Twilit Mage

Chapter 49: Hollow Hallways

"Dude," Raoul whispered as soon as they were at a safe distance. "I can't believe that really worked! You're a genius, Mercy!"

Mercury tried to smile, but right now she wasn't in the mood to feel happy about compliments. They were standing in the middle of the deserted hallway, and even without thinking she could already pinpoint several things that were not as they should be.

"Ms. Solstice said she just needed to make a few calls," she said, "but why isn't she here?"

Georgiana peered from side to side. She had already looked concerned to begin with, but as she scanned their surroundings for anything strange her frown only deepened into something dark and worrying.

"That is what I'd like to know," she said, staring grimly into the distance. "That, and why she still hasn't returned after all this time."

"To be fair," Raoul remarked from the side, "she didn't say she'd be right here to make those calls, right?"

"Maybe not, but she has no reason to go anywhere. She has a cell phone, like everyone else."

Mercury didn't say anything. Her mind was going over the top again, imagining a million different scenarios she truly didn't want to picture. On instinct her eyes dashed around for any sign of accidental illusions, but thankfully there was nothing. Only the stubborn images that had taken root inside her mind, refusing to leave no matter how much she tried to reason them away.

How ironic, she thought. To think that she would ever be worried about Hecate Solstice, the same demon teacher who had terrified and humiliated her in front of the class so many times. But even so she didn't want anything truly bad to happen to her. She wouldn't wish that on anyone, no matter what they did.

And if even the powerful half-demon alchemist couldn't stand a chance against the unknown threat...who should?

I just hope Riley's okay. Please don't let us be late to help them. Please don't let anything happen to them!

"Let's not think about Ms. Solstice," she said, unsure if she was talking to the others or herself. "We should hurry...Do any of you know how to get out of here?"

Raoul gave her a questioning look. "Uh, through the door?"

"Isn't that sealed right now?"

"When they're sending somebody out to rescue Riles? C'mon, it's gotta be open."

Mercury glanced at Georgiana, but she only nodded. "It's not entirely implausible."

Without wasting another second they all started off through the hallways, all of them eerily empty, their footsteps echoing off the walls, audible to no one but them. Down a flight of stairs, then another. None of them slowed down or stopped until they reached the door closest to the library.

"If any are unlocked, this one has to be it," Georgiana said, reaching for the handle. It opened smoothly. She reached out through it– and hit her hand against an invisible wall.

"I should have known," she whispered. "Should we try the others or–"

"One sec."

Raoul had stepped forward, patting and examining the invisible wall. "I think I know what this thing is," he said. "Hold up."

He tapped it twice and whistled, making a gesture as if he wanted to push it apart. "This wall's just really fancy air magic," he said. "If we can get it to go soft for us, we can get out." He paused, then he cracked a grin. "That came out kinda weird, right?"

Raoul tapped the wall again, but it was still there. "C'mon," he muttered, making a face that was stuck somewhere between pleading and frustration. "Don't tell me you just open for the people who cast you!"