Wizard Hall Chronicles Box Set

by Sheryl Steines

  *

  Emily and Shiloh packed the few things they had with them. It was the day they had waited for, the end of the Fraternitatem and the day they could return home.

  “Are we going home, Mom?” Shiloh asked as he placed the last comic book in his backpack and zipped it up.

  “We’ll go back to the townhouse first. After that, anywhere you want.” She smiled and touched his red hair.

  Early that morning, Emily and Shiloh had been informed about what happened in the desert. Emily had worked very hard to seem genuinely upset by her daughter’s injuries, by Jason’s death again, and by Samantha’s reaction—but in truth, Melichi’s death was what she reacted to. No one was any the wiser.

  She glanced at her son. She was finally free to raise him the way she wanted to, away from the Fraternitatem. But then, her anxieties kicked in. She hadn’t lived as an adult on her own in many years.

  Can I do this?

  She knew she’d return to the townhouse first, at least for a few weeks as she figured out her next step.

  When they were packed, they exited the room at the same time Arden and Ariana left theirs. The two women were also being sent back home now that their lives were no longer in jeopardy from the Fraternitatem. Arden looked surprised when she saw Emily and merely smiled and nodded.

  “Hi, Dr. Blakely,” Shiloh said with a smile.

  “Hi, Shiloh,” she said quickly before she and Ariana were rushed from the entrance hall and led to the teleportation location.

  Shiloh appeared dejected.

  “It’s okay. You and me, kid. Ready?”

  Shiloh nodded as they, too, were led back out into the world for the rest of their lives to begin.

  Chapter 37

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were human?” Annie asked Jason as he sat down beside her.

  “You wouldn’t let me go if you knew. I couldn’t help you if I didn’t go to the desert,” he said.

  “I watched you die,” Annie cried. Even here, wherever here was, she couldn’t shake that moment when she saw Jason go over the cliff’s edge.

  “But I saved Cham and that’s more important.”

  “You didn’t tell me you were human,” Annie said again.

  Jason glanced at his daughter curiously. “You knew, though, didn’t you?”

  Annie nodded. “I’m sorry, Dad. I never should have brought you back.”

  Jason shrugged. “You did and I saw my girls again. I’m grateful for that.”

  Jason held Annie’s hand and stared at the hole from the IV needle. “He’ll be okay. It will be a struggle at first, but you’re both strong. He’ll be fine,” he told her.

  “Mom’s still coming,” Annie said. She yawned, aware of her exhaustion.

  “Yeah, she will. Be careful.”

  Annie yawned again. “I will.” She glanced at her hands. For now, the magic was calm; she felt no itching.

  “I’m going to miss you, Dad.”

  “I’m always with you. Don’t forget that,” Jason said as Annie began to stir.

  Annie felt as though her spirit was re-entering her body. Warmth covered her as she flickered her eyes open. She blinked rapidly in the blinding light.

  “Welcome back,” Dave said as she glanced around the room. Beside her, Kathy held her hand.

  “Cham’s doing well. He’s out of surgery,” Dave continued. He fiddled with the hospital table, pushing it closer to her. “Are you hungry? The nurses made me promise I’d get you to eat.”

  Annie shook her head. She reached for the bed controls and lifted herself up. Once she was more comfortable, she closed her eyes. Cham’s face and her dad’s face intermingled in her thoughts. She trembled as her eyes filled with tears again.

  “Oh, sweetie.” Kathy rubbed the back of her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not in the mood,” Annie murmured.

  “Annie. I’m so sorry about your dad.” Dave held her right hand, which was free from the IV.

  She shivered from exhaustion, from the magical energy loss. “And Melichi?”

  “No one could have survived that fall. I’m really sorry.”

  Annie began to shake. “Can I have a warm blanket, please?” Kathy nodded and left for the nurse. Annie rolled to her side and glanced at Dave. “I knew he wasn’t coming back.”

  “How?”

  Annie shook her head. “He wasn’t a ghost anymore.”

  “He was human again?”

  Annie nodded. “He started aging. Ghosts don’t age.” She felt the tears rising up again.

  Kathy returned with a warm blanket that quickly eased Annie’s shivering.

  When Dr. Christine finished with Cham’s parents, she came to Annie and sat down beside her. “I’m glad you’re awake.” She touched Annie’s hand and watched magic slowly billow from her palm. “Itching much?”

  “A little. Can I see Cham?” she murmured.

  “He’s awake and will only see you,” Dr. Christine said.

  Annie nodded. She let Dave and Kathy help her from the bed and into a wheelchair. Her head fell sideways. She could barely make eye contact when she saw Don and Marina in the waiting room. Her heart broke when she saw Sami in the far corner.

  Annie entered Cham’s room. While he seemed small and frail in the hospital bed, he was sleeping peacefully in his drug-induced haze. Her eyes traveled to his legs. She could see the outline of his right leg, firm and straight, ending in his foot lying on the side. Beside it was only a flat thin blanket where the left leg below the knee had been.

  She took up his hand and rubbed his palm with her thumb like he always did for her.

  When his eyes fluttered open, Annie said, “Hi, baby.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say with the lump in her throat.

  “Hi,” he murmured as he squeezed her hand weakly.

  Annie pulled herself up and sat on the bed beside him, kissing his forehead, his cheek, his mouth.

  “Hi,” she said.

  His eyes opened. He touched her hair; the large tube sticking from his hand grazed her cheek. The machine in the room beeped rapidly and slowed. Annie sucked in air and held her breath for a moment.

  “I love…” he began, but the sedative made him sleepy, his mouth didn’t work.

  “Don’t talk. Just rest. You’ve been injured.”

  “Lost leg…” he murmured.

  She squeezed his hand and watched him sleep.

  Chapter 38

  The South African wizard guards had watched in awe as Annie’s spell had reached the Fraternitatem, leaving everyone else in the market untouched. While the Fraternitatem lay frozen on the ground, the wizard guards had assisted everyone else out of the market through the Louisiana portal.

  “Now what?” Joseph asked Petra as they stared at the fallen enemy.

  “Open a portal to Tartarus Prison in the U.S. and get them transferred out.”

  The VAU had left the desert and entered the new market. They worked quickly as they opened a portal to the teleportation location outside of Tartarus Prison. Eight hours after everyone in the Fraternitatem had been brought to the overcrowded prison, Petra and her wizard guards stood at the center of the black market.

  “Do we shut it down?” Joseph asked. The fifty-year-old had attempted to make a living at the market, a rough, rowdy, deadly place. He looked on at the empty booths. Some were burnt from wayward spells or dragons shooting out fire spray. Others were still filled with merchandise, their owners putting things right, cleaning off the dust and debris as if nothing had happened.

  “No. But we watch it. And never allow absolute power to corrupt it. Well, at least more than it will naturally be.” She motioned him to follow her and he held his arm with his missing hand against his chest as walked through the booths with her. Their team had begun finding hidden Fraternitatem members throughout the booths and corralling dragons, elves, and other magical creatures lost in the stalls. “Is this too much for you?” Petra asked.

  Joseph laughed. “No. It
is where I should be. So, how shall we monitor the market?”

  It was Petra’s turn to laugh. “I suspect the U.S. Wizard Guard has some ideas on that. I have some of my own. One of which would have a permanent booth installed here.” They walked to Joseph’s booth and looked inside.

  “This is where you’d like me to work?” he asked cautiously.

  “No. Not you directly. I’ll request a rotation of wizard guards to take turns. People from all throughout the world. That should be fair. We should know what happens here.”

  She climbed over the table separating the passageway from the inside of the tent and began to clear away the debris. Joseph stood on the other side, straightening the wares with his good hand.

  He didn’t notice at the time, but an elderly gentleman was limping toward him. The gentleman stopped at their booth and examined the items on the table.

  “How can we help you?” Petra asked.

  The man looked at her blankly.

  “Sir, can I help you?” Petra asked again.

  “Annie Pearce did this?” he asked

  “Who are you?” Petra asked.

  “Not important.” He glanced at the booth across the aisle, which had been charred at the edges. Items had fallen from the shelves. “I told that girl to run away. Good thing she didn’t listen.” He struggled to breathe and leaned against the table.

  “Sir, can I help you with something?” Petra asked him again.

  “Nah. I just wanted to see for myself what that girl did.”

  “If you give me your name, I’d be happy to tell her you asked about her,” Joseph offered.

  He waved his hand at them, tossed an envelope on the table and shuffled away for the last time.

  “Who was that?” Joseph asked. He picked up the envelope and looked at the writing on the front.

  To: Annie Pearce

  From: AM

  “AM?” Joseph asked.

  “Better get that to Annie.”

  *

  While Cham slept in the Intensive Care Unit, Annie walked the halls and read the names on the doors. Of the ten severely injured wizard guards, she only knew Michael Brite and Jory Poulin. She touched the name plates as she walked past. Her heart was heavy for the men that had been lost, especially Lial Peng. Annie sighed as she stood outside of Brite’s room. She wasn’t sure what to say to him.

  “You did it.”

  The heavy French accent was familiar to her. She turned and saw Fabien standing beside Jory’s room, a card and flowers in his grip.

  “I guess so.” She assessed him. He was battle worn, with a large cut across his cheek and two black eyes. “How was the fight?” she asked.

  “Came out alive, Annie Pearce. Caught a few Fraternitatem.” He smiled and wiped sweat from his forehead.

  “Thank you,” Annie murmured.

  Fabien held up the flowers and pointed to the door. Annie nodded and watched him enter Jory’s room. She held the handle to Brite’s room but remained there for some time, not wanting to disturb the private conversation inside.

  “He’ll be okay,” Dr. Christine said as she walked up to Annie.

  “That’s good to know.” Annie glanced at his name on the nearly closed door.

  “You need to rest.”

  Annie looked at her hand. While the magic still floated from her palm, it was only coming in small puffs. “I know. I’m fine right now.”

  The magic is mine now.

  “You need to rest. You’re exhausted. In time, we’ll find a way to rid you of the magic permanently.”

  Annie leaned against the wall. “No. You won’t. It’s mine now.” She watched it puff above her palm. When she closed her fist and opened it quickly, the magic sputtered at her command.

  “It looks like you can control it now.”

  Annie nodded and placed her hands under her arms to hide them. “Thank you for saving Cham’s life. All their lives.” She was grateful that eighty-nine of the one hundred and three wizard guards had made it home that night.

  “It’s my job. And part of that job is to get you back to your room.”

  “Some died.”

  “I know. Annie. It’s not surprising in a battle. You know that.” Dr. Christine gave Annie a hug. Annie shivered in her arms. “I don’t mean to make light of this, but you need to concentrate on yourself right now. Get back to bed and sleep. And then you can mourn for… everyone.”

  Annie acquiesced and let Dr. Christine lead her to her room and help her to bed.

  “Please sleep,” Dr. Christine sad softly. “You need to get your strength back.”

  Annie nodded absently and let herself settle for the night.

  *

  Shiff watched Brite sleep fitfully, restlessly. He moaned in his sleep and his leg twitched. While Shiff didn’t know how close his partner had come to death, he knew at least that the battle had done this to him and that he had been that way for hours.

  In his worry, Shiff paced from one end of the single room to the other. He stretched his arms, his back, his legs. He, too, was sore. When he heard noises elsewhere in the hospital, he felt his blood pressure spike. He felt dizzy, hungry.

  He turned to the window and watched the purple and orange against the sky as the sun set.

  Brite groaned again.

  The battle in the desert filled Shiff’s thoughts. Annie’s powers were strong. He wasn’t sure if he should be scared or look on her with awe.

  Brite’s groans grew louder as he woke. Shiff sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the other man’s hand. It quivered in his. They had been wizard guard partners for seven years, first becoming close as friends and now as something more. He saw it when he looked at his partner. The feelings were growing for both of them.

  He watched him wake and found a washcloth and water, wetting it and placing it on Brite’s parched lips.

  What happened to you?

  All Shiff knew was that Jory had found Brite and brought him here, though Jory himself wasn’t much better off. Shiff sat with Brite, waiting for him to wake rather than bothering Jory to find out the details.

  There was time.

  Brite’s eyes flitted open and darted across the room as he came to the realization of where he was.

  He coughed.

  “Hey. You’re awake.” Brite licked his lips. Shiff gave him the wet towel. “You were found in the desert. Jory brought you in.”

  Brite nodded and closed his eyes. “Did we win?” His mouth was dry and his throat sounded sore.

  “Yeah. Annie’s powers were scary amazing.” Shiff said. He used the towel and wiped Brite’s face. The sand left streaks against his cheeks.

  “I knew she would be,” Brite murmured.

  Shiff fumbled with the hospital bed’s controls until Brite was upright, then helped him drink from the plastic hospital cup.

  “Thanks,” Brite said. He lay back against the bed and stared at the ceiling.

  “I thought I lost you,” Shiff whispered. Tears welled in his eyes when he remembered the desert, the feeling of not finding Brite, the relief in learning he was taken away.

  Brite reached for his hand. “You told me not to die.”

  “I’m glad you listened.” He smiled at Brite. “I was so worried.”

  “I have too much to live for.” Brite attempted to sit up. Shiff fiddled with the bed controls some more. “Did everyone make it?” he finally asked.

  Shiff averted his gaze and looked at his hands.

  “Who died?”

  “Not now. Just… maybe tomorrow when things are brighter.”

  Brite nodded and closed his eyes. “Tomorrow,” he murmured. “Is Annie okay?”

  “Yes. You should rest. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.”

  “Will we be?” Brite asked.

  “That depends.” Shiff offered a relieved smile. “We’ve never had a proper conversation about it.”

  Brite opened his eyes. “I’m no longer confused about us. I’m sorry how it was when I came back
from the past. It was…” He sighed.

  “Overwhelming.”

  Brite chuckled lightly, then coughed from the effort.

  Shiff handed him the water and helped him take several sips. Brite shook his head when he was done.

  “I know I love you. I’m here now because of it,” Brite said, his voice growing stronger and less grave.

  Shiff moved closer and kissed his partner gently on the lips. After a moment, he pulled away and touched his cheek. “Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.”

  “Yes, it is.” Brite raised the blanket to his chin and smiled at Shiff before letting sleep take him again.

  Shiff stayed by his side until morning, long after the sun came up.

  *

  Graham Lightner pulled together a field pack. The VAU had expected emergency calls to be intercepted by the telecommunications department, alerting them of unconscious Fraternitatem scattered across the planet. The evening after the battle, Max White walked the first of the calls to Graham’s office.

  “Hi, Graham. I have something for you,” Max said.

  “Does that mean we found one?” Graham pushed his field pack aside.

  “New Orleans. Male, approximately forty years old, six foot six, two hundred and fifty pounds. He was found in an alley, unresponsive. The call came about ten minutes ago. Here’s what Bucky’s been able to find.” Max handed him a thin file.

  After perusing the data, Graham glanced at Max. “I’m surprised we haven’t found more.”

  “I just sent two calls to the Middle Eastern Guard before I came. If I had to guess, I’d say the Fraternitatem has tight control over the members and kept them close. But I’m not paid to guess,” Max said.

  “Well, Max, I’d take your guess. Thanks for this. My team and I will take care of it.”

  Max nodded quickly and exited. Graham sent a text.

  Within twenty minutes, his team of six was back at Wizard Hall and in Graham’s cubicle. “We have one. He’s at Tulane University Hospital.” He described the man and his condition.

  “What’s the play?” Skye Allen asked.

  “I need two at Tulane to reverse the spell.” Graham held up a thin folder. Skye and one other raised their hands and took the folder. Graham continued. “Reverse the spell and find any blood samples taken. All magic needs to be removed from the blood. Two more need to get to the Middle Eastern Wizard Guard. Give them the spell reversal and implore them to do the same. Bucky—” Graham pointed to Bucky leaning against the wall in the corner of the cubicle. “Two need to go with Bucky and work on all medical records for the three in question. Work on the protocol to make the changes so if more of these unfortunates appear on our radar, we can move in quickly. Any questions?”