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“I get by,” he replied with a smile, motioning for her to take a seat at the dining table, which was set for two with what appeared to be hand-thrown, artisan dinnerware and hand-forged utensils. There was nothing delicate or fragile about his things, but there was an underlying beauty that called to her. “Wine?”
She nodded, and he poured them each a glass of deep red wine before sitting across from her. The atmosphere was casual but charged with a tension that neither of them seemed eager to acknowledge—yet.
“So,” she began, swirling her wine. “What’s this about?”
Riker took a sip, his gaze settling on her in that intense way he had. “I’ve been digging deeper into Simon Daltry’s background. It’s not just political ties and shady connections. He’s been linked to a lot of racial and religious undertones of anti-magic extremist groups—groups that want to see the world homogenized in their likeness. They believe if there is anything magical or different, it needs to be wiped out.”
Catalina’s brows furrowed. “I’ve heard whispers about those groups. They operate under the radar, but I didn’t realize Daltry was involved.”
Riker nodded grimly. “They’re more organized than I thought. I took a trip down to the Undercity.”
At that, Catalina’s eyes widened. The Undercity was a place most people—magical or otherwise—avoided unless they had no choice. It was where the outcasts of the supernatural world lived, the ones who didn’t fit in anywhere else.
“I saw things down there,” Riker continued, shaking his head, his voice rough with emotion. “Magical beings living in squalor, discriminated against, cast aside. People, fae, half-bloods—left with nothing because they didn’t fit into the neat little boxes of society—magical, human, or otherwise—had set up for them. It opened my eyes to a lot of things.”
Catalina’s chest tightened. She’d heard about the conditions in the Undercity but had never ventured there herself. It was a reality most fae chose to ignore, too caught up in their own power dynamics to care. She reached across the table and squeezed his hand.
“And it’s connected to the murder?” she asked.
“Yes. I found out Daltry’s extremist group had been targeting the Undercity for years. They were trying to force the city’s magical population underground, literally. The death of that politician might have been retaliation, or it could be part of something bigger.”
Catalina leaned forward, her mind racing as she processed the implications. “I’ve been following a lead on my end. Glitch Martinez—he’s a tech wizard who straddles the line between magic and technology. He helped me uncover something. There’s a group, high up in the government and corporate sectors, working on something called Crescent Nexus.”
Riker frowned. “I’ve heard of that. It’s a new high-tech development tower. Supposed to be some kind of futuristic hub combining magic and technology. They’ve been quiet about the specifics, though.”
Catalina nodded. “Exactly. But Glitch found evidence that they’re using Crescent Nexus as a front. They’re experimenting with dark magic—trying to break down the barriers between realms. If they succeed, it could be catastrophic.”
The pieces started falling into place in Riker’s mind. “So, Daltry’s murder, the extremist groups, the dark magic—it’s all connected to this Crescent Nexus project.”
“Yes,” Catalina said, her eyes meeting his. “And from what Glitch uncovered, it’s worse than we thought. They’re using cutting-edge technology to fuse with dark magic. If they break the barriers, they could unleash chaos—demons, monsters, the kind of stuff that only lives in nightmares.”
Riker set his glass down, the weight of the revelation heavy between them. “We need to get inside Crescent Nexus.”
Catalina raised an eyebrow. “That place is a fortress. That was my first thought, as well. So, Glitch did a little poking around: state-of-the-art security, magical wards, and probably a lot of very bad people guarding it.”
Riker smirked. “Good thing I know a thing or two about sneaking into high-security places.”
A wry smile tugged at Catalina’s lips. “I suppose we’re doing this together, then.”
The Crescent Nexus Tower loomed before them like a futuristic monolith, its glass façade shimmering in the night. The building was a marvel of modern engineering,a blend of sleek technology and hidden magic. As Riker and Catalina stood across the street, concealed in the shadows, they went over their plan one last time.
“Security’s going to be tight,” Catalina whispered, her eyes scanning the building. “I’ll handle the magical wards. You take care of the physical security.”
Riker nodded, his muscles tensing in anticipation. “Let’s do this.”
They crossed the street, moving with purpose as they approached the side entrance of the tower. Catalina extended her hand, her fingers crackling with magic as she began dismantling the ward on the door. It shimmered faintly before dissolving under her power.
“Nice work,” Riker muttered, pushing the door open as they slipped inside.
The interior of the building was just as sleek and polished as the exterior, all chrome and glass, with an eerie silence hanging in the air. The security guards patrolling the corridors were no joke—armed with high-tech weapons and possibly enhanced with magical defenses.
“We need to find the lab,” Catalina whispered as they moved through the dimly lit hallways. “Glitch said that’s where they’re fusing technology and magic. If we can get in there, we might be able to figure out what they’re doing, and maybe, if we’re lucky, throw an old-fashioned monkey wrench into the works.”
They moved quickly but cautiously, avoiding detection as they navigated the labyrinth of corridors. Finally, they reached a reinforced door with a digital lock. Catalina set to work again, this time using her magic to bypass the security system while Riker kept watch.
After a tense few moments, the door clicked open, revealing the lab beyond.
What they found inside sent a chill down Catalina’s spine.
