide was meant to assist her during the covenstead.

Mae had taught them and the other witches and sorcerers going to the labIce Fortresslast night, in preparation for their task. Though their versions of the spell weren’t anywhere near as devastating as hers, they would do the job until reinforcements arrived.

Ten miles outside Philadelphia, Nikolai turned off Interstate 76. The road they were seeking wasn’t on the map. Abraham’s directions finally led him and the SUV following them to an unmarked dirt track masked by thick undergrowth and a dense canopy.

The vehicle juddered as he navigated a pothole-ridden trail carving through heavy woodland. Blacktop appeared. The lane became a smooth road that ended at a steel-reinforced, concrete wall some half a mile later.

Nikolai rolled to a stop before it. “What now?”

“Turn the engine off,” Violet said.

“What?” He looked at her, puzzled. “Why?”

She pointed at the sign to their right. Nikolai stared.

It said to turn their engine off. There was another one next to it.

He squinted. “Smile at the camera? What camera?”

Movement outside made him tense. Alastair squawked out a warning.

A drone had dropped from the sky and was circling their vehicle. It roved around the second SUV before disappearing into the canopy.

“That was weird, right?” Abraham said dully.

“Yeah,” Mae murmured.

Miles made a face. “Great. Trust them to go over the top.”

Violet grimaced. “This is gonna be like Dimitri and Howard’s place all over again, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” Mae asked, nonplussed. “And who are Dimitri and Howard?”

Nikolai glanced at the cousins, now more than a little irate. He was about to ask them the same thing when the ground trembled. Motion in the rearview mirror caught his gaze. His eyes widened. He looked jerkily over his shoulder.

A metal wall was rising behind the second SUV, blocking off their retreat. The section of road they were parked on started to sink into the earth.

Nikolai grabbed the steering wheel. “What the—?!”

---