Chapter 27

  RETURNING TO BASE

  Tatiana led them through the twisted alleyways of the city—corridors of shadow and dampness that seemed to reconfigure themselves with every step, as if the city itself wanted to devour them. She moved forward with the shotgun pressed firmly against her chest, her gaze sharp, a hunter even in retreat. Every so often she stopped, listened, sniffed the air, searching for signs of Jazmín.

  When she finally deemed the distance sufficient, she raised her fist and forced them to stop. The silence weighed like lead.

  —I’m exhausted… —she finally said, letting out a raspy laugh—. Today I didn’t see a single butterfly. I knew this wouldn’t be an easy mission.

  Max looked at her as if he had just woken up from a nightmare that refused to end.

  —I need you to explain. Everything. Now.

  Tatiana tilted her head and scratched her hair, exaggeratedly carefree, though the tension was still nailed into her shoulders.

  —Oh, right… how silly of me —she laughed out loud—. Surprise: I’m from the Order of Atlantis. Remember those “algebra camps” I used to go to so often? —she made air quotes—. They weren’t classes. They were sanctuaries. Real training.

  Max blinked, trying to keep his mind from collapsing.

  —I always thought they were scamming you… you never got any better at algebra —he swallowed—. So you always knew about all of this? About Jazmín? About Gabriel and Laura?

  Tatiana stopped smiling. She tugged her hoodie down slightly and revealed a tattoo carved into her skin: an ancient, living rune that seemed to pulse with a dim glow over her left breast.

  —Mental spells don’t work on agents of the Order of Atlantis —she said gravely—. This rune protects me. None of that affects me.

  She adjusted her clothes and sighed.

  —It was shitty not being able to tell you the truth. We all thought you were human. High command decided it was best for me to stay away from Laura and Gabriel… until now.

  Without asking permission, Tatiana pulled Max into a tight hug.

  —I miss Laura’s snarky comments —she murmured—. And Gabriel’s tenderness.

  Suddenly she tensed. She pulled away sharply, turning her head like an animal sensing danger. Her hands were already on the shotgun; the runes on the weapon began to flicker on and off, alert.

  —Silence —she whispered.

  She slid to a corner and peeked out with just one eye.

  There they were.

  A group of Becos, deformed and hunched, with sunken eyes glowing like dead embers. They sniffed the air, tracking, certain their prey was close.

  —They’re hunting us —Tatiana murmured, loading the weapon—. And they’re not leaving empty-handed.

  The hunt wasn’t over yet.

  —Okay, listen up —Tatiana said with a cutting seriousness, almost unnatural for her. Max noticed immediately—. Your magic works, so this is the plan. Max, you’re the shield. Cristina… I need you to do something that won’t be easy: direct psychic strikes on the Becos. Just enough so they can’t fight with all their senses.

  Both nodded. There was no room for doubt.

  Cristina closed her eyes and cleared her mind until it was blank, like a windless lake. She stepped forward and let herself be seen.

  The three creatures reacted instantly.

  They were tall, unnatural women, with skin pale as sick marble, elongated bodies, and deep, sunken eyes—black as bottomless pits. They turned their heads in unison, with stiff movements, like puppets yanked by invisible strings.

  —Perturbatio.

  The psychic wave slammed into them like an invisible hammer. The Becos screamed at the same time, clutching their heads, their shrieks warping the air.

  —Perturbatio… Perturbatio… —Cristina repeated, the spell turning into a desperate prayer.

  Tatiana launched herself into the attack.

  She ran forward and brutally struck one of them in the face with the butt of the shotgun; the skull cracked, but it didn’t fall. Another Beco managed to break free from the mental assault and advanced with killing intent, wielding a whitish, irregular bone sword still stained with dried blood.

  Tatiana reacted as if she had eyes in the back of her head: a backward roll, the blade slicing the air where her neck had been a second earlier.

  —Nice try.

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  She fired.

  The bullet, wrapped in golden runes, tore through the creature’s head. The body dropped to its knees… then collapsed, decapitated, steaming on the damp ground.

  The third Beco let out a sharp, ancient scream, summoning a violent wind that lashed through the alleyway. The gale made it impossible to stay on one’s feet. Cristina lost her concentration.

  The remaining two, furious, attacked.

  One of them locked eyes with Cristina. Pure hatred. Hunger. A macabre smile spread across her face as she hurled her bone sword. The weapon flew as if it had a will of its own, aiming for her throat.

  —Dissolvit! —Max roared.

  The sword disintegrated midair, reduced to dust carried away by the wind.

  Max planted his feet firmly. His breathing deepened. He channeled his magic.

  His eyes ignited with an intense lavender glow, almost supernatural. Shining runes spread across his arms, engraving themselves into his skin like living fire. A violet force field surged up in front of Tatiana, stopping the Becos’ savage blows as if they were crashing into an invisible wall.

  Tatiana snapped her head around, assessing the situation.

  She checked the chamber.

  Two bullets.

  That was it.

  —Max, drop the shield! —she shouted—. Remember how we beat FantasyRevenge!

  That was enough.

  Max understood.

  And the Becos were about to find out why.

  Max deactivated the force field.

  He extended his arms and slammed them downward violently, as if crushing the world between his hands. His eyes exploded into a nearly blinding lavender light, and runes flared across his entire body, searing themselves into his skin like living scars.

  The buildings on both sides of the alley creaked.

  Debris, bricks, and chunks of concrete broke loose and fell like a hail of bullets, raising a thick cloud of dust. The Becos were forced to dodge, moving clumsily between the impacts.

  Tatiana didn’t hesitate.

  She aimed.

  She fired.

  One creature’s head exploded in a dark spray. The body fell lifeless before it hit the ground. Tatiana pulled the trigger one last time… but the final Beco twisted her body midair and dodged the shot with an impossible movement.

  The creature slammed her sword into the ground.

  Black roots burst from the crack like living serpents, wrapping around Tatiana’s legs and arms, immobilizing her. The Beco advanced—not running, floating—at monstrous speed, sword raised, straight for her head.

  When the blade was inches from her neck—

  Max reacted.

  He channeled all his energy into a single point. A compact force field wrapped around his fist and he thrust it forward.

  The impact was brutal.

  The Beco was hurled like a projectile, tearing through rubble and dust, smashing into a wall. Her abdomen was torn open, an unnatural hole punched clean through her torso.

  Even so, gasping, trembling, the creature tried to stand.

  It wasn’t over.

  —Memorias corrumpit… mentem consumit —Cristina pronounced, her voice broken but firm.

  The spell fell like a sentence.

  The Beco screamed, a sharp, tearing shriek. Bloody tears poured from her eyes as her body convulsed uncontrollably. She collapsed to the ground, writhing, until she lay still.

  The roots crumbled into ash.

  Cristina dropped to her knees, exhausted. Max rushed to her side and caught her before she collapsed.

  —She used too much magic —he murmured urgently—. We need to go back now.

  Tatiana watched them, her knuckles clenched tight.

  —You shouldn’t have used offensive magic, Cristina… —she said, the weight heavy in her voice—. I failed to protect you.

  —I’m fine… —Cristina replied, breathing with difficulty—. I just… need air.

  Tatiana activated the communicator hidden in her ear.

  —Alpha Squad, are you nearby?

  The roar of an engine answered first.

  A large black van came to a stop at the end of the alley. Two armed men dismounted with precise movements. Tatiana gave them a quick signal.

  —Move —she ordered—. Before something worse decides to find us.

  And this time, no one argued.

  —Any trouble, Agent Montero? —asked the tall, massive man driving, with a crooked smile and a dangerously relaxed tone. It was Jorge, Tatiana’s brother.

  —Nothing I can’t handle —Tatiana replied without taking her eyes off the alley—. But next time drive faster or you’re going to be out a sister, asshole.

  She waited for Cristina and Max to get in first. Only then did she close the door and slap the roof of the vehicle.

  The engine roared and the van pulled away.

  —Situation? —asked Horacio, the agent seated beside the driver, his voice dry and authoritative.

  —Our suspicions were correct —Tatiana said—. The Lee family belongs to the Salic Order. Their daughter is unstable and carries an enchanted artifact. She didn’t seem very balanced… so I assume she’s been using the scepter for far too long.

  Her fingers tightened around the shotgun as she watched through the window, ready to fire at the slightest shadow.

  —And the mental witch? —Horacio looked at her with open disapproval.

  Tatiana lowered her gaze for just a second.

  —She used offensive magic. That was my mistake. I underestimated some Becos we encountered on the way.

  —It wasn’t her fault —Cristina intervened, exhausted, her voice weak—. I chose to fight.

  Horacio slowly turned his head toward her.

  —Miss, Agent Montero’s mission was to prevent the depletion of the witches under her protection. Had she fulfilled her role properly, you would not have had to empty yourself to cause harm.

  He pointed to a corner with two fingers.

  —Turn there. Lights off. Absolute silence.

  The van slid into the darkness.

  From the refuge, they watched them pass.

  Two Becos levitated a few meters above the ground, no longer bothering to hide. Their pale silhouettes cut through the night like omens. They weren’t seeking discretion. Only prey.

  —They were following us —Jorge growled—. Let me out. I’ll hunt them down.

  —No —Tatiana cut in—. We’re going back to Arbolaria Viate.

  She activated the communicator.

  —This is Alpha Squad. Two tracker Becos in the area. Repeat: two active Becos.

  Horacio nodded sharply. Jorge started the engine and they left the alley without a sound.

  The rest of the trip was wrapped in heavy silence.

  Cristina slept, spent from magical exhaustion. Tatiana watched her reflection in the glass, jaw clenched, bearing the weight of failure. Max stared at his hands, still trembling, trying to understand when the world had become this.

  The vehicle entered another alley and stopped.

  Ancient runes lit up beneath the wheels. The ground descended slowly, like an elevator made of living stone. When it stopped, the engine roared again and they drove through a rock tunnel lit by bioluminescent fungi in impossible colors.

  Until they emerged.

  Arbolaria Viate.

  The hidden town breathed ancient magic.

  As they got out, Melody hurried to help Cristina. Laura ran straight to Max and wrapped him in a desperate embrace; she had already heard that Jazmín had not been saved.

  When Laura pulled away, she saw her.

  Tatiana was stepping out of the vehicle.

  Laura froze.

  —Laura… —Tatiana approached her with an almost painful shyness, so unlike her.

  —Do you remember me…? —Laura asked, her voice breaking.

  She didn’t wait for an answer.

  She hugged her.

  Tears spilled freely.

  —There’s so much we need to talk about —Tatiana whispered, holding her tight.

  And for the first time since it all began, no one felt like the night had the final word.