“I don't think so,” I said. “In fact, he's not even in the right mind to lie. He's far too weak.”
Her head snapped. “Weak? What do you mean?”
“Sounds like he drank something that didn't agree with him at your party,” Declan said.
“Why did you disguise yourself as a vampire?” I asked.
“Same reason as you, I imagine,” Sela said. “It was a Vampire Alliance event. They’d be cautious of any non-vampires in attendance.”
But Sela didn’t simply attend—she was the hostess. “What’s your relationship with the organization?” I asked. “Do they know you’re a muse?”
Sela’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “Enough of this. I’ll let inspiration strike instead.” She released the sundial and I grabbed it, holding it against my chest. The muse snapped her fingers and backed away. It took me a moment to realize that Declan and I wouldn’t be leaving the gallery without a fight. All around us, figures stirred.
The paintings were coming to life.
Aphrodite’s benevolent smile twisted into a snarl. She vacated the canvas and stepped into the gallery. Vines slithered with her, trailing along the floor and then lashing like whips. I glanced at Declan to see him breaking a vine in half. One of the vines wrapped around my ankles and tightened. I refused to let go of the sundial. I pulled out my wand with my free hand before the vines could secure my wrists.
I summoned my magic and focused on sending the energy through my wand to the attacking vines. The green stalks sparked with electricity before going limp. There was no time to celebrate because goblins swarmed the room as they climbed out of the pots in the painting. They were smaller than real goblins—thank the gods for small mercies. Declan used a nearby obelisk off a pedestal and wielded it as a weapon, smacking the goblins aside. Two goblins ran straight toward me and I caught them in a mini-tornado. They spiraled around and around until the tornado broke through the glass window and deposited them outside.
Aphrodite released an angry scream and lunged for me. I threw out my hand and conjured a blast of air that slammed the goddess of love against the wall. Her head wobbled from side to side. Before she could recover, I focused my will and aimed my wand. I used a freeze spell to hold her still and then used a second spell to command the vines to secure her to the wall.
My gaze darted to Declan where he was dispatching the last goblin into an urn. Sela was nowhere to be seen. I was about to offer a victorious smile when I heard the sound of harp strings. Normally, the music would be soothing and welcome, but now the sound was ominous.
“Mia.” Declan’s voice was wary.
The horned demon ripped from the canvas and launched the harp at Declan’s head. Declan ducked and threw a punch at the demon’s red gut on his way back to a standing position. The demon didn’t flinch. Declan was tall and built, but the demon was taller and seemed to be made entirely of muscle. Declan blocked the demon’s blow and jumped aside when the burning red eyes actually produced streaks of fire.
I had to help.
I aimed my wand at the demon’s face and cast a water spell that Bryn had taught me. Water streamed from the tip of my wand and hit the demon between the eyes.
Stars and stones. I missed.
I shifted the wand as the water continued to shoot from the end of it. The demon knocked Declan against the wall before turning his attention to me, and I managed to hit him in the left eye this time. His hand flew to block the spray of water, so I pointed the wand at his right eye. The burning iris began to diminish. Declan threw his full body weight against the demon and they both went flying across the gallery, smashing into a sculpture of a cherub. The wings broke off and skid across the floor. Declan picked up the remainder of the statue and brought it down hard on the soft spot of the demon’s head between its horns. The demon howled in protest and rolled on top of Declan, pinning him to the floor.
I aimed my wand again, intending to force the demon off my companion. I didn’t see the goblin escape from the urn and charge me. He struck the wand from my grip and threw himself against my legs. I managed to remain upright and saw the demon raise his fist to pummel Declan. My hands shot out and a blast of air hit the demon, tossing him onto the floor. Declan quickly regained the upper hand. I kicked and broke free of the goblin and scrambled to retrieve my wand. I focused my will and cast a bury spell. The floor opened up and swallowed the demon. Declan grabbed the escaped goblin by the collar and tossed him into the gaping hole before it sealed over.
My heart pounded as I surveyed the disastrous scene at the gallery. “What in spell’s bells just happened?”
Declan’s face split into a wide grin. “That was amazing, Mia.”
“Amazing?” I echoed. My body began to tremble. I wanted to stop—embarrassed by the display—but I couldn’t control it.
Declan crossed the room and engulfed me in a tight hug. The sundial pressed against my chest. “Hey, it’s okay,” he said in a soothing tone. His scent was exactly as Nick had described at Nonesuch—beer and leather. It was oddly comforting.
I sniffed and pulled away. “Not very professional. Sorry.”
“You have the sundial,” Declan said. “That’s about as professional as it gets. You should be proud, Mia.”
“But Sela got away,” I said.
He looked around the gallery. “She’ll be back. You can count on it.”
“I have the sundial, but what about you?” I asked. “You haven’t figured out her importance to your fate.”
Declan shook his head. “It’s about as clear as mud.” He splayed his hands. “But look at the fun we’ve had in the meantime. Totally worth it.”
I managed a weak laugh. “You and I have very different ideas of fun.”
He winked. “In that case, next time we’ll try yours.”
My heart pounded even harder and, this time, it had nothing to do with the battle we’d just won.
Chapter Six
“Lucille, I'm so glad you're here,” I said. I’d made my triumphant return with the sundial and was pleased to find Lucille in her office.
Nick clapped me on the back. “I’d love to hear the whole story. Why didn’t you tell me you’d found Sela?”
“Oh, c’mon, Nick,” Lucille said. “She’s trying to make her mark. We both would’ve done the same.”
I approached Lucille’s desk. “How are you feeling?”
“Like death warmed over,” the vampire said.
“Isn't that how vampires always feel?” Nick joked. I noticed his brow crease with concern when he looked at her. “Since the sundial is back safe and sound and Percy’s in custody, why don't you go home and rest a little more? Or, better yet, head up to the fifth floor and see Jayna.” He looked at me. “Jayna is our main healer at headquarters. She treats anyone in the building. We have more healers on call for those in the field.”
I thought of Alana, the druid healer at Spellslingers. She’d proven herself indispensable during my time at the academy.
“Nick is right,” I said. “How about I take you to see Jayna right now? You don't mind, do you, Nick?”
“No problem. I'll be right here, boring myself to tears with paperwork. This is the least glamorous part of the job.”
“If you want to hold off, you can show me what to do when I get back,” I said.
Nick pointed a pen at me. “You’re full of good ideas today.”
Lucille managed an anemic smirk. “I’ve always said you’re the lazy one in our partnership.”
“I’m lazy? You don't see me slouched over a desk,” Nick replied good-naturedly. “Go on then. Let Jayna tell us all about your dire infection.”
Nick and Lucille's phones buzzed at the same time. Lucille didn't even bother to look at her screen. As Nick read the message, his whole body tensed.
“Nick?” I said.
He tore his gaze from the phone screen and looked at us. “It's Percy. He's dead.” He zeroed in on Lucille. “Get her to the healer now. I'll meet you there.
” He rushed from the room without a backward glance.
I tried to remain calm. Just because Percy succumbed to the mysterious illness didn't mean that Lucille would. She was a strong vampire. A Warden of the West. She took care of herself.
I lowered myself so that she could put an arm around my shoulders and rise to her feet. “We’ll just take it slowly,” I said.
We shuffled from the room and made our way to the elevator. Lucille's pale skin had taken on a greenish tint and I began to worry. The elevator doors opened and I practically dragged her inside. I hit the button for the fifth floor and the doors closed. Lucille began to murmur incoherently.
“Don't worry, Lucille,” I said. “Jayna is going to take care of you.”
Lucille looked at me through heavy lids. “I can smell your fear.”
“I’m just worried about losing Percy, that's all,” I said. “He was valuable to the case.” I didn't want her to worry any more than she probably already was.
“You… don't understand,” she said. Her voice was almost a whisper. “Your fear makes me hungry.” Her fangs elongated and I saw her eyes glaze over with a distant expression. Lucille was losing her grip. She was going to try to feed on me unless I did something. I didn't want to use magic against her, not in her weakened condition. On the other hand, she could still do a lot of damage to me if I didn't protect myself. One good bite and she could kill me.
“Lucille, you don't want to do this,” I said. I tried to quell my fear so that she no longer sensed it. My gaze flitted to the elevator doors, knowing they should open any second. Then I could run.
A low growl emanated from her. “I need to feed. Something’s wrong with me.”
My hand moved to my wand. Maybe I could use a freeze spell…
Lucille lunged. I wasn't sure how she had the energy to move that quickly, but she did. I jumped aside at the last second and she slammed into the elevator wall and staggered backward. The doors opened and I sprinted through them before she could collect herself. A minotaur I didn't recognize walked toward me in the hallway, carrying a box of files.
“Please, I need help,” I said. “Lucille…She works here. She’s…”
Lucille crawled out of the elevator. Sweat dripped from her skin. Great Goddess of the Moon. She wasn't going to make it.
The minotaur didn't hesitate. He dropped the box of files and raced to help Lucille. He scooped her up as though she weighed nothing at all and carried her to Jayna’s suite. Nick must've called because the healer was waiting for us.
“On the table, quickly,” Jayna urged.
The minotaur placed Lucille's limp body on the cushioned table. “I don't know what's wrong with her,” the minotaur said. “She crawled out of the elevator.”
“She's been unwell for days,” I said. “There's a vampire in custody, Percy. He was sick, too.”
Jayna looked at me. “Was? He’s better now?”
I met her gaze. “He just died. Nick went to see him.”
Jayna glanced at Lucille with concern. The vampire appeared to be drifting in and out of consciousness. Her fangs still protruded from her mouth.
“I examined the vampire in custody,” Jayna said. “It seemed to be an infection. Not common for vampires, but not unheard of.” She leaned over Lucille and whispered, “Why did you not come to me?”
I knew why. Although Lucille was an experienced warden, she was still proving herself. It didn't matter that she was a tough vampire. She was a woman in a challenging career with a werejaguar for a partner. I bet that Lucille felt the need to prove herself every single day, no matter how well she performed her job.
“I hope she's okay,” the minotaur said. “I’ll get out of your way and let you work.” He backed out of the room and I could tell that he was nervous. He likely didn’t want to catch whatever it was Lucille had. I didn't think it was likely, given that Nick and I weren't sick. Neither was Declan. Or Sela, for that matter.
Jayna craned her neck to see me. “Do you have any idea what may have caused this? Anything she and Percy ingested at that event?”
I racked my brain. “The only thing I can think they had in common was the blood.”
Jayna shook her head. “Percy insisted he didn’t partake. He said he never drinks on the job.”
I was inclined to believe him. He’d said as much to us before, but Nick didn't find him trustworthy. In my mind, Percy had no reason to lie. He wanted to know what was wrong with him as much as anyone. More than anyone, really.
“We ruled out the crab,” I said. “I ate that, too. Lucille didn't have anything else other than a glass of blood.”
Jayna worked her hands over Lucille's body as she talked. A silver glow emanated from her hands. “I drew blood from Percy. His levels were off, but I couldn’t gauge what might have caused the results.” She placed the palm of her hand on Lucille's damp forehead. “I will take a sample from Lucille, but I don't expect to find anything different.”
Nick burst through the open doorway. “How is she?” He hurried to the table and clasped Lucille's hand in his. “Come on, partner. You’re tougher than this. Percy had nothing on you.”
Lucille didn’t answer. In fact, she didn’t appear to be moving at all.
“Her body is shutting down,” Jayna advised. Her hands dropped to her sides. “There is nothing to be done.”
Fear gripped me. “What do you mean? You said you were going to take her blood for analysis.”
Jayna nodded. “And I will, but it will only be to ascertain what may have killed her. I’m afraid she's lost to us now.”
I stared at the vampire in disbelief. Lucille was really dying.
Nick released an angry snarl and I worried that he was about to shift. He squeezed Lucille's hand. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I let you down, Lucille. I swear I’ll find out what did this to you and make sure it never happens again.”
“And I’ll help you,” I said quietly.
Nick lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “You were the best partner any agent could ever hope for. Thank you.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. When he opened them, he released her hand and stalked off.
Jayna placed her hands one more time in the space above Lucille's chest and concentrated. “Yes. She is gone.”
I remained rooted to the floor, unable to process what had just happened. Percy was dead. Lucille was dead. And we had no earthly idea what killed them.
“What's the matter?” Cerys asked. She was the first one to notice me. The witches were practicing the art of meditation, which Alana had recommended to Cerys, but Dani and Bryn had decided to try it too. Their familiars also seemed to be engrossed in contemplative silent. Either that or they were asleep. It was hard to tell. Pepper came straight to me, sensing my anguish. I scooped her up and held her close.
“Lucille died today,” I said, and I fielded three witches’ startled reactions. I climbed into bed and placed Pepper beside me. I wanted to hide under the covers and pretend it was all a bad dream. I felt a hand on my back and I knew it belonged to Cerys.
“What happened?” the earth witch asked in a gentle voice.
“I don't know,” came my muffled response. “She got sick the day after our assignment. She died today, and so did the thief we had in custody.”
“Weren't they both vampires?” Bryn asked.
“Yes,” I said. “The AMF healer doesn't understand it. She said it’s unusual enough for one vampire to die from an infection, and we have two.”
“Gray would know if there was something going around that was harmful to vampires,” Bryn said. It was no surprise that she was concerned. If there was something harmful to vampires, then that meant Gray was vulnerable too.
“Is this a bad time to tell you that Chancellor Tilkin was looking for you?” Dani said. “She sent Hazel, and we told her that you were working on your assignment.”
I turned my head to look at her, not bothering to wipe my tears. “Did she say what she wanted?”
> “I don't think it was anything serious,” Dani said. “I think she just wanted an update on your progress. You know she likes to hear our point of view. Self-assessment and all that.”
I pulled myself into the seated position. “I think I should go now and get it over with.” I didn't feel up to it, but then again, I couldn't imagine feeling up for it later either.
Cerys rubbed my back. “I think you should do whatever you feel capable of right now. You're probably in shock.”
I was. “Lucille was a good agent. She and Nick…They were really close. This is going to be hard on him.” I glanced at Bryn. “I can imagine how Gray must've felt when his partner died."
“I’ll let him know about Lucille if he hasn't already heard,” Bryn said. “I’m sure he would offer support to Nick.” She grabbed her phone and went into the bathroom for privacy.
I pulled myself together and stood. “I can do this.” Lucille would have wanted me to stay tough, not spend the day sobbing into my pillow. “I’m going to go see the chancellor now and get it out of the way.” Then I intended to do everything in my power to find out what happened to Lucille and why. She deserved answers and I was determined to get them for her.
Chapter Seven
Hazel was nowhere to be seen, so I knocked tentatively on the chancellor's door.
“You may come in,” the chancellor said.
Gently, I nudged open the door and stepped inside. The chancellor’s white-blond hair was pulled into an elegant French twist and her attention was focused on the thick document in front of her.
“You wanted to see me, Chancellor Tilkin?” I said.
She motioned me forward. “I’m sorry we weren't able to connect earlier. I understand you've been quite busy with the wardens.”
That was an understatement.
“How are you finding the experience so far?”
I dropped into the chair opposite her and immediately felt the threat of tears. There was no way I could cry right now. Not in front of the chancellor. They’d never welcome me as an agent if I couldn't keep it together. Unfortunately, the chancellor’s keen eye detected that something was amiss.
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