Arcane Entanglement (The Mage and His Brute #1)

Chapter 43

Dark magic surged across the platform before Evander could react, sucking all the warmth and oxygen from the surroundings and bringing a vile stench and taste to his nose and tongue. His ears popped as the pressure dropped.

Choked gurgles sounded around him. People began collapsing like flies.

Viggo cursed and caught Rufus as he swayed.

“What the hell is going on?!”

“They’re here!” Evander said thickly.

Shadowy trails were absorbing the light pouring through the station’s glass ceiling and emanating from enchanted lamps. Evander froze when the darkness coalesced on a tidal wave of sinister magic that bore down on them.

“Get down! Now !” Viggo barked.

He tackled Evander to the ground, Rufus in his hold.

The dark swell tore through the train carriage like it was made of paper, smashing metal and shattering glass in a deafening cacophony that seemed to go on forever. Debris rained down on them, Viggo doing his best to shield them with his giant frame.

There was a moment of breathless stillness when the echoes of the detonation faded.

The world exploded into chaos.

Screams rent the air as passengers who’d escaped the initial attack scrambled to flee, their panicked cries mixing with the groans of those less fortunate than them.

Evander’s skull fairly rang as Viggo climbed off him and pulled him to his feet. He stared, stomach churning.

Half of Charing Cross station resembled a war zone. Smoke billowed from the wrecked train beside them, mixing with the acrid stink of dark magic that hung heavily in the air.

Evander’s alarmed gaze found Rufus. “How is he?!”

“Alive, but out like a light,” Viggo said grimly.

Relief made Evander weak. The fact that Viggo was still standing gave him the strength he needed to do what he must. He clenched his jaw and reached for his magic.

Pulsing heat came to life inside his chest, clearing his mind and sharpening his senses. Flames blossomed around him, the incandescent sparks moving under his will. Evander moulded the blaze until it formed a rippling, roaring cloud and sent it soaring above the platform and the comatose passengers.

Fire magic purified the air of the dark energy choking it.

Audible gasps and wheezes sounded as people started coming around.

Rufus stirred and moaned. The inspector blinked his eyes dazedly, a thin trail of blood trickling from a cut on his head. Viggo helped sit him up.

“What in the blazes just happened?!” Rufus gasped, leaning heavily on the Brute.

“Renwick’s here,” Evander said grimly. “I saw him when I got off the train.” He scanned their surroundings with a heavy frown. “It’s not just him. I can sense several sources of dark magic close by.”

As if summoned by his words, a group of robed figures emerged from the billowing smoke. There were sixteen of them. A third wore the blank faces and crimson pupils that signalled them as victims of the cursed gems being used to control their minds. Leading the mages was Renwick, his grey eyes chilling.

Evander’s blood ran cold.

The malevolent aura surrounding the dark mage was worse than when he’d last seen him. It was a discordant, jarring presence, at odds with the natural harmony of the world.

His every sense reacted viscerally to it.

“Duke Ravenwood.” Renwick’s voice was smooth, almost pleasant. It betrayed none of the evil Evander knew lurked beneath. “I must say, I’m impressed. Not many could have survived that blast.”

Evander’s nails dug into his palms. His gaze flitted to the figures accompanying the dark mage.

“I should have known you’d be too much of a coward to face us alone.”

A flinty smile played on Renwick’s lips. “Coward? No, your Grace. Merely practical. I can’t afford to take chances. Not when the stakes are this high.”

“Stakes?” Viggo bit out, body tense and ready to spring into action. “You mean stealing the life force of innocent people?!”

Surprise flickered in Renwick’s eyes. It was replaced by cool calculation.

“I see you’ve discovered the true purpose of the artefact I had Millbrook build for us.” He cocked his head mockingly. “It changes nothing. You’re too late to stop what’s already been set in motion.”

Evander’s mind raced.

Us? Someone else is involved in this? And what does he mean, set in motion?!

Viggo shifted protectively in front of Evander and Rufus.

Amusement gleamed in Renwick’s eyes. “What are they paying you, Stonewall? I’ll double it, whatever it is.”

“You can’t afford me,” Viggo growled. “Even if you could, I would never work with the likes of you!”

Renwick’s expression turned ugly.

“A worthless thrall will always remain a worthless thrall, I see.”

He signalled to his followers.

Shadows came to life around the mages, writhing and reaching out with grasping tendrils. Horror gripped Evander’s chest in a vice when Renwick’s followers directed their attacks at the passengers in the station, their intent to maim and destroy all too clear.

A woman screamed and fell, her body twisted at a strange angle.

A man dropped to his knees, air rasping through his throat as he clutched desperately at the dark bands throttling him.

Power rolled through Evander on a wave of fury, the elements answering his call as if waiting for this very moment. The wind and fire that sprang up at his command deflected the sinister wisps seeking fresh targets. Ice and earth sprouted from the ground, sharp spikes shooting towards the enemy.

A couple of mages let out gurgled shouts when the elemental spears found them.

“Rufus!” Evander shouted over the howl of wind and magic. “Get everyone out of here and evacuate the station!”

The inspector nodded jerkily before disappearing into the billowing smoke. His enchanted whistle soon rose above the pandemonium gripping Charing Cross. An answering sound echoed in the distance scant seconds later.

This close to Scotland Yard, reinforcements would come quickly and in large numbers.

Evander fisted his hands.

We just have to hang in there until they arrive!

He stiffened when dark magic bubbled around Renwick’s hands. The temperature plummeted. Frost crystallised on the platform as the dark mage’s powers leeched the warmth from the air.

Fear squeezed Evander’s heart when he grasped Renwick’s intent.

“ No! ”

Heat flashed through his blood as he stepped in front of Viggo. A wall of fire burst into life around them, the flames so intense sweat immediately beaded the Brute’s brow.

The elemental barrier absorbed most of Renwick’s deadly attack.

A dark bolt slipped through, its power still potent despite being dampened by Evander’s fire magic.

Viggo yanked Evander behind him and blocked it with his forearms, a grunt of pain leaving him as the magic scalded his skin.

Evander braced his hands against the Brute’s back and grounded them with earth magic as the impact shoved them some half a dozen feet.

Viggo dug his heels in and brought them to a halt.

The fire faded, revealing Renwick and his followers.

The Brute bared his teeth. “My turn.”

He drew his arm back and slammed his fist into the ground with a roar.

Evander gasped when the platform shuddered violently beneath them.

A crack split the surface. It spread as it snaked towards the dark mages.

Renwick scowled and moved nimbly out of the way of the rupture. Two of his associates weren’t as lucky. Their feet got jammed into the break, snapping their ankles.

Viggo smiled viciously at their screams.

The rest of the mages brought forth bolts of sickening shadows as they encircled them, Renwick hanging back with a contemptuous smirk.

Evander reached for his elemental powers, his heart thundering against his ribs. He’d never faced so many dark magic users at once.

The corruption wafting off them made his skin crawl.

Viggo’s back brushed against his as he spun to defend their rear.

“Together!” the Brute barked over his shoulder.

Evander dipped his head. “Be careful!”

Wind and fire rippled into life between them and the dark mages, keeping the worst of their attacks at bay.

Evander and Viggo pushed back as they had done in the church, their movements fluid and synchronised, as if they’d performed this deadly dance a hundred times before. What got past Viggo was deflected by Evander. What escaped Evander’s magic was physically punched aside by Viggo.

Evander’s heart sang as they fought side by side, the expression he occasionally glimpsed on Viggo’s face telling him the Brute found the way they matched one another on the battlefield as exhilarating as he did.

He felt like he could take on the whole world in that moment of mutual affinity.

A quick glance around revealed civilians still trapped in the station, their escape route blocked by the fierce battle taking place on the platform. Evander subdued his magic slightly, conscious he could bring the entire structure down on their heads if he went at full power.

A scream cut through the din of battle.

His head snapped around.

A young woman had been cornered by one of the dark mages. Shadows were creeping up her legs.

Evander moved without thinking, his wind and earth magic snatching her from danger and depositing her safely some distance away.

The momentary distraction cost him.

A bolt of corrupt energy slipped past his defences and penetrated his shoulder. Pain lanced through Evander, hot and sharp. He cried out, his flesh burning as black magic began seeping into his body like poison.

“Evander! ” Viggo shouted.

The Brute cursed when he found his way obstructed by dark mages.

Evander’s vision blurred as the corruption bled into his veins and headed for his heart.