And in the center of it all, surrounded by a massive construct of interlocking metal rings and pulsing sigils, stood Elder Piprick Geare.
The gnome barely came up to Theo’s waist, with wild white hair that stuck out in every direction and spectacles so thick they magnified his pale blue eyes to unsettling proportions. He was muttering to himself as he adjusted a dial on the construct, completely oblivious to their entrance.
“—should stabilize the resonance frequency, and if I adjust—oh!” He looked up, his face breaking into a delighted smile. “Alpha! Innkeeper! Perfect timing! I was about to send for you!”
Theo’s instincts prickled. The construct behind Piprick was humming with energy—more energy than should be contained in a workshop this size. The metal rings were rotating slowly, and the sigils carved into them were glowing brighter with each passing second.
“Piprick.” He kept his voice calm. “What is that?”
“This?” The gnome beamed, gesturing proudly at the device. “This is the Protection Matrix! I’ve been working on it for weeks! It’s designed to stabilize the inn’s wards and protect our lovely innkeeper from the surge instability.” He turned to Avine, practically bouncing with excitement. “I know you’ve been having trouble, dear. The sea magic is old and finicky, and the surge has been making everything unstable. But this—this will fix everything!”
Theo felt Avine stiffen beside him. He reached for her hand again, and she gripped it tight.
“Piprick.” Her voice was careful. “Have you been adding your magic to my inn’s wards?”
“Of course! Someone had to help! You’re new here, dear, and the wards needed reinforcement after that big flare when you arrived. I’ve been layering in protective enchantments ever since.” His smile faltered. “I… I was trying to help.”
“Your enchantments.” Theo’s jaw worked. “They’re not compatible with sea magic, Piprick. Gnome engineering uses a completely different magical signature. You’ve been destabilizing her wards. Causing the failures.”
Avine’s grip on his hand tightened. “The constructs,” she said carefully. “The salt army. The attack at the harbor.”
“No.” Piprick’s horror was immediate and absolute. “No, no, no. My enchantments were passive. Protective. I would never—” He pressed both hands to his cheeks, spectacles magnifying his stricken eyes. “Perhaps I created an instability.”
The silence that followed sat differently from the one before it. Theo looked at Avine. She looked back. Piprick’s interference had cracked the foundations. Someone else had walked through the gap.
The color drained from Piprick’s face. “No. No, that can’t—I calculated everything! I ran the numbers! The interference patterns should have?—”
Behind him, the Protection Matrix let out a sound. A low, resonant hum that vibrated in Theo’s bones.
Not good.
“Piprick.” He stepped forward, pulling Avine behind him. “What exactly is the Matrix connected to?”
“The town’s ley lines, of course! To properly protect the inn, I needed to draw on the broader magical infrastructure. A small tap. Perfectly safe. I’ve done it dozens of?—”
The hum became a whine. The rings spun faster. Sparks erupted from the sigils, and the air pressure in the workshop dropped sharply, making Theo’s ears pop.
“That’s not supposed to happen.” Piprick’s voice had gone high and thin. “That’s—it’s feeding on the ley lines. Too much. It won’t stop. I can’t—I don’t know how to?—”
“How big is the blast radius if it overloads?” Theo’s mind was already calculating escape routes, trying to figure out how fast he could get Avine to safety.
“Half the Old Wards District.” Piprick was backing away from his creation, terror in his magnified eyes. “Maybe more. It’s pulling on everything. The Heartstone, the ward anchors, every magical structure in a quarter-mile radius. If it blows?—”
“Can you shut it down?”
“No. No, it’s beyond my control. It’s not listening to me anymore.” The gnome’s hands were shaking. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I never meant—I was trying to help?—”
Avine’s hand gripped Theo’s. “I can feel it. The Matrix. It’s pulling on the same lines my inn’s wards use.” Her voice was calm, almost analytical. “If someone could unweave the sigils, disrupt the magical signature?—”
“Can you?”
She met his gaze. Her eyes were steady, but he could see the fear beneath the determination. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this.”
“You pulled sea magic out of thin air to save Dahlia. You’ve got more power than anyone in this town except maybe Cordelia Marsh.” He turned to face her fully, his hands framing her face. “You can do this. I know you can.”
“And if I can’t?”
“Then I’ll shield you while you try. As long as you need.” His wolf was howling in agreement, ready to throw everything he had into protecting her. “I’ve got you, Avine. Whatever happens.”
