Shattered Pentacle

Lyra approached Akiko slowly, half a dozen spells rising to her mind. Why would Aiko invite Tempest out of her cell, where she wasn’t contained by the wards? This woman already tried to kill her more than once—she’d been willing to sacrifice Bonnie’s life to her invisible masters—and as many mages as she could kill in the process.

“Do the Guardians know she’s here?” Reagan asked, voice low and nervous. “We weren’t just keeping her in the Sanctum for our sake.”

“They never knew my face,” Tempest answered, spinning on them as they approached. She folded her arms across her chest, glowering at them. “Unless you go volunteering information about me, the secret is safe. I was under the impression that you cared about what I could provide you.”

Bonnie drew her weapon as she approached, a handgun so large it would probably tear Lyra’s fingers off if she tried to fire it. She held it ready, though not pointed directly at Tempest. At least she had that much sense. No need to antagonize a dangerous enemy if they didn’t have to. “This is an extremely bad idea. I’ve seen the powers she has. If you took her out of the cell...”

“Everyone, relax.” Akiko spread both arms, pushing past Tempest. Right past her, close enough that the hostile mage could’ve attacked her, got her hands around her neck, taken her hostage—something!

She did none of that. Tempest didn’t react at all, certainly didn’t attack.

“She can’t cast spells while she’s wearing the collar. She’s no more dangerous to us here than she would be in the Sanctum.”

Lyra and the others moved to surround her. None moved as close as Akiko, or as willing to accept Tempest’s vulnerability. Even without looking, Lyra felt their magic beginning, each one readying a spell if they needed it.

“In fact, it is far safer to bring me here. If abandoning old allegiances means an eternity in a cell, perhaps I would rather do as much damage as possible before I go. Put my talents to use, and you’ll find I am a valuable ally. Akiko was wise to bring me here. I know more of this ruin than anyone alive—save her, perhaps.”

“Yet you’re still outside, and the door is still shut,” Starlight muttered.

“At least there’s not a burning crater,” Reagan said. “And everyone’s still alive. Could be worse.”

Akiko stalked away from Tempest, past the circle of tense mages. She approached the door, resting one hand against it. “We charged the key. We excavated the entrance. But Tempest’s spell didn’t get it open. Nothing I’ve tried worked much better.”

“Because she’s lying to you,” Starlight said. “Waiting for a chance to get that collar off. That’s all this is about.”

“No,” Tempest said, raising her voice. “I told her how the door worked, but she did not want to hear me. She insisted there must be a spell to force the door. I gave her the strongest door-opening spell known to my old order. Yet we are still outside, because I was right all along. There is no spell to open the door.”

“She’s right,” said a little voice. Everyone turned to look. Lyra didn’t know if anyone else could understand him—but she could. “The Emperor’s Diadem will activate the template. The door is unlocked, but it must still be opened. Force alone will not do it. The refugees did not wish their secrets to fall into the hands of unworthy barbarians.”

There was a brief, tense silence—broken only by Tempest after a few seconds. She laughed, so loudly that her voice echoed through the ruin. “And you told them nothing?” she said. “You watched them struggle and strain for weeks and kept your silence? A cruel ally you are, Cleon the Clever.”

The cat only turned his back on her, tail raised high as he stalked away into the ruin again.

“What did you mean?” Lyra called, taking a few stumbling steps. “You know how to open it?”

The cat didn’t stop walking. Lyra could chase him, but she wouldn’t get far on two legs.

“If you want to go inside, listen to her. But you won't like what it costs.” Soon he was gone, vanished into the shadowy tunnels all around them.

“You trust him?” Reagan asked, staring off after her retreating familiar.

She nodded. That must mean they all understood—it wasn't some secret gift of language known only to the Seers. “He's saved my life more times than I can count at this point. Taught me things no one else knows. He's trustworthy.”

It was Bonnie who reacted first, the gun falling slack in her grip. She took a step back, as though Lyra had just struck her with something.

There was no time to ask why.

“We can't keep this up,” Reagan continued. “This expedition isn't cheap, or safe. Every day we keep this open is another day for the Seers or someone else to realize what we're doing and try to stop it. If we're going to get in, we should do it now. Not next month, not winter. Now.” She shoved her magical tool back into her belt, a dark metal rod covered in tiny silver writing. “Tempest, what's this other way in? How do you think we should open the door?”

“It is as the ancient whispered. What kind of ally is it that does not speak the truth to you? Does he only share his truths when another would reveal them regardless? No friend must be compelled.”

“Not what I asked,” Reagan said. “Forget Lyra's familiar. Just tell us how you think we should get the door open.”

“Blood,” Akiko said, before she could speak. “A very particular kind, one that only the oldest and most potent of the Embraced can offer.”

“Vampires.” Bonnie swore under her breath, shoving the handgun back into its holster. “You let the lunatic out of her cell for five minutes, and she sends you to fight vampires. Great.”

Lyra nodded, feeling her stomach twist in her chest. Her fingers went instantly numb, eyes distant.

Tempest turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. “You let your servants speak in your presence? Strange choice.”

Lyra squeezed one hand into a fist. She took a deep breath, calming her mind before she cast anything without meaning. “She's not our servant.You're really making me regret not killing you.”

Tempest continued as though she hadn't heard her. “It would be very unwise to fight vampires as powerful as these. Their powers are strange, poorly known even among my old kin. Even if they don't rip your head from your shoulders, and you somehow manage to bring one down—their society is complex, and deeply intertwined. Every death sends a ripple through the structure of power, compelling some to service while freeing others.

“In short, remove violence from your list of options. Even success would have consequences, which might make a dozen enemies among beings you don't even understand. The Kindred can be quite amenable to trade, if you know who to ask. And by lucky coincidence, I do.”

“No way,” Starlight said. She closed the distance on Tempest. Despite her smaller size, she got close, much closer than Lyra would've dared. Up against Tempest, she looked like an angry teenager, one who could easily be snapped in half. Without the magical restraints, Tempest very well might. “We aren't going to some old friends of yours. Ready for them to cut you free in exchange for our blood.”

“Never trust a vampire,” Bonnie agreed. “We're not people to them. Turn your back for a second, and you're dead. Anything they say is just a tool to get you to lower your gun for an instant.”

Tempest shrugged. “You don't have to open the ruin. Maybe what the ancients left inside is not that important. I suppose it must not be that interesting, since they lost. I don't see your Oracles ruling from thrones.”

“How can you still talk like that?” Akiko asked, voice suddenly weak. “They threw you away. Your Storm King's lost. You know he lied to you.”

Tempest nodded her agreement. “He lost this time. And He...” She hesitated, voice shaking. “He... lied. Used me. He would kill me if he could. But in the days of ancient Atlantis, his side were still the victors, not yours. An evil, deceitful god is still a god.”

“For now,” Lyra said. “In every tyrant’s heart there springs this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.”

Tempest chuckled, a little louder this time. “More wisdom from the ancient? Who am I to say he might be wrong?” From the sound of her voice, Tempest very clearly did think he was wrong. “Regardless, I have no intention of escaping. The Camarilla would only return me to my old masters. But if you go—there are a few who could provide what you need. Some can be civilized, if you're prepared to bargain.”

“We won't trade people,” Akiko said. “Humans or mages, it doesn't matter. We're better than that.”

Tempest shrugged. “What makes you think they need our help getting blood? No Kindred with such base needs could be of use to us anyway. We require a more rarefied breed. I still have a few friends—would you like to call them? I could set up a meeting.”

“This is stupid,” Bonnie said, turning her back on Tempest. “Lyra, back me up. Nothing is worth the risk of trusting vampires.”

Lyra started to obey by reflex, then hesitated. Lyra had touched the Diadem, she’d seen the power of those who made it. What if the ruin beyond contained some key to awakening the rest of humanity?

“It would be foolish to send a human to them, even a sleepwalker. They can smell the difference between us, smell the weakness. One should never show one’s back to a predator, even when you meet in friendship.”

Her friends shared another nervous look. Akiko took a step towards the door, kicking at the stone ground. “I should stay here, see if I can find another way through. There may be… other alternatives to explore.”

“I’ll go,” Starlight said. “I’ve already dealt with changelings, how much more dangerous can vampires be?”

Lyra strangled a laugh, turning it into an awkward cough. “Last time I visited Spring, they served tea. Last time I talked to a vampire, a dozen people died.”

She didn’t remember exactly how many—and most of them were ghouls. But Lyra had been one too, at the time.

“Perfect, sounds like you’re the expert,” Reagan said. “Not you, Starlight. We want people who have dealt with them before. And who don’t have any other connections they can exploit. We’ll go. Without you, Tempest. So don’t get any ideas.”

The collared mage shrugged one shoulder, mocking indifference. “You will have a harder time in my absence. But if you insist, I could still facilitate.”

It was just details after that.

Lyra spent the rest of the night helping Tabitha with her ghost, crawling through narrow tunnels and ruined buildings. It wasn’t like they had anything else to do.

She knew she was in trouble when they got back to the van for the ride home, and Bonnie didn’t have a single joke to make at her expense.

Her girlfriend sat in furious silence, arms folded and hood up over her face.

“No telling when they’ll be ready for us,” Reagan said, when they finally pulled into the dirt lot of the Sanctum. “But I’d guess it will be at night. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”

Lyra nodded. “Have you fought them before, Reagan? You know what they can be like?”

She nodded, expression going distant. “Unfortunately, yes. There were three I...” She clicked her seatbelt, then opened the door. “Not something I hoped to repeat. I don’t know if your magic will do us much good—but mine should. If they plan on murdering us, I’ll make sure we know.”

Bonnie said nothing, not until they were back in their suite, and the door firmly shut behind them. She glared down towards the floor, where Capper would usually be following, but the cat was nowhere to be seen.

“I can’t believe this, Lyre. You of all people... you should know better.”

Lyra looked away from her in shame. All she had to do was say no, that she wasn’t going to be part of this. But the one thing she wouldn’t do was lie.

“It might go nowhere. But if they have something we can use to open that ruin—it’s worth playing nice for a few minutes, Bonnie. You have no idea what might be in there. The Atlanteans built that place, and filled it with... who knows? Weapons we could use, Bonnie. Weapons the bloodsuckers couldn’t even imagine.” She reached for her girlfriend, arms outstretched.

Bonnie backed away from her grip. “It’s the cat, that... familiar. No one wanted anything to do with such a stupid plan until he encouraged you. Are you sure they aren’t working together?”

“Of course they aren’t!” she said. Or yelled, without really meaning to. “They hate each other! Tempest tried to kill him last spring!” Technically she had killed him.

“But do you know who he is? Really know? This thing you sneak out with all the time, running naked through the city—”

“Cats are always naked,” she said, annoyed. “Don’t have to say it like that.”

“Whatever.” Bonne lifted something off the desk, then slipped past Lyra to the door. “I’m not tired anyway. You get some rest. Don’t let them eat you.”