by Lisa Edmonds
It took a lot of effort to think, but I was able to make some sense of what was happening. I was caught up in the echo of something incredibly powerful that had been in the library at one time but wasn’t here anymore. The magic trace, as formidable as it was, felt diminished. If this was the amount of energy it had left behind, I shuddered to think what the actual object might feel like.
Slowly, the power receded, like a tide going out, and I started to surface. I became aware of my body, especially the pain in my knees from kneeling on the floor. My neck had a cramp from my head hanging down for so long.
The low, indistinct sounds I’d been hearing were becoming recognizable as voices. Now that the power wasn’t rushing through me anymore, I raised my shields slowly, and my hearing and vision cleared.
“Alice, can you hear me?” Malcolm’s voice came from somewhere near my left shoulder. He sounded worried but calm.
“I can hear you,” I mumbled. I took a deep breath and raised my head.
Malcolm hovered nearby, but not close enough to have gotten caught up in the same surge of energy that had snagged me.
“What did you see?” I asked him.
“There was a massive power surge from the area of the bottom shelf. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I thought I saw fire magic, but most of the trace was black and gray. I don’t even know what that is.”
“Yeah, me neither.” I looked at the books on the bottom shelf. I saw Bradshaw’s History of Fire Magic, Air Magic and Storm Cycles by Ann Lewis, and a bunch of other unremarkable texts. I ran my fingers carefully over each of the books. It felt like they had soaked up some of the power that had swept over me, but none of them were the source of it.
I stacked the books on the floor and hunkered down to look at the shelf itself, running my fingertips along the bottom edge of the bookcase. About six inches from the left side of the shelf, it felt like I ran my fingers over a razor.
“Ow!” I jerked back, looking at my hand. I expected to see blood, but there was nothing. What the hell?
“Malcolm, can you see anything right here?” I pointed.
Malcolm bent down next to me. “It looks like a blood ward lock. Hang on.” His fingers danced in the air. “It’s been opened, but the spell is still in place. Just a second.” I felt a puff of magic. “Okay, it’s gone.”
I reached back in and felt around carefully. This time, instead of a sharp pain, I felt a raised edge. I lifted up and a lid opened, revealing a compartment hidden in the bottom of the bookcase. The lid was covered with runes that looked like an intricate containment spell, designed to shield whatever was in the compartment from being sensed when the lid was closed.
“Well, whatever was in here, it’s gone now.” I sat back on my heels. “It looks like they took something out of this compartment and a couple of books, then rearranged the shelf to hide the fact that anything had been taken. Since it doesn’t look like any of the spells have been broken, whoever took the stuff was the person who these wards were designed to allow in.”
Natalie pulled the wooden chair over from the other side of the bedroom and settled in to watch us work. “So, one of my aunts or my uncle.”
“It looks like it.” I pushed myself onto my hands and knees, then staggered to my feet. “Ugh. Jeez.” I shook my head to clear it. “Whatever was in that compartment, it’s a hell of a thing. I hope whoever took it can contain it.”
“What could they want with it?” Natalie asked.
I shrugged. “Hard to tell until we know what it is. Your grandmother had it well hidden, but somehow this mystery mage knew about it and came and took it, we can assume after Betty died. Whatever it is, it’s extremely powerful. I’d feel a lot better if I knew what it is, and what they intend to do with it.”
“Me too,” Malcolm said. “How do you want to go about looking for it?”
“Well, we’ve got a definite list of suspects.” I glanced at Natalie. “How are you doing with all of this?”
“Honestly, a lot better than I thought I would be,” my client said. “I think the big shock was finding out about my grandmother. The rest of this is just….” She shrugged. “My grandmother was a mage, I’ve got some weird magic situation going on, and someone in my family broke into my house and stole some mysterious thing out of my grandmother’s library. Oh, and my grandmother’s magic could have killed you.” She made a pfffft sound. “I guess I’m all out of surprise at this point.”
“Speaking of, any thoughts on what you want to do about your magic?” Malcolm asked.
“Whenever you’re ready, I’m ready to find out what kind of magic I have. At least then I’ll have enough information to be able to make a decision about my future.”
I looked at Natalie. Yesterday, she’d been pale and fragile-looking; today, there was color in her cheeks, and though she was still painfully thin, there was an aura of vitality that hadn’t been there before. I hoped I was right about her deteriorating health being tied to the weakening spell that bound her magic.
I gave her a smile. “I’m really glad to hear it. You want to do it now?”
She finished off her tea. “Sure, no time like the present, right?”
“You want to use the circle in here?” Malcolm asked.
I glanced at the floor. “No. Too many residual spells in here, and I don’t trust anyone else’s circles but mine. And yours,” I amended. “Let’s go into the bedroom again.”
We stepped out of the library. I looked at Malcolm. “What do you think? I draw the circles, you power them?” He was still super-powered; might as well take advantage of it.
“Sounds like a plan,” Malcolm said.
I pulled out my chalk and got to work, drawing a nested set of three circles. I was reasonably certain we’d be fine with just one, but I was cautious enough to have two backups in case things got out of hand. I’d had just about enough of surprises in this house.
“Let’s do this,” I said.
Natalie, who’d been sitting on the bed while I worked, stood. “Stand in the center of the circle,” I told her. She moved into place and fidgeted.
I gestured at the circles I’d drawn. “The first thing I’m going to do is close this circle. When I do, you’ll feel a tingle, like a small electric charge, but it’s harmless. Then I’ll charge the circle so it’s strong enough to contain your magic. You’ll feel the tingle get stronger. Malcolm is going to be out there to close and charge the other circles if we need to.”
Natalie looked at Malcolm. He grinned and waved. “He’s waving at you,” I said.
She let out a nervous laugh. “Then what?”
“Once this circle is ready, I’ll remove your grandmother’s binding spells from you, leaving just my own. When her spells break, you’ll feel a…pop, I guess is the best word for it. Nothing will happen because my spells will still be there. Then I’ll start letting your magic out.”
“What will that feel like?”
I thought about that. “For me, it feels like I’m exhaling. It feels wonderful. It will feel weird to you since you’ve never done it before, but if I do a good job with my spells, it will be gradual, like breathing out.”
“Will I be able to hurt you?” Her eyes were wide.
“No,” I said, though there was a chance. Uncontrolled magic was never safe for anyone, but I needed Natalie calm and feeling as secure as possible so she didn’t panic. Panic would be bad. “I’ll be protected within my circle, and with my own spell. Nothing you can do can hurt me.”
Malcolm frowned at me. I gave my head a tiny shake to tell him not scare her.
I continued with my explanation. “Once your magic is freed at least partway, I’ll be able to tell how strong you are. Then I’ll bind your magic again until you make a decision about what to do, and we’ll break the circle. Are you with me?”
Natalie took a couple of deep breaths, then nodded. “Okay. I’m ready. Let’s do it.”
“Okay. Here we go.” I activated the protection sp
ell on my bracelet, then closed the center circle around Natalie. She gasped.
“How does it feel?” I asked her.
She was quiet for a moment. “It feels so weird, like an electric charge, but really faint. It doesn’t hurt at all.” She looked immensely relieved.
“I did tell you it wouldn’t. Now I’m going to charge the circle.” I closed my eyes and reached out so I could feel the circle. In deference to Natalie, I transferred the energy slowly.
She sucked in a breath but stayed quiet as the power built. When I was happy with its energy level, I stopped the transfer and opened my eyes to check on my client.
Natalie’s red hair floated in the air from the charge in the circle. “That feels amazing,” she breathed. “It’s like standing on a power line. Oh, I can see why people do this,” she blurted out.
I laughed. “Malcolm, you ready?”
“Yep.” Malcolm was in the third circle, ready to close it at a moment’s notice if Natalie’s magic broke out of hers.
“Natalie?”
“Let’s do it.” Her eyes were huge but she held her ground.
“Stand still. Here we go.” I closed my eyes and reached out toward Natalie with my mind. Slowly, I lowered my shields and focused my senses toward my client. I could clearly see my binding spell as well as her grandmother’s layered spells. They were degrading quickly. Some of the strands were sickly gray-green. Suddenly, my theory about the binding spells being the cause of Natalie’s mystery illness was almost a certainty.
I began plucking at the strands of Betty’s binding spells. They were weak and began falling apart faster than I could unweave them. In a few seconds, my gentle pulling tore clean through them like someone had taken a knife and cut them away. Natalie yelped in surprise.
“Are you all right?” Malcolm asked.
“Y-yes,” she said. “Was that my grandmother’s spells?”
“Yes.” I opened my eyes. “Now I’m going to start removing mine. You’re going to feel the magic coming out of you. Try to stay calm, and remember that you can’t be hurt by your own magic, and you can’t hurt me. Deep breaths.”
I began unweaving my binding spells. After the first few strands fell away, I started to feel the magic rising in a breath of warmth with strands of cool white.
“Fire magic,” I said quietly, knowing Malcolm would hear me. “And air as well.”
“As we thought.” Malcolm was equally quiet.
Natalie made little fearful sounds.
“You’re doing fine. Everything’s good. Stay relaxed.” The magic I could sense dammed up behind my spell didn’t feel like an overwhelming amount of power. I found myself hoping that would be the case. Natalie would probably be happier as a low-level mage.
I felt a rush of heat and air, and Natalie gasped.
I opened my eyes. Magical fire and air swirled around Natalie in the center circle. It was mild, but her eyes were wide with terror. “You’re fine. It won’t hurt you.”
Natalie wasn’t hearing me. Panic shone in her eyes. She was losing it.
“Natalie, don’t—”
Several things happened pretty much simultaneously. Malcolm sensed trouble and closed the third circle. Natalie stumbled and hit her circle, which discharged energy and somehow broke instantly, releasing her fire and air magic into the larger second circle where I stood. Even protected by my spell, I felt the heat as the firestorm raged around us.
Startled by the power surge, Natalie shrieked and flailed blindly, striking me in the stomach. I saw a flash of telltale bright yellow just before I collapsed in a heap, my magic snuffed out like a candle.
In a split second of clarity, I realized Natalie was a null, and a strong one. I’d had no way of knowing that until now, and it was going to cost me big-time.
With no magic to sustain it, my protection spell failed. In the next heartbeat, Natalie’s binding spell broke, and the full force of her fire and air magic tore free and roared through the circle—
—where, without a drop of magic in me, I was completely unprotected, and in the middle of an inferno.
Chapter 10
I screamed and pulled my leather jacket up and over the top of my head, trying to shield my head and face. “Malcolm!”
Fire scorched my skin and heat seared my nose and throat, the agony so intense that I almost passed out immediately. I clung to consciousness, desperately trying to think of anything I could do to save myself before I burned to death, but with no magic, I was defenseless.
I sensed an enormous impact of magic that felt like I’d been hit by an invisible bus. Natalie’s screaming cut off abruptly, and the fiery maelstrom was suddenly gone. I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t know if the fire had blinded me or I was just in shock.
From the darkness, I heard Malcolm shouting my name. Something ice-cold hit my right shoulder and fresh agony surged. I tried to scream, but nothing came out. Malcolm’s voice rose, and the cold feeling spread through my body, a wave of liquid ice followed by red-hot needles and then numbness. Whatever part of my brain was still functioning recognized an earth-magic healing spell. A second spell hit my left shoulder and I cried out, a pathetic, broken sound.
After that, all I could do was writhe on the floor while Malcolm’s spells hit me one after another, trying to save my life. The numbness and pins-and-needles sensations rolled through my body in turns. When I had a moment of peace, I wondered what had happened to Natalie, but then another wave of pain hit and I couldn’t care anymore. Finally, mercifully, I blacked out.
*
I floated in darkness for what felt like a very long time, surfacing for brief moments just long enough to overhear indistinct sounds and feel intense pain.
Eventually, somehow, I was able to stay conscious for a few minutes. Above me, Malcolm floated, almost transparent. “Alice?” His voice was faint. “You’ve got to get help. I’m too drained to do any more healing spells. I don’t know if you’re going to make it if we don’t get someone over here.”
It took a few moments for me to process what he was saying. I realized I was sprawled on the bedroom floor. From where I lay, I could see my phone in my bag next to the library door. It wasn’t very far, but I had no idea if I could make it. Every part of me that hadn’t been somewhat protected by my jacket radiated agony, and all the skin I could see was red and splotchy. My brain refused to believe what I was seeing, or that I had nearly burned to death.
Slowly, I rolled onto my stomach and began pulling myself across the floor. Every movement brought searing pain. I lost consciousness several times.
Finally, I got to my bag. With swollen fingers, I managed to pull my phone out and drop it on the floor. I held down the button until the screen turned on, then I dragged my fingertip across the screen to unlock the phone. It took three tries.
When I got to the main screen, I used a numb finger to tap the Contacts button. I wanted to find the number for Hawthorne’s, but my eyesight was fading. At the last moment, I saw Wolf, the most recent contact I had created, and in desperation tried to touch the green icon next to it.
My head hit the floor next to my phone. From beyond the growing darkness, I heard someone asking if anyone was there.
“Help,” I whispered.
I thought I heard a voice say “Alice?” but it might have been wishful thinking. I fell into oblivion.
*
An eternity later, I surfaced again, roused by a surge of magic that ripped through my brain like talons.
I heard shouting and heavy footsteps, and then a male voice, growly and familiar. “Jesus. Alice?” Somehow, the werewolf had found me.
Gently, slowly, Sean rolled me over onto my back. I tried to open my eyes but couldn’t. I sensed him leaning close as his fingertips pressed into my wrist, searching for a pulse. I moaned.
“Thank God.” Strong arms scooped me up off the floor and I cried out in pain. “I’m taking you to a hospital.”
“No.” I kicked weakly. “No hospital. Malc
olm….”
“Who is Malcolm?” Sean jerked, and I heard a vicious-sounding snarl. “Who’s here?”
“Ghost,” I whispered. “Help Malcolm….”
“Help him how?” Sean demanded.
Malcolm spoke. “Help me save her.”
Sean jumped at the disembodied voice. “Where are you?”
“I’m right next to you,” the ghost snapped. “I need to pull energy from you.”
“Do it! Help her!” Sean ordered.
I summoned up enough strength to talk. “No hospital, Malcolm.”
“I won’t let him take you,” Malcolm promised. Sean growled.
Malcolm said something else, but I was fading again and couldn’t hear him. I felt an impact on my shoulder and another wave of cold rushed through me, followed by the white-hot needles of another healing spell, and then darkness again.
*
I had to be alive. You couldn’t hurt this much and be dead.
I opened my eyes. Pain. I closed them again. That hurt too. Breathing also hurt. My throat was agonizingly dry.
I sensed movement behind me, and it felt like someone was sanding the skin off my back. I whimpered.
The motion stopped immediately. “Allie?”
I was momentarily confused by the nickname, but I recognized Sean’s voice. I opened my eyes and blinked groggily, trying to figure out where I was.
After a moment, I realized I was in Betty’s bed, under a mountain of blankets. A bleary glance revealed a familiar arm wrapped around my waist from behind, and that I was wearing a blue nightgown. The soft cotton was probably the best clothing for me to be wearing under the circumstances, but it still felt like the harshest sandpaper. Instead of the severe burns I’d seen before, my skin looked pink and felt sensitive and tight, like I had an all-over sunburn.