by Sarah Noffke
Her spirits sank a little lower as she read the next page aloud.
“The only weapon that can kill a werewolf is silver. Anything else will only wound it.”
So Bellator wouldn’t give her any advantage over the wolves. That meant Liv needed to get hold of something that was pure silver for a worst-case scenario. She was serious about keeping her promise to Sophia and returning alive. Well, and also, she really didn’t want to die.
For the first time in a long time, she sort of enjoyed her life. Yes, things were complicated with the House secrets and uncovering the hidden history, but aside from that, she had Sophia and Clark and John, and although he must never know it, Rory was becoming one of her favorite people. There were others whom she considered friends too—a community of people who she actually liked being around. She wasn’t ready to give that up and join her parents and siblings in the graveyard.
Again, she remembered the image from the Door of Reflection, and guilt prickled her throat. Liv was on the border of happiness, and it felt all wrong. She knew that her parents would want her to be happy. They’d be grateful she’d found a community. But for her, it felt wrong.
Liv was trying to determine where she was going to get a silver weapon that could work against a werewolf when Clark materialized at the end of the hallway.
“They are ready to see you now,” he said, giving her an uncertain look.
“I’ve decided to not have my magic locked yet,” Liv stated. “I need to find a silver weapon, and I don’t want to travel like a mortal. Can I call you when I’m ready and close to the village?”
Clark hesitated. “Adler won’t like it. He’ll make an excuse about why it has to be done now, and he’ll be angry that they set a time to meet with you and you flaked.”
“That’s even more reason that I’m going to wait,” Liv fired back.
Clark actually laughed. “You really enjoy making him mad, don’t you?”
“It does give my life meaning.”
“All of the council has to be present for us to lock your magic,” Clark explained.
Liv cast a skeptical glare at him. “How do you know?”
Clark sighed. “Because that was the way it was set up. Without all the Councilors, a magician’s magic can’t be locked or unlocked. Why would you even question that?”
Liv didn’t know entirely. It had just occurred to her that it sounded a bit fishy. “Well, then, will you coordinate with them to lock my magic tomorrow when I call you? And I’ll need it turned back on before nightfall in Romania. The wolves turn every single night, or at least they can.”
Clark’s eyes widened, but he nodded. “I’ll do my best to coordinate it, but be careful. I don’t like this situation at all.”
“We already know that Adler wants me dead or dismembered,” Liv stated. “This is just one more of his attempts to get rid of me.”
“Which is why you should stop irritating him so much, especially after everything we’ve learned,” Clark said.
Liv’s eyes darted to the Black Void briefly. “Honestly, we don’t know that Adler is behind it. He could just be a jerk with a vendetta against fun people who make awesome jokes.”
“He obviously has it out for you,” Clark reasoned.
“And I don’t suspect that will change if I all of a sudden start sucking up to him like Bianca,” Liv stated. “Remember, it’s who I am at my core that he doesn’t like, and that’s not changing. I don’t like his brand of governance, and he knows it. But don’t worry, I’m going to return from this death mission and any other that he throws at me.”
Clark nodded, not appearing entirely convinced.
“What’s going on with the elf negotiations?” Liv inquired. “Emilio and Maria are on that now?”
“You know I can’t discuss that with you,” Clark told her with a sigh.
“I know that you won’t,” she replied sullenly.
He summoned the cane she’d seen him carrying one time when he visited her at the electronic shop. It had a lion’s head on the top, and the craftsmanship was incredible. “Here, take this. It’s pure silver.”
“But it’s a cane,” Liv stated, studying the intricately carved device. It had strange patterns around the body and was shaped in an odd way. “What am I going to do, beat a werewolf to death with it?”
“No. It has multiple properties that make it a great weapon,” Clark explained. “I prefer it as a staff, but it can transform.”
He held it horizontally and pulled at both ends, splitting the cane in two. Inside it were two blades, that although they were small looked deadly sharp.
Liv’s jaw dropped open. “Damn, that’s badass! I thought you said there wasn’t a sword hidden inside?”
“There isn’t,” he said coyly. “There are two.”
Liv rolled her eyes. “When were you going to tell me you had such an awesome weapon?”
Clark’s face darkened as he slid the swords back together, making it a cane once more. They fused with one another, glowing slightly. “It belonged to our father, so please don’t let anything happen to it.”
Liv nodded, feeling a surge of pride when she took the weapon.
Chapter Eleven
The town of Lupei appeared almost idyllic as Liv stared down at it from the top of a high hill. Although it was cold as hell, the valley in which the thatched roofed houses were nestled was still green, making it look deceitfully warmer than it was. One might have thought it was spring from the bright blue skies and lush green trees.
Sheep grazed in the pastures, and farmers worked in the fields. In the middle of the town was a tall steeple, and around it, dirt roads spraying out, snaking around the various buildings.
Even more deceitful than the quaint appearance of Lupei was the fact that it was overrun by werewolves who enjoyed feasting on tourists and drifters. That was what the report said, and it made Liv feel slightly better that they didn’t go after the townsfolk. However, it made her, as an outsider, a prime target should she find herself there after nightfall.
Gripping her father’s cane in her hand, Liv prepared herself for the next step in this plan. It was strange to her that she hadn’t wanted her magic for years and had reluctantly had it unlocked when she took on her role as Warrior, and now she was incredibly sad to have it locked again. It felt like she was about to send a friend away, one she would miss almost as much as breathing.
She hadn’t appreciated her magic, seeing it as a burden. As the cause of the world’s problems. But now, after becoming acquainted with it, she couldn’t fathom being apart from it for long. Magic wasn’t the problem in the world. It was the magicians and magical creatures who abused it and used it to control others.
That was why mortals were important in the House, she believed. Liv had been trying to wrap her mind around why the House had been originally set up with both mortals and magicians. Now it made sense, because mortals, not having magic, would be objective, bringing that element to justice, which she’d sorely felt was missing. As the inscription on the inside of the Warrior ring said, Together we are strong and balanced.
That was what mortals brought to the House: Balance.
Before Liv had thought that the fourteen stones around the larger diamond on the ring represented the seven Councilors and Warriors, but now it all made perfect sense. The stones represented the mortal Seven as well as the magical Seven. Balance wasn’t achieved by having only Councilors and Warriors, but rather by having mortals and magicians. She longed to learn the complete history of the House, and how it came to be, and where it all went wrong.
But first, she had other business to attend to. She spun the cane in her hands, enjoying the lightness of the weapon. It was surreal for her to be holding her father’s cane. She hadn’t remembered seeing him with it growing up. Well, maybe a time or two, now that she was thinking about it.
Akio had taken the afternoon to help her practice with it, and now she felt comfortable brandishing two swords in her hands. It ma
de for some impressive attacks, although she preferred Bellator. Akio had stated that this was because Bellator had been made for her. When she feigned ignorance about that, he’d simply given her a sly grin. They both knew it was giant-made, and apparently, he knew the truth. It was a good thing she trusted him or she would have had to kill him when he revealed that, although she wasn’t sure she could. Akio was an adversary she never wanted to face.
A flash of light at Liv’s back made her tense. She yanked the two ends of the cane apart and spun, ready to slice and dice whoever stepped through.
Stefan stepped through the portal as she crouched. He didn’t flinch from the near-attack, simply grinned.
Liv caught her breath, rising all the way and lowering her weapons. “Seriously, do you want a haircut, because you nearly got one?”
Stefan ran his hands over his black hair, making it slightly messier than before. “You’re a woman of many talents. Demon slayer, mermaid fighter, and hair stylist.”
“What are you doing here, Ludwig?” Liv asked, scowling at him. She knew why he was here, and she was seriously considering keeping her swords out to threaten him with. Instead, she slid them back together, enjoying the spark of magic that fused them into one.
Stefan looked out over the countryside, his thumbs in the pocket of his jacket and his chin held high. “Just figured I could use some fresh air.” He took a deep breath, his chest rising.
“You might have trouble breathing once I puncture your lung,” Liv threatened.
Standing next to her on the high hill, Stefan gave her a sideways smile. “Would you believe that I just randomly ended up here? What are the odds that the place I picked for a bit of respite is the same place you happen to be?”
“Where I happen to be about to go into werewolf-infested territory, you meant to say.”
Stefan’s mouth opened in pretend-shock. “What? That’s the case you’re on? I had no idea.”
“Sure, sure,” Liv said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Seriously, that whole werewolf-hunt-with-your-magic-being-locked-thing totally skipped my mind.”
“You’re a bad liar,” Liv fired back.
“Okay, fine,” Stefan acquiesced, turning to face her directly. “Sue me. I came to help. Look, I’m here, and I’m not affected by the werewolves and their apparent inherent evil.”
“Yes, but there are a few other problems,” Liv began. “The first is that we don’t know if they stay confined to the village or if one of them could stroll up here. Then you might not be able to control your evil allergy. If you take out a werewolf because you lack self-control, the whole pack will disperse, and you’ll ruin my mission.”
“I’m taking offense to pretty much everything you just said,” Stefan said with a smile in his voice.
“So be it.”
“I have self-control,” he argued.
“Yeah? How many demons have you killed?”
“This month?” he asked. “The number isn’t that impressive.”
“No, just today?”
“Oh…” His blue eyes slid away, pretending to study the hillside. He ran his hand over his mouth and muttered something.
“Did you say two?” Liv asked.
He shook his head. “Ten.”
Liv whistled. “And all before lunch. That’s impressive, but my point remains. You are compelled to stamp out evil. It’s not something you can control. The best you can do is pull yourself away from it at times. But this case isn’t right for you. I’ve got to tolerate the werewolves in order to search out the pack members. We both know you’d complicate things.”
“I’d never want to ruin your mission,” Stefan said, remorse seeping into his voice.
“Well, that’s the other problem with you showing up,” Liv stated. “This is my mission, and I don’t need you holding my hand or watching my back. How did you even find my location?”
“I took a peek at Raina’s report on her codex,” he admitted. “It happened to be opened to your mission and had the coordinates for your portal.”
“How very convenient.” Liv pulled out her own device, glancing at the time. “Actually, the council is waiting for me to call so they can lock my magic.”
“I know,” Stefan said, his voice low. “And I know you don’t need me holding your hand. Not even close. It’s just that this mission is so unorthodox, and usually, a Warrior would have backup.”
“But I’ll be fine,” Liv argued.
“Adler has it out for you, the same way he had it out for me when he assigned me my first demon case.”
“I know,” Liv nearly yelled, frustrated by talking about the same thing with people. “But what did you do? Did you complain? Did you whine? Or did you go out there and prove that no matter what intimidation he threw your way, you weren’t going to be deterred?”
Stefan was silent for a moment, studying her. “I get it,” he finally said.
“I appreciate that you want to help,” Liv stated. “And with demon hunting, that made sense. However, this case is different. It’s not suited to you. The best thing you can do is leave me to do my job and have a little confidence that I’ll do it right.”
He pressed his hand to his chest and bowed his head slightly. “I realize now that I’ve given you the wrong impression. It isn’t that I worry that you need protecting or don’t think you’ll do the job right. It’s just that I sensed I could make your life easier by helping. I’m sorry for overstepping boundaries.”
Liv wanted to be mad at him, but it was difficult, especially with the apologetic look he was giving her. “You’re good at skirting those boundaries, aren’t you?” she teased.
“Well, I realize I was supposed to stop following you, and I have, but in this instance, I only showed up to see if maybe you thought I could be of assistance.”
“Stefan…” she said, her voice edged.
He held up his hands. “I remember, I’m allergic to evil. I’ll admit it’s hard to control at times, but I’m hopeful that I’ll get it under control at some point.”
Liv nodded, knowing that if he didn’t, it would exhaust him. As Renswick had said, trying to stomp out all the evil in the world was an impossible job that would end a man. “Are you going demon-hunting for the rest of the day? Make it an even dozen?”
Stefan shook his head. “I think I’ll take the rest of the day off. I hear there’s a spa up in Iceland with thermal pools.”
Liv lifted an eyebrow, waiting for the joke.
“Hey, I told you I was trying,” Stefan admitted after a long moment. “I know I can’t keep going nonstop or it will possess me. Besides, the council will get suspicious if I take out too many demons at once. No one but you and Hester knows that I can track demons easily due to the bite.”
Or that he had super-speed and strength as well, Liv thought.
“Just be careful around tourists,” Liv stated. “They can be pure evil incarnate when they want to be.”
Stefan laughed. “Oh, don’t I know. I tracked a demon into Disney World and got confused for a bit. I didn’t know whether to go after the demon or mow down the jerks meandering the wrong way on the thoroughfare, chatting on their cellphones, eating funnel cakes, and taking up entirely too much room.”
Liv regarded Stefan like he was an alien who had just been beamed down from outer space. Reading the strange expression on her face, he looked down at his chest, as if expecting to see a big stain there. “What? What did I say?”
Liv shook her head. “You said all the right things.”
Stefan laughed. “You appreciate my general distaste for most people, do you?”
“I do,” she admitted. “I find it beautifully ironic that our job is to protect the population when we can’t stand most of those people.”
Stefan sighed dramatically. “Yes, it’s a thankless job, and most don’t deserve to be saved, and yet we are so great that we do it anyway.”
Liv shook her head. “Okay, you’ve gone too far now with your
giant ego and lack of modesty.”
“Yeah, I know. But hey, I’m glad we can share our general annoyance regarding the human race.”
Right then, Liv had the impulse to tell Stefan about the House of Fourteen. The urge was so strong that she nearly caved, but she eventually found the willpower to resist. Telling more people was dangerous, and she didn’t need Stefan’s help with things. Not with the werewolf case, or with restoring the House of Fourteen. At least, not yet. Hopefully not ever.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Stefan finally said, breaking the silence and pulling Liv back to reality. He created a portal, giving her one last look over his shoulder.
“Enjoy your spa day,” Liv said, waving to Stefan as she pulled out her cellphone.
Chapter Twelve
As Liv strode down the hill into the village of Lupei, she felt as though she were naked. It wasn’t because she’d sent her cape and Bellator to her apartment in LA right before calling Clark, knowing that both would mark her as a magician. Without magic, Liv felt bare and raw, unlike herself.
The council had locked her magic minutes after she’d called Clark from the hilltop. At first, Liv hadn’t experienced anything, then there was a giant emptiness in her, as though a canyon had been opened inside her being. With each breath, she felt the hollow ache threatening to take over her.
Liv didn’t know how she’d gone five years without her magic, but when she thought about it, the pain of her parents’ death had been all she could feel for the longest time, so she hadn’t known the difference. Magic, she realized now, completed her. Without it, it was as though one of her limbs had been chopped off.
Brushing her hands over her arms, Liv tried to encourage warmth into her extremities, feeling the deep penetrating cold as the winds swept over the hills.