RAUM
His head was splitting, his eyes were blurry, and he felt sick to his stomach, but Raum refused to leave with the ambulance, despite mounting pressure from the EMTs and Major Grendel.
Ezra was still inside the hangar. Raum’s abilities told him there were two exceptionally powerful beings in the hangar with Ezra, and he had no idea what was going on. One was Morana, and the other was someone Raum had never encountered before, but their aura was near to blinding, even at a distance and through the walls of the hangar.
Up until a few moments ago, the sky had been roiling with storm clouds, the wind had been fierce and freezing cold, and snow had been falling from the pitch-black sky.
And just as fast, it had all stopped. The snow turned to rain, the sky cleared, and the sun was evaporating the moisture off the ground, a haze of humidity that made his clothes stick to him in uncomfortable ways.
“I’m not going to the hospital,” Raum declared, and he hopped down from the rear of the ambulance and dodged the too-helpful hands of the EMTs when he wavered a bit on his feet.
Whatever that supernatural being—goddess—devil—did to his head made him feel utterly wretched, but he was not dying and it was nothing a few painkillers and a nap couldn’t fix.
He needed to get back to Ezra.
Saemund appeared at his side, grabbing his elbow and shooing away the EMTs that hovered behind Raum. “I have him. He’ll sign your papers refusing care, no need to fret.”
Saemund was concerned about him, but not enough to force him into the ambulance. Saemund was doing better than Raum, his senses telling him that Saemund was a bit uncomfortable, but was recovering quickly.
“Thanks, Grandpa,” Raum said under his breath, thankful for the assist and the hand under his elbow. Standing was a bit of a challenge at the moment, but he was feeling better the more time passed. He was certain he would be fine soon.
“Always, dear boy.”
He signed a paper on a clipboard held by a disgruntled EMT whose nametag read Silas; they left him alone afterwards, returning to their vehicle.
“I need to find Ezra,” Raum told Saemund, who nodded grimly. Saemund also looked better than Raum felt—even though Saemund got the brunt of the magical attack from Morana.
The hangar was surrounded by MERS vehicles and MERS personnel, though they were a lot calmer now that the sky was clear and blue skies had returned, and Raum counted at least a dozen people just standing around armed to the teeth and looking aimless, confused as to their purpose.
Realizing he was sensing emotions from everyone around him, Raum slammed shut his empathy and aura reading, and the impressions from the surrounding people dulled to next to nothing. Raum opened his senses a little at a time, and he took a look at the hangar and squinted, making out the now-familiarglow of Ezra’s aura and the two intense beacons of whoever else was in there with him.
Making mental contact with a dying goddess had been unpleasant, especially since she sussed out what they wanted the second Saemund and Raum managed to wake her soul from her slumber. She read their intent and reacted badly. Not that Raum could blame her—fading was a deeply personal choice for any person to make, and Morana was understandably upset at the situation.
They probably should have thought about her reactions to everything a bit more before they made contact and woke her. Not that Raum could see things going well regardless.
Saemund and Raum headed for the door of the hangar, and no one stopped them at first, but then Major Grendel caught sight of them and firmly planted herself in their path.
“Not until Redmayne gives us a clue as to what’s happening,” Grendel said firmly. Harlan and Chase followed on her heels, though both sergeants looked worried and wore identical expressions of concern.
“Whatever happened in there is over,” Saemund said. “He might need help.”
There was a sudden shift of energies in the ambient magical fields, and Raum looked at the hangar in time to see the energy signature he’d assigned to Morana disappear from the hangar.
That left Ezra and the mysterious stranger.
Saemund’s only reaction was a slight twitch but he made no comment about what they both had sensed, so Raum said nothing either.
“Is Redmayne alive in there? Can you sense him?” Grendel asked.
“Yes, he’s alive,” Raum said. “He doesn’t appear to be in distress.” That last part came out begrudgingly.
“Then we wait for Redmayne,” Grendel stated, resolute in her decision.
From where they stood Raum had a partial view into the hangar, though he couldn’t see Ezra at his current angle, not with his eyes. Even with his abilities locked down, Ezra still glowed to Raum’s senses, as did the strange being in there with Ezra.
Then as he watched, the other being disappeared, this time without bothering the ambient magical fields. There one moment, gone the next.
Raum was about to speak when he finally saw Ezra coming toward the door, Lilith prancing ahead of him, both of them looking a bit bedraggled but otherwise fine.
