“Let’s go.” I sprinted to the door nearest us, darting inside.
My friends followed, joining me in the little hallway that hadn’t existed just a few minutes ago. It was dark and empty, thank fates. Instead of the usual grass ground, the tile floor had returned from the past. It had been painted with ornate designs, reminding me of the wealth of the ancient churches.
“So maybe a person actually is going to tell us about the Dragon Bloods,” I said. “Now that they’re here, that is.”
“Which one, though?” Aeri asked.
“We should speak to the abbot,” Declan said. “They generally know the most in a place like this.”
“And the location of the Dragon Bloods would be some high-ranking info,” Aeri said.
“But why would an abbot of a medieval Christian church know about the Dragon Bloods?” I asked. “They aren’t a religious group.”
“They were medieval holders of knowledge and locations of power,” Declan said. “No doubt the Dragon Bloods are an ancient group. It makes sense that religious organizations would know of them. In fact, I doubt the Christians are the only ones who know where they are.”
“But they’re the closest ones to us right now,” I said. “So let’s go find that abbot.”
“Any idea where he’d be hanging out in a place like this?” Aeri asked.
“Nicer quarters, of course,” Declan said. “Not the barracks the regular monks call home. It would be private. A tower of some sort, most likely.”
“I can try my Seeker sense. Look for the abbot and a tower.”
Everyone nodded.
I called upon my power, envisioning an old abbot in a tower. It took a moment, but it tugged on me eventually. I gasped, then pointed down the hall. “That way.”
We started down the hall, past windows empty of glass that provided a view over the fields below. Monks in rough woolen robes tended to the vegetable patches, toiling under the early morning sun.
“Laborer monks,” Declan said. “Uneducated, but they serve the lord with their work.”
We moved quickly and silently through the halls, keeping our ears alert to our surroundings. The monks were early risers, and it seemed most were at work. At one point, we passed an enormous room filled with small desks. Monks sat hunched over them, transcribing books. The entire place was deathly silent.
We passed through wide hallways and twisting corridors, trying to avoid any ghosts we might come across.
We got unlucky near the kitchens.
A monk carrying a big tureen exited a door and nearly collided with us. His eyes widened, and he shouted in an unintelligible language. English…almost.
But the message was clear.
“Run,” I said.
The four of us sprinted past the monk. My Seeker sense dragged us down the hall, pulling me toward the abbot in his tower. There was a loud clattering sound behind us, and I knew it had to be the tureen smashing to the ground.
I glanced behind, just in time to see the monk thrust out a hand and shoot a blast of light at us.
“Duck!” I dived low, narrowly avoiding the shot of magic.
My friends followed suit.
The magic slammed into the wall in front of us, chipping the stone.
“Damn, they’re serious about protecting this place,” Aeri muttered.
No wonder they knew the location of the Dragon Bloods. They were magical monks.
I scrambled upright and looked back. Three more ghosts had joined our attacker. They sprinted for us.
“Move!” I raced ahead, determined not to launch an attack. They were just protecting their turf. No way I was going to hurt a bunch of old men of god.
My friends seemed to agree. We sprinted down the hall, dodging and darting. As we turned the corner in the hall, Burn appeared at my side.
“Go scare them!” I commanded. “But don’t hurt them!”
Burn gave a low woof of understanding, and careened around, sprinting toward the monks. I looked back to see him crouch and growl. The monk’s blasts of magic hit him, and he only grew stronger, vibrating with energy and joy.
Burn loved shit like this.
The four monks skidded to a halt, their brown robes flapping around their legs as their eyes widened in shock.
They shouted, words I didn’t understand but their meaning was clear enough.
Burn was a hell dog to them, and they didn't like him.
“Look where you’re going!” Aeri shouted.
I turned back just in time to see some stairs rising up ahead of us.
“Crap!” I leapt onto them, avoiding tripping.
“Is the abbot up there?” Tarron asked.
“I think so.” My magic tugged strongly, directing me that way.
Three different monks appeared from a hall to our right. A flash of brown alerted me to their presence, and I turned in time to see them shout and raise their hands.
“Go!” I sprinted up the stairs, calling upon my wings as I went. The staircase was wide enough that I could fly, and damned if I wouldn't take advantage of the power. Outrunning monks and their magic was freaking hard.
Tarron joined me, while Aeri and Declan stayed on their feet. They were both massively fast, outrunning the monks by just enough that the stairs exploded behind them.
I flapped my wings, flying as fast as I could to the huge wooden door at the top. It was closed, shut tight against us.
Tarron put on a burst of speed and flew into it, blasting it open. The four of us tumbled inside the room, and Declan whirled around, slamming the door shut and leaning against it.
An old man in ornate crimson and gold robes surged to his feet by the fire, his watery eyes going wide. “What are you doing?”
I could barely make out his words. It was definitely some old form of English.
“We need help.” I landed and folded my wings back into my body. The monks here had magic, so the abbot didn’t look shocked by my Fae traits.
He scowled. “Then ask, do not destroy.”
Tarron glanced back at the door, where the latch was broken. Declan stood with his back against it, keeping it shut.
“I apologize,” Tarron said.
The abbot harrumphed. He looked small in the dark room. There were no windows, which was weird as hell, and it was lit only by the fire. The rug was of nice quality, and the tapestries on the wall gave it a warm feeling. But it was otherwise completely empty. For prayer, perhaps?
“We are looking for the location of the Dragon Bloods,” I said. “I saw in a vision of the future that I would find that information here.”
His brows lowered. “I don’t have that information.”
“Yes, you do,” Tarron said. “You’re a terrible liar.”
The abbot flushed red. “I am not a liar. A man of god would never lie.”
I didn’t bother telling him that was a load of bullshit.
His gaze flicked toward me, and it looked almost like recognition flickered within his eyes.
I frowned at him.
Aeri strode toward him, drawing a dagger from the ether. The abbot shrank back.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” She sliced her own palm and held it out to him, showing him the white blood. “Look. I am one of them. We do not seek to hurt them.”
His gaze flicked to us, lingering on me a bit longer. “What about them? Are they Dragon Bloods as well?”