Mazikeen was a gracious host. After showing us rooms where we could set down our wounded, she showed us around her ostentatious mansion. There were three wings, ten bathrooms, three kitchens, a massive network of hidden passageways, and an entire dungeon complex below ground that was larger than most houses in Los Angeles.
Unsurprisingly, it was Gina who woke up first. I heard her grab her brother in a show of—what I assumed to be rare—affection, hugging him. He returned the favor.
"Sebastian?"
"Dead," George snorted proudly. "Even saved your boyfriend while I was at—"
"Okay, that's enough of that," I muttered underneath my breath as we came to the open backyard where there was a massive stone arena with tons of medieval and exotic-looking weapons hanging off of racks. Swords, rapiers, zweihanders, spears, polearms from different centuries, whips, and so much more.
As we approached the arena, I saw a line of magical energy shimmering around it and concentrated on specific parts. For a moment, it was like I was standing inches from a raging inferno. The feeling vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. I stopped in my tracks as did Constantine while Mazikeen ushered Raven into the arena.
"This is where I'll be training you when you say yes."
"If," Raven emphasized, and the demon laughed.
"Nobody says no to me." Mazikeen slowly circled her. "I'll be teaching you how to defend yourself, beat your enemies, and get out of every situation with your magic and your body. Your half-demon, it's time you took full advantage of your natural...gifts." She ran a finger over Raven's shoulder with those final words.
While I caught every last sickly sweet word Mazikeen slipped into Raven's ear, I found myself more occupied by the layer of illusion magic. I was tempted to stop my heart again just to pierce the veil, but I felt like that was overkill in this instance. I just needed to take a closer look.
More of my new stat, Willpower, poured into it, the resource draining rapidly.
Psi Clarity has reached Lv 2.
The world held its breath, and reality shattered around me. I saw all of it—massive interconnected spells stretching from the sparring arena, the house, the fence, and even the plant life within and around the property. I saw multi-colored runes carved into every surface, and they contained multitudes. They were far more multidimensional and powerful than Sebastian's spells ever were.
And it felt like I was learning so much...almost too much. I blinked, and the pressure lessened.
Seventh Sense has reached level 10
Subskill: Eye of Insight—See, pierce through, and interact with all esoteric energy with a greater level of control and precision.
I let out a rough breath, and my knees felt weak for a moment.
"So, you finally see it, huh?" Constantine asked me. He took my silence as an affirmative.
"Remember my first time, too," he mused. "I was fourteen and reverse-engineered my first sight spell. Put me in the hospital, but it was totally worth it.
"Can all magicians see this?" I gestured at the air.
"Nah," he said. "Like your techniques, a lot of magic comes down to the individual and talent. The better the practitioner, the better the results." Constantine was smoking another cigarette now. "You see the Enochian runes?"
"That's what they're called." I spun around to look at him.
"Yup," he said, "Some old-timey angels and a few sorcerers came together and made the stuff. It's absurdly powerful but far from efficient, but it obviously has its uses. Like if you want to hide a Gothic mansion in the middle of fucking Beverly Hills."
"Don't pout, Constantine," Mazikeen said. "It's not my fault you're not friends with a fallen angel."
My breath caught in my throat. Mazikeen looked entirely different under my new eyes. I saw the layer of demon magic she wore to hide her real features. It burned through any lingering attraction I once held. Her eyes were red and piercing. Her skin was cracked and desiccated. Two large horns twisted from her temple, and a long tail swished behind her.
Constantine fucked that...
I almost gagged, but then I saw Raven. Her skin was white as snow, and she had three sets of eyes instead of one. Her irises were white and the sclera black.
Raven sank into herself, as if I'd somehow invaded her privacy, and I felt the barest wisp of Mazikeen's demonic energy. It was tremendous. For a second there, I was afraid she was actually going to attack me.
"Nobody ever told you it was rude to peek under a lady's dress."
"I'm sorry…" I said slowly as my gaze dropped low. "I didn't realize."
I could no longer see through their magical disguises, but my new perception clung to them and every magical and mundane thing, piercing through them. Even without energy sense, I had a precise sense of where everything and everyone was in relation to me. I'd even gotten better at picking up minute things, like how Constantine didn't have breathing difficulties or any of the other telltale signs of smoking and how Raven's heart was skipping a touch faster. Or how the runes functioned as a hard cut-off for my senses. I suspected that they could stretch much, much farther.
"I was about to teach you about Mage Sight etiquette next. Not everybody appreciates the extra attention." He slapped me on the shoulder. "But no harm, no foul. Eh? Maze. Least he knows now not to try it on the Devil."
She waved. "He wouldn't mind. Actually, he might enjoy it. He delights in scaring human magicians, not that your insight spell would be powerful enough to pierce his magic."
I shut my eyes and faced Mazikeen, a touch confused. "Why would I have to worry about that? I don't plan on ever meeting the devil." Not if I can help it.
She sensed her tilt her head slightly. "You didn't tell him?"
"I figured he had enough distractions. "The British magician shrugged.
"Tell me what?" I demanded.
"The devil wants a meeting with you when he hands over the artifact that can trap Artisan's soul," Constantine said.
"He's been following your progress. " I could almost hear Maze smirk. "He's looking forward to meeting you."
"What the fuck!" I yelled at Constantine for what felt like the twentieth time that day. There was always something with this asshole.
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