Free Sinister Seraphim of Mine (Overworld Chronicles Book 8) by John Corwin

said.
    Even in the moonlight, I could see Jeremiah's face darken.
    I knew now was not the time to deal with my anger toward this man, but as usual, the smartass in me wasn't good at holding his tongue. Forgetting the bad blood between us was harder than I wanted to admit.
    We reached a thick metal grate. Despite the rust, it still looked as solid as the granite wall. Focusing my will, I aimed a finger and channeled a needle of Brilliance at the grate, slicing it open. Nightliss channeled Murk and caught the chunk of grating before it fell and clanged on the stone waterway surface.
    Elyssa stepped through first, Jeremiah following close behind, waving his staff around in search of wards. The tunnel through the rock was flat on the bottom and curved near the top. It looked as though it had been chiseled with common tools. Only a small stream of water indicated it was seeing any kind of use. We made our way along it for a few hundred yards before arriving at large round chamber with a tank in the center. Rusty metal pipes large enough to accommodate mustachioed Italian plumbers terminated just above the tank. Green and brown stains on the wall gave ample evidence of the delights they'd once carried to this holding room. Water dripped from moss on the ceiling. The sound echoed, giving an eerie quality to the environment.
    Elyssa tested the oxidized rungs of a steel ladder with a foot before climbing to a grated metal platform above. I followed her and stood on the platform. Despite squeaking every time I took a step, it felt solid enough. We stepped through an open doorway and into a room filled with more metal pipes and gauges. The next door led to a long, dusty corridor lined with prison cells. We paused, listening for signs of life, but heard no sound of footsteps.
    "Where are the guards?" Elyssa's eyes narrowed as if trying to see something that wasn't there.
    Jeremiah didn't look surprised. "The battle mages are powerful, but also arrogant. They probably see little value in patrolling unused portions of the prison and believe they can handle any surprises that come their way."
    Elyssa wrinkled her nose. "This kind of lax security is inexcusable."
    "I'm not complaining," I chimed in.
    "The perimeter is well-guarded." Jeremiah flicked his wand back and forth as if measuring for radiation with a Geiger counter. "Daelissa will assume no one can break through the outer defenses."
    "She must not know about this sewer entrance," Elyssa said.
    Jeremiah continued to wave his wand about. "I made certain it was left undiscovered." He grunted and put away his wand. "I sense no hidden wards. Let us proceed."
    "This way?" Elyssa pointed down the corridor.
    He nodded. "The aether pods are ahead."
    We continued onward, the Nightingale armor silencing our approach. A thrum grew audible in the distance, becoming louder as we approached a set of wide double doors at the end of the hall. Light flickered beneath the doors and through the filthy windows, casting strange shadows in the gloom.
    When we reached the doors, Jeremiah manipulated the lock on the right until it clicked open. We entered what looked like some kind of observation room where a guard might watch inmates through a one-way window. The room on the other side had probably once been a cafeteria, judging from the size. Now it resembled something out of a mad scientist's wet dream.
    At least a dozen devices lined the floor, each comprised of two spinning circles of silver that seemed to levitate above the ground. One silver band spun horizontally around a slightly smaller partner with a vertical spin. To either side of the hoops, massive Tesla coils hissed and crackled with aether. Brilliant light flashed at the center of each device. I could barely make out the shadow of something inside each aether inferno, but already knew they were cherubs.
    Judging from the number of devices present, Daelissa would have her Seraphim army up and running in no time.
     

Chapter 7
     
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