by Logan Byrne
There were hot meals, cold meals, and snacks that were all free of charge. I couldn’t believe it. I took so much food: rice and beans, gruel, bread, a roasted chicken breast, and even some pie. I might have to stay here instead of getting my own place just so I could eat for free every day. I guess that was why a lot of the cops I saw were a bit chubby. I was going to be joining them soon enough.
Because the five of us been seen talking, we were able to sit together without anybody thinking anything of it. “Is that your wand?” Blake asked, peeking over the table and looking at my holster.
“She got a special one,” Britta said, raising her eyebrows.
“Fancy,” Charlie said.
“Okay, it’s not fancy, it’s just…different. The gnome told me to take it, I didn’t have a choice,” I said.
“I think it’s awesome. It really shows that you’ve progressed a lot,” Blake said.
I wanted to tell them the real reason that I got this wand. I knew it had to do with the mark of Merlin, and it seemed like the gnome picked up on it. Gnomes were known to sense magic, even the slightest hints of it, and maybe that was what he was alluding to with Mirian. Maybe Mirian even told him. All I knew was that it sucked having to keep it a secret from the people I cared about the most.
“What about you guys? What happened with you?” I asked, shoving a buttered roll into my mouth.
“We had to show off our shifting and our powers so they could mark it down, we got fitted for uniforms, and we learned some procedures, mainly about how we should interact with criminals, considering any of us could rip their throats out and all,” Blake said.
“Yeah, it was pretty cool. Blake had a sick transformation for them,” Charlie said.
“It was okay,” he said, smiling wide, obviously downplaying it.
“I wonder if any of us will be paired together,” I said.
“At least you guys have a chance,” Faus said, visibly annoyed.
“Hey, your role is just as important as ours, man. Don’t discount yourself,” Charlie said.
“I just hate not getting to do anything except sit in an office,” he said in a low tone. “I want to be out there with you all.” Britta put her hand on his back, patting him. Faus was pretty upset that he wouldn’t get to be the real version of himself and not what the resistance wanted him to be. I couldn’t say that I blamed him; I knew I would be upset if I had to pretend to be somebody or something I wasn’t. He was a shifter, kind of, and he deserved to be with Charlie and Blake.
“I’m nervous about the rooms. I don’t want to be placed with some weirdo,” Britta said, looking around the cafeteria at the other girls.
“I’m sure it’ll be okay. There’s only one other female mage, and they said they like to place us together. Maybe we’ll be together,” I said encouragingly.
I noticed Asher a few tables down, smiling and putting his hand up to wave. I nodded, giving a little smile back. Charlie noticed and smiled, always ready to poke with that stick. “New boyfriend?” he asked.
“Don’t say that,” Blake said angrily.
“Blake, can I speak to you, please?” I asked, pointing away.
“Trouble,” Charlie said, poking the bear, or wolf, even further.
“What?” he asked as we stepped off to the side.
“You can’t be like that. You know I like you, I’ve just about said it, and the moment we had outside the tent was nice. Don’t ruin it with jealousy. He’s a guy I just met today, and you have nothing to worry about. Trust me,” I said calmly, trying to look at him with soft eyes. I wanted him to know that I was being truthful, that he could trust me, and that I was still interested in him.
“It’s just hard for me, opening up to somebody about my feelings. I don’t want to lose that with you,” he said.
“And you won’t. Besides, you know Charlie is just trying to make you angry. It’s what he does,” I said.
“Yeah, you’re right I guess. He is kind of a jerk,” he said.
“I promise things will be fine,” I said, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek.
“Go find your name on the paper with your room number and roommate. After that, you may go check them out,” Mirian said after dinner. I walked over with the group, a swarm of us buzzing and pushing into one another a little as we tried to read the paper. I scanned down the list of names, finding mine, room three. I smiled when I saw my roommate’s name. Britta.
Blake and Charlie had been put together too, but Faus was unfortunately with somebody else. Maybe he was getting the short end of the stick with this stuff. I looked over at Mirian. He winked slyly, and I knew that he had a hand in this. He wanted to keep us together, to plan better, and I could only hope that he would meddle with our placements to make sure we went out in the field together too.
“Off we go,” I whispered to Britta. She smiled back. Room three was just like any other room here, with two beds, dressers, desks, and chairs. The room wasn’t cold, there were a few rugs and pieces of art on the walls, but it still felt sterile. The walls were white brick and the floors were white as well. I couldn’t imagine coming in here without the small bits of color they’d peppered in.
“We have our welcome kits,” she said, walking over to her bed. I walked to mine, picking it up and seeing a letter on official letterhead sitting front and center.
Welcome to M.A.G.I.C. You defied the odds, competed against your peers, and won a spot on the greatest police force either mortal or magic has ever seen. With your hardened skills and fierce tenacity, you will make a difference in the magical community that will be talked about over the coming years. Here is a small basket to get you started, and thank you once again for choosing M.A.G.I.C.
There were a few treats inside, snacks, spell booklets, and also a codes and procedures book that we were meant to study. “More studying,” I said, exhaling a bit.
“I guess the grind never ends, does it?” Britta asked.
“I’m just happy I got placed with you. I couldn’t imagine being with anybody else,” I said.
“Except Blake or Asher,” she joked.
“Not you too,” I said.
“I’m just teasing, you know that. He’s cute, though,” she said.
“Blake?” I asked.
“I was talking about Asher. You two looked good together,” she said.
“Aren’t you good friends with Blake?” I asked, a little shocked that she’d be promoting somebody else.
“Listen, I love Blake, he’s like a brother to me, but he’s too jealous. Until he learns to control that werewolf side of him that comes out when something happens he doesn’t like, maybe he’s not the best choice,” she said.
“I don’t have the time to think about this, about dating anybody or even moving towards that. Things are too hectic,” I said, a little annoyed. The constant reminder of this side of human interaction was starting to overwhelm me.
Later that night I wandered out of my room while Britta was asleep and sat down in a small area outside our room with couches. We were told it was sort of a social area, to hang out before or after work where we could get to know one another more. I put my feet up on the coffee table, grabbing the newest issue of Witches Quarterly that was there, and flipped through it, learning the newest trends in what they called wonderful witching. “Can’t sleep?” I heard from behind. It was Asher.
“Oh, no, I was just thinking,” I said. He walked around from behind the couch and sat down next to me.
“Yeah, same. It’s been a long day,” he said, looking a bit nervous and shy. Though I hadn’t known him more than a day, and I really knew nothing about him at all, I felt like this wasn’t the same kid I met earlier. That guy was calm and collected. This one was, well, different.
“Has it been a good one? Make any new friends?” I asked.
“Yeah, a few, not as many as you, though,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said, laughing a little, trying not to make it obvious that I already knew them.
“I’m happy for you, though,” he said.
“Because I made some friends?” I asked.
“That, and because of that guy, the shifter guy,” he said.
“What about him?” I asked, curious.
“Well, I mean, I saw you kiss him earlier. Granted it was just on the cheek, but it’s obvious you two have a thing going. I just wanted to let you know that I will concede like a gentleman,” he said, a serious look on his face.
“Oh, it was nothing. He was just a little scared and upset about something. I was trying to make him feel better,” I said.
“That seems like a weird way to comfort somebody you just met,” he said.
“What can I say, I’m a weird chick,” I said, putting my hands up and smiling.
“So you two aren’t, you know, a thing?” he asked.
“No, we’re not,” I said. Saying the words out loud felt a bit like a stab in the heart. Maybe Britta was right, maybe now wasn’t the time—not only for Blake, who had his own issues to work on, but for me, either. This was a crazy time for all of us, and I didn’t want to muddy it by trying to date and train at the same time.
“That’s good to know,” he said, smiling.
“I’m just not interested in dating right now, to be honest. It’s too soon,” I said.
“Oh, yeah, I get that. There’s no worries or hard feelings,” he said, pushing up his glasses.
“Okay, good, I’m glad to hear it,” I said, relieved. Now I didn’t have to worry about hurting anybody.
“Well, I better get back in bed before it gets too late. I’d suggest you do the same. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow,” he said, getting up and slowly backing away, still facing me.
“Have a good sleep,” I said, and he nodded and walked away. I slipped back into the darkness of my room without waking Britta, who snored, and gently got under the covers. A small sliver of moonlight coming through the window illuminated the middle of the room.
My life up until this point had been a cornucopia of change, I thought, and this was just another chapter in the craziness.
13
“Your partner is the person you will rely on the most during your tenure on this job. They will be your right-hand person, the person you can trust the most in the world, and I hope you will all come to cherish the sort of camaraderie that comes with this assignment. All of you will be partnered up now, and each group of two will be assigned a veteran trainer who will take you out in the field. You will spend the next month with that person, learning the tricks of the trade and how to conduct yourself as an officer and representative of M.A.G.I.C. With that said, please refer to the screen, where your assignments will be posted,” Mirian said, and a screen behind him turned on, the two-person pairings popping up.
I got Charlie, which brought me a bit of relief. Blake looked around and Mirian spotted him, not breaking eye contact. Blake walked over to the side of the room and Mirian followed. As the other recruits talked, introducing themselves and finding their partners, I walked closer to them as they met one another.
“Is there a problem?” Mirian asked.
“Why was I placed with Britta?” Blake asked.
“Britta is a very competent and cunning witch. Anybody should be happy to be placed with like her,” Mirian said.
“I know she’s a good witch, a great witch, but I thought I would be placed with Lexa,” Blake said.
“It’s in everyone’s best interest if you and Lexa spend a bit of time apart, if I’m being honest. You two are getting too close, and it’s jeopardizing our mission,” Mirian said.
“Mirian, please reconsider,” Blake said, desperation in his tone.
“My word is final. Now please join Britta and the others,” Mirian said, walking back towards the front of the room. I snuck back over, standing next to Charlie as an agitated Blake came over and joined Britta, who looked uncomfortable.
“I promise I won’t be crazy,” Charlie whispered, always joking. I smiled, shaking my head a little.
“Now that you’ve all had time to find and meet your partners, I hope you will show them the same respect and care that you would show a family member or close friend. Remember, you are responsible for having their back and for making sure they come out of every patrol alive and safe. Now, if you would, please go to the locations on these maps. Each duo will go to a different area that houses your veteran partners, who are eagerly awaiting your arrival. Best of luck to you,” Mirian said, handing out our maps.
None of us knew where to go in the precinct, and the map certainly wasn’t helping at all. It was a labyrinth of hallways, rooms, cells, and grandiose lobbies fit for a king. Luckily for Charlie and me, I’d seen the same spell over and over every single night in the camp in my study book, and I was finally going to get to use it.
I pulled my wand from its sheath as Charlie and the others looked on, confused. I smiled, pointing the wand towards the room we were supposed to visit on the map. “Revelatius,” I said, and a golden path lit up the floor and guided us towards our room.
“Whoa!” a kid yelled from behind me. The other mages tried it, some getting it, others failing. The pronunciation and wand-handling were more important than one might think. Sometimes getting a book of rudimentary magic was more helpful than one would originally think.
“I hope this person isn’t annoying,” Charlie said as we walked across the campus towards our mentor.
“I’m sure they’ll be awesome, Charlie. Mirian wouldn’t place us with some melon of a person,” I said, taking a corner.
“You just never know. What if we get some hardcore guy with a buzz cut and tattoos?” he asked.
“What if we get a nice woman who has the most arrests of anybody in the history of M.A.G.I.C.?” I asked.
“Unlikely, but okay. Are we almost there?” he asked.
I looked at the map. Our footprints were closing in. “Just up ahead,” I said, pointing down the hallway. When we came up to the door we saw it was cracked open and a woman was sitting inside. The room was dark, though not pitch black, the windows mostly covered. “Hello?” I asked as we knocked gently on the door.
“Come in,” she said, turning around from a chair at the desk.
“Hi, we’re your new students. Mirian sent us over just now to work with you for the next month,” I said.
“Yes, I’ve been expecting you. My name is Xelia, and I’ll be mentoring you during your cadet training,” she said.
“It’s a bit dark in here, you know,” Charlie said, always stating the obvious.
“Well, it needs to be, doesn’t it?” she asked, coming forward. Her eyes glowed faintly red and her fangs shone in the dim light. She was definitely a vampire. I thought we’d be placed with a witch, maybe a shifter, but a vampire? What was Mirian thinking?
“Vampire,” Charlie said, shifting and hissing at Xelia.
“Charlie, enough. Be nice,” I said.
“Shifters and vampires aren’t exactly friends, you know,” he said, his fur standing on edge.
“Oh, stop it, boy. I was just messing with you,” Xelia said, turning the lights on, albeit dimly. Charlie shifted back, looking more confused than ever, and that was difficult to do. The woman laughed a little, her eyes normal and fangs gone. She was slightly pale, her hair long, black, and slightly wavy, and she had a thin figure.
I hadn’t interacted much with vampires before, and for good reason. They were generally seen as quite vile creatures, preying on the weak at night to keep themselves both young and alive. It was a bit sick, almost cannibalistic, but they were tolerated, mostly because of their powers. They had a way of persuasion—or at least the men did—that was hard to resist.
“I’m only a Halfling, don’t worry. I just wanted to get a rise out of you both. I promise I’m not creepy,” she said, smiling.
“But you’re still a vampire,” Charlie said.
“Oh, stop it with your macho centuries-old rhetoric. This is the twenty-first cent
ury, things have changed, and vampires are mainstream now. I don’t go around sucking blood, I get mine organic from the store, not from people’s necks,” she said, sitting down.
“But you still have it,” he said.
“Well, I have to exist, don’t I? Like I said, I’m not a full vampire, I don’t need as much as others do, and I even eat real food just like you. I think you’ll come to find over the next month that I’m a good person, vampire or not, and that I’ll be an invaluable asset to you both. I did win officer of the month last month, after all,” she said.
I could tell her speech was genuine, if a little goofy. I didn’t know much about vampires, so maybe she was right. Maybe they weren’t so bad. And if she was officer of the month, she knew a lot, and Mirian placed us with her because he knew she could bring something to the table. “Also, I’m a part of, you know, the resistance,” she said, whispering the last bit.
“What do you mean?” I asked, looking at Charlie and both of us playing dumb.
“Don’t be dumb, why do you think you were both placed with me? It’s more than just because I’m a good cop. I’m the bridge between them and you,” she said.
“Good to know,” Charlie said, still a little hesitant.
“Well, we should get started and try to get some work done. A month sounds like a long time, but it isn’t. I see you’re both in uniform, badges on, and Lexa’s wand is ready, so let’s go,” Xelia said.
There was a sense of dignity that came from walking the streets while in this uniform. People looked at us, most with high regard, smiling, and children waved and the elderly looked on fondly. I stood up straighter, nodding at those who smiled or waved, and it felt like I mattered. For a pilt who used to rummage the streets, stealing what I could to survive, it felt nice to have people look at me with respect for once.
“What are we looking for?” Charlie asked as we followed Xelia.