Page 54 of Something Worth Keeping
Rook’s edges of his human disguise slipped, showing another being withtoo many teeth. “Thorn’s going to be pissed.”
“Thorn can get in line behind Cillian, who left without telling me and is now trapped in some kind of suppression device that’s draining his essence. That’s the only explanation that makes sense.” Julian pulled on his jacket. “How fast can you get us there?”
“Five minutes if I don’t bother with traffic laws.” Rook stood, suddenly all predator beneath the casual leather and buckles. “But Jules, if they’re contained, that means whatever trapped them is specifically designed to hold guardians. If I go in there, I’m just another captured asset.”
“I know.” Julian’s mind raced through possibilities. “Which is why you’re not going in. I am.”
“That’s…”
“Logical. Whatever technology Vane is using, it targets Eldritch biology. I’m human. It won’t affect me.” Julian headed for the door. “And before you argue that I can’t fight, I’m aware. I’m not going to fight. I’m going to think.”
Rook followed him to the stairs. “Thorn specifically told me…”
“Thorn isn’t Cillian’s mate, I am.” Julian descended rapidly. “The bond goes both ways. If Cillian dies in that warehouse, do you want to explain to Thorn why you kept me here while I felt him being drained to nothing?”
That was one way of shutting Rook up. Julian didn’t need a debate, he needed to save his mate.
They reached Rook’s motorcycle, a matte black monster that looked like it could break the sound barrier. Julian climbed on behind him.
“Hold tight,” Rook said. “And Jules? Whatever happens, stay out of sight until you have a plan. Dead humans don’t save anybody.”
“Noted.”
The engine roared and Rook took off, navigating onto the road as if speed restrictions were a suggestion rather than a law.
Julian used the five minutes Rook promised to think. Suppression technology designed for guardians would require either technological or magical components. The apparatus from the 1952 manual used blood sacrifice for initialization and guardian essence for sustained operation. Breaking it from the outside would require either destroying the physical structure or disrupting the ritual components that powered it.
He didn’t have weapons. He didn’t have magical ability. He had his brain and whatever tools he could find on site.
Through the bond, he felt Cillian’s desperation intensify. The message came through garbled -trap captured don’t -but the emotions underneath were crystal clear. Cillian was terrified. Not for himself, but for Julian.
I’m not letting you die for me,Julian sent back, not sure if Cillian could even receive it through whatever interference the apparatus created.
Rook pulled into an access road half a mile from the industrial park, killing the engine. “This is as close as I can get without being detected. Thorn just sent me a mental warning to stay the hell away.”
“He has good instincts.” Julian dismounted. “Can you sense them from here?”
Rook’s eyes flickered, shadows pooling briefly around his feet before he yanked them back. “Yeah. They’rein the main warehouse, in the northeast corner. Three guardian signatures, all contained. One human, two guards. And something else - an energy signature that tastes like corruption and fresh blood.”
“The apparatus, I imagine.”
“Probably.” Rook studied Julian. “You’re really going in there.”
“Yes.”
“You’re a tiny human who catalogs books for a living.”
“Cataloged. I believe I’m suspended, but that’s an issue for another day.” Julian started walking toward the industrial park. “I’m also Cillian’s mate, which means I’m the only person in this scenario who can approach that warehouse without triggering additional containment measures.”
“You don’t even have a weapon.”
“I have something better. I have information Vane doesn’t know I have.” Julian picked up his pace. “The 1952 manual described the apparatus’s mechanics in detail. I know its failure points.”
Rook followed, moving silently. “What failure points? We’ve never been able to find one before.”
“That’s because you’re the beings the trap was intended for. The containment field requires continuous ritual focus to maintain guardian essence drain. The focus point is typically a blood sigil inscribed on the apparatus itself. The initialization sacrifice provides the power, but someone has to maintain the binding structure.” Julian kept his voice low as they approached the perimeter. “If I break the sigil, it will break the binding.”
“That requires getting inside a warehouse with armed guards and a man who built a guardian trap.”
