Page 41 of Elven Throne

Rebecca,Maxwell,Leonard,andWhit hovered in silence as the worst of what everyone had already expected was now officially confirmed.

Leonard folded his arms, unfolded them, shoved his hands into the pocket of his trench coat, then removed them again, his gaze flickering back and forth between Whit and Shade’s Head of Security.

He didn’t seem to notice Rebecca watching his nervous fidgeting until she asked, “Anything else we should know?”

The mage jumped before looking up at her. “No. Not that I know of. It’s just… Shit, Knox. This is really bad, isn’t it?”

“That’s one way to put it,” she muttered.

“But it’s not entirely hopeless,” Maxwell added. “Nor are we entirely helpless.”

That was true, in the most bare-boned sense, but his words didn’t seem to offer a reassuring effect.

Just another reminder of their situation.

“Anything else you want us to get started on?” White asked.

Maxwell shook his head. “Not yet. Stand by.”

With a nod, the warlock turned slowly away to rejoin the others.

Neither them had technically been dismissed, but Leonard pulled away as well, stepping off to the side before glancing back at Rebecca and Maxwell one more time. He almost looked like he was about to add something, but then he turned fully around and disappeared among the other scattered groups waiting for direction.

Rebecca still hadn’t thought of anything.

The loss of physical supplies, tech, gear, inventory, and weapons was just another blow on the list. It could all be recovered eventually, but what they really needed was more contacts and network resources. Someone, somewhere, they could turn to for aid. Obviously, that would have been best.

But Rowan and hisHakalini’irhad ripped that rug out from under them even before it became a critical necessity.

Still, Maxwell was right. Shade wasn’t completely helpless. There was still hope for getting them out of here and somewhere safe.

They just had to find it first.

Rebecca turned slightly toward Maxwell, gazing across the remnants of the compound and their task force reduced to refugees.

“I don’t know anyone else in Chicago,” she murmured, lowering her voice. “Not anyone I trust who can actually help us.”

“Our options have become significantly limited,” he grumbled.

There was that burning tingle of his gaze flickering her across her face again, but she didn’t even have the chance to look back up at him.

“Knox!” Diego jogged toward her, followed by Burke and Shell, all of them weary and haggard and desperate to help find a solution as quickly as possible. “Got a few ideas to run by you guys. It’s not a hell of a lot, but we’re obviously grasping at straws here, right?”

“Let’s hear it anyway,” she said.

“I was thinking about Underdark,” Shell began. “The bar? You know, that we found out about Big Boss and the magitek-bomb guys because one of ours got the owner to hand over their surveillance footage, right? So, you know, that’soneally there, at least.”

“It would be.” Rebecca folded her arms. “If we didn’t have to stay hidden. Word will spread eventually that we were attacked here. That we got forced out. And we’ve still got Harkennr to think about, plus the higher-ups who ordered the attack on the dome. There’s definitely more where that came from.”

Burke grimaced. “And Underdark isn’t exactly the first place I’d go for a well-kept secret. Kinda the opposite, honestly.”

He and Diego shared a look, then the Cruorcian snorted and reached up for the brim of his baseball cap he’d already forgotten was no longer there.

“Okay, sure,” Shell added, “but we know that’s not the only magical-friendly bar or business in Chicago. There are tons of others, not including the ones we already knew that… Well, the ones that don’t exist anymore. Obviously…”

The troll woman clenched her eyes shut, quickly shook her head, then started over. “What I’m saying is there’s gotta be other places out there willing to offer help where it’s needed.”

“With enough room and resources to support all of us?” Rebecca asked. “Almost a hundred magicals bringing a whole lot of trouble behind them if anything goes wrong?”

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