Suddenly, there was an explosion in the direction of the central spire. A thick column of smoke rose from the center of the Academy, partially obscuring the sun and casting a wide shadow across the city. Jez took a step forward, but Osmund grabbed his shoulder.

Were supposed to stay here. The masters are at the spire.

Jez pulled away from him. Do you have any idea how bad it could be if the wards in the lower levels are disrupted?

He looked around at the other students who had been set to guard this place. They should be more than capable of handling anything that came this way.

Jez, the masters said"

Since when have we let that stop us?

Osmund thought for a second before nodding. Fine. By the way, I think I figured out why you havent been promoted yet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

Most of the imps and other minor spirits had been dealt with by the time Jez had made his way through the Academy grounds. The buildings had come through the invasion more or less intact though he sensed the frayed edges of some of the workings scattered throughout the area. Other students quickly dispatched the few imps he did see. Everyone was looking to the spire, and a few people had started moving in that direction. When they arrived, they found an opaque dome of blue energy surrounded the bottom levels of the spire. Jez gaped at it.

What is that? Osmund asked.

Its a ward, the most powerful Ive ever seen.

He walked up to it and gingerly tapped it with is finger. Rather than shock him or send pain running up his arm, it just felt like he touched a wall of polished stone. It glowed brighter at the spot he touched, and he could sense the power thrumming within it. He had no idea where to begin if he wanted to take it down.

I guess they really didnt want us getting through, Osmund said.

Lets move around it.

Why? Its not like Besis wouldve left a hole.

Not deliberately, Jez said, but there have been imps all through here, and enough imps can bring any ward down.

It only took them a quarter hour to find the flaw. It wasnt so much a hole as it was a weakness, a slight discoloration in the ward at about eye level. It was no more than two feet across. When he touched it, the dome bent inward. Jez pushed harder. The ward stretched but did not break. After pushing a few inches, the tension became too great, and his finger tingled. Jez tensed his muscles and moved the finger across the surface of the dome, weaving a counter ward. He didnt have the skill to take down a working Besis put up, but he could batter at it with raw strength. He thought he could get through the flaw if he hit it just right.

The discolored area dimmed. Jez made a fist and twisted and pulled. There was a sound like gla.s.s breaking, and pieces of the ward flew toward Jez. He didnt flinch, and they winked out of existence before theyd gone more than a few inches. Without turning around, he crawled through the hole and started circling the tower so he could get at the entrance. Osmund caught up with him a few seconds later.

Dont you think you should close that hole?

Jez shrugged. I would if I had the slightest idea how to make that kind of ward.

Arent you worried people will come in after us?

Another explosion sounded inside the tower, and Jez shook his head. Nope. Most of the students are too smart to want to come close to whatever is in there. Beside him, Osmund snickered. You know what I mean.

They ascended the stairs. Jez reached forward to touch the door, but it gave him a shock, and he pulled back. Theres another ward.

They must really not want people to get in.

Jez glanced up. The dome shaped ward they had already pa.s.sed through went up three stories. He could just make out the windows on the second floor. Jez pursed his lips.

Do you think the ward on the building goes all the way up?

Osmund followed his gaze and let out a low whistle. Jez, you cant mean to climb the tower.

Actually, I was thinking of flying.

Osmund c.o.c.ked his head. Doesnt that burn your flesh away?

Not since I used Aniels power to reshape my flesh. I cant use anywhere near Luntayarys full power, but I can a.s.sume his form and draw on his strength a little. There are demons inside so I dont think Ziary would have any problem with it.

The door shimmered and opened. Besis stood inside. He seemed surprised to see them, but it faded after a second.

I suppose I shouldve known it was you. You left a hole in my ward.

Jez nodded and tried to look ashamed. I didnt know how to fix it.

Besis let out a breath and closed his eyes. Jez sensed the protection master release power into the surrounding ward, though he didnt recognize the configuration. After a second, Besis opened his eyes.

No matter. That portion wouldve shattered shortly. Its probably a good thing you discovered the flaw. Lets go inside.

What?

Its what you wanted, isnt it? We could use the extra help.

What happened? Jez asked.

The imps collapsed some of the wards on the lower levels. Then, they proceeded to meddle with some of the artifacts we have stored there. Theres a lot of magic in them.

Isnt it just the demon cages?

Besis shook his head. The demon cages are only the smallest portion of what is stored here.

Which is?

Besis narrowed his eyes. Not the business of an adept.

His tone left no room for argument, and Jez could only nod. Besis led them inside. The first-floor chamber was in shambles. Pieces of the wall had been torn off, and cracks ran across the ground. It looked bad, but Jez knew Besis and the students of protection who specialized in terra magic would be able to repair it without too much trouble.

This wasnt done by imps, Osmund said.

No, this was a garbond. Nasty creatures but theyre not terribly intelligent.

It came through here? Jez asked. I thought anything that powerful had to come through close to the point of disturbance.

So did I, Besis said. The manifestations are supposed to be random, but this one definitely seemed like a directed attack.

Do you think Sharim is responsible?

Jez, not every bad thing that happens in the world is Sharims fault.

I know that, Jez said, but what else could it be?

Maybe one of Linalas students with more ability than sense has been summoning in the spire.

Thats forbidden, Jez said.

Besis raised an eyebrow. Youre one to talk. Come on. Lets go below. He eyed Osmund. You havent been there. Can I a.s.sume I dont have to tell you not to touch anything?

Yes Master, Osmund said.

Both of you be careful. Dont throw any magic unless youre sure what youre attacking. There are things down there that would react badly to that.

Its just going to be us?

Fina and the adjutants are dealing with an incursion in the upper levels. The wards below warn me when theyre being disturbed. When I received the warnings, I withdrew from the battle. I was going to go below on my own when I felt you trying to get into the tower.

Besis walked across the chamber and pulled a heavy iron key out of his robes. He inserted it into the oak door and pulled it open. After murmuring a few words to deactivate the ward, he stepped onto the stone stairway and started climbing down. After going down a few steps, he turned to look at them.

Osmund held out his hand and summoned a ball of fire to light the way. Besis raised an eyebrow at that but didnt tell him to put it away. They went down and after a few seconds, they came to a door. Besis opened it and peered inside, but there was nothing. It went on like that for several minutes. Once, they found a living nightmare, a spirit born of fear though not an actual demon. They dispatched it without any trouble. Other than that, however, they didnt find anything. At least they didnt find anything until they reached the bottom of the stairs.

The hidden door had crumpled to dust, and the light Osmund carried illuminated the empty chamber beyond. It took Jez a second for the implications to sink in. Before, the light hadnt penetrated into the room, but now, nothing remained to absorb it.

Its the memory shadows, Jez said. Theyve escaped.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

By the time theyd gotten back to the first floor of the spire, Fina and the rest had finished clearing the Academy of rogue spirits. The masters convened in the summoning house, and at Besiss insistence, Jez was allowed to join them.

We have to find the shadows, Linala said.

We will, Besis said.

You dont understand. Theyre as dangerous as any demon and harder to deal with than most. We cant allow them to remain free. How did the imps even get to the lower levels? The wards there shouldve protected it even in the face of the weakening of the barrier.

Were still trying to figure that out.

It was Sharim, Jez said. We always suspected he might still have allies in this world.

Jez, Besis began.

I know you think Im just looking for a reason to blame him, but Im not. Think of what Enki said. Sharim is obviously powerful in the abyss. He couldve directed demons on how to use the weakening of the barrier.

Or it could be one of a dozen other possibilities, Besis said. Besides, why would Sharim care about freeing the shadows? Its not like theyre going to show grat.i.tude.

Perhaps its to deny us their use, Linala said.

Besis glanced at her. Do you really think Sharim could be responsible?

No, but its possible. From what Ive been told, this Sharim fooled even a Veilspeaker. Hes obviously cunning, and it wouldnt be out of character for him to orchestrate something like this. Right now, it doesnt matter, though. The most important thing is to trap the shadows.

Balud nodded. Besis, are the wards over the city still in place?

The protection master nodded. The larger ones are. The imps never even got close to them. Fortunately, they should still protect against the worst of any mystical attack.

She winced. Fortunately for now. I doubt anyone will think that in another four hours or so.

Why? Jez asked. What happens in four hours?

She glanced at the floor, to the shadow cast by a bird perched on the windowsill. Horgar glanced at the animal, and for a moment, his eyes glowed green, no doubt making sure it wasnt a transformed student. Linala, however, kept her eyes focused on the shadow.

Sunset.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.

Linala crafted a wide detection working that encompa.s.sed the entire city, but the shadows fed on human experiences and emotions, and the workings had difficulty distinguishing them from the townspeople. Catching them required a binding most didnt know, and Besis spent a half hour instructing the more advanced students in how to craft the working. They found some of the shadows, but it wasnt nearly all of them.

At the chancellors insistence, most of the people in town, as well as the students of the Academy, gathered in a large courtyard in Tarcai. As the sun set, they lit large fires around the area, and nearly everyone carried a lantern. Night came swiftly and seemed darker than usual. Students of the dominion of shadows, including Lina, crafted b.a.l.l.s of light to keep the darkness at bay, but the lights werent as bright as they should be. It was as if something was draining the life out of them.

Theyre out there, Linala said.

Besis nodded. The darkness seemed to writhe as Jez stared at it. A vague outline looking a little like a man appeared. Jezs fingers danced, weaving the ward hed learned from Besis. A glowing net shot forward, but the darkness swallowed it without any visible effect. Other figures appeared around them. Besis shook his head.

There are too many for that to do any good. You have to separate them.

And how do we do that?