I do not think this course of action wise, Azriel said. His disapproval spun down the mental lines between us, sharp but holding a hint of frustration.
You're probably right, but we need answers, Azriel, and we're not going to get them without taking chances.
You take too many chances as it is.
Maybe, but what other choice did I have? It wasn't like fate—or anyone else—was running around dropping clues at our feet. I drew my sword and stepped close to the gateway again. Fire flickered across Amaya's dark blade, spearing lilac light across the pillars and sparking the quartz within the stone to life. They stood about six feet tall and, like the ones we'd discovered underground, were covered in writing and symbols that resembled cuneiform. It was ancient, that writing—and powerful.
I swept Amaya in an arc around the floor, using her light to check if there was any sort of protection circle present. She was unusually quiet, which meant she detected no immediate threat. It should have been comforting, but it wasn't. Not when Azriel's tension flowed through me like a distant storm.
These pillars have no protection circle. The others did.
Maybe Nadler—or whoever else rents this storage locker—thinks the magic encompassing the perimeter was enough.
I frowned at the stones. I wonder if these stones are a means of transport like the first ones we found were.
That, he said, voice sharper, is not something you should be discovering. Not when you have no idea of the type of magic involved or where it actually goes.
Yeah, but as I've said, we're not likely to discover our answers by sitting here staring at the fucking things.
Risa—
I know. I know. I'm doing it anyway.
He didn't reply, but then, he didn't need to. His anger came through so thick and fast, it damn near suffocated me.
I gripped Amaya tighter. She began to hiss, the sound soft but fierce, filled with expectation. I continued to stare at the stones and hoped like hell I was making the right decision.
Then, before my courage gave way to common sense, I forced my feet forward and stepped in between the two stones.