"Someone stepped on something," he said.
Bella pulled the curtains all the way open. From that angle, she could see a slender white beam rising from the southern reef area. The beam shot vertically from the reef surface into the sky, bursting beneath the clouds into an even white halo.
That brightness was characteristic of a triggered detection-type magical device—its edges diffused evenly, its color was pure white without impurities, and the halo spread outward from the center at a steady pace, lingering in the air for more than five seconds.
Morgan had already risen to his feet. He paused when he reached the door and turned his head. "Stay in the room. Lock the door."
Bella watched him leave. Once the door closed behind him and she heard the latch slide into place, she went over and turned the deadbolt from the inside. She exchanged a glance with Rodolphus. Neither of them spoke, but they silently moved to the window and took up positions to look outside.
The white halo over the southern reef area was fading. New movement appeared there—four figures rose from behind the reefs, standing upright in alert postures. They held wands, their tips glowing, the light scattering through the night mist into several blurry, cold white halos.
As Morgan emerged from the side door of the main building, Douglas's boots had just stepped onto the final stone stair of the dock. He wore the Enforcement Squad's tactical coat with its collar raised, his wand sheathed in the horizontal clasp at his waist, six people following behind him.
The squad members spread into two lines. Every wand was in hand, pointed at the ground but ready to be raised at any moment.
Morgan stood in the shadows of the side door for one second. Then he