‘This is the mage dimension?’
Stella and I stepped out of a rat-infested alley. No squeaky-clean streets, no golden lanterns. One flickering lamp post lit up one street.
‘Well, the more rugged part of the dimension.’
‘You’re telling me,’ I muttered. ‘So, where do we start?’
The roads were lined with hut sized brick buildings, each one with steps leading up to the front door. Most of them were double storey.
‘Mom said to go to Calista’s saloon. Difficult people to deal with, they don’t take anything seriously.’ She rolled her eyes.
‘What is it like?’ I rubbed my shoulders.
‘It’s a ghost plaza, but they always have information if you can get them to take you seriously.’
Great, at least we had a place to start.
‘How come you never told me about this place? It isn’t much, but why didn’t you tell me it existed?’
She shrugged. ‘Mom made me, but your dad told her to. I overheard them talking about it.’
‘My dad?’ My eyebrows shot up. ‘Dad never even acknowledged Rocky and I were special. He knew about this place?’
‘He knew something because he told Mom to swear you didn’t find out. She never told me why, but I just obeyed. Then Hera started her war and mages started disappearing. There was no way I was letting you come here.’
‘Mages are disappearing?’
She bobbed her head. ‘Queen Hera’s using their power to fuel herself and keep her war going on.’
I opened my mouth and shut it again. A huge flicking Calista sign bore down on us. The busted blue sign flashed. Faint music played from inside.
‘I think you should let me do the talking—’
‘Get them!’ A scratchy voice yelled.
Silver swords flashed in the hands of skinny rough men who jumped out of the alleys. I screamed and Stella shoved me back. She pulled out a dark wooden stick and pointed it at the ground. A blast followed and the ground shook, spewing smoke from the stone pavement.
‘Let’s go,’ Stella yanked my arm.
‘You have a wand?’
‘It’s a weapon.’ Stella kicked a wooden door open and shoved me in.
‘Who are they?’
The armed men were right behind us their hackles echoed in the dark house.
‘Pirates, they work for Hera!’
I tripped and lost Stella’s grip. I recovered and kept running. The pirates’ footsteps got louder. I summoned light and threw it at the ceiling. I stood in the middle of a dining room with all its furniture covered by white sheets.
‘Stella!’ I called.
I was answered by seven uproarious laughs. Time to go. I found the only escape and wound up in another dark alley. The pirates spotted me and charged. I popped up on a stone paved road.
‘Where the heck are you, Stella?’ I looked up and a man in a white suit glared at me.
‘What now?’ I muttered.
The pirates cackled and skipped behind me. They came to an abrupt halt when they saw the man in white with silver frame glasses.
‘Let’s get out of here!’
‘Retreat!’
I nearly yelled, wait for me as I turned and ran back through the alley. The ground shook when the man landed on the pavement in front of me. I whirled and raced back to the road. I ran smack dab into his spotless suit.
‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’ I stared up at his stone face.
‘Why are you running?’
Everyone else did.
He reached for my arm and yanked me off the ground. My left arm slammed into his chest. Like a bag of maize, he dragged me along the road.
‘You asked for it.’
His eyes widened. I raised my fist. Amber consumed my arm before it slammed into his chest. An arrow carried him across the road and blasted him through a brick building.
I fell backwards.