Chapter Twenty-Three.

"I'm glad Cam's gone for a couple of days," Eden stretched as he stood, his chair sliding back a few inches.

"Same," Jenna tapped a piece of paper. "Are you going here first?"

"Yeah," Eden answered. "Based on the information we received, there's no spatial blocks there and no one particularly strong, so I should be just fine on my own. Hopefully by the time Cam returns from his trip, we'll have Greyson back, safe and sound."

"Hopefully," Jenna shifted the sheet to the side and examined the map. "This building looks pretty complicated, are you sure you can take it alone?"

"We don't want to destroy it," Eden nodded. "And that's pretty much what you two will do if you come with me. I'm a lot more flexible on my own, too. I've fought against traffickers and fae for the last few years and am used to fighting like this. I'll probably strike at them in a little bit, since it's after hours for them."

"Now on to some more serious business," Eden said. "Jenna, how long are you going to leave Cam wondering if you like him or not?"

Jenna sighed at Eden's question. It was something her brother had been pestering her about as well.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to consider dating a telepath?" She asked Eden. "Cam's cool and all, but I can't stomach the idea of dating someone who can read my mind. Can you imagine wanting to date someone who might be in your head at any given moment?"

"Yes," Eden answered. "I can, actually. You forget, Jenna – I live with Cam. And he usually keeps it pulled in close when in the house."

"And how close is that?" Jenna asked. "Because if we're snuggling-"

"Afraid he'll hear your dirty thoughts?" Tyler teased, causing Jenna to blush.

"Cam has to actively want to be in your head," Eden told her. "It's only his empathy and the voices that are always active, and I think he's figured out how to shut off the former."

"It still bothers me," Jenna told him as his cell phone start ringing. "Learning mind magic isn't easy for anyone but a mind mage. I'm still amazed you managed to learn it as easily as you did. And even then, he'd probably still figure out how to get past any barrier I put up without me knowing."

"I think you're just being paranoid," Eden pulled his cell out and answered it. "Hey, Nick."

He listened for few seconds, then nodded.

"Sure thing, bud. Be there in a minute," he hung up the phone and looked at the twins. "My brother needs me, I'll visit him, then head to the office. You two make sure to get your job done as well."

"Got it," Jenna said.

Eden teleported to his brother, who was sitting on his bed, fiddling with his fingers and avoiding looking at Eden. Nick was a younger version of Eden who loved anime. At thirteen, he was almost as much of a prodigy with magic as his brother was, and he had only awakened his magic, rooted in fire, a few months prior.

"What's up?" He asked.

"That, um," Nick told him. "That blacksmith you had me learning under? Yeah, he, uh, doesn't like me anymore."

"Why not?" Eden asked. "You said lessons were going well with him."

"They were," Nick told Eden. "But I, um, ruined something he was working on. It was an accident, I swear! My fire was a lot hotter than I realized! They were the same as they'd always been! He'd never told me they were extra-hot before! And it's not like they were blue or white…"

Nick looked depressed and ready to cry. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"It'll be okay," Eden told him. "I've got some stuff to do, but I'll talk with him about the incident. That seems like an overreaction on his part if it was just an accident, I'll ask him if he'd ever mentioned to you how hot your flames were."

"Thanks," Nick said. "What are you doing?"

"Just some fun stuff," Eden squeezed Nick's shoulder, then walked over to his brother's desk and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, jotting down an address and a phone number. "This is a warehouse that does underground mage battles. The number belongs to the owner of the warehouse, tell him that you're my brother and you have Demon Fire."

"Demon Fire?" Nick looked scared.

"I noticed it a few weeks ago," Eden nodded. "It's why your flames are hotter without being a different color. It's not as sinister as the name sounds, don't be scared, Nick. It just means they're hotter than normal flames of their kind. Adam might know someone who can teach you."

Or be willing to teach you, himself, Eden thought, but didn't say.

Adam was willing to continue teaching him and Cam, but he wasn't sure how the ancient mage would feel about taking on another, more normal student. But the Demon Flames might override the usual distance Adam placed between himself and others.

"Thanks," Nick said.

"I've got to go," Eden told him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Nick gave him a confused look.

"Yep," Eden grinned. "Regardless of what Adam says, I'm taking you to the warehouse tomorrow night to watch some mage battles."

"Will I get to see you fight?" Nick asked.

"No," Eden shook his head. "I only fight on Tuesdays, and if Cam's there, Fridays."

"Why?" Nick asked.

"Because," Eden grinned. "Your big brother's powerful enough that most best are on him. Only Cam's bested me in the arena so far."

"Whoa," Nick said in awe, then grinned. "I want to see you prove that boast!"

Eden laughed, then ruffled his brother's hair.

"I've got to get going," Eden told him. "I'm looking for a friend and am in a bit of a hurry. I'll talk with the smith later to smooth things over, though he might still not want you back if you have Demon Fire."

"Alright," Nick gave his brother a hug. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome!" Eden pushed his brother off. "See you tomorrow, Nick."

Eden teleported away without bothering to wait for the response that surely would have come immediately. He found himself standing on a seven-story building, looking at a ten-story building of glass and steel. The windows were tinted against sunlight, but also against outside observation. Despite how dark it was outside, night having already fallen, Eden was unable to see into the building.

That didn't bother him, though. They'd done some 'research' that day and already knew the general power of everyone in the building, who would be there, and where what he wanted would be. His goal wasn't to kill this time, and he'd only do that if someone got in his way.

No, this time, he was there to access a computer.

Eden checked his watch, then sat down and waited. Based on the information they'd acquired, he still had seven minutes and eighteen seconds. That gave him a few minutes to try something.

Keeping his hand under the short wall surrounding the top of the building he was on, Eden focused on his hand. It was something he'd been attempting ever since his brother had awakened fire magics.

As his magical roots were in the school of space magic, learning any other school of magic was extremely tough. He had managed to learn silkspeech after a couple of years, and he'd never admit to Cam how much he had practiced to obtain that. It was something he felt he needed, to keep himself safe.

And to keep nosy cops from bothering him too much.

However, once Eden acquired a regular, linked school of magic, learning the other linked ones would be easier, even if marginally due to his roots being in the school of space magic.

Several minutes passed as Eden failed to generate a flame above his palm, and he sighed, then looked at the other building. It was almost time, so he crouched, checking his watch and counting down as his gaze turned to the front doors.

Six people – three men and three women – exited right as his countdown reached zero. He began counting down again, turning his gaze to the alley on the side of the building. When he reached zero, two women left.

Eden nodded, everything was on-schedule. The company had shown up around a year and a half prior, and his informant assured him that their schedule was the exact same every day of the week. The Friday schedule was in effect, and it was Friday.

He checked his watch again, waiting until it was time, then he focused on the windows on the fourth floor, concentrating hard. He could make out the outlines of a few things through the windows as his gaze skimmed over them.

The ones he could see through were, no doubt, the rooms with lights on. Focusing on one in particular, Eden took in every outline he could make out, before visualizing the room. He should have done that sooner, but the risk of being seen at that time was too great.

Pulling from memory the paint swatch he had been shown and the carpet sample he was given, Eden teleported himself into the mentally-constructed room, the first time he had ever felt his power work for a space he had yet to be in or have actually seen with his own eyes.

Closing his eyes and praying to the gods that he succeeded, Eden opened his eyes. He was in an office, with a desk, two bookshelves, four filing cabinets, two potted plants, and the same wall color and carpeting he had been told were used in the offices of the building.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Eden opened the office door a crack and peeked out. There was no one around, so he quickly made his way down, checking the offices for one without the light on. It didn't matter which computer he was at, as long as it was connected to the building's private network.

The fourth one down led him to success, and Eden slipped inside, leaving the light off. He sat at the desk, glancing at the windows. According to his informant, they'd been replaced when this company moved in, though no reason was given, nor the manufacturer. The informant wasn't sure who that was. It was a strange thing, but there was no use wondering about it. He had a mission to do.

Booting up the computer, Eden searched around using his phone until he found what he was looking for: a slip of paper with a password. It was stuck to the bottom of the desk. Using the password, Eden found himself logged into the computer and got to work hacking his way through their network.

Just as he found the information he was looking for, a tingle went down Eden's spine. It was a familiar tingle.

One that told him spatial magic was rendered inert. Frowning, he attempted to teleport back to the roof of the other building as he grabbed his phone and sent a message.

His surroundings failed to change. His apartment. Nothing. Soldier. Nothing.

Nick.

Nothing.

Shooting to his feet, the chair sliding back, Eden quickly went to the door and opened it a crack, only to find himself looking at three dozen men in black mage armor.

Shit! He thought to himself. What's going on? My intel said there were fewer people here and no spatial blocks!

As he looked around, he realized that the guards were convening on the office he was in. How did they know which one he was in?

Looking around, Eden quietly closed the door, then walked over to the desk, grabbing the chair and throwing it at the window. It bounced off, and he cussed.

Reinforced windows. He tried again and heard laughing outside the office as the chair bounced again.

The office door opened, and Eden swiftly drew both of his guns and shot at the man entering, only to find his bullets bouncing off a quickly-erected barrier in front of the man in a suit who had entered, a platinum slave collar in his hands.

"Hello, Eden," the man smiled. "You've been causing a lot of problems for us these last few years. It's time that came to an end."

Eden continued to shoot as he tried to teleport out. If these men were traffickers, he wouldn't be able to use silkspeech on them – they'd not want to do anything he'd say. Maybe.

"And don't think about using silkspeech, either," the man told Eden, whose eyes widened. "Yes, we know what you can do. You're a slippery little brat. I'm wearing earplugs that prevent the sound of your voice from reaching me. All of my men are. And we're quite happy that you finally fell into our trap."

Eden dropped a gun and reached into his back pocket. It was a last-resort item, but he pulled out a black crystal etched with red and purple lines.

Something he'd purchased after Cam was kidnapped by the Fairy Empress, just in case. A suicide crystal. It would blow up everything around it once a small bit of magic was pushed into it. It didn't matter what kind of magic, either.

And the spell formation within it would trigger and bypass nearly all magical defenses. Only a natural force mage specializing in barriers with the blood of a god in them or something just as strong as someone like that would be able to stop its power.

Better to die than to be a tree – or to have a platinum collar. Those were impossible to release, and he doubted even the universal key could free him – it was only golden, after all. At least he'd gotten the information out and would be taking out a number of their agents as well.

"Sorry, Cam," Eden muttered. "Looks like I failed to make it out of this one. Take care of Soldier for me."

Eden smiled, looking at the man.

"Sucks to be you," Eden held up the crystal, watching as the eyes of the guards who had entered, aiming their guns at him, widened. "I've already given the information I came here for to the necessary parties. I'm not needed anymore."

He pushed magic into the crystal.