Can’t press through, Amaya said. Magic not same.
Meaning that, unlike the hidden doorway in the pit, this wall was actually solid rather than merely looking it.
I tried anyway, but succeeded in doing little more than breaking my nails. I swore softly, and turned around. “Rozelle, are you able to come down here?”
“Sure. Just give me a moment.”
I raised Amaya, letting her flames chase back the shadows again and, after a few seconds, Rozelle appeared.
She stopped beside me and frowned. “Another nasty piece of work,” she muttered after a moment. “I’m afraid this one is coded. Unless you have the proper key, it’ll kill you.”
“No way you can get past it?”
“Not without a lot of time and effort.” Her gaze skimmed the wall. “And I couldn’t create a doorway myself without knowing what was on the other side.”
“That I can’t say, because I don’t know.” I paused. “The shifter who was outside – he was coming here. Is it possible he could have a key of some kind?”
“I could check.”
“Then let’s check.” There was nothing else we could do. And if the shifter didn’t have a key, then we’d hit another wall. Literally, in this case.
Once we were back outside, Rozelle knelt beside the shifter and ran a hand above his body, her expression intent. After a moment, she sighed and sat back on her heels. “There is some form of magic within him, but it does not feel the same as the magic that guards that door.”
Meaning we had hit another wall. Fabulous.
I sighed. “Thanks for the help, Rozelle.”
She nodded. “I could stay here and work on that door. As I said, it’ll just take time —”
“No,” I said softly. “Thanks, but it’s far too dangerous for you to remain here unprotected.”
“I am able to protect myself —”
“I have no doubt of that under normal circumstances, but the person we chase is far from normal.” I hesitated, seeing her doubt, and added, “She can take any form she wishes; tell me, if you saw Kiandra walking toward you, would you not be inclined to trust her?”
“I would sense a glamour —”
“This wouldn’t be a glamour. It’s not that type of magic. We’re chasing a shifter capable of full body transformation. You wouldn’t know it wasn’t the real Kiandra until it was far too late.”
“Oh.” She swallowed. “Then perhaps it is wise not to be alone. However, that lock can be broken. If you need it done, we can arrange protection —”
“It’s not worth the risk right now, Rozelle.”
Her expression was doubtful. “Are you sure?”
I lightly squeezed her arm. “For the moment, yeah.”
“What about the shield around the building?”
I frowned. “I thought you said it was beyond your capabilities?”
“It is, but that does not mean it cannot be broken.”
“We don’t need it broken. We just need it altered enough to enable Azriel to get inside.”
“That is certainly an easier option than breaking it. All we would need to do is unpick the spell enough to enable us to weave a variation through it.”
“And would the shield’s creator be aware of your handiwork?”