Revealed: Necromancer's Blight: Book 2

by D. L. Harrison

  I’d have to think on it. It was horrible, and was overwhelming. Not to mention it was all confused with the sorrow, anger, and grief of losing Christina in the way I had. My head was a mess. Even if I did tell someone, would they believe it? They were supernatural, but still human underneath the powers. They’d be disinclined to believe their race had been turned from a rescue group into murderers through lies. Their minds would shy away from such a thing, and the guilt it would bring. People have denied the truth for far less.

  The fact they’d feel I was speaking truth wouldn’t help either, they may believe I was deluded, tricked by a ghost’s lies, and maybe even accuse me of siding with the enemy. Not lying wasn’t the same as speaking truth.

  No one wanted to find out their entire life, and everything they’d believed and fought for, was a lie. That their loved ones had sacrificed themselves for nothing, in a war that should never have happened. I’d have to be very careful who I trusted. I couldn’t ignore it either, eventually I’d have to figure something out.

  “Thank you Sara, did you want to go back now, or stick around a few more days?”

  She looked at me in suspicion, and I laughed.

  “One day you’ll trust me Miss Reilly, and the world will end.”

  She scowled at that, “A few days?”

  I shrugged, “I thought you might want to visit with your little brother some more, and your great niece and your nephew.”

  She tilted her head and said, “Alright, I’ll find you in a few days. Thank you.”

  She didn’t sound at all thankful, it was more grudging, and like she was trying to figure out what my angle was. I really didn’t have one, I just felt no need to banish her unless she wanted to go.

  I was slightly bemused, as she hopped off the side of the building, and her form transformed and her energy shot away into the night.

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning was Friday’s class, and I switched seats. It was probably pathetic, but I moved to the left about ten seats. I could still see the podium just fine, but the spot where Christina and Jo always sat was occluded by one of the pillars in the large lecture hall. Seeing her for our morning run had put me past my quota, and if I could avoid her, I would.

  Okay, no probably about it, it was pathetic, but the pain was always worse when I saw her, so I was going to do my best to avoid her until I healed. It wouldn’t be forever, and possibly not even that long. I caught a glimpse of her as she walked in, and relaxed when she sat in her usual spot and I couldn’t see her anymore. Hopefully it wouldn’t take me too long to start getting over the loss and resentment she evoked in me, which was magnified whenever I saw her, but I wasn’t holding my breath either.

  I felt betrayed, angry, and despondent, I hated it. That would pass as well, but I couldn’t forgive her until the grief passed. At least she was avoiding me too, which helped.

  I looked up at the podium as the professor came in, and tried to focus on that. His droning voice was boring, but it also held a lot of information I needed to know…

  Thump!

  I grinned down at Serena, “How was that?”

  She shook her head to clear it, and then looked up at me with her azure eyes dancing with amusement, and although she tried to scowl at me it was totally unconvincing. She arched her body and kicked back into a powerful extension handstand, and then sprung to her feet. I never got tired of watching her do that, she was athletic, limber, and despite that she had all the curves to please my eyes. She was in her usual skintight outfit of a leotard and yoga pants, and we were sparring for our afternoon workout.

  “Not bad, even a mutt can get lucky on occasion.”

  I raised an eyebrow, and she laughed. She’d never mentioned me being a half-breed before, and now she was teasing me about it? Then I was too busy dodging her kicks, blocking them hurt too much, and avoiding her hand and elbow strikes to retaliate. When we paused a moment to catch our breath I finally got to reply.

  “I didn’t overwork this morning.”

  It was true, I was still sore as hell, but my arms and legs didn’t feel sluggish.

  She grinned, completely undeterred by my confidence, “I guess I’ll have to up my game then, congratulations on entering the big leagues.”

  Then she came at me with a grace and speed that was shocking, I knew she had to work for it to beat me now, but I had no idea she’d still been holding some back. I managed to hold my own for about twenty seconds.

  Thump!

  I scowled up at her, and she laughed. I found myself smiling too, a bit sheepishly, as I rolled and sprung to my feet. It was impossible not to get infected by her joy and passion for life. Even in my current morose state, she could still make me laugh.

  She said, “You are a ton better than you were, but I’d say it will take another month or two of hard work to get to yourself in peak physical shape.”

  I nodded, “I’ll get my humble pie ready.”

  She snickered, “It’s almost dinner time, will you stay this time?”

  I frowned, not really wanting to share dinner with Christina, or Carl.

  She tilted her head, “Please?”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged and looked away, “My dad and Matt don’t get me, and I’m still not talking to Christina.”

  It thought about that for a minute, the first part. Matt had told me once that Serena wasn’t so bad as an alternative, and to stay away from Christina, advice in hindsight I should have taken. At the time, I’d thought he was crazy, Serena was a wonderful woman, not a damned consolation prize, but I could see it now from Matt’s perspective after Serena’s comment. Matt was kind of stuffy, and serious all the damn time. While Serena’s outgoing, fun, and irrepressible personality worked very well with mine, I imagined it set Matt on edge. Carl was a lot like that too, they were all duty, and no fun.

  Sometimes I wondered how Serena had held onto that passion for life growing up where she had, around the people she did.

  Still, I’d rather eat nails than spend a dinner with Christina and her father right now. I could tolerate Matt well enough, but he wasn’t my favorite person in the world right now either. Still, looking at Serena’s beautiful pouting face, and her sparkling mirthful eyes, it was impossible to say no. I couldn’t let her down. Good to know some things never change, I was still a sucker for a pretty face. Still, an alternative maybe?

  “How about we both skip it instead, come out and eat with me. We’ll dial in for the briefing, before patrolling for the cougar tonight.”

  She tilted her head, “You sure? I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

  That… confused me a lot, hadn’t she just begged to spend more time with me? Did she just pull a one eighty on me?

  “I don’t think that’s possible, and I am sure.”

  It was true enough, the only time I didn’t feel completely morose was when she was around. But even if I hadn’t been mourning the loss of a relationship, she still couldn’t wear out her welcome. She… was probably the best friend I’ve ever had. The easiest and most comfortable anyway. I’d had some good human friends in the past, a lot of them, but I’d always felt separate to an extent, apart from the crowd, because of my strange abilities. I always had to hide that side of myself before.

  I didn’t feel any of that with her, and I knew she accepted me as I was, no judgements, no questions asked.

  She smiled at that, “Alright, I’ll meet you out front in twenty?”

  I nodded, “Italian?”

  I was craving carbs.

  She replied, “Sounds good to me,” and then we split up to shower and get ready.

  I put on my patrolling clothes, which were pretty much my normal clothes plus boots instead of running shoes. I figured we weren’t coming back before our patrol. I put on a thick blue collared shirt with sleeves, and a pair of black jeans. It was getting progressively cooler as we moved into October, but that should be plenty warm enough. I slipped the enchanted dagger into my boot s
heath, and headed outside with a few minutes to spare. I felt starved…

  Serena came out in skin tight dark blue jeans, I guessed it was getting too cold out for skirts during a patrol. She had on a light blue blouse that that was loose, and matched her earrings and brought out her eyes. The blouse was half buttoned, with a body conforming white stretchy shirt underneath it. It was both conservative and sexy as far as casual dress went for those our age. She had on some light makeup, but she really didn’t need much, or any at all in my opinion. Her hair was down, and it flowed down her body like liquid night. She was strikingly attractive as usual, especially with her bright smile. I didn’t see a sidearm bulge, but that’s probably why she was wearing a loose blouse.

  I couldn’t help but return it, the smile that is, before we started walking to a nearby Italian place.

  “Any instructions from the stuffy ones?”

  She snickered, “No. Well sort of. My father said he’d text both of us with a picture of Sam, the cougar, along with the parks he wants us to check out. He also said he’s still waiting to hear from Katherine, on if they got the items from the Springfield alpha to trace him. I don’t think he was happy about me jumping ship with you, he’s always about the family dinners, but he understands things will be awkward for all of us for a while until the drama dies down.”

  Drama was one word for it.

  “So… were you still holding out on me for that last takedown?”

  She giggled, and grabbed my arm.

  “Did I bruise your ego?”

  I shook my head, “No, I know I still have work to do to catch up. It threw off my estimate on my progress though, I’d like to know where I truly stand.”

  She squeezed my arm and let go, and then she gave me a measuring sideways glance I couldn’t interpret.

  “No, I wasn’t holding back that last time. I did welcome you to the big leagues, remember?”

  I snorted, “Thought you were teasing me.”

  She laughed, “I was teasing you, but I meant it too.”

  “Oh, well that’s okay then. At least I know how much I have to improve.”

  She looked at me the same way again.

  I asked, “What?”

  Serena shrugged, “Looking for your ego.”

  I laughed, “Did you forget my self-aggrandizing and twisted sense of humor. Pride isn’t one of my sins. I’m actually kind of proud of my progress.”

  Yeah, that was a bit of a contradiction, but pride in one’s accomplishments and progress isn’t the same as comparing it to others and getting butt hurt when losing a fight to someone better.

  She sighed a little wistfully, “I wish I could keep you.”

  I teasingly raised an eyebrow.

  She blushed and bit her lip, “I mean as a partner, patrolling partner. Chances are the new one will be a lot more like my father and Matt when he gets here. A cookie cutter clone and all business.”

  I nodded, I could see that. All the things that I liked in Serena would annoy a control freak.

  “Me too, if that matters.”

  She touched my arm, “To me it does.”

  We shared a smile, and then walked the last two blocks in a comfortable silence.

  I pulled open the door, and held it for her as we went inside. Dinner passed with casual conversation. It was fun, uncomplicated, and easy. Considering it had only been two days, or a little less than that since the shock at the inn, I was in a remarkably good mood. We laughed a lot, as our sense of humor fed off each other’s. After dinner, we stayed and talked for a while, until we got the texts with Sam’s picture, both in human and cougar form, and the list of parks we were assigned to check out.

  I lifted my head and raised an eyebrow, she was looking at the same info on her phone.

  “Garfield park is first on our list,” I said in a neutral tone.

  Serena nodded, “They’re being protective, since we’re the young and new team. I doubt they expect Sam to hit the same park two nights in a row, but at the same time they have to let us work and someone has to cover it. Same with the rest of the parks in the list, probably just the least likely locations.”

  It was true enough I supposed, Serena was just eighteen and had started patrolling when I had, and while I was a few years older I was still playing catchup, she was the strongest out of the two of us, except for my necromancer magic that is…

  It was dusk when we arrived at the park, and as the sun went down it got much cooler. We got off the El and walked toward the park, planning to bypass the conservatory when I got a shock.

  A family of four was coming our way. The mother and father were in their mid to late thirties, and there was a young teenaged girl, who was holding the hand of her little brother who looked eight or nine.

  The teenage girl looked up at me, and met my eyes. She smiled and I shook my head minutely and grimaced in warning when she opened her mouth to speak. I was sure she was feeling my necromancer magic, because I was feeling all of theirs. Not one of them had the taint though, they’d never used their power. There was no way I was letting them get slaughtered, not when they were avoiding the blight, and avoiding using their abilities.

  I also felt guilty, because I was hiding it from Selena, she wouldn’t be able to feel a damned thing since they weren’t tainted. What should have happened, is the family would have been brought in, the girl and boy raised alongside the Blood children and then matched to a Blood when they grew up, and perhaps the parents would be matched to a compatible Blood couple already mated, so they could use their powers without it tainting them, but not have to break up a marriage.

  That’s how it was supposed to work until the new race took over, until the Blood and the original Necromancer races slowly faded away as their bloodlines mixed, but I had no idea how to get that across. It was why the Blood hadn’t been given the ability to sense necromancy, only the blight’s taint. The Necromancers wouldn’t hide if there was a solution like that, and necromancers that had joined the blood would find and bring in others. No, the Blood just felt the taint, so that they would know to cleanse it.

  Serena was my best friend and partner, I’d defend her with my life. I also knew she wouldn’t hesitate to kill this whole family if she knew what they were. Not because she was cold or heartless, she was the opposite of that, but because she’d been taught a lie from before she could walk. Maybe if she knew the whole truth she wouldn’t, but she didn’t. I still didn’t know what to do with it all. Worse, if it was found out I’d just let them go, I’d be called a traitor and hunted myself.

  I suppressed a sigh of relief when they all ignored me, even if the teen did look a bit sulky about it. I’d had a flash of imagination, of the young woman growing up to be just like Macy after her family was slaughtered. It was the right thing to do, letting them go I mean.

  I also wondered how many families like that were out there.

  Serena asked, “Can you sense Shifters?”

  I frowned, and shook my head.

  “No, like the Blood all their magic is internal. I can only sense witches, necromancers, and half-demons. Maybe the fae too, not sure because I haven’t met one.”

  She stopped walking, “That was mostly true.”

  I frowned in thought, “Right. I can sense some of the Blood, you have that bond thing, but I don’t feel it in all of you. I only feel the potential in some. How can I explain, that magic must be internal too, except when it reaches out? The Witches can’t explain it.”

  More guilt at that little misdirection. True enough, the Witches couldn’t explain it, but I could. I also hadn’t told her that we could have the bond. I trusted her with my life, but I also knew she’d report it to her father like a good soldier should.

  She frowned, “So you can still feel Christina?”

  She didn’t look at all happy about that idea. She still must be furious with her sister.

  I said, “Yes and no. She has to be very close for me to feel the potential, like in the same room and clos
e. Even then it’s more of a feeling than a buzz of energy.”

  Thankfully she dropped the subject and didn’t ask any more questions, questions like, could I feel anyone else? I would tell her eventually, in fact when I was ready to move on the information I’d probably tell all of it to her first. But I wasn’t ready yet, it was too complicated. All I could see were the problems, without any solutions. The council, the blind obedience would make them easy to mislead and they’d disbelieve the story, the arrogance of the Witches wouldn’t let them believe they’d been led by the nose for millennia, the Fae would try and have me killed, it was an ugly thing that would blow up in my face.

  Maybe I should start with the shifters?

  It wasn’t just common sense either, the prophecy gave me pause. Line two was about finding and revealing the truth. Well, I’d done the first half of line two, and once I revealed it, it would be line three’s turn, which was, One will be betrayed, the truth denied, and the shadow of war will come.

  So basically, it backed up my current thoughts. I would be betrayed. But… by who? Serena? Carl? Or perhaps just higher up, the colonel, or general, or the council? The witches? No, they weren’t on my side in the first place, were they? It wasn’t the Fae, they were already my enemy as far as I was concerned. Still, I wasn’t completely sure, since the prophecy may not be about me anyway.

  It hurt my head to think about it.

  We walked out into the grass, and along the tree line. It was getting dark and most people were leaving. I glanced around but didn’t see Sam, or anyone even close to the picture we were sent. Her shoulder brushed mine a few times as we walked, the idea was to look a bit like a couple on a walk to the humans, as opposed to two armed and dangerous Blood patrolling for evil supernatural creatures.