"Wasn’t that a Balrog? They’re demons, not elementals."
"But it was associated with fire—"
"Enough," Azriel cut in, as he appeared in front of us. His expression was impatient. "The elementals remain near the fire that gave them life. If Ilianna creates the void just inside the gates, we should be able to retrieve and read the book before they become a problem."
"Should being the operative word." I’d learned the hard way not to rely on shoulds.
His gaze met mine. "We have little other choice."
That was certainly true enough. I sighed. "Go get the book. I’ll meet you on the gray fields."
He nodded and winked out of existence. I glanced at Ilianna. "Time to go see if the ancient power will accept your magic."
I strode forward, Ilianna and Tao a step behind me. The gates were still locked, but as we approached, the lock fell away and the gates slid silently open.
"I think that’s your answer," Ilianna said softly. She walked past me, her expression awed. "I can feel it. Around me. In me."
I shivered and rubbed my arms. I knew all about feeling magic inside of you—Amaya was a dark heat that stirred restlessly on the outer edges of my consciousness. Something about this place seemed to be making her uneasy—or was I transferring my own unease and trepidation onto her?
"The fire elementals are on the move," Tao murmured as we followed Ilianna off the path and into the trees. "They must have sensed our presence."
Or the magic of this place was hedging its bets—welcoming us, but at the same time opposing. I met Tao’s gaze grimly. "Will you be able to cope with them?"
He shrugged. "Do we have any other choice?"
"No, but—"
"Ris," he said, gently squeezing my arm, "I’ll keep Ilianna safe. I’ll keep me safe. Just do what you have to as fast as you can."