by Helen Harper
‘That man,’ I said, forcing my arms to remain by my sides, ‘put Mack’s life in danger. She’s a student here. She came in good faith. And he threw her to the bloodsuckers like she was a piece of meat.’
‘I agree,’ he said, surprising me. ‘I’m sorry you had to witness it.’ I rather had the sense that he was struggling with diplomacy too. There was the faintest tinge of red to the tip of his ears that implied his own anger. It wasn’t directed at me though.
‘Let me guess,’ I said drily, softening somewhat. ‘The Dean is one of those mages who’s of a more traditional bent?’
He sighed and looked in my direction. ‘He is. He also has designs on a higher office.’ His mouth twisted. ‘Any tips you’d like to give?’
‘Get a strong circle of advisers around you who aren’t afraid to tell you when you’re being a dick,’ I said frankly. ‘And when you’re doing the right thing, you’ll not only know about it but they’ll make sure everyone else knows too. The right people can encourage almost anyone to fall into line.’
‘You make it sound so easy.’ Fatigue lined his face.
‘If he’s that much of a thorn in your side, why haven’t you simply gotten rid of him?’
‘Because he has his supporters too,’ he answered. ‘And I needed a good reason before I could give him the boot.’
I cocked my head and regarded him with some interest. ‘It appears you have that reason now. Could that be why you were so keen for Mack to come here as a student in the first place?’
A faint smile tugged at his mouth. ‘It was an added bonus, shall we say. Don’t get me wrong though – that young lady has magic. And magic in the wrong hands is a very, very dangerous thing. She needs this training.’
‘I won’t allow her to be here if she’s going to be in danger.’ I glared at him. I didn’t enjoy the idea that my kitten’s bad temper had been manipulated for someone else’s ends.
The Arch-Mage’s smile grew. ‘Somehow I don’t think what you allow or don’t allow is going to stop Miss Smith.’
I took a deep breath. Diplomacy, I reminded myself. Diplomacy. ‘You’re probably correct in that. In fact, she’ll probably do the exact opposite of what I order, no matter what it is.’
He laughed. ‘I wouldn’t take it personally. She’s still trying to sort out who – and what – she really is.’ He gave me a suddenly curious look. ‘Do you know?’
‘What she is?’ I shook my head. ‘Not a bloody clue.’ Not that I’d tell him if I did.
‘You like her though. That much is obvious.’
I chose not to answer that. This honest tete-a-tete was starting to make me feel uncomfortable. What I felt about my prickly kitten was not for public consumption. ‘What are you going to do about the Dean? He can’t stay here. Not unless you’re prepared to free Mack from her obligation.’
‘He will be taken care of. I can promise you that.’
There was an unmistakable promise in the Arch-Mage’s tone. I relaxed slightly and glanced at the small wooden statue, now sitting innocently on his desk. ‘What are you going to do about the Palladium?’ I asked instead.
‘Ha! What am I going to do? My dear boy, you have your pronouns mixed up.’
My eyes narrowed. ‘What do you mean?’
‘The question is, what are you going to do about it?’
My brows snapped together. ‘You asked for help with the vampires. I rather think that’s unnecessary now, don’t you?’
‘But,’ he said, his eyes gleaming, ‘you still haven’t actually helped. After all that trouble I went to in order to cover up your incursion into the Tower of London too. You still owe me, Lord Corrigan.’
I pushed back my hair. ‘And here I was thinking we were getting on so well.’
‘Oh but we are, dear boy. We really are.’
The amusement in his expression was almost too much to bear. ‘Any suggestions then? Magical objects aren’t really my area of expertise.’
‘It’s not the statue itself that’s causing the problems,’ he pointed out.
‘It’s the wraith.’
He nodded.
‘Tryyl is very strong. Your magic couldn’t bring him down. I couldn’t even touch him.’
‘I’m sure you’ll find a way.’
I gritted my teeth. ‘He only wants the statue. Just give it to him. It doesn’t do anything. It’s not going to hurt anyone. Once he has it he’ll probably crawl off to whichever hole he sprang from in the first place.’
The Arch-Mage smiled. ‘There. You already have your answer.’
‘I don’t know where Tryyl is.’
‘If you carry the Palladium around with you for long enough, then I’m sure he’ll show up.’
I folded my arms. ‘He’ll also try and kill whoever happens to be around. But I suppose as long as they’re not mages, you don’t really care about that.’
‘You care about your shifters, I care about my mages. We’re one and the same, Lord Corrigan.’
I eyed him. Actually, I didn’t think we were. I wouldn’t use other people to get what I wanted, no matter how well intentioned my desires were. ‘If you say so,’ I dismissed. ‘I’ll take your Palladium and return it to where it was found.’
‘Perfect.’
‘But I want Mack to come with me when I leave it there.’
His eyebrows shot up. ‘Is that wise?’
‘I’m going to need back up in case Tryyl shows up. Unless you’d rather send a group of mages with me...?’
‘You can have Miss Smith. I do expect her back in one piece though.’
Satisfaction settled in my chest. A little away trip with just each other for company would do us lots of good. Some time alone and I could work on a charm offensive. I could show her that I was more than just the Brethren Lord.
The Arch-Mage smirked at me as if he were imagining my thoughts and plans taking a particularly sleazy slant. I snapped back into a quick scowl. ‘He might still come here anyway. Tryyl, I mean. He might not appreciate that you’ve even handled the Palladium. I wouldn’t be surprised if he still wants a piece of the vampires as well.’
‘I’ll worry about that, dear boy. I think I know how to stop him for good. I’ve already sent your old friend Mage Floride to sort it out.’ He strolled over to a small sofa and sat down. ‘Now, would you like some tea while I locate Miss Smith to inform her of your expedition?’ He smiled again. ‘We are getting along so well, after all.’
I smiled back and said nothing.
*
In the end, Mack found us long before the promised tea. There was a determined slant to her jaw as she seated herself on the chair in front of us which suggested she was going to cause more trouble. I found myself looking at her with new eyes, drinking in her appearance. My pulse quickened simply by being in her presence.
The Arch-Mage took the lead. ‘So,’ he said, ‘as much as we want to keep the circle of people who are involved in this as small as possible, it appears that you are inextricably linked to the fate of the Palladium. This would have been a lot easier if you and Mage Floride had come to me in the first place.’ Miraculously, Mack kept her mouth shut, although I noted the brief flare in her eyes. ‘Mage Floride has left already. He is going to continue to track down the whereabouts of the wraith’s original body. Once that has been located, then we can easily rid ourselves of him.’
Mack coughed.
‘What?’
She nibbled at her bottom lip. ‘We’ve already established that the Palladium has no powers. It’s the Ancile that‘s the worrying object. So why don’t we just give the Palladium back to Tryyl and be done with it?’
I grinned. She was going to enjoy this. ‘That’s the plan. You and I are going to travel to the place where your mage friend found the thing in the first place. We’ll leave it there and let the wraith retrieve it.’
The yellow flecks in her eyes grew more pronounced. Interesting. Did that imply she wanted to come with me or she didn’t?
The Arch-Mage leaned forward. ‘Of course that doesn’t necessarily mean that Tryyl won’t still come after us for having had it in our possession in the first place. That’s why Mage Floride is still going to try to find his bones.’
Mack frowned. ‘I thought he tried that already and couldn’t manage it?’
He shrugged. ‘There are a few things he can try yet. He’s rather talented at Divination, as you know.’
‘And we’d expect that the wraith’s largest bone of contention is with the vampires anyway,’ I added. ‘If he’s going to take revenge out on anyone, it stands to reason that he’d go there first.’
‘Okay then. Let’s do it.’
I was surprised – and very, very pleased – that she wasn’t putting up more of a fight. Maybe my words about taking more responsibility for her actions had sunk in. Maybe she wanted to spend time with me too. I stood up, just in case she decided to change her mind, and pointed at the Palladium.
‘As you have already handled it, it makes sense for you to do so again,’ the Arch-Mage said to Mack. ‘That way we can limit our physical contact with the thing.’
Annoyance rippled through me. I didn’t mind touching the damn chunk of wood. Much.
Mack answered before I could say anything. ‘Of course. That way it’s only my life that’s in danger, not anyone else’s.’
She might wrestle on the ground with school principals and rush headlong into stupid situations without thinking things through but no-one could deny her bravery and selflessness. I took her hand and gazed into her eyes. She had to know I’d be with her all the way.
‘I won’t let anything happen to you.’
It was the wrong thing to say, however heartfelt it had been. ‘Actually,’ she snapped, ‘I won’t let anything happen to me. I don’t need your protection. As I recall, you were pretty useless against Tryyl anyway.’
I dropped her hand as if burnt while the Arch-Mage laughed.
‘If I do this,’ Mack hissed at him, ‘then you need to do something for me.’
‘I’m not going to release you from your oath,’ he said, abruptly sobering up.
She shook her head. ‘Not that. But you need to let Thomas – um, sorry, Mage Thomas – off. It was only because of what the Dean let the vampire do that he flipped.’
I stiffened. She was worried about that mage? Really?
‘I think you’ll find that the Lord Alpha here has already considerably highlighted the error of the Dean’s ways in that respect,’ the Arch-Mage answered. I’d not said a damn thing in relation to sodding Mage Thomas, of course. My only concern had been Mack. I’d damned her for not taking responsibility and here she was taking the weight of the world on her shoulders. Not to mention young good-looking wizards who apparently needed her protection.
‘Still,’ she added, oblivious to my jealousy, ‘he shouldn’t be punished for it.’
‘He will be given an alternative position as a gatekeeper, working out of London.’
Her expression softened. ‘He’ll be very good at that.’
‘I know,’ agreed the Arch-Mage, while I simply glowered. ‘Now, take the damn Palladium and get out of here.’
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
With Mack looking somewhat calmer this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get to know her better – without death or fights or really any kind of danger in the mix. Let’s face it, it was unlikely that Tryyl would catch up to us before we managed to return the Palladium to the abandoned cottage where it had initially been found. The wraith wouldn’t expect us to go there, after all. I could use the opportunity to find a way to discover whether she really was involved with someone else – and encourage her to open up. All I had to do was to reasonably point out to her that I was entirely undeserving of her mistrust. She was wholly and undeniably under my skin. And I knew now it wasn’t because I was enjoying the chase. Identifying the strange tug I felt whenever I thought of her had clarified my thoughts. I just prayed she didn’t do anything stupid like allow her temper to get her into fatal trouble before I could make her see that we might just have some potential as a couple. The thought both terrified and exhilarated me in equal measure. She annoyed the hell out of me sometimes but she was braver and more admirable than just about anyone I’d ever met. I couldn’t deny how I felt about her and I didn’t really care what she really was. Shifter or mage or human or cave troll, I was head over heels. Staines and the rest of the Brethren be damned. Our fates were inextricably entwined no matter what anyone else thought.
We strolled out of the main academy building in what I liked to think was companionable silence. I kept my steps deliberately slow so she could keep pace with me with ease. I also made sure she was right next to me. Barely an inch of space rested between us. I breathed in her heady scent. How could I have ever thought she was a shifter anyway? She smelled exotic and powerful and ... very, very desirable.
Veering right for the portal that was glimmering in the air just up ahead, I opened my mouth to ask her how her training was really going. Unfortunately, before I could speak, someone behind us called out her name.
‘Mack!’
We both turned. It was the damned mage – Thomas. He could barely walk and was being supported by two others. I stiffened involuntarily but Mack sucked in a breath and ran to him. All I could do was watch in frustration. She never ran in my direction.
The concern on her face as she spoke to him was obvious. The pair of them clearly had some kind of connection. It appeared that Mack was reassuring him about something. I didn’t like it all. Things grew even worse when she reached over and hugged him. He clung to her, his eyes tightly shut. The rational part of me whispered that it was a brotherly embrace. The rest of me begged my panther self to attack him and stake my claim before it was too late. I balled up my fists and tried to remember to breathe. The trouble was that I really didn’t have any claim to her. She could hug whomever she damned well pleased.
After another tight embrace, she jogged back to me. I tried not to let her see how relieved I was that she was returning. Unfortunately, when I did speak, my bitterness was clear.
‘Another conquest, kitten?’
‘Stop fucking calling me that,’ she spat.
My jaw tightened. Couldn’t she see why I did? I took her arm proprietorally. If I could achieve nothing else, then I’d let that bloody wizard see her stroll off with me. Not him. Me.
‘Hey! I’m not a sack that you can just shove around!’ she protested.
Hardly. Getting her to do anything was like herding cats. No wonder she reminded me of a kitten. ‘As if I’d ever think that,’ I said, grimacing, and wondering how on earth I could get her to relax again.
‘Mack!’ a boyish voice called out. ‘Wait up!’
Good grief. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake,’ I muttered. ‘Now what?’
We both looked round again. This time it was a kid, dashing up with a vast grin on his face. Mack was definitely not without her admirers.
‘It worked!’ He danced around from foot to foot. ‘Mack, it worked! You’re an absolute genius! We’re going out on Friday night, just me and her. You should have been there.’ He continued to babble but there was an endearing blush to his face. I threw Mack a curious glance. I hadn’t realised matchmaking was her style. ‘Deborah was so grateful and she gave me this great huge kiss, right here.’ He touched his cheek. ‘Oh, I’ll never wash again.’
‘That might not endear you to Deborah.’ Mack’s reply was light but, from the tone of her voice, she had a definite soft spot for the teenager.
He laughed. ‘I can’t thank you enough.’
All of a sudden my hackles rose. Mack’s delicious scent was being replaced by something far more rotten. I stiffened, trying to see what it was. By the time I realised, however, it was far too late. The boy wizard choked. ‘I...’
‘Brock?’ Mack asked, patently alarmed. ‘Are you alright?’
I instantly knew he wasn’t. Pain flashed in his eyes for the briefest of moment
s, almost immediately disappearing, along with any light. A strange huff sounded from behind him, definitely tinged with glee. The boy fell down to his knees, already soaked in blood. Right behind him the ghostly figure of Tryyl wavered, an evil smile stretching out from ear to ear. My eyes dropped to his hand. In it was the kid’s still pulsating heart.
I started to shift. The wraith let go of the bloody organ as if it were nothing more than a piece of annoying litter. He stared at Mack – and the Palladium she was still gripping, her fingers tight with frozen horror.
‘Give meeeeeeee it,’ Tryyl hissed.
He’d barely finished the sentence when I launched myself at him, my claws extended and my clothes in ripped fragments all around. There were distant shouts as several mages began running in our direction. As I leapt for the wraith, he leapt for Mack. A cold shudder ran through me as I fell through the wispy shadows of his body. It was just enough to upset his trajectory and he avoided smashing into Mack. It didn’t hurt him in the slightest, however. I spun round just in time to see Mack fling the Palladium behind her. Her eyes glittered with a colour I’d never seen before. She focused on Tryyl as if they were only two beings in the world. Even with the wraith’s presence, her fury was probably the most terrifying thing I’d ever seen.
A split second later, streams of magical green fire spouted forth from her fingertips, smacking the wraith in the chest. He howled in agony, shaking himself and attempting another attack towards her again. Fear zapped through me and I sprang into his side, using my panther teeth to try and do something – anything – to stop him from hurting her. Every time I tried to connect, however, all I found was dark, insubstantial shadow. At least the mages behind us were more successful. Two waves of blue fire joined Mack’s green flames. The wraith screamed, a cold inhuman sound that rocked me to my core. I took advantage of his pain to go after him again, using my paws this time to swipe out a blow. My claws raked into his body and, this time, I felt something. As he weakened, he was becoming more corporeal. Before I could exult, however, he shot out a dark punch in my direction, slamming his fist with unbelievable power into my muzzle. Tiny lights danced in front of my eyes. It wasn’t just the power of the blow, I thought dimly, as I crashed to the ground. It was the sensation of deathly cold seeping through my veins that really got me.