Stunned, he tottered, the electricity evaporating in his grasp.
I delivered a chop to his Adam’s apple with the side of my hand—choking him—then pushed him off his feet, aiming him so he landed on top of his two comrades who had started to recover, squashing them with his weight.
Considine looked over the battle scene, an eyebrow quirking. “It seems April and Juggernaut gave me an inflated sense of what wizards are capable of these days—unless this sample is subpar?”
“Something’s up.” I crouched low and pressed myself against the wall, then leaned into the kitchen—it was empty.
I stood up—taking care to step on the hand of the middle-aged woman who was trying to summon up her magic while Considine took his second pair of magic canceling cuffs and restricted the Adept.
“Indeed,” Considine agreed. “Houses have a symbiotic relationship with their wizards. For the House to be completely ignoring them…”
“It’s not good,” I agreed.
Even if this was advantageous for Considine and me, the House’s inaction pointed to a different kind of trouble brewing—one that I had a feeling was a lot more dangerous than my limited understanding of wizard Houses could warn me of.
One of the two pocket doors slid open, and a quartet of wizards stumbled into the hallway.
Considine and I moved in sync, standing back-to-back when we stopped. “We’re just here for the Oracle,” I said. “Where are they?”
The wizards yelled, stumbled back into the room, and closed the pocket door.
“Hm. Mind if I borrow your sword?” Considine asked.
“Be my guest.” I turned my hip to Considine so he could pull my sword free.
Considine drew it, then did a maneuver with it—probably testing the balance. “Is this a case ofwhat’s mine is yours? That would be a new level in our relationship.”
The wizards whipped the pocket door open, all of them wielding fire.
“Now!” one of them yelled.
They threw their fireballs together.
Considine and I ducked, and the fireballs went soaring over our heads, hitting the white shiplap walls and singeing them.
“I’d prefer not to discuss the details of our love life in an enemy stronghold.” I adjusted my hold on my daggers, but waited for Considine to take the lead—his intimidation would make the encounter a lot easier.
“Love life? Oh, wehavereached a new level of our relationship,” Considine laughed. “And to think, I was buried during this key development. I am positively put out.” He sprinted forward, filling the doorway and immediately cutting down one of the wizards who fell with a shriek.
I waited until Considine steadied himself before choosing to go up. I planted a foot on Considine’s bent knee, boosting myself onto his shoulders. I had to hunch so I didn’t hit my head on thelow ceiling of the room—which appeared to be a study of some kind—then launched myself at a wizard who was trying to toss a boiling hot puddle of water at Considine.
I slammed into her, knocking her to the ground and landing with my knee pinning her chest down. “Where is the oracle…” I trailed off when I realized I’d not only knocked the air out of her, but also apparently knocked her unconscious.
I felt Considine move, and I waited for him. He reached over me, grabbing one of the two remaining wizards, and slammed him against the wall with enough force to rattle the framed pictures hanging on the wall. “Tell us where the oracle is!” His red eyes glowed—his vampire compulsion starting to work.
The last wizard created two brick-sized chunks of orange tinted ice—each hunk was solid and covered in hoarfrost despite the warmth of the room.
She gestured at Considine.
“Duck!” I shouted.
Considine dodged, but ice smashed into the wizard he was holding, knocking him out. His wizard tattoo faded along with his consciousness.
I grabbed the last wizard to restrain her so she wouldn’t also knock herself silly, but when she struggled in my grasp she dropped her remaining ice chunk—presumably trying to hit me—but I pulled back and it nailed her instead.
She immediately sagged in my grasp, and I helped her to the floor.
“How are we supposed to find the oracle when these wizards have the constitution of a paper doll?” Considine demanded.
