The thought brought a smile to my lips, but it died just as quickly. I had a friend to rescue, and it was time to start concentrating on that rather than a reaper who held far too many secrets.
Tao was being held in a long red-brick building that had obviously been a warehouse at some stage in its past. There were old metal roller doors at regular intervals along its length, and the windows that dotted the front façade were small, solid, and barred with rusting metal grids.
"There's no way I'm going to get my ass through those," I commented. "Even if I could get the grids off without making a racket."
We'd parked in the building site just down from the warehouse and on the opposite side of the road. There were other cars parked here, so we wouldn't look too conspicuous, even though the site itself had no construction work currently ongoing. I crossed my arms and leaned back against the Jeep, my gaze sweeping the roofline. It was a single-story building, so getting up there wouldn't be a problem. But the metal roof looked as solid as the brick walls, and breaking in would create way too much noise. Hopefully, there was a back entrance that would provide a more viable option.
I glanced at Ilianna. "You got anything yet?"
She held up a hand to silence me, her expression intent. I leashed my impatience and called Azriel instead. He appeared beside me, his arms crossed as he studied the building. The sword at his back was dark. Whatever magic set it off was currently silent.
"I can feel life forces inside," he said. "Three of them. None is the dark witch."
"Would the protection spell placed on the building restrict you from entering or set off the alarms?"
"Human-cast spells are usually aimed at flesh or spirit. I'm energy. That"—he nodded toward the building—"would not stop me."
"Which means it probably wouldn't stop me, either." But I'd have to regain flesh if I wanted to free Tao, and I couldn't risk that setting off the magic.
He studied me for a moment. "Meaning you wish me to go inside and locate your friend?"
I wished he'd stop reading my fucking thoughts. "If it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience."
Sarcasm edged my tone, but again, he seemed to miss it. Or perhaps he merely chose to ignore it. I was beginning to suspect my reaper was a whole lot more knowledgeable about this world and human emotions than he was making out.
He disappeared again, and I returned my gaze to the building. I couldn't see any indication of a spell protecting the building—there was no faint, kaleidoscope shimmer as there had been in the underground cell—but I wasn't about to question Ilianna's word. She knew her magic, even if most of the time she played around with minor potions and spells.
And her mom was the keeper of the secrets—the guardian of the Brindle's massive library. You didn't get that position without having some serious magical mojo. In fact, I'd heard whispers that Ilianna had been in line to take over her mom's position before she'd walked away from the Brindle and everything it represented. Whether it was true or not I couldn't say, because Ilianna refused to confirm or deny the possibility.