The Phoenix Illusion

by Lisa Shearin

  Rake and Tam dropped their glamours and attracted a similar level of attention—minus the fender benders—once we were inside SPI headquarters, though there were two minor personnel collisions resulting in a nearly dropped laptop and flying paperwork.

  If the two goblins noticed the impression they made, they gave no sign.

  Ms. Sagadraco led the way to the lab where our unwanted guests waited.

  Tam approached the larger of the two crystals, and I could swear the closer Tam got, the happier the crystal seemed. Its flickering turned downright excited. The smaller one flickered even faster, as if vying for his attentions. Tam’s ring pulsed in response.

  “That’s interesting,” he noted.

  Ben walked up. “They seem to like me, too. Considering what they’re capable of, the feeling isn’t mutual.”

  “I take it you haven’t touched them yet?” I asked.

  “Not until I get to know them better, and maybe not even then.”

  Vivienne Sagadraco did the honors. “Chancellor Nathrach, this is Dr. Ben Sadler, a gem mage who consults for us when we have need. Dr. Sadler, Tamnais Nathrach comes to us from Governor Danescu’s home world to help resolve our present difficulty.”

  “I don’t know how much help I can be with these crystals,” Tam said, shaking Ben’s hand, “but I will do everything I can. I’m afraid my skills are in other areas.”

  Ben’s smile was more of a frozen rictus. “I’ve heard you’re here to question the…er, arson suspect.”

  Apparently, I wasn’t the only one a little freaked out that Tam and Rake were about to interrogate a dead guy. I was pretty sure I could work at SPI for decades and not get used to that.

  “Yes, but Rake and I wanted to stop here first,” Tam told him. “We will have limited time with the Khrynsani’s soul. It’s vital to know as much as possible going in, so we can better focus our questioning.”

  I was all for changing the subject from talking to dead people. “Ben, you’re saying that the crystal is alive in some way?”

  “Life goes far beyond our human experience,” Dr. Cheban replied from nearby. As she approached us, her eyes flicked left to Rake, then right to Tam, noting the likeness—in an entirely scientific way, of course.

  “We’re cousins,” Rake said before she could ask.

  “Fascinating.”

  Yes, it was. And every female in the lab and some of the males were in total agreement.

  She extended her hand to Tam. “Claire Cheban, director of the labs here at SPI.” She smiled. “I take it you are our eagerly awaited crystal expert?”

  Tam took her hand and bowed over it. “I don’t know if I would go that far,” he said, returning her smile. “I can provide some insight about what you have, but as to how it was used to bring a house here from our world, I’m afraid I’m at a loss.”

  “We hope to be able to answer that one ourselves. We’re analyzing the metallic residue found around it in the rubble.”

  “You’ve determined that it is a metal then?” Ms. Sagadraco asked.

  “At least partially. It’s steel and an element we haven’t been able to identify. We suspect it will be alien in composition.”

  “Alien as in not from our world?” Ian asked.

  “Correct. The same is true of the cube. Less than half of the elements we detected in the cube are found on our world.” Claire indicated the crystal. “Unlike this specimen, the cube is a manufactured power cell.”

  “Have you determined how it was made?” Ms. Sagadraco asked.

  “We suspect the process was similar to manufacturing synthetic diamonds, involving high pressure and temperature. The presses for making diamonds weigh hundreds of tons and must withstand temperatures upward of fourteen hundred degrees centigrade. The process takes up to three months for diamonds of only a few carats. If the cube were to be assigned a carat weight, it would be approximately five thousand.”

  Rake whistled. “So, it’s a kind of diamond?”

  Ben took that question. “Not any that I can identify, either through conventional or unconventional means.”

  We all knew what Ben meant by “unconventional.” He’d actually touched the cube and had deemed it to be so alien as to not qualify as a gem.

  “One of our mages determined that there was complex magic involved as well,” Claire added.

  “If it is time-consuming and expensive to produce,” Ms. Sagadraco mused, “I could see where discovering a source of naturally occurring crystals capable of generating similar or identical power would be extremely desirable.”

  “And for all its power,” Claire said, “the cube can be destroyed. Not easily, but it can be done. We’ve had less than a day with the crystal, but we have found no such weakness.”

  “Nor will you,” Tam told her. “From the Heart of Nidaar itself down to specimens the size of the stone in my ring, all are indestructible.”

  He proceeded to tell Claire and Ben what he knew of the crystal and its motherstone, the Heart of Nidaar.

  Claire nodded as she took all of it in. “Unlike the crystal, the cube has power limits. And fortunately, at least for the southern portion of Manhattan, its function can be disrupted.”

  “How so?” Tam asked.

  “Ian’s ancestor was a demigod with a magic spear,” Rake told him. “Ian has it now. He stabbed the cube just before it was about to explode.”

  Tam accepted Rake’s explanation with a casual nod that said volumes about the level of weirdness he must be exposed to on a daily basis back home.

  “May I remove the crystal from the case?” Tam asked Claire.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I am.”

  “Very well.” Claire keyed in a code, and the lock disengaged with a click. She opened the lid and stepped aside.

  Tam stuck his bare-naked hand right in the box and picked up the crystal. No hesitation, even less fear.

  The flickering continued just as it had before.

  “Unless it is activated and directed to action,” he told us, his dark eyes on the stone, “it is harmless.”

  Ian nodded. “Like C4. You can make bunny rabbits out of it.”

  That tidbit from my partner’s past earned him some odd looks.

  He shrugged. “Sometimes you get bored waiting for the action to start.”

  Somehow I couldn’t visualize Ian the commando sitting in the dark, making C4 bunny rabbits, waiting for the signal to blow something up.

  “C4?” Tam asked quizzically.

  “An explosive,” Ian clarified. “A putty consistency.”

  Tam’s lips twitched at the corners. “I know someone who would enjoy learning all about that.” He held the crystal out to Ben. “Short-term exposure to such a small stone is perfectly safe. You’re a gem mage and this is a natural crystal. There will be no harm.”

  Ben made no move to take it. “Short-term exposure?”

  “The Cha’Nidaar people lived beneath a mountain that was basically lined with these crystals. The motherstone filled an entire cavern. Continuous exposure for years at such a level made them essentially immortal—and sterile.”

  There was some uneasy muttering at that, and a couple of the guys took a big step back.

  “We’ve determined that casual contact is perfectly safe,” Tam added.

  Ben didn’t look like he was getting any closer any time soon. “What does it do to non-goblins?”

  “It is the same. I’ve seen both elf and human gem mages hold these to no ill effect. Its only response will be a quickening of the flicker and perhaps a warmth coming from it.”

  A warmth going straight to your nether regions, the guys who took a step back had to be thinking.

  “Well, if you’re holding it—and wearing another one…” With a “here goes nothing” look, Ben took the stone. Apprehension faded, and a smile grew.

  “Now, inject a small portion of your gem magic into the crystal,” Tam told him
, his voice the only sound in the now silent lab. I think everyone else was holding their breath.

  Ben did, and the crystal brightened and glowed like a tiny, well-behaved sun.

  Ben ran his thumb slowly across the crystal’s surface as if petting it. “This just might be the coolest thing ever.” He gave a little gasp. “It’s vibrating. Is that normal?”

  “Agata got the same reaction,” Tam said with a smile. “She compared it to a cat’s purr.”

  I was amazed. “It likes being petted.”

  Dr. Ben Sadler was grinning like a little boy. “I think it likes me.”

  “I can’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t,” Tam told him.

  “Okay, Ben has a new pet rock,” I said. “Now what?”

  Tam’s smile vanished. “Now we have a few words with our Khrynsani prisoner.”

  10

  Sitting down with a police sketch artist didn’t usually come with a side order of anxiety.

  You sat down, described the guy you saw, and hoped the sketch came out looking somewhat like the perp and not Homer Simpson.

  A session with Susan Connolly would be quick, easy, and uncannily accurate, with none of the frustration that came with having the results look nothing like the guy who stole your purse—or in my case, tried to vaporize me.

  Suzy would put her fingertips on my temples, and while I remembered everything I could about who I’d seen, she’d pop into my head and watch my memory movie along with me.

  Easy peasy. Pass the popcorn.

  At the same time, it was seriously creepy.

  Fortunately, Suzy was an absolute doll, sweet as could be, and everyone at SPI loved her. Plus, I’d been told that you couldn’t even feel her rummaging around in there, though a couple of agents had said that it tickled.

  I could live with that, even if my nerves didn’t share my opinion.

  Suzy was still at lunch, so her assistant made us comfy in her office.

  And yep, I said “us.”

  Rake and Ian were with me. Tam had gone ahead to Bert’s lab to start the preparations for the interrogation. Gethen had given him the Khrynsani’s lifestone, because he had somewhere he had to be—namely standing guard outside Suzy’s office door.

  We’d told Rake what had happened last night and this morning as it related to the mystery goblin who’d tried to turn me into another pile of ashes in what was left of his house. Ever since then, Rake’s expression had been set on perma-scowl.

  “I don’t think Suzy will like you looming over her shoulder while she sketches,” I told him. “Not to mention you might not even recognize the guy.” I was careful not to say, “know the guy.”

  That was why Ian was here, or at least part of the reason. My partner was all about protecting me—on and off duty. He was starting to come around as far as Rake was concerned, but deep down, when it came to me, he trusted Rake about as far as he could drop-kick him. It wasn’t logical or due to anything Rake had done, it was just Ian’s protective, big brother instincts, which had nothing to do with logic.

  Being a spymaster for goblin intelligence on our world, Rake knew an inordinate number of shady characters, though describing them as merely “shady” was giving them the serious benefit of a doubt.

  Rake seemed convinced that if this goblin had been hanging around his burning house last night, and had tried to vaporize his girlfriend this morning, chances were better than average that he’d be able to put a name to the face I’d be remembering and Suzy would be drawing. And if the goblin revenge gods—yes, they had them—were smiling upon him today, he’d be able to have the guy’s head on a platter before sundown.

  Ian’s problem was that this less than shining example of a law-abiding citizen was still gunning for Rake, and by extension, me. A larger problem was that there were more Khrynsani where this one had come from. Rake was concerned about that, too. Rake’s worrying didn’t lessen Ian’s worrying, and between the two of them, I’d be lucky if I ever got to pee by myself again.

  More than once, Rake had mentioned hiring bodyguards for me. I didn’t like the idea, but I acknowledged the potential need. I’d given Rake permission with the caveat that I not know they were there.

  The grin Rake had given me said “challenge accepted” loud and clear. He’d worked fast. That afternoon, when I’d left SPI HQ, I’d sensed being protectively followed, but danged if I could see anyone. I decided I could live with that, but only when I was off duty. On duty, there were Ian and my equally qualified coworkers.

  After this morning, I was rethinking that restriction. I knew Rake was, too.

  Suzy rushed in. “My apologies, I usually eat at my desk. The one day I don’t…” She gave a little smile and threw up her hands. “Have you had lunch?” she asked me.

  “I’ve been a little busy this morning.”

  “So I heard.” She pulled up a chair and sat down directly opposite me, our knees nearly touching. “Let’s see what we can do to keep that from happening again.”

  “I’m all for that.”

  “I asked about lunch because some people get a little nauseated coming out of a link.”

  Lovely. “I didn’t know that.”

  “It’s rare, but it has happened.”

  “I get dizzy standing up too fast, and I can’t fly without being tanked up on Dramamine. And depending on turbulence, I’ve still gotten sick. When I get in a plane, first thing I do is check for an airsick bag.”

  “Oh dear.”

  “Yeah. What’s the plan for that? Do you keep airsick bags around?”

  In response, Suzy reached over and pulled a small plastic-lined trash can over to the left of my chair. She tried a little smile. “How’s your aim?”

  “Good, from entirely too much practice.”

  “I couldn’t ask for more.” She was suddenly all business as she glanced from Ian to Rake and back again. “Gentlemen, this will be much easier for me if you waited outside.”

  To my amazement, both men stood and left without a word. Impressive.

  “Did Mr. Moreau tell you that I only think I might have gotten a glimpse of the guy?” I asked when Ian had closed the door behind them.

  “He did. I may need to tap a deeper level of your sub-conscious; but if you saw him, I’ll see him.”

  “Let me guess, deeper level means increased chance of getting sick.”

  She reached over for a remote on her desk and dimmed the lights. “It does increase the odds.”

  “Great, but if we find this guy, it’ll be worth it.” I closed my eyes and took what I hoped would be a deep, calming breath. “Let’s do this.”

  Suzy placed her fingertips on my temples. I didn’t know if she closed her eyes. I wasn’t going to check.

  “I need you to tell me exactly what happened. What you saw.”

  I did, concentrating on what I’d seen when I’d alerted Gethen and had looked up to find the goblin watching both of us. Things had happened quickly after that, the goblin’s attack and his escape taking no more than a few seconds.

  “Are you seeing this?” I murmured.

  “I am. Go back a little further to just before you first saw him. You’re safe, so don’t be afraid to dig deep and relive it. Remember the scents and sounds in addition to what you saw and heard.”

  Suzy really did have a soothing voice. I wondered if she was also a hypnotist. I let it calm and guide me, as she talked me through what we were both seeing, helping me notice things I hadn’t been aware of this morning. Amazingly enough, over all the brimstone and smoke stink, I’d smelled fresh-baked bagels.

  My stomach growled. I winced. “Sorry.”

  Suzy didn’t miss a beat; she kept going.

  When I again reached the moment of the attack, I tried to slow the action.

  Her fingertips tightened slightly. “Don’t. Let it happen. I’ll do the work.”

  I did, reaching and passing the point when the goblin activated and stepp
ed through the portal.

  “Once more.”

  I went through the attack and disappearance again. When I reached the instant the goblin touched the cuff on his wrist, I felt what Suzy meant by tapping a deeper level. The image, frozen in time, revealed the goblin’s true appearance. I didn’t know if the energies from the transporter cuff briefly overpowered his glamour, or if he’d simply gotten cocky and let it drop. It didn’t matter. I had him. We had him.

  He was tall with a swimmer’s build, like most goblins. His hair was loose and fell to his shoulder blades. As to his face… Well, let’s just say he was easy on the eyes, and could give Rake and Tam a run for their money. I didn’t think I’d have any trouble recognizing him if I saw him again.

  Suzy brought me back out of whatever trance she’d held me in and did her best to bring me in for a smooth landing. But like a sudden drop during descent into JFK, it wasn’t enough to prevent what happened next.

  I made sure I leaned to the left.

  I was sure Suzy and her cute pink blouse appreciated my aim.

  *

  While Suzy sketched, she did not allow Rake to look over her shoulder.

  He had asked.

  She had refused.

  Rake had gotten me a cup of water, and a cold washcloth for my face and neck. Actually, it was a pile of wet and wrung-out paper towels from the nearest bathroom sink, but I wasn’t being choosy. If it was cold and wet, it was wonderful.

  Ian had gone to the cafeteria for ginger ale and saltines. He hadn’t gotten back yet.

  Suzy had kept apologizing. “I’m so sorry,” she said for the umpteenth time. “Your glimpse of him was so brief, I had to stop you at precisely that time.”

  And it’d felt like going down the big hill of a giant rollercoaster and when I’d reached the bottom, Suzy had slammed on the brakes.

  I rested my forehead in my hand holding the paper towels and tried not to move. “Honey, if you can give us a sketch that helps us catch this guy, it’ll be worth it.” I raised my head. Slowly. While focusing my eyes on the corner of her desk. “And if you didn’t get enough detail and need to go in again, I’m good with that. I’ll take vomiting over vaporized any day.”