Chapter 12

Carrow

An hour later, Mac, Eve, Seraphia, and I arrived on the sunny shore of Cyprus. Blue waves crashed against a rocky beach, and the sound of birds cut through the wind. Warm sun shone on my face, and I breathed in deeply. "I need a holiday."

"I could definitely come back here." Mac spun around, taking in the scenery. "It'd be perfect. A little swimming, a little sunbathing . . . "

I joined her, enjoying the dramatic coastline of pale rocks and glittering blue water. Fluffy white clouds filled the sky, and the waves on the ocean glittered under the sun.

I adjusted the bag of potion bombs on my shoulder and looked at Eve. Her eyes were closed as tilted her head toward the sky, a blissful smile on her face. Seraphia looked tense, however, her jaw clenched and her eyes shadowed.

I frowned at her. "Do you not come home often?"

"Never." She searched our surroundings, her lips tight. "I haven't been back since I was a baby."

I wanted to ask why, but a shout sounded in the distance.

I turned to see an older man and woman approaching. They wore the simple, ancient clothing of fishermen that I'd seen in a Nat Geo documentary and, though they had white hair, their faces glowed with health and strength. The woman carried a basket in one hand and clutched the man's arm with the other as they walked.

"My aunt and uncle," Seraphia said, striding forward to greet them. She still looked tense, but the man and woman appeared to be delighted.

They spoke Greek—or at least, what I assumed was Greek. I'd never actually heard it spoken, despite my fondness for the Greek restaurant that had been located near my old London flat.

Eventually, they turned to us. Seraphia quickly made the introductions, and I learned that her aunt and uncle were named Aurelia and Stavros.

"Come!" Stavros gestured us forward with a wide sweep of his hands, his accent heavy. "My boat is in the next bay over. I brought it around just a few minutes ago."

"Thank you." I smiled gratefully, and the four of us followed them down the rocky path that led toward the sea.

As we neared, the waves sounded louder, and the scent of the sea grew stronger. I wanted nothing more than to dive into the crystal-clear water, and vowed I'd come back some day.

Finally, we reached the boat that was pulled up on the rocky beach. It was about thirty feet long and had a sloping deck and a tiny cabin near the back. The wood was painted blue and white, and the engine looked ancient.

Were we going to be able to get it off the shore? I'd never seen such a big boat pulled up on the shore like this.

Stavros led us down to the beach. Before I could climb on, Aurelia pressed the basket into my hands. "Food, for the journey."

It was only a few hours, but I wasn't going to turn down food. I smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

I climbed onto the deck, joining Mac and Eve at the benches in the front. They were built alongside the hull, curving against the railing.

On the shore, Seraphia hugged her aunt goodbye. "Thank you, Aunt. I appreciate this."

"Come home, Seraphia. The land misses you." The woman clutched her arms.

The land?

Mac and I shared a confused glance. That was an odd thing to say.

Darkness flickered across Seraphia's face, but she just nodded and turned, joining us on the deck.

Stavros took up his position at the back and waved his hand in a swirling gesture. Magic flared, and the boat drifted easily back from the beach, floating calmly on the small waves. The engine hadn't even turned on yet.

I waved at Aurelia, who stared at us as Stavros turned the boat to face the horizon. The four of us sat back and watched Cyprus disappear over the horizon. With the breeze and the sunshine, it really did feel like a holiday.

"Let's see what Aunt packed." Seraphia leaned over the basket and opened it, withdrawing various cold salads and a selection of chilled meats and cheeses, along with crusty bread and bottles of sparkling water.

She passed it all around, and we helped ourselves, filling the little plates that Aurelia had included.

"I could get used to this," Mac said.

I grinned and ate, trying to ignore my worry over the people that we were going to save. It would be better to ruminate over plans to save them instead of dwelling on my fear.

We traveled for two hours before the sun began to set. It gleamed brilliant orange on the horizon, the colors bleeding to pinks, reds, and yellows before the sun dipped below the sea.

The air immediately grew cooler, and I wrapped my arms around myself, looking toward the stars. They came out quickly, the night cloudless and bright. Fortunately, the moon was just a sliver.

"We're nearly there," Stavros said. "I can see the shore."

"That's my cue." Eve stood and uncorked a little vial she wore around her neck. As she raised it to her lips, her wings flared behind her, glittering and bright.

She swigged back the potion, a shudder running through her. A moment later, she was gone. I felt her absence more than heard it and, a moment later, her voice whispered out of the comms charm I now wore around my neck.

"Headed to shore," she said.

"We'll await your directions," I confirmed.

Stavros idled the boat off the coast as we waited for Eve to tell us the quietest way to approach. It was only five minutes before she spoke again. "I can sense activity in the city near the temple, also to the south, where there is a human settlement. There's definitely something strange along that coast, as well. Best to avoid it. I think you should approach from the north. Go up the hill, and you'll find the entrance to the city in front of you."

"Is there anyone around there we should look out for?" I asked.

"Just some goats. No shepherd that I can see."

"Thanks. See what you can find out at the city," I said.

"On it." The communication severed.

I looked at Stavros. "Did you get that?"

He nodded, turning on the boat's engine. The engine rumbled almost silently.

I leaned toward Seraphia. "Is he using magic to keep it so quiet?"

She nodded. "Yes."

I stood at the bow with Mac and Seraphia as we approached the rocky shoreline. Tension tightened my skin as the breeze blew the wind back from my face. In the distance, I could barely make out the sight of the city on the hill. As Seraphia had said, it was mostly rubble. Broken walls and tumbled stones, all so ancient that it was hard to believe.

Stavros beached the boat, and we scrambled off. We had transport charms for when it was time to leave, so we waved our thanks, and Seraphia said a quick goodbye. Silently, he drifted out to sea, then turned around and headed back for Cyprus.

The path up the hill was rocky and dusty. I led the way, spotting several goats as I walked. They stared balefully at me as I passed, chewing on some vegetation that couldn't possibly taste very good.

From up ahead, I sensed magic in the air. Something powerful and dark that sent a shiver over my spine.

"I do not like whatever is going on up there," Mac whispered from behind me.

"No kidding." I was grateful we hadn"t transported right into the middle of it.

Clouds drifted over the moon as we neared the city walls, and gratitude welled. Eve hadn"t reported that there were any guards, but it'd be good to have the cover of darkness.

We slowed our pace as we approached the wall, which soared twenty feet over our heads. It was an enormous structure, wider at the base than at the top, with an incline about forty-five degrees. Rubble decorated the top, the remnants of the upper part of the wall.

An arched entryway to the city beckoned us. Whatever wooden gate had once been there was gone, and the tunnel into the city stretched ahead of us.

"Reminds me of the entrance to Guild City," I whispered.

"Only creepier," Mac said.

I nodded, walking silently through the gate. The tunnel within was pitch black, but I didn't dare use a light. Instead, I walked slowly, my hands outstretched as my eyes gradually adjusted.

At one point, I stumbled. Heart in my throat, I reached out for the wall, bracing myself.

Power slammed into me, my vision going red. Screams echoed in my head, and pain flashed through me. My stomach pitched.

It was that same terrible vision I'd had earlier back in the alley and, again, when Coraline's abductor had touched me.

"Come to me." The voice echoed deep and terrible in my mind. I felt an aching pull dragging me toward it.

Almost immediately, the red turned to white. Calm descended, along with fear. The voice changed, soft and low, whispering, "Resist."

Hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me back.

"Carrow, are you okay?" Mac sounded frantic.

"Yes. Yes." I shook my head. "Just a crazy vision."

"Your magic seems different," she said. "More powerful."

"I don't what's happening, but Anat may be trying to contact me." It sounded crazy.

"Anything is possible," Mac said. "Can you keep going?"

"Of course." I straightened my spine and looked ahead. I could only spot the vaguest shadows and the exit on the other side. From the look of it, we were about halfway through. Magic sparked, vibrant and bright. Torches appeared alongside the tunnel walls, flames sending a golden glow through the space.

"What the hell?" Mac muttered.

"This city is coming alive," Seraphia said. "Some kind of charm, maybe."

Chills ran down my arms as I approached the end of the tunnel. Would there be people? For good measure, I withdrew a stunner potion bomb from my pack and gripped it tightly.

At the tunnel exit, I hesitated, peering out. Mac and Seraphia crowded behind me, also studying the open square at the edge of the city.

"It's empty," Mac murmured.

"But it's reconstructed." The simple, white plaster buildings rose toward the sky, gleaming under the moonlight. There was a slightly hazy look to them, as if they weren't really here, but the entire city looked intact. Albeit slightly transparent.

"We'd have noticed this from the outside," Mac said.

"It was definitely rubble." Seraphia reached forward, as if hoping to feel whatever spell was on the air. "But this is what it once looked like."

"We triggered it when we reached the middle of the entrance tunnel." But how, I had no idea. I pressed my comms charm and spoke quietly to Eve, who I could sense above us somewhere in the sky. "Are you seeing what we're seeing? The whole place has come alive."

"I do, yes. Once I lost sight of you in the tunnel, a shadowy image of the old city seemed to appear. I don't see any people, though."

"Not even the ones we seek?" I wish I knew who or how many we were looking for.

"I can still sense them at the temple but can't see them. It's blocked, somehow. More than the other places in the city."

"Which way to get there?" I asked.

"Fastest and safest is to go through the palace on your left. From there, you'll find a path right to the temple. It will lead you through the center of the city."

"Thanks." I turned toward the palace, spotting the enormous wooden doors. They were painted a burnished red to match the straight lines that cut horizontally across the white plaster front.

Mac, Seraphia, and I hurried across the open square toward the palace. It was the largest building in the square, and though it was some kind of royal residence, the architecture wasn't that much more ornate than the other buildings. I quite liked the simple, grand lines of Ugarit.

We climbed the stairs quickly, pulling open the enormous doors and slipping inside a courtyard that was open to the sky above. Beautiful wooden benches lined the walls, and the ghosts of flowering plants stood in the center.

"There are nine courtyards," Eve spoke quietly from my comms charm. "You should pass by three of them if you go to your right. It's the quickest way to the temple path."

We turned right, heading into one of the large, fabulously appointed rooms. The furniture was simple but large, the gleaming wood draped in colorful fabrics that were slightly hazy. I ran my fingertips over one of them, wondering if they were really there. My hand rubbed over the smooth silk, and I nearly leapt backward, almost surprised to have felt something. I'd have thought it would have felt ghostly—whatever that felt like.

I spun to face Mac. "Are ghosts real?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Not terribly common, though."

"But this place has them," Seraphia said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Don't you feel them?"

I supposed I did—a slight chill on the air. The sense of not being alone.

Were ghosts responsible for the kidnapping?

No, that was laughable. It was hard enough to believe in vampires and witches. But ghosts were incorporeal. They couldn't orchestrate a series of international kidnappings.

A pale white figure drifted by the doorway, moving quickly. I started, then lunged toward the door, peering out into the hall.

The figure was gone.

I turned, spotting Seraphia's wide eyes. "That was one of them."

"Didn't want to be seen, though," I said. "Let's keep moving."

We passed through another open courtyard and several more rooms, finally coming to a large office dominated by a desk and chair. A pile of stone tablets was scattered on top.

Seraphia moved quickly toward it, raising her hand and shining a Lightstone ring on the surfaces of the etched stones. She frowned, her gaze darting as she read.

Finally, she looked up, pointing to one of the tablets. "This one is a financial document discussing the costs involved in maintaining the Temple of Anat. Specifically, the upkeep of the attendants."

"Attendants?"

"Her most devout followers kept the Temple in good repair and were responsible for making offerings." She pointed to another tablet. "But this is a letter complaining about the attendants. Costs were getting too high and, worse, the attendants were getting too intense. They were gaining more power amongst the populace, which they shouldn't have been. And they seemed to be gravitating more toward Anat's warlike side, as opposed to the peaceful side."

"So they were throwing off the balance?" I asked.

"Seems like." She frowned and inspected the documents more. "They were a cult, it appears. Trying to pollute the will of Anat and turn the people away from balance."

It was amazing that there were people here thousands of years ago, and yet we were still able to read their letters.

"Get a move on, guys," Eve said. "There's a ghost interested in you. Keeps hovering, and I don't know if it's good or bad."

"You finished?" I asked Seraphia.

"I've read everything." She yanked her phone from her pocket and took some pictures of the tablets. "Let's go."

We left the room and headed through the next courtyard. I swore I caught sight of the ghost again, just the faintest flicker of shimmering white passing by a doorway.

It didn"t feel evil, but who was I to say?

Finally, we exited the palace and followed a street toward an open plaza. Flat fronted white buildings surrounded the plaza, and I spotted the ghost disappearing into one of the smaller buildings.

I darted after it, determined to figure out what the hell it was doing. It wasn't a threat to us, or it would have already attacked. That meant it could possibly be an ally. Even with Eve in the sky, we could use more help.

"What are you doing?" Mac hissed from behind me.

"Following him." I darted into the little building, pulling up short at the sight of the shimmering figures all around me.

More ghosts.

They weren't nearly as bright and distinct as the one I was tracking, but they filled the space, sitting around tables. A low hum of energy thrummed in the air, as if they were speaking to each other, but it was impossible to really hear anything.

The figure I'd been following stood behind a long counter. It was far more solid than the others, a simply dressed man in a tunic and trousers. His form was an ethereal white, nearly transparent, though his face was a bit faded, as if he were an old painting.

He didn"t run, however.

I raised my hands. "We don't want to hurt you."

He tilted his head to the side.

"Damn." I looked at Eve. "Does he understand me? Can you speak Cuneiform, or whatever this language is?"

"No. I don't know what it would have sounded like."

I turned back to the man. "Do you understand me?"

"Of course." His voice was almost a bit garbled, as if it were passing through magic. I was pretty sure that he was speaking his language, but I was somehow able to understand it. Ghost magic, maybe.

I lowered my hands slowly. "We're not here to hurt you."

He frowned, reaching idly to grip a giant ladle that protruded from an enormous pot set into the counter. This had to be a restaurant of some kind, or a tavern.

"Do you own this place?" I asked, gesturing to the large space around us. The ceiling was high, with a balcony on one side and windows on the entry wall.

"I do."

"It's very nice. I'm Carrow Burton. Who are you?"

"I am Tarat. Why are you here?"

"We're here about the Temple of Anat. We're having a problem, and we think there are answers there."

He scowled. "Are you one of the newcomers?"

"Newcomers? No. Who are they?"

"Fanatics who appeared earlier this year. They worship the goddess Anat, but not in the way they are meant to."

"Are they modern people?" I prayed they were. It was a hell of a lot easier than figuring out how to fight ghosts or an ancient goddess.

He shrugged. "They're not ghosts."

"Is the Goddess Anat there?" I asked, shivering at the idea.

He shuddered. "She is not, and you'd best pray that she never is. Never. She must not rise."

Thank fates. "She's dangerous, then?"

I had felt it in my visions—if that really was her—but I couldn't help asking.

"You cannot imagine."

"Are there prisoners at the temple?" I asked.

"There are."

Hope flared. "Really? They're our friends. We're here to rescue them."

"You cannot reach them. It is impossible. The temple is fortified by the magic of the invaders. No one can pass through. Not even ghosts."

"Who are the invaders?" I shared a frustrated glance with Mac.

"The newcomers who worship the wrong sides of Anat." His form vibrated, frustration evident. "The balance is at risk."

It was the exact same thing he'd said before. I'd clearly gotten all I could out of him. "Will you take us to them?"

"For a price."

"What price?"

"Get rid of them. They have polluted the word and the will of Anat, and they disturb our peace. They are working to bring about a terrible, tragic fate, and you must stop them."