sure how normal people survived. Being “normal” to me was as bad as the way Owen saw being immune.
“Then we should go, now,” Florence said, standing from where she’d been watching the magic-draining process. Her human appearance returned as she stood. “I think I can get you through the streets without any major guard encounters. If someone does stop us, try to act like you’re under the spell, and I’ll pretend I caught you. I’d rather not blow my cover if I can help it.”
Despite her assurance, I wasn’t happy about leaving the relatively safe harbor of the park. I associated the cityscape with being hunted and on the run. Once we were back in the city, it didn’t look any different to me, but I supposed it wouldn’t yet.
Owen took my hand in his as we walked. “I don’t know how long it will take to drain the last of the magic, so maybe I should start now,” he murmured.
“Good idea,” I replied, keeping my voice too low for the others to hear. “We won’t exactly be able to tell the portal guards to hold on a sec while we restore my magical immunity so I can get past their wards.” I shivered as I felt the tingle between our clasped hands.
Florence must have known the pattern of any patrols because we didn’t run into anyone on our way to that small park. By the time we got there, my magic levels must have been hovering around the “E” on the gauge because the buildings flickered when I looked at them out of the corner of my eye. There was still something there, but it was just a big, blank box instead of a block of picturesque brownstones.
“This place isn’t nearly as nice without the illusion,” I whispered to Owen. “It really does look like a prison.”
Then I did a double take. On top of the building across the street from the park was a row of gargoyles. I didn’t see them if I looked directly at them, but they flickered in and out of sight if I didn’t try to focus on them. I reached around and grabbed Owen’s jacket with my free hand. “Owen, they’ve got gargoyles here! Instead of trying to make them look normal and enchanting them to think they belonged here, they must have just brought them through the portal, stuck them on the nearest building, and veiled them.” I paused to think about it, then added, “Though I suppose they could have enchanted them to think they really were regular gargoyles who can’t talk or move. I know I didn’t see them when we were here before.”
He turned to look, even though he couldn’t see them. “Do you recognize any of them?”
“They’re pretty far away, and I still don’t see them if I look directly. But if we could snap them out of it, they’d be helpful in getting to that portal.”
“Florence!” Owen called out. She stopped and turned around. “Can you see the gargoyles on the roof?”
“Nope. My security clearance is pretty low. I had a limited assignment. You’re saying some of your gargoyles are up there?”
“Maybe.”
“We have to try,” I urged Owen. “We still have some time before our diversion starts.”
“Give us a few minutes,” Owen said. Still holding my hand, he led me to the nearest set of steps, and then we went into the building and up until we reached the stairs that led to the roof.
The higher we climbed, the less substantial the staircase looked. The upper landing was as blank as those unformed rooms had been, without all the touches that had made these buildings seem real. It was disconcerting. To cover my dismay, I said, “You know, I feel ripped-off. If they were going to give me the ideal New York movie life, I should have had access to a romantic rooftop oasis, where we should have had at least one good scene. There’d be twinkling lights, some potted plants, and space to have dinner for two before dancing in the rain.”
“Really? That’s something you want? Dancing in the rain?”
“It’s what’s in all those movies. I don’t know if it’s actually any fun, though. I’ve never tried it.”
This rooftop wasn’t at all romantic, probably because I was back to my usual state in which illusion no longer worked on me. Part of me wanted to cry out in relief, but this wasn’t the best place to be a magical immune. The most realistic thing I saw