Dammit.I continued my body sweep, and at the end, I slumped against the stone wall.
In addition to the one low on my stomach, there was one at the crown of my head, another two in the arches of my feet,fourmore placed above my ankle bone on the inside of my legs, and then a further two white coils at the area where my hips hinged.
Ten in total.
I floated my black smoke closer to the coil in the arch of my foot. I drew back when the coil unfurled to strike, then I hovered out of that range. I floated my divination affinity to join my smoke.
This magic was old. Completely unlike anything I had felt in five years. There was an undying quality to it, which made sense and also didn’t. Demons were immortal—literally undying, and yet our individual power died with us.
My brows drew together. That was the problem. My divination magic could pick up that whoever had wielded this magic wasn’t alive.
And if they were dead, how was their magic still operational?
I opened my eyes to stare at the far wall again. I’d never considered that an ancient magic overlaid demonkind. Magus had the mother. To my knowledge Vissimos didn’t pay homage to anyone or thing other than their clan royalty. Luthers carried the stories and songs of their ancestors, and I supposed they carried an ancient force with them at all times in the form of their wolves.
What I was feeling, this living and extremely powerful magic that wasn’t from anyone walking this realm… felt ancient.
Forbidden to me.
Not only did my instincts warn against touching it again, but I could not sense any way into the magic. My magus magic wasn’t lending any insight, though my affinity was very curious.This white force felt impenetrable and sinister and more powerful than I could fathom.
What if this power could be harnessed or asked for help?
Withthispower, I could finish Carmine. The mother had gifted me a gem to sense this magic. There was a greater meaning here.
Yet I couldn’t touch it. That also meant my craving wasn’t going anywhere.
I blew out a breath, then scanned for company before opening a portal to a midway point.
The Pinnacle, now so pointlessly empty where they had been full one month ago.
Though the Pinnacle wasn’t pointless for Enp in the end, whose son would live a long and healthy life. The Pinnacle wasn’t a waste for Tsan, either, who held true hope of living to see his dreams of revenge on Carmine come true.
The Pinnacle hadn’t been a waste for me. Not really. The end didn’t play out as anticipated, but Tempest was free, and my plan to kill Carmine was still in motion and more possible than ever.
I still didn’t dare to hope Adeuto would be safe. Istilldidn’t dare lower my guard. But maybe this foolish, desperate move might work out.
I walked through the portal. I changed at the midway point into old training clothes because this outfit would undoubtedly inspire one hundred questions from my toddler.
I portaled to my son.
I strode into the shack, and Athira nodded at me, brushing past.Eager to leave?I grinned and crept to the chair she’d left to watch the boys play.
Well,fight.
“That’s mine!” Adeuto snapped.
Owu sighed. “Everything here is yours. What can be mine?”
A good point. I’d need to get some things to Athira to gift Owu.
“You have the necklace your mama gave you with the pictures inside,” Adeuto said, looking at the carved nismus in his hand.
This was it. The moment when my son shared.
“You can’t have it,” he declared, then turned his back on Owu. “Mama!”
I smiled against the bittersweet pain in my chest. I caught him. “My love. I am so happy to see you.”
