The city of Rabanul was silent as always as Megan stared at it from half a kilometer away. The massive black walls stood strong as ever, just over six meters tall, with watchtowers spread evenly across its face. It had stood as one of the strongest defensive fortifications in the nation, for nearly two hundred and fifty years now. Only one thing had changed, she thought. There were no figures present on the wall, to be seen patrolling, on the lookout for potential danger.

“It’s almost as if the city died,” Rachel commented, coming up alongside Megan and Michael. “But I suppose they don’t have enough people to fully defend it.”

“They don’t need to defend it,” Michael growled. “At least, they don’t think so. Remember, Hazaam was in on the plan to take out Milagre. If they succeed, there’s no fear of retaliation. To them, Rabanul is just a temporary prison now.”

Which was perfectly true, Megan thought. Attos’ leaders had already been conspiring with Hazaam for months, it seemed, all in preparation for the previous day. The Black Hands who didn’t turn traitor with the General needed to be contained, sure, but that was a threat that would come from inside. They weren’t too worried about outside threats. As far as they knew, there was no attempted rescue coming.

“Well, if anything,” Megan said aloud, speaking for the first time in hours, “That makes our job a little easier.”

“A little,” Michael snorted. “How exactly are we going to beat twenty fully-trained soldiers? Those aren’t going to be footsoldiers. They’ll be Officers at the least, and expertly trained.”

Megan turned her head around to stare at him, eyebrows raised. “You’re not about to admit that the mission is hopeless, are you? I’m not sure why you agreed to come if that’s the case.”

Michael’s glare softened slightly as he glanced at her. He didn’t reply at once, but when he did, his voice had softened as well. “No. I’m sure we can do it. You’ve got a plan in mind, I can tell.”

I was asking about your resolve, not my plan, Megan thought to herself. Typically, Alice made herself heard then. Oh, you poor dense fool.

Mentally telling Alice to shut up for perhaps the thousandth time, Megan turned back to the city, studying it in silence again for a few minutes. Still, there was no sign of any patrolling soldiers on the wall. Rachel had a point. It did indeed look as if the city were dead and uninhabited. If they’d come across it without knowing about the invasion, they might think the organization was taking a holiday. As if the Black Hands would ever do such a thing, she thought with an inward laugh.

“They’re ready now.” That was Jordan. He’d stayed back while the other three had advanced a few yards, crouching low, to get a good look at the black city. He’d been in charge of shifting the saddles of the Stravians. Even now, Megan could see the beasts, black and scaly-winged, scratching at the ground with their clawed feet, restless to be off.

“Alright,” Megan said, retreating on hands and knees to stay hidden, then standing upright once she was sheltered by the small hill. “So we’ll stick to the plan. First, we’ll try to enter by teleportation. Everyone remembers where to go?”

The other three nodded. On the raid trip over, they had come up with two possible plans of infiltration. The first was the simplest, and easily the most favorable. Teleportation. They’d land just outside the Iron Keep, hopefully skipping most of the enemies located inside. It wasn’t likely to succeed, but it was still an idea they were determined to try.

She made sure the others were focusing on their spells and closed her own eyes, ignoring Jordan’s quiet chant as he spoke the incantation for the attempted move. She welled her mana up inside her, imagining it stretching across the plains before them, past the high wall, and pooling inside the city. She felt a brief flicker of hope as she felt her mana connect to the distant place. It actually seemed possible.

“Alright,” she said quietly. “Let’s go.”

She activated the spell, and her mana seized hold of her body, yanking it forward through the aether for nearly a kilometer, the maximum distance this short-range teleport spell could achieve. She knew at once that she was successful, because, after a brief period of darkness and smothering pressure, she felt the wind on her face die away. As she opened her eyes, she saw the clusters of buildings around her. She was well within the city of Rabanul now.

It was a few seconds before she realized that her friends weren’t beside her. She ducked out of sight behind a nearby stack of crates, her heart pounding. They were taking an awfully long time to follow her, she thought. She had no way of knowing that, for some reason, she was the only one who’d slipped past the anti-teleportation wards placed around the city. These wards had been made by Lana Beran herself, and Michael, Rachel, and Jordan had just been rebuffed, sent sprawling after the failed attempt.

That was close, Alice’s voice came to her mind now. Please don’t do that again. I’m not sure I’ll manage to catch you.

“Catch me?” Megan muttered under her breath. “What?”

Answer me in your mind, fool! Alice sounded nervous. You nearly got smacked by that enchantment. I pulled you past it just in time. I suck with magic, you know.

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Of course, there were wards in place, Megan thought. They’d expected the presence of some kind of magical defense. But why, then, had she managed to slip through. Well, Alice had done that for her. But now she was alone, stuck inside a hostile city, without her friends to back her up. She forced herself to take several deep breaths as she weighed her options now. This had certainly never been part of the plan. She didn’t fool herself into thinking that she could manage the mission on her own.

What will you do?

Shut up, she snapped at Alice. It’s your fault I’m in this predicament.

She could feel the Infernal’s indignation. My fault? If it weren’t for me, you’d be lying, mentally injured, on the ground right now. You’re lucky your friends are smarter than you. They managed to cut off their spells before the enchantment could do too much damage to them. Your own spell was hurtling you right towards death.

Megan didn’t dignify that with a response. She was actually grateful to Alice for the save. She’d heard of wards that actually attacked mages who tried to slip past them. Not that she’d ever be caught thanking the spirit who was sharing her body, mind you. She angrily shoved the thought of the Infernal to the back of her mind, hoping she’d shove Alice along with it. She needed to think. She needed to come up with a new plan, and quickly before someone discovered her.

You’re not very good at sneaking around.

Well, no shit, Megan thought. I’m a mage, not a thief. She remembered the glamour-type ability Eric told her about, that someone from Ahya had taught him. It allowed him to walk around unseen, as long as he stayed outside a certain range of people. Could she replicate that effect with mana? She tried it then, pulling her mana up in a thin sheet, trying to make herself invisible.

Stop! Alice’s panicked shout in her mind made her stop. Just over the crates, she saw someone. They were dressed in mage’s robes, and they were staring out across the city at the wall. Had they sensed the attempt of strangers to make it into the city? If they had, then they were obviously here to check it out. Alice’s warning had stopped Megan just in time. She and the enemy mage were close enough that they would have sensed the moving mana.

“What is it?” Another voice spoke out, making Megan cringe further into the shadows. It didn’t come from the mage that she could see. Worse, she recognized that voice. It was thin but deep, and the person who it belonged to was the last person she would have expected, or even wanted to show up.

Lana Beran came into view, her pale hair gleaming with the light of the open keep door beside her. The mage came to stiff attention at her appearance and turned to face her, a fist on his chest in salute. The crest of Attos was on the front of his robes. Lana returned the salute briefly and advanced further, her eyes also searching out across Rabanul. This was just her luck, Megan thought.

“I’m not sure, Commandant,” the mage said. “I thought I sensed someone slip into the city via magical means.”

“You think they got past my barriers?” Lana asked. Even without seeing her face, Megan knew the woman was sneering. “You think there is a single mage in this lazy country who could match me?”

“N-not at all, Commandant!” The mage replied, his face stricken. “I just… thought I’d come to investigate.”

Beran studied the proud stance of her inferior for several seconds, then nodded. “Adequate reply. Now, tell me. What makes you think that someone made it inside?”

“I sensed a connection coming through my mana screen, Commandant. They hit the barrier you created, then something pulled them through.”

“I see,” Beran’s voice was calm, without any hint of anger. “That can only mean that they were expected. Someone inside must have helped them.”

“What do you want to do about it, Lady Beran?” The mage asked. He seemed to take her deduction, slightly incorrect though it was, as iron-clad fact. His loyalty was unwavering, Megan thought with begrudging admiration. “Should I go and check for invaders?”

“That will not be necessary,” Beran said. “I will check myself. Go down to the cells and remind our guests that obedience is better than bravery. Rasmus, you go with him.”

A third voice, belonging to someone that Megan hadn’t sensed, spoke up. “Sure thing. I’d say good luck, but you’ll hardly need it.”

This is not good, Alice practically shouted in Megan’s mind. She’s going to find you. Let me take over!

Beran’s mana was already expanding as she turned back to the keep, a smile on her face. “You know me too well, Rasmus. Well, you’re not my fiancee for nothing, I suppose.”

Megan obeyed Alice without a second’s hesitation, surrendering control immediately. She and the Infernal switched places at once, and Alice performed one lightning-quick gesture with her left hand. She seemed to vanish from Megan’s vision, a millisecond before Beran’s mana washed over the spot where she’d been standing. Amidst the confusing senses and panic, she heard Beran’s fiancee laugh.

“If only your father approved of me as you do.”

“He doesn’t know you as well as me,” Lana replied, now moving forward towards the wall at a leisurely pace. “But he’ll come around. He can never say no to me. Keep the tower safe for me, my love.”

They had escaped notice. Megan let out a sigh of relief. She still couldn’t see Alice but knew that she must not have moved, because Megan, linked by mind as they were, still hadn’t been forced to move. It was as if she sat, weightless, on the back of some invisible horse. Then Alice, still invisible, began to move out from behind the crates. Whatever she was planning, Megan didn’t know, but she couldn’t risk retaking control.

What are you doing now?

Taking us inside, came Alice’s reply. Just sit tight for a moment. I can handle this.

As they passed under the flickering torch placed beside the keep’s closing door, Megan caught a little flicker of movement and saw what looked like the outline of a crouched person darting inside before the heavy wooden door slammed. It was like spotting a bubble in water, she thought. Invisible, unless you thought to look for it. Silent as a ghost, Alice descended into the tunnels of the Iron Keep. They were inside, headed who knew where. There was no turning back now.