A Practical Guide to Sorcery (Books 1 & 2)

Chapter 31 - Arriving to Class Naked (Part 1)

Siobhan

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 4:55 a.m.

Spells lit up the night, a barrage of force and magical effects traded between the Verdant Stags' reinforcements and the Morrows in front of the half-destroyed warehouse.

"They'll handle this," Dryden screamed in her ear, clutching her shoulder. "We need to get into the building!"

With a nod, she turned and looked for a way to get down. Going back the way they had come would take a long time. They couldn't jump down from the roof, either, unless they wanted to break a bone.

"I have a potion of feather-fall!" Dryden yelled, pointing down the broken staircase that led into the building below.

She understood his plan immediately. "Just the one?" When he nodded, she tucked her lantern and Conduit back into a pocket and held out her hand expectantly. "We can split it."

Dryden didn't hesitate. They each took a swallow from the small vial he pulled from his pocket, then moved to the stairwell.

With her mind on potions, Siobhan realized she might have a few useful ones of her own. She pulled the potion of moonlight sizzle out of her satchel, shaking it quickly and holding it above her head to light their way down the stairwell. They had to jump over sections of broken steps a few times, but the half dose of feather-fall was enough to partially mitigate the effects of gravity and allow them to descend safely.

When they reached the ground, Dryden led them through the obstacle course-like remains of furniture and rat carcasses littering the ground. They unlatched the front door from the inside, and Dryden poked his head out. He pulled back and turned to her, the eyeholes in his mask bleeding darkness. "The Morrows are running."

"That's good. Now we just need to get help to the injured workers." She fingered the Conduit in her pocket, reassured by its familiar weight and feel. "But the warehouse doors must be locked, right?"

"I would assume so."

"So we go in through the windows. The glass is broken out of them already. You first. I don't want a brick to come flying at my head. They should recognize the mask, correct?" She waved vaguely to his face.

He let out a short, sharp laugh, as if surprised. "Yes."

She nodded at him, then waved her hand impatiently. "Hurry up, then. We don't have time to lose!"

With one last peek out the door, he dashed across the street.

She followed, her cloak whipping around and tugging at her with the force of the wind. She tucked the hand still attached to the glass pane to her side underneath her cloak to avoid it getting caught or accidentally smashing it against something. The mixture of honey and adhel juice was too strong an adhesive to remove the glass easily, and there was no time for her to work an oil mixture into it until it released the skin of her palm bit by bit.

As soon as Dryden began to climb through a broken window in the side alley, two workers rushed out from behind their makeshift barrier to help haul him through.

Of course, as soon as they caught sight of the mask, they recoiled.

"It's okay," Dryden assured them. "We're here to help, I promise."

She followed, though none of the workers helped her, even though her left hand was still out of commission.

"Wounded? Is anyone hurt?" Dryden asked, looking around urgently.

"Jameson, sir," said one of the men who had stepped forward to help him through the window, darting little glances at Dryden's mask. He was a large man, so much so that his shirt seams strained around his shoulders.