“I believe research is in order,” the chancellor said. “Perhaps we should turn the stone over to the AMF.”
“No,” I said quickly. “You’ve been wanting me to prove my worth as a future agent. Here’s another chance for me to excel.”
Chancellor Tilkin observed me with a hint of surprise. “Your performance in connection with the Hunter was impressive, child. There is no need to overburden yourself.”
“I won’t,” I promised. “The djinni is trapped in a stone. Stones are my specialty. I’ve got this.”
Bryn patted me on the back. “And we’ve got her. Don’t worry, Chancellor. Your best witches are on the case.”
The chancellor laughed again. “If only we gave marks for pride.”
“Then I guess I’d be top of the class.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Again.”
I looped my arm through Bryn’s. “I’ll wrangle her ego, Chancellor Tilkin. Otherwise, we won’t be able to fit through the doorway.”
“Best of luck, witches. Let me know how you progress.”
My research involved using all resources available to me, including my former prefect, Robin Chambers. The wizard now worked as an analyst for the AMF and was a wealth of knowledge on many subjects. I knew he’d be invaluable in helping me learn more about my new friend, so I’d arranged to meet him in one of the small conference rooms in the library for privacy.
“I can hardly believe you’ll be entering your final year in a few short months,” Robin said. “Do you feel ready?”
“Who’s ever ready for the next big phase of life?” I asked. “I’m getting there. This year has kept me busy, that’s for sure.”
“I’ve gotten that impression,” the former prefect said. His focus shifted to the opal. “And why do I get the distinct sense this object has you preoccupied?”
“Robin, meet Gus,” I said. I ordered the djinni from his stone. I hated having to command anyone, but that was the way it worked. I was now in charge of the djinni. I’d released him from his object and, thus, he was my responsibility.
“Gus?” Robin repeated. “Not a very djinn name.” He adjusted his bow tie and I smiled. It was nice to see that, although Robin had graduated from Spellslingers and was out in the real world, he was very much the same wizard we knew and appreciated.
“It’s probably not his name,” I said, “but I felt the need to call him something.” Bryn had suggested Aladdin, but I didn’t think it suited him.
Robin rose from his chair and stood in front of Gus. The djinni was as expressionless and silent as ever. I watched as Robin examined the djinni from the top all the way to his the tips of his shoes.
“What do you think?” I prompted. “A holdover from the Second War?”
“I don’t think so,” Robin said. He rubbed the lobe of his ear. “Though I can understand why you’d say that. His attire seems very old-fashioned. The gold cuffs in particular suggest a much earlier era.”
“Cuffs?” I peered at the djinni’s wrists. “Could he be an actual prisoner?” Was binding a djinni to an object a punishment for crime among djinn?
“No, I do believe the cuffs are ornamental,” Robin replied. “He could be a prisoner, though. No need for cuffs if one is suspended in a stone.”
“Why don’t you think he’s from the Second War?”
“His teeth for one thing,” Robin said. “They’re very straight and white.”
I observed the djinni for a quiet moment. Although he didn’t smile or speak, occasionally he opened his mouth enough that I could glimpse his teeth. Robin was right—they didn’t have the hallmark stains and crookedness of ancient times. Even though magic could have fixed such imperfections, it wouldn’t have been the fashion to do so.
“What if he’s been living in Terrene and someone performed an attachment spell on him?” I proposed.
“Check with Callan,” Robin said. “The League keeps a record of missing paranormals in the human world.”
I made a note to contact him, not that I needed a reason. Sometimes I received a message from him with a heart and nothing else. There was a sweetheart buried under that wolfish exterior.
“Maybe the chancellor was right,” I said. “Maybe someone trapped him in the stone and intended for him to go to the underworld.”
Robin met the djinni’s inscrutable gaze. “If only he could speak.”
“If only he were free of the opal. What if we were able to break his attachment to it?” I asked.
Robin braided his fingers together and held them against his stomach. “Yes, I imagine that would break all the spells currently cast on him. Then he could tell us his name and what happened.”
“Unless he’s a criminal and should stay attached,” I said, doubting my plan. “Then we’ll have freed someone not meant to be mingling in society.” It was risky.
“Let’s find out if the League or the AMF can identify him first,” Robin said. “If so, then we’ll know whether this is some kind of prison or punishment.”
“You can check the AMF database?” I asked.
“Anything for my favorite earth witch.”
“Any idea which caste he’s in?” I asked.
“Shaitan,” he said without hesitation.
I looked at Gus. “How can you be so sure?” Although I could generally determine if someone was a witch on sight, I couldn’t necessarily identify which coven she was in or which specialty she possessed.
“Again, it’s the clothing,” Robin said. “Shaitans have traditionally favored silk tunics with simple geographic designs and curled shoes.”
“You know a lot about djinn,” I said.
Robin broke into a wide grin. “I know a lot about everything.”
“What else do you know about them?” I asked. I was curious because of Gus, but also because I had very little direct experience with djinn.
“Djinn can be very insular,” Robin said. “Those that dwell in their own realm are not fond of outsiders. Remnants of past wars, no doubt.”
“They were part of the Second War Between the Realms,” I said. “Not so insular then.”
“Oh yes,” Robin replied. “Portals were sealed or destroyed. Accords were drafted. A tumultuous time.”
“And most retreated to their own realm?”
He returned to his seat. “Yes. The Shaitans have their own colony there, as do the other castes.”
I commanded Gus back into the opal. It seemed rude to leave him standing there to be gawked at while we talked about his kind. “So the Janns, Shaitans, Marida, Ghuls, and Ifrits each have a colony there?”
“That’s right. Well remembered.”
“They don’t mix?”
“Not in their realm,” Robin said. “The ones living outside of there tend to be more progressive. They don’t tend to identify as a particular caste.”
I stroked the black opal. “Tell me about their realm. Have you ever been?”
Robin seemed taken aback. “Good Goddess, no. Why would I? It’s hardly a travel destination.”
“Why isn’t it, though? The land of smokeless fire sounds like an amazing place to visit.”
“The smokeless fire description is more poetic than accurate. There’ve been never-ending border disputes between the colonies. History cautions us, so we monitor them to make sure their disagreements don’t spill over into our world.”
“They fight over land?” I asked.
Robin shrugged. “Which species doesn’t? To my knowledge, the realm has been reasonably quiet for decades, but there was a time when you couldn’t throw a broomstick without some caste raiding another caste’s stronghold and seizing the land.”
“What would happen to the djinn living there if the castes don’t mix?”
“They were forced further into the colony, away from the new border,” Robin explained. “This sort of aggression breeds resentment.”
“And war,” I said. “Isn’t that basically what happened leading up to the Second War?” Except that involved att
acks between realms rather than within one realm.
“It has happened, and will inevitably happen again,” Robin said with a somber face. “A tale as old as time.”
I shuddered. “I hope we never have a multi-realm war in my lifetime. It sounds awful.”
“You should hope there aren’t any wars during our lifetime,” Robin said. “We are quite fortunate to live in a time of peace and prosperity.”
I gazed at the smooth stone with its lightning design. “Such a beautiful prison.”
“Not to Gus,” Robin said. “The view from inside is probably bleak.”
“I imagine the view of his entire future is bleak,” I said. Even if he had committed a crime, did he deserve a life sentence like this one? It seemed—to quote Bryn—like cruel and unusual punishment. Unless he was a monster like the Hunter. Then it would be hard to say he didn’t deserve a fate worse than death. Ugh. Moralizing was not my strong suit. I slipped the stone back into my pocket for safekeeping. If I handled things right, hopefully we’d get to the bottom of this—and soon.
Chapter Five
“Word of warning,” I told Callan. “Don’t order the Freaky Frittata.” We sat in a large booth at Stake-n-Shake with Gray, Bryn, Dani, Peter, Mia, and Robin. When I’d mentioned we were heading out to the vampire-owned roller-skating diner for an evening meal, Robin’s expression grew wistful and I realized how much he missed spending time with us. Dani borrowed the groundskeeper’s pickup truck so that we could ride over together. William Fonthill was a cantankerous old guy, but he had a soft spot for Dani that resulted in generous use of his vehicle.
“What’s up with the frittata?” Callan queried. He zeroed in on Gray. “What do they do to it?”
Gray paused for a beat and said, “What may seem to be red peppers are, in fact, not.”
Callan appeared unperturbed as he continued to peruse the menu. “Thoughts on the steak and kidney pie?” He cast a sidelong glance at me and I shook my head. “I am a werewolf, you know. Organs aren’t an issue.”
The server skated over and took our drinks order before rolling away. The elf was smaller than most of the other servers but very proficient on wheels.
“So what’s the story with the djinni?” Callan asked. “You think he’s someone missing from Terrene?”
“Not necessarily,” I said. I told him the story of the opal and what I’d learned so far.
“I suggested that she ask you about League reports,” Robin interjected from the far end of the table. “If the djinni is missing from Terrene, then we should be able to identify him. I checked the AMF system before I came here, but there was no information on Gus or anyone who fit his description.”
Callan set down the menu. “You’ve got that rock stashed away somewhere safe?”
“Right here,” I said, patting my pocket. “I’m not leaving Gus behind.”
Callan arched an eyebrow. “Gus?”
“That’s what she calls him,” Bryn said. “So he’s not Opal Guy or Weirdly Dressed Prisoner. I voted for Aladdin, but she put the kibosh on that one.”
Callan snorted. “Aladdin.”
Peter laughed. “Good one, Bryn.”
“Isn’t that kind of racist?” Dani asked.
Everyone fell silent.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Bryn said. “It’s his clothes. Look, if you’ve ever seen the movie, you’d understand.”
“I can show you the world,” Peter crooned to Dani. “Or just the movie. We can watch it later tonight.” He chuckled to himself. “Man, I love that monkey.”
“Can I get a look at Gus?” Callan asked. “Without a name, I need to send a detailed description to the office. Be good to see him for myself.”
I surveyed the interior of the diner. It was so noisy and busy that I doubted anyone would notice an extra man appear at our table, especially one that couldn’t communicate. I produced the opal and quietly commanded the djinni to appear.
Callan stared at Gus in awe. “How about that?”
“What if the guy’s taking a bath or something and you haul his butt out here?” Peter asked. “Shouldn’t you discuss availability?”
“Gus isn’t bathing in there,” I said.
“Why?” Peter asked. “Can you smell him?” Dani elbowed her boyfriend into silence.
Callan took out his phone and snapped a photo of the djinni before sending it off to the League office. “I’ll let you know if there’s a match. I bet I get an answer before dessert.”
“Then I guess Kendall isn’t the one receiving the image,” I joked. The werebear was one of one Callan’s partners and I’d gotten to know him pretty well when Callan and I were bound to each other.
“Nope. That’d be Henry. You haven’t met him.” Callan stared at the djinni. “His clothes seem old, yet they’ve got that shiny new look to them. It’s a shame he can’t communicate. Would make this whole identity thing a lot easier.”
“Nothing’s ever easy in this business,” Gray said. He nudged Bryn with his shoulder. “Get used to it.”
The server returned to take our dinner order. I was pretty sure Gray ordered blood, with a side of blood, and a malted bloodshake. I was relieved to be seated at the other end of the table.
“How was the field trip other than finding Gus?” Callan asked. “Uneventful?”
I laughed. “Sure, if you don’t count the hydra.”
“Hydra?” Robin blurted. “No one told me about a hydra. I feel so left out.”
“Don’t,” Callan said. “I didn’t know either.” He gave me a pointed look.
“I didn’t want to worry you,” I said. “Especially because it all worked out.”
“Why did you go into the river when Gray and Theo told you not to?” Callan asked.
“I’ve been wondering that myself,” Gray said, though he didn’t sound angry.
“Their concern was one of us getting washed down to the underworld, but I could see that wasn’t going to happen,” I said. “There was very little current at the time.” It probably hadn’t rained in a while.
“Give her a break,” Bryn said. “She wanted to win. It was a smart move. I never would’ve looked for her in the water because that’s my domain.”
Callan seemed impressed. “And you took on a hydra and won. I wish I could’ve seen it.” He covered my hand with his and squeezed, prompting butterflies to explode in my stomach. There was no way my feelings were colored by Bryn’s spell. Not when they were this powerful. I inched closer so that our thighs were touching. It felt good to be close to him. I thought about the opal in my pocket and wondered whether Gus had a similar feeling toward the stone. Ugh. I shoved the thought aside.
The food came and went and we were busy mulling over the dessert options when Callan’s phone buzzed. I peered over his shoulder but couldn’t read the screen.
“Nobody meets his description,” Callan said. His gaze shifted to the empty space where Gus had been standing before I returned him to the stone.
Gray wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Told you it wouldn’t be easy.”
I glanced around the table. “Then what’s next?”
“Dessert,” Peter said, gazing wide-eyed at the menu. “Possibly multiple desserts.”
“A man after my own heart,” Bryn said.
Gray shot her a look. “I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.”
“I think we should break the attachment spell,” I said. “It’s our best chance to figure out who he is and what happened to him.”
Gray stiffened. “I don’t know whether that’s a good idea. If he’s imprisoned for good cause…”
“Then we’ll take precautions,” Bryn said. “Have it set up so that he can’t hurt us once he’s free.”
“What if he isn’t a criminal?” I said. “What if he’s been sucked into the stone against his will out of petty revenge or something else?” I gripped the edge of the table. “I don’t know what the situation is, but that stone called to me for a reason and I think the re
ason must be to free him. The rune that came to mind was persistence.”
Callan placed a supportive hand on my arm. “If anyone can do this, it’s you, Cerys. Stones are your deal and you’ve got a heart made of whatever Gus’s cuffs are made of.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I knew I could count on you.”
“Will you rat us out?” Bryn asked her boyfriend.
Gray maintained a blank expression. “About what?”
She planted a noisy kiss on his cheek. “That’s what I thought.”
Robin raised a hand. “What about me? Isn’t anyone afraid that I might snitch?”
“Not a chance,” Dani said. “Or Bryn will force you to take her blood and make you her puppet.”
“Ooh, you went dark, Degraff,” Bryn said.
Dani blinked innocently. “Did I?”
“I’ll help you with the spell,” Mia offered. “I agree with you. No one should be shackled to a stone for eternity, unable to communicate. It’s awful.”
“Thanks, Mia.” I gave her a grateful smile.
“I’m helping, too,” Dani said. “What makes you think I wouldn’t?”
Everyone looked expectantly at Bryn. She rolled her eyes. “Like I wouldn’t? Let’s go for it. I love incurring the wrath of the Board of Regents. It’s one of my favorite hobbies.”
“We won’t incur anybody’s wrath,” I said. “We’re going to rescue this djinni from a terrible fate and solve the mystery as to why his opal was in the Petram Caverns river.”
“Let me know when it’s done,” Gray said. “In the meantime, I know nothing.”
Bryn smirked. “What else is new?”
“What are you having for dessert?” Callan asked me.
“I can’t focus on food anymore,” I said. “I need to get to the library and research how to break the attachment spell.”
Peter tapped the side of his head. “Can’t focus on food? Does not compute.”
“You want to do it tonight?” Callan asked.
“I won’t have time tomorrow,” I said. “I have a full schedule.”
Bryn closed her menu. “I am willing to sacrifice my favorite pudding for my favorite earth witch.”
Outlaw: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Enforcer of the East Book 2) Page 5