by Kant, Komal
“Yeah, yeah.” I nodded, not wanting him to come any closer. “Just overwhelmed by everything.” Please go away.
“Well,” he said, looking concerned, “if you need to talk you know where to find me. Good luck with the remainder of your exams.”
“Bye, Headmaster,” Anna said, staring at me with wide eyes.
“See ya, Uncle Troy.” Misha was staring at me now, too.
As soon as Delware had disappeared, I reached down and grabbed the Mortal Blade, sheath and all, and threw it onto the table. It slid a little before stopping close to Anna.
“Kat, what’s going on?” Anna asked, her eyes landing on it. “Why did you just do that? You were acting so strange!”
“It was burning my leg! I don’t know why!” I’d only had it for a few days so I wasn’t sure if burning legs was a normal thing for the blade to do.
“Are you okay?” she asked, studying the blade as though it was about to burst into flames. “Has it done that before?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what the hell to do with it. Valeska said it would lead me to Melkane’s killer-”
“Well, that’s not really an issue anymore, is it?” Misha pointed out. “Your name’s been cleared.”
“Yes, but the killer-”
“So what?” Misha cut me off again. “The whole point was to prove your innocence. Well, that’s done. Parlum can figure out the rest.”
Misha had a point. Why was I knocking myself over this? I could give the blade back to Loire and go on with my semi-normal teenage life. But a part of me wanted to see this out to the end. The prophecy had told me that the Mortal Blade would lead me to the killer, and I wanted to see it through.
“I need to do this, Misha,” I said. “I can’t explain why exactly, but it’s just a feeling.”
I needed more answers. I needed to go back to where this had all started; back to the beginning.
As though reading my mind, Anna touched my arm and studied me with her piercing, blue eyes. “You need to take the Mortal Blade to Valeska. She might be able to give you the answers that you need.”
“Can you teleport me?” I asked, reaching across the table for the blade and finding it surprisingly cool.
Anyone inside the school could teleport out, but there was a magical barrier that prevented you from teleporting back in. The closest you could get was outside the school walls.
“I’m not sure,” Anna said, absently flipping the pages of her book. “It’s hard when I don’t have a connection to the person I’m supposed to be teleporting to.”
An image flashed across my mind of the wrinkled up, purple feather that Valeska had given me.
This will help you when you are in need. You will know what to do with it when the time is right.
At the time, I had thought she was crazy and losing her mind, but now I knew that her parting gift to me served a purpose.
“I have something that will help,” I said, quickly grabbing my things and shoving them into my bag. “Come on, it’s in my room.”
“What is it?” Misha asked, following my lead as I weaved my way through the shelves and headed outside.
I didn’t respond; I just kept up my quick pace. I glanced back once to make sure they were still following me. Misha was right on my heels, and Anna wasn’t far behind.
There was no doubt in my mind that Valeska could tell me something that I was missing—something crucial. The knowledge was there in my mind, but it wasn’t clear, like it’d been smudged a little so I couldn’t quite make it out. Valeska could give me the clarity that I needed.
I hurried up the stairs to our room and unlocked the door, not waiting to hold it open. I strode towards my dresser and pulled open the third drawer where I kept all my miscellaneous items. The feather was squished underneath a bunch of photos of my family.
I pulled out the feather, hoping that this would work, and handed it to Anna who scrutinized it. “A feather? What on earth-”
“Valeska gave it to me,” I explained. “She was very vague about what I was supposed to do with it, but now I suspect that it will help form a connection to her. I think she knew I would want to see her again.”
Anna tilted her head to the side as she played with the feather in her hand, twirling it in between her fingers. Finally, she nodded. “Okay, I’ll give it a try. There’s something very strange about it though.”
“Like what?” Misha asked, staring at it in confusion.
Anna paused before answering. “Like I’m the plug and this is the outlet. It’s giving off a strong energy I’ve never felt before.”
“It must be her witch powers,” Misha breathed. “That feather must be covered by it.”
“So, do you think it’ll work?” I asked.
If it didn’t work, I’d have to take the long way to get to her, which would involve me running away again. And, really, who ran away after they’d been proven innocent of committing a murder? There was a first for everything.
“I’m pretty sure it will,” Anna confirmed, filling me with relief. “But I can only take you with me. My powers aren’t strong enough to travel long distances with three.”
“I’ll wait for you here,” Misha said immediately. “Call me if anything goes wrong, okay?”
We both nodded, and Anna held out her hand to me. “I need you to picture Valeska and focus on things you remember about her. Since I’ve never seen her before it’ll be harder for me to find her, so I need you to establish a connection with her as well, okay?”
I nodded, taking her hand and touching my side to make sure I still had the Mortal Blade. Closing my eyes, I tried to conjure up images of Valeska.
I recalled her short, stubby fingers with their numerous rings, and her ancient face which was creased with hundreds of lines. I remembered the way she squinted her electric, blue eyes when I gave her attitude, and the musky smell that came with her shop.
A feeling washed over me, like I wasn’t completely whole, and my body became light, like it was trying to leave me. Then all of a sudden, I was solid again.
Stumbling forward, I tried to get my bearings straight. Somewhere behind me, Anna was retching. I felt awful for her—this was happening because I needed her help and she was suffering for it.
“Are you alright?’ I asked, feeling queasy myself, as I approached her.
She looked up at me, her skin paler than usual, and managed a nod. “Let’s just go on.”
Glancing around, I saw that we were in the same town where I had first met Valeska. Anna had brought us right outside her shop. I was so glad that Anna had supernatural GPS; it made things a hell of a lot easier.
The street was deserted, so no one noticed two teenage girls walk inside. The bell on the door chimed to announce our arrival. We glanced around, but no one came to greet us, not even the cat. You would think Valeska would be a lot more hospitable than this.
Anna seemed nervous as her eyes took in the knick-knacks round the store. Naturally, she walked over to a stack of books and studied them. Gesturing for her to follow, I headed past the register and to the beaded curtain that separated the back room from the store.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the beads aside and walked through with Anna close behind me. The room was dimly lit with the smell of burning incense hanging thick in the air. Nothing had changed since I’d been here last.
A violent cough drew our attention to the crumpled up woman sitting cross-legged on the floor. Valeska hadn’t changed either. She was still wrapped in her multitude of purple and black silks, with the same omniscient look about her. And crazy—she pulled off crazy like nobody’s business.
Her dark eyes flashed at our arrival. “It is good to see you again, Katerina Lyrille.” Her gaze moved over to Anna’s small frame. “And you brought a friend, too.” A smile curled at the corner of her mouth as if she’d told a great joke.
Feeling irritated, I took a few steps closer to her. “You knew Anna would bring me here. That’s why you gave me th
e feather.”
She gave me a non-committal shrug and gestured to the two cushions on the floor that were opposite her at the table. A piping hot kettle and three cups sat on top. She had been expecting us. “Take a seat. We have many things to discuss.”
Anna and I both hesitated, but there was nothing else we could do, so we sat down across from her and made ourselves comfortable.
Valeska seemed pleased by this and pushed two cups towards us. “Drink up; you need to replenish your energy.” Both cups were steaming hot and had brown liquid in them, although Anna’s was a lot lighter in color than mine.
Anna picked hers up and sniffed it curiously. “What is it?”
“Yours is an herbal remedy which will give you strength. I am sure you will need it after using your powers. And yours,” Valeska said, her eyes flickering over to me in amusement, “is your favourite, prune juice.”
Revolted, I hastily pushed the cup away as Anna hesitated, still eying the concoction with suspicion.
Valeska chuckled at our reactions. “Do not worry, it is not poisoned. I have no reason to harm the girls who bear the Mortal Blade.”
Her knowledge of the blade annoyed me even more. “Did you know this whole time that a person had it, not that it was hidden at the school?”
“There are some things which you should only discover yourself.” Her voice was calm as she spoke. “Fate only gives us clues to our future; it doesn’t reveal the master plan.”
Anna carefully took a sip of her drink and made a face. “This tastes awful!”
“I didn’t say it would taste good, only that it would give you strength,” Valeska commented, her eyes twinkling. “So what have you come here for?”
Anna looked at me out of the corner of her eye and nodded.
“I need to know how this will lead me to Headmistress Melkane’s killer.” Reluctantly, I reached into my sheath and pulled out the Mortal Blade. The green wrought handle seemed to dance in the light as I held it out for Valeska to see.
Valeska reached out for it eagerly and grabbed the hilt. All of a sudden, she let out a strangled cry, immediately pulling her hand away from the blade.
In shock, I watched as a scorch mark appeared on the top layer of her skin. She cursed and shot to her feet, hurrying over to her cupboard and rummaging around in it.
“Why did it do that?” I demanded, feeling protective of the blade. I turned it over in my hands, making sure that Valeska hadn’t left a mark on it herself. But the blade was just as beautiful as ever.
“It is not meant for a witch’s hands,” Valeska explained as she returned to us with a bottle. Unscrewing it, she rubbed something that looked like lotion onto the burn.
“What?” I asked, confused.
Valeska put the lid back on the bottle and set it aside. “I forgot myself for a second; I could feel the power emanating from the Mortal Blade and wanted to touch it, but only the chosen mortal is able to lay hands on it and use its power.”
Anna leaned forward. “So no one else can touch it? They’ll be burned?” I knew why she was asking this; she and Misha had both touched the blade without being burned.
“No, the blade chooses who can touch it,” Valeska explained, “but only a mortal can harness the power it holds.”
“And that’s me?” I asked, recalling that Loire had disputed with me over who the prophecy was actually about. “Not anyone else?”
“Yes,” she confirmed with a nod. “The blade will only have one true bearer.”
“So I can use the power to lead me to the Headmistress’ killer?”
Valeska nodded again.
“I don’t know how,” I admitted, feeling very much like the seventeen-year-old that I was. I didn’t know what to do with myself, let alone with a centuries’ old all-powerful object. “I feel like there’s something on the very edge of my mind, but it’s just out of reach.”
“The cards will guide you,” Valeska said, her voice growing low as she pulled out her deck of tarot cards from the folds of her silks.
They’d either guide me or confuse the hell out of me. Or maybe she’d have another vision—that’d be consistent.
Valeska spoke as she shuffled the cards. “I will read your past, present, and-” A single card flew out of the deck and landed face down in the center of the table. “What?” She sounded alarmed as she stared at it.
“What does that mean?” Anna asked, her eyes wide.
This had happened last time, too. Was this a normal thing? Judging from the way Valeska was frowning at the card, I didn’t think it was.
“Fate has chosen this card for you,” she said, placing the rest of the deck aside and flipping over the card that had fallen out.
Depicted on it was a man with a stooped back holding a staff in one hand and something that glowed golden in the other.
“Ah,” said Valeska, “the Hermit. This card represents your need for knowledge and-”
But I wasn’t listening anymore. My attention was focused on the golden object in the hermit’s hand. “What is that he’s carrying?”
“What?” Valeska seemed annoyed that I’d interrupted her in the middle of her reading. “Oh, that. The modern cards depict the Hermit carrying a lantern, but my deck carries the original depiction. Traditionally, the Hermit holds a staff in one hand and an hourglass in the other.”
An hourglass.
An angel’s death.
An angel’s hourglass.
The Angel Glass.
Then all of a sudden, everything made sense.
Chapter Twenty-Three
We were back at school.
But instead of being outside the school walls like we should be, we were inside them. Anna had teleported us to the main courtyard right by the fountain of Margot Esteré. It was unheard of—powerful magic prevented anyone from teleporting directly into the school. I felt like we’d broken a Guinness World Record.
“How did you do that?” I asked, turning to Anna in amazement.
She was bent over beside me, her head between her knees as she rocked back and forth.
“Shit.” I scrambled to her side and wrapped my arms around her, slipping a little on the ice that covered the ground. “Are you alright?”
Anna slowly raised her head, her face pale. “I think so. I just need a minute,” she whispered, slowly staring around at her surroundings. “I-I don’t know how I got inside. I was just thinking of school.”
My hand shot to the Mortal Blade, and Anna’s eyes followed my movement. “Do you think the Mortal Blade broke through the magical barrier?” she asked, her voice weak.
“I don’t know what else it could have been.”
It didn’t make sense though. Loire had had the Mortal Blade when we’d teleported to school the first time, but we hadn’t broken through the barrier. Was it because he wasn’t supposed to be the true bearer of the blade? Was the blade allowing me to access its true powers in a way that Loire hadn’t been able to?
“You realized something when you saw the Hermit card,” Anna said as I helped her to her feet. “What was it? You said something about the headmaster-”
My attention immediately went back to the problem at hand. “Yes, I need to see Delware.” I didn’t tell her why. I didn’t know how to explain myself. Only Misha’s uncle could give me clarity. “I need you to get Misha and Loire and meet me in his office. Do you think you can do that?”
Anna nodded slowly, straightening up her jacket. “Yes, I think the herbal remedy Valeska gave me is helping.”
“Okay, go now.” I placed a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes with urgency. “And hurry.”
“Whatever it is that you’re doing, be careful.” She gave me a look of warning. I knew she didn’t want to leave me here by myself. “Promise me.”
Not meeting her eyes, I nodded. “I promise.”
Deep down, I hated myself for lying to her, but I couldn’t wait around any longer. I needed answers, and I needed them now. I was so close now; I
could feel it. Besides, being careful wasn’t really my style.
Anna closed her eyes, and this time it only took a few seconds before she was gone. It seemed to be easier for her when she wasn’t teleporting a long distance, was traveling within the school, and was by herself.
As soon as she was gone, I hurried across the courtyard and towards Delware’s office, my heart thudding so loud that I was sure anyone would be able to hear it.
A sense of déjà vu hit me as I looked up and saw the lanterns floating above me, immediately recalling the lanterns I’d seen in my dreams.
Lanterns weren’t the only thing I’d dreamed of—I remembered the broken hourglass and the sand flowing all around me. I remembered seeing the same hourglass in Headmistress Melkane’s office the night of her death when I’d gotten into an argument with her, and I remembered seeing the same hourglass on Delware’s desk when I’d returned to school.
When we had assumed that the Angel Glass referred to a magic mirror, we’d been wrong. It wasn’t a magic mirror at all—it was an hourglass. An hourglass that I now believed had belonged to the late headmistress.
If my suspicions were correct then a person I had trusted for most of my life was behind all the horrible events that had taken place recently. It made me sick to my stomach to think like that, but all the signs pointed to him. I just hoped I was wrong and there was another explanation.
As I entered the dimly lit reception area that led to Delware’s office, my eyes glided over the plants that decorated it. Recalling what Misha had said about erat demons not being able to channel their earth powers indoors, it made sense that Delware kept plants around to draw power from.
The door to his office was ajar, a sliver of light peeking out. I didn’t bother knocking; I just walked right in as though he’d been expecting me.
And maybe he had been expecting me. Maybe he’d been expecting me for months now.
“Good evening, Katerina,” Delware said, his voice calm as I approached his desk with careful, deliberate steps.
The Mortal Blade grew warm against my leg again, and now I understood why. It sensed that another Triad object was nearby. That was why it had grown hot in the library earlier; Delware must have had the Angel Glass with him when he’d come to speak to us.