“Well, we’re not dead,” I said. “We’re here to help.”
A long, thick silence followed. I couldn’t tell what emotions were hiding behind Ranger X’s stoic expression.
“Thank you,” he said finally.
I knew it wasn’t only a thank-you for the offer to help. It was a thank-you for trusting my gut. For risking our lives to bring back Silas.
“What’s happening?” I changed the subject to a more pressing one. “The wards are failing?”
“Five dead instantly,” Ranger X said quietly. “A small group of Forest Dwellers. The east wards experienced a major collapse. We have one backup ward that’s holding, but most of The Forest has succumbed to the curse. Creatures are fleeing and wreaking havoc on the rest of the island.”
“How did you find the remains of those who died?” I asked. “If you can’t go past the wards yourselves?”
Ranger X’s gaze flicked to me. “They fell very close to the perimeter. A few more feet, and they would’ve been behind the safeguards. Not that there was much to find—the curse ensured their remains were nothing more than a pile of ash and salt.”
Silas cursed, ran a hand through his hair.
“I wonder if that’s how Eloise got a tick bite.” I turned to Silas, contemplative. “The wards must be what kept them out for centuries. If the curse is interfering with the ancient wards, then they’re probably not working like they’re supposed to and haven’t been for some time—allowing in foreign things like ticks.”
“It’s as good a guess as any,” Silas said. “Unfortunately, they’ll only continue to deteriorate.”
“Thankfully, you had the foresight to put additional backup wards in place last week,” X told Silas. “How long will they last?”
Silas shook his head. “Not long. They’ll give us a day—max.”
“With us having all our portals blocked off from the outside world, it’s too late to evacuate.” Ranger X’s face was tense. “We need to find a way to defeat this curse on the island or we’re all dead. There’s no escaping now.”
“Talk to me about portals,” I said. “How do they usually work?”
“They’re a very common way to travel,” Ranger X said. “We have Portal Writers in employ on The Isle who set up portals in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. We heavily monitor all entrances and exits. We have controls in place to restrict the flow of people to and from The Isle.”
“I see,” I said. “How much effort does it take to create a portal?”
“It takes a significant amount of concentration and energy,” Ranger X said. “That’s why we have a whole team. For the portals that are left up regularly, we anchor them to a magical generator to provide continuous power. It would be impossible for the Portal Writers as individuals to keep them going otherwise without draining them completely.”
“Just like curses need to be linked to a power source.”
“Exactly. Most long-lasting spells need some sort of power supply, or the spells will just…wither away and die.”
“Did the portals shut down because of the curse?” I asked. “Or was that a separate problem?”
“The portals could’ve shut down because the curse has just grown that much in strength,” Ranger X admitted. “Or it could be that someone layered another spell on top of the curse to silo us completely. We haven’t had time to diagnose the intricacies of it.”
“Have you considered that the wards themselves are the problem?” I blurted. “I mean, the ancient, original wards that are supposed to protect the island—not the ones you’ve set up as backup?”
Ranger X, Silas, and the team of men dressed in black all fell silent.
“What do you mean?” X finally asked. “We don’t touch the original wards as a rule. They were set by the FaeQueens centuries ago. The magic is so ancient it’s impossible to even maintain. We just leave them alone.”
“I understand,” I said. “But Silas believes the curse has been around longer than the Ranger Program. That the very magic of the curse is infused into The Isle’s energy, so much so that some of the protective wards don’t fight it off. They don’t view it as a foreign attack.”
Ranger X simply watched, waiting for me to continue.
“The curse is targeted at the island,” I said. “If whoever set this curse is powerful enough, isn’t is possible they could have threaded the curse through the original wards?”
Silas sucked in a sharp breath. “It would take strong magic, but I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.”
“That would explain why the island is having trouble rejecting the curse,” I said. “Because it’s an attack from the inside. What if your ancient wardsarethe power source for the curse?”
