Read Collision: The Alliance Series Book Three for Free Online Page B

alone now. Our patrol moved closer together as we veered away from the path to the main Passage–the sounds of a commotion echoed from that direction, but Carl shook his head.
    “We need to make sure nothing’s happening around the second level.”
    My heart dropped. The second level was reached via hidden staircases, but only elite guards were allowed to patrol up there. I’d not worked at Central long at all, but I guessed the circumstances called for it, seeing as there were so few magic-wielders. I’d known magic was a rarity, but when I’d seen the small group of us gathered in one room, it really hit me. There must be magic-wielders at other Alliance branches . Surely.
    And Carl didn’t know–no one at Central knew, except Kay and perhaps Ms Weston–that I could feel magic levels when they rose in intensity, and if I fired the stunner, I might well lose control of it.
    The tunnel-like staircase ended, and the second floor’s blue-lit corridor appeared deserted. The Passages blocked all natural sunlight anyway, but this level felt like all warmth had been leached from the air. I’d been here too many times to count, to meet with Delta and help refugees sneak through to the hidden Passage on the first level behind another concealed stair. But I’d never sensed magic this strong around here before.
    A noise ahead. I tensed, and Carl held a hand out, indicating we slow down and keep quiet. Our padded shoes made no sound on the polished floor, and as we crept around a corner, a blurred reflection passed by in the wall, too quick to make out what it was.
    I pulled out my dagger, heart beating faster. The stunner vibrated in my pocket. Crap. I didn’t dare use it, not with the magic level this unpredictable.
    The shape passed by again. At first, I expected the shadow of a chalder vox or another Cethraxian creature. But they didn’t normally venture near the upper level.
    Smoke gathered in front of us, bringing the group to a halt. Shadowy reddish smoke formed the outline of a lion-sized beast. Pure magic, I thought, with a shiver. Then: oh, shit. Regular weapons didn’t work on these creatures. Like the gigantic kimaros from Aglaia. But to beat that, I’d needed stable magic. And there wasn’t any here.
    Heart in my throat, I pulled the stunner. Sparks immediately shot from the end, and I winced.
    Carl struck at the creature with his stunner. An electric jolt split the smoke and the creature yelped. A creeping feeling curled around my spine, and I turned in time to dodge a second pair of insubstantial fangs as they snapped inches from my head.
    I aimed the stunner at the beast and fired, a jet of red-purple lightning sparking off the walls. The creature screamed, but a louder noise overlaid it: a tremendous roar from ahead.
    “Watch out!” Carl yelled.
    I spun around in time to see an even bigger monstrosity rise from the smoke–red and long-limbed and snarling.
    Where did it come from? Stupid how that was my first thought, but panic made me freeze up for a moment. It lashed out in a sea of sparks, and several guards fell, lightning encasing them. Carl swore, backing up, and other two monsters appeared alongside it– where the hell did they come from?
    “My stunner’s out!” Carl yelled. “I’m calling for backup–if you run out of shots, just run!”
    I had five shots left. Ignoring my pounding heart and shaking limbs, I ran at the nearest creature, which advanced on the fallen guards, and shot it with the stunner. A blast of magic far stronger than the stunner should have hit the creature in the face, sending ripples of magic pulsing outwards–only by pure luck did it miss the guards on the ground. Damn. If it hadn’t been for the adamantine in my blood, the backlash would have probably knocked me out. I wasn’t in control.
    “Guys, stay back!” I yelled at two other guards who’d come to stand alongside me. “It’s not stable.”
    I’m not stable.
    But I had no choice. I struck with the