Page 23 of Prisoner of Darkness and Dreams
“Thank you.” I nod at the animal, knowing he’s intelligent enough to understand. His behavior before wasn’t just some animal instinct. Korigos have magic that allows them to guide people on the right path. But only if you’re one of the rare people it’s decided to be loyal to. Dots is certainly loyal to Ana, and he’s just saved our mission to rescue her.
We’ve lingered here long enough, and Ana’s heart is still calling me. We cross the avenue and continue up toward an area with fewer and fewer residential buildings.
“There,” I say to Alastor, nodding toward a tall, wide building among a cluster of warehouses. “That’s where they’re holding her.”
Damia sidles up to us as the others linger just off the road leading to the building.
“There’s a good vantage point from that warehouse opposite,” she says. “That should let us see where the main entrances are.”
I’m itching to get inside, but I also trust my soldiers. Damia’s right that we need to at least get some idea of the security on this place before we go storming in. Up on the roof, we can see three sides of the building, including the half dozen clerics posted at the main entrance, and the air shaft on one side that runs into the ground.
“It’s got underground levels,” I point. “And look at how small the windows are. Seems like a discreet containment center to me.”
“There’s a back entrance too,” Phaia says. “Fewer guards on that one.”
“Except they’re cleavers,” Damia points out unhappily.
Stratton blows air out through his teeth. “Using sensic magic as a distraction is out. Seems like we’ll either have to risk going in through the front or making a scene to get in the back. Either way, it’ll probably get messy.”
“Hold on,” Hyllus says. “Look.”
The back door opens, and a figure with a purple stripe through his red robes steps out. His bald head shines in the sun and I recognize Sophos:the bearer with nine lives who keeps slipping through our grasp. He stops to talk to the guards.
“What’s he saying?” I ask Hyllus.
“Someone called Anointer Yelney wants to talk to them.”
“An anointer is a senior cleric,” Tira translates.
“He’s saying there’s some important development regarding Hallowbane that she wants to discuss with them. He says they can go because a new shift will be along soon anyway.”
With that, the guards and the bearer move back inside the building.
I exchange glances with my soldiers.
“Since when does a bearer bother delivering a message like that?” Alastor asks.
“Exactly,” Damia says. “It’s got to be a trap, right?”
“You think he knows we’re here?” Stratton asks. “But if so, why not just send out some of those creeps to attack us already?”
I don’t answer right away. Weighing things up, it seems farfetched to assume that performance was entirely for us, but the timing feels like a strange coincidence.
“If it’s not a trap, we’re currently wasting a golden opportunity to get inside,” I point out.
There’s yapping from below. Peering down over the edge of the roof we’re perched on, I see Dots turning in circles on the ground, looking up at us and making all kinds of yipping sounds. Once my eyes are on him, the korigos proceeds to dart toward the back entrance of the building, pacing in front of it while staring up at us.
“If Dots doesn’t quiet down soon, he’s going to attract attention,” Tira says.
“He wants us to go down there,” I explain. “He thinks we should try that door.”
“We’re going to stake it all on a fox’s opinion, aren’t we?” Alastor asks weakly.
I shrug. “He was right before. And Stratton had a point—if we don’t try this, there are only riskier, messier options.”
Down on the ground again, we move quickly to the back entrance with Hyllus listening out for the arrival of the new guards. We stop by the door, simultaneously reaching out with our powers to detect the telltale fizz of magic on it.
“That lock’s enchanted,” Phaia observes. “The mechanism won’t turn without geostri magic.”
