Stumbling down, hands over her ears, Effie fell from the tower of books, the page-birds circling above her as she tumbled into the darkness.
Breathing hard, Effie pushed herself up, cold sweat dripping down her neck. While the vision had passed, the harsh buzzing still raced through her veins.
“At least that one wasn’t as bad as the last,” she muttered, trying to get to her feet.
A wave of dizziness hit her, and she reached for the wall, using it to keep her upright as her eyes fell closed and she struggled to catch her breath.
The smell of smoke still filled her nose and she coughed, even though the hall was clear.
Worried now, Effie lurched forward, her steps still staggering. Smoke. I need to get to Smoke.
Ronan found her drunkenly weaving her way down the hall, her body taking longer than usual to recover from her vision.
She grasped his arm gratefully, not giving him a chance to speak before she sputtered, “I need to see Smoke.”
Concern shot through his gaze, but Ronan didn’t question her. “The Triumvirate are gathered in the archives. I was actually just coming to find you. They think they might have found something.”
She gave him what she hoped passed for a grateful smile and started off in that direction, Ronan matching her pace and offering her an arm to help balance her steps.
“Thank you,” she murmured, leaning on him more heavily than she would have liked.
Together, they made it to the central archive, Effie seeing nothing of the opulent room except the shelves filled with books. Her heart started to race as she moved deeper into the room.
Images from her vision started to take shape, and it was hard to tell the difference between what was real and imagined. Effie swatted at a paper bird diving at her head before she realized she was the only one who could see it. Embarrassed, she dropped her arm and focused on the three scarlet-robed men.
The central one turned his hooded face to her. “Daughter?” Smoke inquired, his usually soothing voice concerned.
Effie opened and closed her mouth, suddenly worried that her vision might have been a warning about the Keeper. Shaking her head, she shoved the thought away, refusing to accept the possibility.
“I had a vision,” she said, pausing to lick her lips. “It was similar to the last. Well, slightly more coherent, but only just. There was fog, thick and acrid, it turned into bodies. An army. They marched upon me and then vanished. Then books—” she gestured around herself wildly “—started to take flight. Well, pages from books. The titles were written in runes.”
Effie stopped talking, her head pounding. It felt like the warning was just out of reach. Why would pages from books fly about the room?
Within her, the buzz of her premonition turned into a shriek. Effie bit back a cry, not wanting to call more attention to herself. The vision was what was important right now. They needed to focus on that, and then they could deal with whatever madness was inside her.
“A prophecy is coming true,” Smoke said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Which prophecy?” Ronan bit out.
One of the Mirrors shook his head. “It’s too soon to say.”
“Is there a hint in my vision?” Effie asked, her hands balling into fists as another jolt of premonition raced through her.
“Perhaps.”
“One of our books is missing.”
“We believe it contains the answers we’ve been seeking.”
“Missing? How?”
“Who else had access to your collection?” Ronan asked, perhaps more helpfully.
“This particular volume? No one. It was sealed off in the Hall of Prophecy.”
A gasp escaped as dead weight sat heavy in Effie’s neck and chest. Her gift was no longer warning her something was coming.
It was already here.
Effie tried to speak around the unexpected weight, but it was a struggle just to breathe.
“Daughter?” Smoke asked, the first to notice, as always, that something was happening to her.
Before she could try and answer, a loud boom rang out. Ears ringing, Effie couldn’t hear anything as the swirling lights floating around the room flickered out.
Red runes sparked to life along the floor, casting the room in an unearthly glow. Ronan shoved Effie behind him, reaching for a weapon he didn’t have.
Her hearing slowly returned, and she could make out bits of phrases, and the men made plans behind her, but Effie barely made note of them. She was more worried about the screams coming from another part of the building. They confirmed what she’d already known, what her gift had been shouting at her to recognize.
The citadel was under attack.
Chapter 28
“How did they breach the citadel?” Ronan demanded, the need for vengeance blazing in his eyes.
“Nothing is impenetrable if given the key.”
“You think someone let them in?” Effie asked, spinning to face Smoke.
There was a shrug. “It is the only plausible answer.”
“But who?” she sputtered, her thoughts immediately turning to Tess.
Effie gasped. Is this my fault? The Keeper would be familiar with the portals and other secrets of the citadel. It was not a far stretch that she would come seeking revenge. But the screaming . . . this was not the work of one Shadow-touched female.
The ground started to tremble and bits of stone fell from the ceiling.
A vicious growl sounded deep in Ronan’s chest. “Where the fuck are your Guardians?”
“Doing their job.”
Effie’s heart seized at the thought of Lucian caught unaware. If anyone can withstand a surprise attack, he can. She knew that it was true. Lucian was the fiercest among them, but her heart could not help but worry.
More tremors shook the building and a beam snapped from the ceiling, narrowly missing them as it crashed to the floor.
Thunder that had nothing to do with the shaking building swelled in the room. The Triumvirate’s anger was palpable, their emotional storm almost as frightening as the unexpected attack.
“Get her out of here. Quickly!”
“And take her where?” Ronan snapped. “This was supposed to be the safest place in Elysia.”
Appalled, Effie shot an accusing glare at her mentor. “If you think I’m going to run away like a scared little mouse then you clearly do not know me at all. I will stay and fight with the rest of you.”
She could feel the weight of Smoke’s stare settle over her. “Many were likely caught unarmed. Go to the armory. Gather what you can for them.”
“And what will you do?” Effie asked, her body already angled toward the hallway that would lead them to the room filled with weapons.
“Protect what is ours.”
Effie had not seen the Triumvirate fight—it’s what the Guardians were for—but a shiver of fear crept down her spine at the ominous words. She was glad they were on the same side.
Ronan was already running, Effie just behind him, when she stopped mid-flight to fling her arms around Smoke. “Stay safe,” she said into his chest, squeezing tightly as she offered a quick prayer to the Mother to protect her friends.
“You as well, Daughter,” he said, his voice oddly thick in her mind as he returned her embrace. “Now, go.”