Atlas finally heard from Wade Pierce after Laurel had contacted him from our custody in a panic. The tech tycoon pretended he had no idea why his technology had “short-circuited,” and Pierce Protections started damage control, ordering the swift removal of their panels until they could ensure they were no longer installingfaultyequipment.
Two weeks had passed since then, and while we believed whoever had orchestrated Oakley and Saros’s kidnapping had covered it up, we were hesitant to meet at headquarters to discuss anything involving the case. Though we still didn’t have all the details, we were hoping there would be some evidence within Acacia’s files. Saros had personally requested that the Locksmith, Theo Graves—a trusted old friend from training—notify us of any updates before taking it up the chain.
Today, he’d contacted us to say he’d been able to unlock one of her more intricately warded orbs and we were eager to see its contents.
According to the official SNO-OPS report, Aleander had died in the field on assignment. No further details listed. The only people who knew the truth were us and Aurora Wells—not that she’d be coming out of hiding to divulge that.
The reality was, until we knew the information Theo had and who had been behind Aleander’s actions, we couldn’t count on the supernatural government or its usual channels of operations. Atlas would be taking a careful look at all the Council of Magical Welfare leaders at their next quarterly Summit.
For now, we were glad to have gotten to the bottom of who, or ratherwhathad been the cause of the disappearances.
We knew enough from Oakley’s discussion with Aurora that there was more to it that Wade wasn’t telling us. But the missing files I’d found and snapped pictures of in his study paired with Acacia’s research could help us fill in the gaps.
Sitting at a mortal bar, I waved over the young guy behind the polished countertop. “Three Four Horsemen shooters for us— Actually, add one more while you’re at it.”
Saros and Atlas cut me a look that had me shrugging. It wasn’t often I got to come out to the mortal world I’d grown up in anymore. Ordering an old favorite was the least I could do with the opportunity.
Theo arrived in his signature mortal outfit: jeans and a red hoodie pulled over his head. As a shifter, he didn’t look any different in his human form, but he was always nervous to be out among the magically-unblessed.
The bartender shoved the four shooters in front of me, and I dropped the cash on the bar, leaving a generous tip.
“Cheers.” I slid the drinks to each of my companions and then tapped my glass on the bar top, picking it back up and chugging it down. They each followed, obviously not used to this tradition. Theo grimaced, sputtering out a handful of coughs. Saros smacked his lips together, and Atlas sniffed his a few times, wriggling his nose before drinking it. He’d fed from Saros just before coming here, so his fangs were retracted, at least temporarily, but he was stuck wearing his sunglasses inside, looking like a character fromMen in Black.
Theo nodded to Saros. Standing up from his stool, he came around and clapped his hand on Theo’s shoulder. Then he squeezed it and smiled like they were dear friends, which they were, but right now he would be seeing everything Theo had, pulling those memories of what had been on that final orb. I prayed to the hidden Moon Goddess above that whatever it was, it would help us with the case.
“Glad you popped in for a drink, brother,” Saros said in his smooth baritone, actually sounding more charming and less grumbly than usual. “Be in touch soon.”
“See you soon,” Theo replied, shaking each of our hands before heading out.
Saros sat between Atlas and I again, sharing what he’d seen through our link.“Within each panel was a piece of dark-gray slate that had the capability to absorb and harness very powerful magic, including the power of the witch it belonged to. Apparently, Fitz was Wade’s first investor, the first panel Pierce Protections installed outside of its own home.
“The panel absorbed Aurora’s Incarnation. When Wade found out, he put a failsafe rune on the stones so they couldn’t absorb specific gifts, only general magic.”
“So how did we end up with the HOA?”I asked, trying to put the pieces together.
“While Wade did failsafe the systems from taking on more abilities, he didn’t deactivate the Wellses’ system, instead finding a way to channel it into his algorithm. Acacia never discovered how exactly, but it seems as if he thought it would help the homes run more efficiently to have more houses learning from the witches within them. She didn’t believe he had anticipated them connecting with each other within their own network.”
“I don’t know what evidence we will be able to find that will confirm it, but we can look back through the stuff I grabbed.”I clasped my hands together.“If Wade knew about it, I don’t see him being very forthright with that information.”
“Was there anything more about the people that disappeared in her file?”Atlas asked, leaning closer.
“She suspected they are either sucked into the slate pieces themselves or were channeled through them somewhere else. A group of geologists she had worked with on the East Coast are currently studying the fragments, trying to determine how to locate the witches and if they need an extraction team.”
“Sounds like a trip to the East Coast wouldn’t be a bad idea in the future,”Atlas suggested.
Saros and I nodded silently in agreement.
Standing up from the bar, we headed toward the door. Working for the government while holding on to this information felt unnatural, but I would do it until we knew more. There were more lives at stake now than just our own. “So what’s next?” I asked as we stepped out into the crisp autumn air.
“Let’s mull over what we’ve learned and see how the Archon Summit goes,” Atlas instructed, adjusting his tie. He pointed at the shop a few doors down. “For now, people are safe without the systems. That has to be enough until we can find out more.”
Chapter31
Oakley
“When will the guys be back?” Hazel asked, Aspen playing happily in her lap.
“Soon.” They had used Atlas’s traveling talisman to visit the capital. “They were having an offsite meeting with their tech guy.”
