“Any updates on Lydia? Or Hanna?”
He reached over and placed a hand on her leg. “Not yet, but we’ll find them.”
She nodded, placing a hand over his, taking comfort in his steady presence. They sat in silence for a few moments until an unsettling thought came over her.
“Quinn?” Becka asked.
“Becka?” he said.
“What do we do with the Shadow-Dwellers once we find them? It’s not like we can just arrest them and hold them in cells.”
“Chief Elowen already has a protocol in place. We’re to use the Treatment on any suspected individuals to remove their powers and subdue them and then bring them in for processing. We’re authorized to use lethal force if necessary.”
Quinn reached into his jacket and pulled out a small case holding four dart-like syringes. He leaned over and slid it into an outer pocket in Becka’s jacket. “You should have some of these too.”
“That seems excessive. What if we’re wrong about one of them? What if they’re not a Shadow-Dweller, but just hang out in Mimir’s club? I bet some of them are just magic addicts, substance addicts, or even mentally ill. We can’t assume everyone there is in on it.”
“From your description, they feed on fae in the open. Anyone in that club knows what’s going on, even if they don’t know what a Shadow-Dweller is,” Quinn replied.
Becka touched the jacket where he’d placed the treatment. “I don’t even need these. I can remove any of their powers myself.”
“But you have to touch them to do it. Those darts are for distance,” Andre said.
“Then you’d better hope I have good aim.”
Quinn arched a brow. “That’s what the firing range at the bureau is good for.”
Chapter 23
Applause filled the auditorium despite the hall only being half full. Becka sat at the panelists’ table up on the stage, trying her best not to fidget as she looked over the mixed crowd of students and faculty. She hoped she’d succeeded at schooling her expression into a serene, thoughtful repose. After all, the others on the panel all looked well at ease, so it stood to reason she should as well.
This event symbolized her dream. A mixed crowd of humans and shifters, and herself, a fae, on the panel. The species coming together to communicate and evolve, peacefully.
If only she wasn’t worried about potential Shadow-Dwellers in the audience, poised and waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Becka glanced to the side of the stage where Quinn leaned against the wall, hidden from the audience by the curtains. He was messaging someone on his phone, but at that moment he looked up and caught her gaze, giving her a reassuring nod.
Dr. Traut walked over to the podium and cleared his throat into the microphone. “Welcome everyone. We appreciate you joining us today for what I hope is just the first in our ‘Envisioning a New Tomorrow’ series. Each of our engaging and thought-provoking panels will focus on a different aspect of the multicultural and multi-species landscape we find ourselves exploring together daily. Today we have a selection of faculty and staff who have agreed to field your questions.”
Try as she might, Becka couldn’t locate a single fae in the audience, although there were a number of shifters. And while the panelists sitting beside her were certainly multi-racial, Becka was the only non-human present. How was this a truly representative panel of society? Yet a part of her was relieved. If there were no fae, then there would be no Shadow-Dweller threats.
Was she missing something? Did Shadow-Dwellers have humans working with them? Based on what she’d witnessed in Mimir’s den, there had been human and fae alike, even a shifter or two that she’d been able to make out. Therefore, she shouldn’t assume that this audience, even all-human as it was, contained none of Mimir’s agents.
There was another round of clapping. Becka took a deep breath and tried to center herself.
What had Traut just said? She should really pay more attention.
“Here is your prompt for today: That Magical Spark.” Traut gestured to his left. “Let’s have the lady on the audience's right microphone start us off.”
There were two aisles which ran through the rows of seats, with a microphone placed midway along each one. Already a handful of people were queued up behind each, patiently awaiting their turns.
“Thank you, doctor,” the lady replied. “I’m Sally, a third-year student. In my studies, I’ve noticed what I think is a correlation between income disparity and access to magically integrated medical devices. Can you speak to that?”
A Mrs. Amelia Taylor could have given a lecture on the topic. Becka smiled to herself.
“I’m Professor Diya Patel,” the lady sitting next to Becka replied, speaking into the microphone in front of her. “You are correct that medical technology is disproportionately available for those with greater means, and magically integrated tech also suffers from this same issue. The key to healing this in our society is to adopt measures by which a person’s need determines access, not simply their means.”
As Becka listened to Professor Patel expound upon the injustices in medicine, she wondered why Traut had thought she was qualified for this? She hadn’t even finished her master’s degree, yet was surrounded by tenured professors, some with doctorates.
Not to mention the panel’s topic. Envision the future. With Shadow-Dwellers hidden around every corner, Becka wasn’t sure she’d make it to next week, let alone sometime years down the road. She’d become so focused on surviving the present moment and saving her friends from Mimir, Becka hadn’t had the luxury of thinking of her future.
“I’m Zander, a first-year student. In my statistics studies, I’ve noticed a declining trend in magic usage over the past few decades. Is this because of a lack of availability or a society less interested in its use?”
“I’m Doctor Malik Jackson,” said the man at the far end of the panel. “That’s a good question, with not a lot of straightforward answers, Zander. We suspect there are many factors. First, population density of humans has increased, leading to greater demand versus the existing supply. Also, over time, the amount of magic required to maintain certain infrastructure improvements means there’s less capacity in the system for new projects. We also theorize that a growing disinterest in fae magic has led to less overall demand, potentially because of the continuing strain between human and fae cultures. Does that answer your question?”
“In part. Am I allowed a follow-up question?” Zander asked.
“We’ll allow it,” Dr. Traut replied.
“I’m aware the human birth rate has outpaced that of the fae. I guess I’m wondering, as I’ve looked and can’t find official statements on this, whether fae births and population are overall declining?”
“Perhaps our fae panelist could field this one?” Dr. Traut asked.
It took Becka a second to realize he meant her, then she leaned forward towards the microphone. Wait, how to introduce herself? She wasn’t a doctor or a professor, and she really didn’t want to be addressed as Lady anything.
Becka glanced around. Everyone seemed to look right at her. She cleared her throat. “I’m Becka Rowan, fae liaison to the institute.” Then she paused again, debating an accurate yet politically sensitive answer, as declining birth rates were not something fae openly discussed with humans. It was practically a forbidden subject, akin to admitting their species was failing. “It’s indeed the case that human populations continue to outperform fae population growth. We attribute the primary cause to the fae’s somewhat longer lifespan and delayed gestational ages, leading to fewer proportional births.”
“That didn’t answer my question,” Zander pressed. “Are fae birthrates falling compared to prior generations?”
Becka paused at the sharp tone of his words. “I’m afraid I’m not an expert in fae population. I’ll have to defer to my colleagues.”
“I don’t require an expert. Did you grow up within fae territory?” he asked.
It
was kind of a gimme question. All fae children were reared in the territories. “Well, yes, of course I did.”
Zander’s hand went to his hips, and his eyes narrowed. “Then I’d like to hear your non-expert best guess. How does it seem to you, having grown up within fae territories?”
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it discussed,” Becka replied, attempting to have a pleasant smile on her face while lying.
Zander let out a short groan. “It’s obvious you’re lying and avoiding the question.”
“Zander,” Dr. Traut interrupted. “Thank you for your questions, but let’s allow the next in line an opportunity.”
Zander pinned her with his steely gaze, shaking his head in exasperation. “Whatever,” he mumbled before returning to his seat.
For the rest of the panel, Becka tried to look occupied with the other speakers and avoided making eye contact with Zander. When things wrapped up in an hour, she said polite goodbyes to the other panelists, and then walked over to where Quinn was hanging out in the wings.
“That could have gone better,” she whispered. “I felt pretty outclassed with all the doctors and professors next to me.”
“Not quite what you’d imagined it would be like?” Quinn asked.
“I didn’t know what Traut had planned, so I can’t say I had any preconceptions. But I’m not sure I added anything useful.”
He reached out and ran a hand down her arm. “Don’t be silly, you did great. Maybe you just need to get your sea legs?”
“Maybe. Or maybe I need to find a better way to contribute? This wasn’t at all what I’d envisioned my time at the institute being like.” Becka peeked out into the audience, happy to see that Zander appeared to have left. “What was up with that guy, anyway? He was inappropriate and rude.”
“He saw you flinch, and then went after blood,” Quinn replied. “I see that sort of behavior during interrogations.”
Becka made a cringe-face. “I flinched?”
Quinn nodded. “Next time, be ready for people like him. There’s always one who has a bone to pick and won’t play by the rules.”
Becka sighed. “I love this school, I truly do. But compared to hunting down a psychopathic fae killer, fielding questions about fae history seems…”
“Pale in comparison?” Quinn smiled. “It’s not measuring up because you’ve developed in other directions. Your knowledge of the world is broader. Different. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a fulfilling element of your future.”
Becka loved that he took her dreams seriously, but he was right. “I’ll worry about this job after we handle Mimir. Assuming we can stop her.”
Quinn placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. “Have a little faith in the future, Becka.”
She returned his smile, but her heart wasn’t in it.
Dr. Traut walked up behind her, and Becka turned around, putting on a smile. “Well, Becka, what did you think of your first foray as our fae liaison?”
What did she want to say? Traut certainly appeared upbeat about the panel, but it was an ocean away from her experience. Becka definitely needed a strategy for managing difficult questioners before the next one.
“It was rougher than I expected. Do you ever cut off students who are being rude and move on?”
Traut’s expression creased with compassion as he looked at her over the rims of the glasses that hung on the edge of his nose. “Now, don’t take today’s showing as a norm. Do we have students who push harder than others? Sure. But you saw most of them behaved themselves.”
Did Traut even hear himself? His response was a level of species tone-deafness Becka hadn’t expected to hear, not from him. “It’s true most of them did,” Becka replied, although she assumed it was her standing as a fae that had incited Zander to push harder on her. “I’d still like to discuss appropriate ways I can push back when someone crosses the line due to my species. I just want to make sure I’m contributing in the best way possible, while also maintaining healthy boundaries.”
Traut’s eyes widened, but he nodded. “Yes, certainly, I’d be open to brainstorming that with you. But I'm sure you'll see the students warm up to you over time.”
She didn’t share his conviction, but there was something she wanted to know more about. “Doctor, have you ever viewed the tome of the Great War?”
He nodded his head vigorously, his floofy hair bouncing back and forth. “Oh yes, I remember it well. Such a privilege to spend my allotted hour with it, although it did take me some seven or eight years to get in. I’ll tell you that delay wasn’t seemly at all, considering my station at the institute.”
Curious that they let me see it relatively quickly. “I had a viewing of it two days ago, and it left me with some questions. I was hoping you’d be willing to help me do some more in-depth research. Assuming you have the time?”
His eyes lit up. “Oh, I’m surprised, but glad to hear it! And of course, I’d be thrilled to work with you on it, but only if you recount everything you saw in precise detail?”
“I’d be happy to. I could even maybe draw some of it up for you.”
Traut placed the back of his hand against his forehead, faking a swoon, and Becka couldn’t help but laugh. “Why, I would be at your academic mercy, Lady Rowan! But you have to at least give me a hint. What questions were stewing in your mind as you left the viewing?”
Becka hesitated, cautious to trust. But this was Dr. Traut, whom she’d known for years, from the time before she’d become gifted, an heiress, and a target of the Shadow-Dwellers. And she knew he valued research above almost anything.
She leaned in and whispered, “I think they're missing elements to the puzzle of the Great War.”
His grey caterpillar brows arched. “Do you? I mean there are the faded sections.”
Becka shook her head. “There’s more than that.”
“Well, I can’t wait…” he started.
A high-pitched scream interrupted his response.
Chapter 24
Becka started out the side door to the auditorium towards the noise, but Quinn caught her, holding her back.
“We should call in backup,” Quinn said, holding her tight.
“We should check it out. It could be something from Mimir,” Becka said.
“That’s exactly why we should let someone else handle it,” Quinn replied, his phone in hand, already dialing.
People streamed by them, exiting the auditorium. Some were headed toward the noise, others away. Someone knocked into Becka and Quinn lost his grip on her arm.
She slipped away, heading out the door. “Come on, Quinn.”
He swore, but followed close after Becka, continuing to call in backup on his phone as they walked.
Outside the auditorium was a junction of paved pathways through a grassy area lined by hedgerows broken up by the occasional tree. Professor Patel stood wide-eyed, hands over her mouth, staring down at a leg poking out behind a bush. Another panelist stood next to her, and a pair of students.
As they reached them, Quinn got to Diya first, looking her over. “Are you injured?”
Becka looked down at a very dead Zander splayed out on the grass, his glassy, immobile eyes staring sightless towards the sun. For a moment, she couldn’t even breathe.
Dr. Traut came up alongside her a moment later, the look of shock on his face no doubt mirroring her own.
Diya shook her head, pointing down at the body on the ground in front of her. “He just appeared, out of thin air. It must have been magic.”
Zander’s shirt was missing, displaying not only a pronounced bruising around his neck but also the words “TICK TOCK” written in blood on his chest.
“I’m going to need you to step back,” Quinn said to Diya and the others. “Did you see anyone near him?”
They all shook their heads. “He just appeared there,” a willowy youth added. “Out of nowhere.”
“Thank you so much for your help,” Becka said, pulling her p
hone out while she gestured for them to move farther away. “Can I get your names and contact information, so if we have questions later, we can contact you?”
Behind her, she heard Quinn on the phone calling in the team. She finished getting names and numbers and statements, and then sent them off to Caeda and Quinn via her phone.
“Can I be of any help?” Traut asked.
“Yeah, could you head over to that group of students and get them to move along?” Becka asked.
“Happy to, and please be careful. This is atrocious stuff going on around you,” Traut replied and then took off toward the students.
“He’s not wrong,” Quinn said, circling around Zander’s body. “It’s good they saw you not leaving the auditorium until this happened.”
“Who would think of me as a suspect?” Becka blurted out.
He squatted near Zander’s head, no doubt looking for clues. “Anyone who watched the panel might have thought you held a grudge. I’m just saying it’s good the question won’t come up.”
Becka couldn’t stop looking at the warning on Zander’s chest. “Mimir couldn’t have left a clearer calling card, but why Zander of all people?”
He walked back over and stood next to her on the sidewalk. “Mimir could have targeted anyone, but Zander interacted with you publicly at the panel.”
“Right, and he’s human.” Becka mulled it over out loud. “She hates humans. Perhaps Mimir took offense at me spending time on human affairs?”
“Could be. Whatever her reasons, the fallout will be worse this time.”
“But why? Because it’s another visible death in the middle of the day?”
He ran a hand through his hair, at the moment seemingly unwilling to meet her gaze. “Because this one is human, witnessed by humans.”
Becka’s stomach soured. She knew he was right. Zander’s death changed everything.
Moments later enforcers began arriving and securing the area. But this time, Chief Elowen had accompanied them. She wasted no time wordlessly viewing the body and then gesturing for Quinn and Becka to follow her. When they’d gotten far enough away to a clearing, Elowen turned to them and crossed her arms, the tension heavy in the air between them.
Shadow Underground: A Romantic Urban Fantasy Murder Mystery (The Shadow Series Book 3) Page 20