Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

“But to do that, she’d need the Eye of Balor, and, of course…” He spun, striding past us and to a hall that led to the right, where he opened a door and cursed under his breath. “It’s gone.”

“How?” I asked, but the answer came in the form of an assassin—a female member of his security.

She had a blue blade that trailed purple light, moving through the air as it went for my throat. Each spell and strike from our end to intercept her was met by a wave of color and her suddenly appearing from a different direction, until the cold of her blade was right against my throat.

Something heavy landed in my arms, and I felt Shisa’s stone and fur, then heard a clank as the blade hit my skin. Only, my skin had apparently turned to stone. The assassin cursed, but she had lost. In that moment Riland had appeared, hands on her face, and muttered a chant.

Her eyes went black, then she faded into what I sensed was the Dark Lands.

“You just… banished her?”

He gave me a grim stare. “I did.”

“Nice work.”

The attack had happened in only a matter of seconds. All eyes turned to the second security guard, who knelt, golden symbol on his neck glowing.

“He wasn’t involved,” the senator insisted. “And regardless, it would appear the enemy already has the Eye.”

“Why would she need it?” Aerona asked.

“The part she stole has great power,” the senator explained. “With it, she’s one step closer to opening that portal to the Dark Lands you mentioned. To raising her army.”

“I’ve seen them,” I muttered, but when he gave me a curious look, I waved it off. “We have to stop her.”

“On that, I couldn’t agree more.” He sighed, eyeing the corpse of the assassin. “But it’s more than that. The Eye of Balor has its own magical qualities. The power of the scorching sun, able to drain one’s life force and give it to the holder.”

“And you had this item?” Aerona asked. “Why weren’t you using it?”

He shook his head. “It saddens me to say that I did, many times. It’s how I became as powerful as I am.”

“It can also be used to steal powers,” I said, more in realization than as a question.

He nodded.

“We have to stop her.”

Senator Funai’s eyes lit up and he motioned for us to follow him into the room where he had gone to check on the Eye. It was full of glass cases and old books, artifacts, and several swords.

“We can track it.” Senator Funai held his hand over a piece of parchment. “This from the deadly one’s hide. They were connected, see, and—”

“You’re saying that’s this Balor creature’s skin?” Steph said, scrunching her nose.

“I am.” He waved his hands over it, chanting, and a moment later an image appeared over the skin. As it became clear, the senator’s face went pale. “That’s Senator Ohlo’s house.”

“Competitor,” I explained to the others. Like Senator Funai, she was one of the main candidates for the next presidential race.

“That and… with the Order. If she’s in on this, you won’t have the Order’s support. And I… I can’t be involved.”

“You have no choice,” Aerona insisted. “It’s already begun. Lines have been drawn.”

He nodded. “True as that might be, she is part of the Order. If she’s gone over, there’s no help from me to be had there. Defeat her, and when it’s done, let me know.”

Disdain was heavy in the eyes of my team, but I simply said, “Thank you. You can lead us there?”

“Actually, I think I can,” Riland said, then nodded to me. “With your help.”

He explained how he could connect items that held magical essence, much as this one had already proven to hold, and believed from what he saw of me that I’d be able to form a portal to get us to the other piece of the puzzle. It was worth a shot.

“We’ll be seeing you soon, Senator.”

Joining hands with the others, Shisa in my arms, I closed my eyes and focused on the piece of Balor’s hide. A moment later, the portal appeared in our midst and we all stepped into it, on our way to the coven and to find Megha.

118

Stepping out of the portal, we found ourselves in the backyard of yet another house the size of which, as a youth, I never could have believed people actually lived in. Above us, there were two white, curved balconies, behind us a pool.

Bright security flood lights burst on and I cursed.

“What is it?” Ebrill asked, shielding her eyes.

“Likely cameras, maybe even an alarm.” I motioned the others forward. “Move in.”

I was like a child leading my military team on a raid. A team that consisted of three gargoyles, Riland—who stepped out of me now—a witch, and a stone lion-dog that had come to life. Not your average black ops team, for sure.

“Freeze,” someone shouted, but we were already at the house, and that meant I had access. My hand on the wall, I made it swift in case cameras were watching. No major adjustments, only moving the doors apart and transforming any locks and security systems so that they simply fell away.

There were shots fired, but we were all safely inside, catching a guard by surprise.

“Gorffwys,” I said, and he slumped over, asleep.

“She’s pulling me,” Riland said, hands up and a sort of fiery light trailing from him toward a door to our right. “Megha knows we’re here. She’s showing us the way.”

I nodded and followed Kordelia, who was already plowing through the door. It led to a descending staircase. Bursts of defensive spells came at us—but that’s why I’d brought Shisa. He wasn’t about to let me get taken out by simple security defenses. My hands on the wall, I created a new way for us to go down, to surprise our enemy.

That only half-worked, because moving the walls apparently uncovered some sort of old crypt, where a green, wrinkled