Gameboard of the Gods

Her face was carved of marble. “It’s for my country.” She looked back down again, and his stomach sank.

I guess I have to take what I can get, he thought.

You can help her, said Horatio.

How? I’m no prætorian. I’m not even a tank like Dominic.

You have the potential for power beyond physical strength, said Magnus. If you’d just open yourself to it.

I’m not interested in your mystical training. I’m not serving any god.

What harm is one spell? Horatio paused for impact. One that could keep her safe.

The only way she’d be safe is if she stayed at home. But Justin was intrigued, and he dared another covert look at her. What would I have to do?

He could feel the ravens’ excitement. Close your eyes, said Magnus. And concentrate on the symbol we’re about to show you….

CHAPTER 33

MORTAL WEAPONS

“Honestly, who doesn’t take public transportation?” asked Justin for what had to be the fifth time during his and Mae’s journey two days later. “How does he get around?”

“He doesn’t,” she reminded him as they rode to their hotel. Two flights had just delivered them to Sioux Falls, the largest plebeian city outside of the Pan-Celt grant. “He stays at home and grows grapes.”

Justin shook his head. “It’s the sex, right? That has to be the only reason Leo would put up with that—though Dominic doesn’t really strike me as the creative type.”

Leo and Dominic had left by car last night and were due to rendezvous at the hotel in a few more hours. They couldn’t have pulled off this escapade before nightfall anyway, but Justin was still incredulous over what he saw as a waste of time. Mae was weary of hearing about it but had a feeling it had become a way for him to cope with the stress of their upcoming task. Complaining about Dominic saved Justin from agonizing about the possible fallout if they failed. Tomorrow was the full moon, and neither knew what would happen to him if another murder slipped by.

They scanned their egos at their hotel’s front desk, and moments later, an attendant returned with two room keys and a box. She split the keys and gave the box to Mae. “It arrived for you this afternoon.”

Mae thanked her and studied the package as she and Justin walked to the elevators. A printed label clearly identified her name and the hotel, and the postage tracking code said it had been shipped express. The return address was for a bulk shipping facility, with no sender’s name.

“What is this?” she asked Justin.

“How should I know? I didn’t send it.”

“Who else knows we’re here?”

“Callista,” he admitted. “Don’t look at me like that. She wants them taken out as much as we do, so I’ve kept in touch. Now open it.”

Inside, Mae found a knife. Or rather, a dagger. The handle was wrapped in three bands of yellow amber, and the guard was embellished with an inlay of multicolored stones. Carefully, she lifted the weapon out and found it had a good weight and solid craftsmanship.

“No silver here,” she said, running her finger over the sharp steel blade. This was a recently constructed item, no ancient artifact, despite the embellishment. “The Morrigan’s servants would have an easier time with one of these.”

“They seem to be doing okay,” he reminded her. “Any note or explanation?”

She checked the box. “Nope. Maybe Callista felt bad about keeping my other knife. I never got it back after I threw it into Raoul Menari.”

Although Mae didn’t want to accept any gift from Callista, she was struck by the weapon’s beauty and strength. It also fit easily in the sheath she’d had sewn into the inside of her boot, almost as well as her old one had. Mae decided to keep it, much to Justin’s amusement. As Tessa would say, you could never have too much protection.

“You want to get dinner once the luggage is settled?” They lingered out in the hall by their rooms, which were next door to each other. “Still a couple of hours before Leo and Dominic show up.”

Mae deliberated for a long time. “Okay.”

Later, she wished she’d refused. She couldn’t muster any of the easy banter they used to share, not after what had passed, and Justin’s constant attempts at conversation grated on her. All she kept thinking about was that Nordic hotel room. Once I’ve been with a woman, there’s no mystery. No novelty. There’s no reason to go back once I know what it’s like. And…. I know what it’s like with you.

It was a relief when Leo and Dominic showed up. After checking in, the two left for their room, promising they’d be right back down. Justin looked forlorn.

“Do you see how tired Leo is? No one can get any real sleep in a car.”

“Dominic looks okay.”

“Yeah, but we don’t need his technical genius sharp and alert.”

The foursome ended up taking Leo and Dominic’s rented car out to the grant and used Mae’s credentials to get them in. As a fellow patrician, she had short-term access for herself and up to four guests. Justin could’ve obviously gotten them in as well, but he was afraid identifying himself as a servitor would attract too much attention—not that an armed prætorian was exactly low-profile either.

Once they were finally inside the borders, they ended up at another bar and simply waited for the clock to tick down. Leo had some of the satellite images of the warehouse that he went over with Mae, pointing out the most likely surveillance areas. Although she had more respect for his skills now, the “most likely” part unnerved her a little.

The appointed departure time came just before the bar closed, when most people were winding down and going to bed. Mae and the others drove to the warehouse, which was situated outside of town, and parked in a spot that kept the building in sight but was too far away to show up on any cameras. The thick trees and lack of lights on the road also kept their car well concealed.

“I should come with you,” growled Dominic.

“I’ll keep pinging you.” Leo, sitting beside him in the front seat, rested his hand on Dominic’s. “The fewer people here, the better. If we’re caught, I don’t want you taken out with the rest of us.”

“You won’t be caught,” said Justin in what Mae recognized as his I’ve got your back voice. “As long as you don’t get picked up on surveillance, you’re good. Get in, get our evidence, and get out.”

Mae looked at him and saw that although his words were glib, his face was drawn and tense. Noticing her scrutiny, he started to automatically smile but then faltered.

“Be careful,” he told her. “I wish you didn’t have to do my work for me.”

“It’s what I’m here for. We don’t want to get you dirty.” When he didn’t smile, she added, “It’ll be okay.” She wasn’t sure it would be okay but needed him to think it would. Seeing Leo and Dominic engaged in their good-byes, she lowered her voice. “Maybe you can get to know Dom better.”

The look of distaste on his face was far more in line with the Justin she knew. “Don’t count on it,” he said. “And, Mae…” He started to reach out his hand to her and then stopped. After several moments of contemplation, he astonished her by snaking forward and kissing her on the cheek.

She had no chance to be outraged. She was too awestruck by the kiss itself. It had been light, but her skin literally burned where he’d touched her—and not with desire. There’d been actual heat in his lips. A fiery image flashed into her mind of a strange symbol, like a Y with an extra vertical line running through the top. Even after that flash, the afterimage of the symbol occasionally appeared in her vision as she blinked. She stared at him, aghast.

“What did you just do?” she exclaimed.

He had no time to answer because Leo was already getting out of the car. “You coming?”

Mae gave Justin one last questioning look and then opened the door. Her cheek was still warm, and that symbol kept popping in and out of her mind. What did he do? she wondered frantically. There’d been power in that kiss, but she didn’t understand it. When had he started using supernatural means instead of just documenting them? That unsolicited show of power was just as unwelcome as the Morrigan.

The almost-full moon peeked through the clouds as Mae and Leo trekked across the field. She saw no signs of life anywhere, and all the building’s windows were dark. One light shone near the entrance, lighting up the door. She’d worn all black tonight as the obvious camouflage choice, though it made her feel strange, like she had on a parody of her uniform.

“How does it feel to be a soldier of the Republic who’s breaking its laws?” Leo whispered. He shifted a bag on his shoulder. Allegedly, he had a whole technological arsenal with him.

“Bigger laws say murder and runaway cults are worse,” she replied. She didn’t give voice to her fears about Justin. Her whole purpose in suggesting this break-in, aside from the obvious, was to help him. Cornelia’s threats still hung heavy in Mae’s mind, though she never would admit it.

Leo laughed softly. “Picking and choosing what you follow, huh?”

“Is your problem that I’m a prætorian, or is there just something about me you don’t like?”

“I like you just fine,” he said, growing sober. “I’ve just been around a lot of prætorians in my life. They’re unpredictable, that’s all. Stop.”

They had nearly reached the back of the building. Here, the wall was shorter than the other sides and had no windows. He pointed at it.

“There’s going to be minimal coverage there. You sure you can get up it?”

Mae assessed the wall, noting the corners and building’s texture. A window would’ve made a better handhold, but that would’ve defeated the purpose of choosing this side. “Of course.”

“Of course,” he repeated. She suspected he was rolling his eyes. “Here.” He showed her a square metal object that fit in the palm of her hand. “Once you’re on the roof, see if you can get a view of the security panel above the door. It’ll probably have five red lights on it—that’s the most common system for a building like this. Hold this out and push the silver button here. It’ll send a signal to switch the system into daytime mode. The cameras will still be on, but they won’t trigger an alarm. We’ll wipe them once we’re in.”