Page 85 of The Aether

“We know, Al. You’ve got children.”Castor slapped him on the back with a wicked laugh, then turned to Damian, as serious as a nun in church.“Where do we dig?”

“Front-left corner of the room. Anywhere else might detonate the bomb.”

“Should we use a different room in the apartment? Or start a second tunnel down?”

“Not a bad idea, Alex. I’ll let you start there. Closest to where I felt her before we walked in.”Damian examined his options. It was possible he could create a bubble to contain the explosion, but he risked a cave-in. Why had Morcant done that? Was it to kill Sabrina because he couldn’t get to her? Remove Damian from the game?

“Beastie,” he said aloud. “If you’re here, speak to me.”

“Papa?”Similar to radios of old, static came through their mental connection, and he was left to assume it was due to her protection spell. She didn’t sound terrified, which was comforting, but she also didn’t seem like herself.

“I’m coming to get you, my love. Never doubt it.”

“I don’t.”

“Good.”

“Mama—”

“I can’t think about her right now. We both know what happens if I get distracted.”

Silence greeted him, and Damian fought the clawing sense of panic. His or hers or perhaps someone else’s, he could say.

“Al?”

“I feel it, too.”

“Who?”

“Don’t know, but it feels familiar.”

“Keep drilling.”

Alastair nodded once and went back to work. After acquiring tap water, he tossed the liquid in the air, then harnessing his elemental power, swirled the water faster than the human eye could detect the movement. Adding pressure, he created a magical water jet that cut straight through the marble tile and was currently working through the subfloor and concrete.

“Roll call. I want everyone attached to this mission to check in, please.”

They all did, with the exception of Narissa.

“Fintan? Mack? Any visions or idea of Narissa’s whereabouts?”

Both answered to the negative.

“Beastie, is the Siren with Morcant?”

“No, Papa. Just me. He’s walking around outside the cage, and he keeps looking up.”

“Can you hear Alex or Alastair drilling?”

She paused a long moment, then replied,“No. But there is scratching on the other side of the wall.”

“Can you sense the—”

Draven cut in.“It’s me, cher. We’re almost through.”

“How do we get there, Masters?”

“The alley between the buildings. Kass discovered a basement apartment for the live-in maintenance worker. There’s a trapdoor in the main bedroom.”

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