by Melle Amade
“Because,” says Zan. “Every single time you have that look in your eye, there’s something going on in your head. The wheels are turning and whatever’s going on in there, you’re not telling me. Just so you know, there’s no way on this green earth you’re getting passports from me unless you tell me exactly where you are going and what you’re planning to do.”
Shit. I really should’ve thought this through a little better.
But as I sit there under her probing gaze, I crumble. I can’t stop myself. The truth is like a river that pours over a bursting dam.
I tell her everything; about Henry being a dove, about Darko coming back to Potter Valley, his magic measuring device that can tell where magic has happened within a thousand miles. And then finally, I tell her how Darko confirmed El Oso had been in Indonesia with my father.
Zan’s face is blank, her eyes stare past me silently. She’s thinking about something. Processing some piece of information I gave her and digging back into her brain to find something else to match it. I know that look. She is puzzling something out. I stay silent and wait for the gears in her brain to click.
“You say this guy had short blond hair and crystal blue eyes?” Zan asks.
I shrug. “Darko? Yeah. He only looked a little older than us. Maybe early twenties.”
A look I don’t see very often on Zan’s face moves across it. Confusion.
“There’s a book I was just looking at a couple of weeks ago at the manor library,” she says. “Maybe later we can go up and take a look. There’s something about this…but I don’t quite remember what it is. I was too focused on shifter magic to think too much about the Hunters.”
She pauses, gaze lost in thought, but then she shakes it off. “What did this magic measuring machine look like?”
“Like this,” I say, pulling it out of Roman’s satchel that I grabbed on my way out the door. I hold out the small rectangular box and the strange glasses. Didn’t even realize Roman had them tucked in there. They’re the same ones Darko was using at the rodeo grounds the first day I saw him.
“You brought it here?” Zan leaps out of her chair and grabs the devices. She seems incredibly excited to get her hands on some Hunter technology. She turns it over and over in her hands. The box is made of a sleek black metal, there’s a dial on one side of it, a circular sensor on one end, and a black clear glass window on the top. A small ebony switch at the front of the box turns it on and off. I reach over and turn it on. Under the black glass screen three lights are strung across the middle. The lights are blue, just sitting there. Zan turns the box around in the room. She faces west and all the lights remain blue. She turns slowly to the south and the lights in the middle move to the top and go green.
But it doesn’t go completely to the top of the screen. About halfway between the midpoint of the top it stops and along the side of the screen a number comes up. It reads “980.”
“We think it’s measuring magic that has happened recently.” I say. “So, it’s telling you magic happened in that direction, and we think it was nine-hundred and eighty miles away.”.
Zan’s eyes light up. “This is phenomenal,” she says. “I wonder what runs it?”
She turns the box more towards the east, directly at me. The blue light turns green and starts blinking in place.
“And this can measure if a person has the capability for magic,” she says.
“Yes,” I say. “That’s what we thought too. Anytime it was pointed at me or Jacqueline, the light flashed green.”
“Hope that’s correct. If it’s pointing south and saying nine hundred and eighty miles to the south magic has been used. But this other sensor for the person isn’t going off. So, that means magic has been used but there’s nobody there right now?” She asks.
“Probably,” I say.
“So, if I point it to the north…” she murmurs slowly. As she turns the sensor to Northern California, both the left channels move up and the light in the middle turns green and the readout says “Five-hundred and eighty.”
“So right now, it’s reading Jacqueline,” Zan says.
“And the use of magic.” I point out the column in the middle.
“So, she must’ve been training today?” Zan asks.
“I’m not sure. You’d have to go there in person and check with the glasses. I think that’s what they are for. So, if you can figure out what that location is and then you put these on...” I hand the glasses to Zan and she slips them over her eyes.
The glasses have a long strap at the back that she tightens but over the eyes themselves there are two thick black lenses, which look from the outside as if they are impenetrable by light.
“I can’t see anything,” she says.
I reach my hand forward and click my nails together, sending magic sparks of fire into the palm of my hand and the flame comes up.
“Okay.” Her voice is tinged with awe. “I can see that.”
“Yeah, but watch this.” I close my fist around the flame in my hand so it disappears.
Her face stays focused on the same location, even though the flame is gone and I’ve lowered my hand.
“Don’t move the focus of your eyes,” I say. “Just move the glasses.”
“I can still see the magic there. Though it doesn’t look like the flames, it just looks like a halo. Maybe an energy field.” She slowly lifts the glasses and her mouth drops open as she stares at the empty space.
“It’s magical residue,” I say. “You’re seeing what isn’t there anymore. At least, that’s kind of the best we can figure out. You can see the initial spark, and it’s really strong. But even when the magic goes away the glasses can still measure exactly where it happened.”
“So, if I came back here tomorrow, I would still be able to put these glasses on and look at this space and see the glow?” She asks.
“Somewhat, but it will be very diminished. We’ve tested it out up in the village and it seems like the residual magic stays for about four days, sometimes five, depending on what you actually do with it. The flame I just made may only stay for one day.”
“Does it measure shifters?” She asks.
I shake my head. “Not that we can tell. When was the last time you shifted?” I ask.
She shrugs. “Right after sunrise, when I went out to get breakfast.”
“Ew,” I mutter as I aim the box at her. None of the sensors go off. “So, if it measured shifters, it would have responded to you there.”
She frowns, reaching forward and turning the box over and over in her hands again.
“But,” she asks. “What does this column show?”
My shoulders rise and fall. “We have no idea.” I say. “We tested it on everything we know, but we really couldn’t say.”
“Maybe we just need to figure out how to get it working.” Zan grabs some tools that she usually uses on her computers and begins to pry at the box.
“Please, be careful.” I sit on my hands to stop myself from ripping it out of her hands.
I need that thing to work. It doesn’t matter to me one bit what the third column does. The other two are what will help me find El Oso.
8
The rain slashes across the mountains as I fly up the canyon to Van Arend manor. I ended up falling asleep at Zan’s house curled up on her futon. We had spent the morning talking about everything that happened in the last month since we’ve seen each other. I was worried about her being back here in Topanga and close to Aiden, but she was expected to take her place in Muirderkring West as part of the Van Arend administration. Exactly like her parents had done before her. But she did seem to settle back into Topanga well. The time in Potter Valley, away from Aiden, seemed to settle things for her. It’s still strange to me they are betrothed to their cousins from a very young age. The idea still bothers me quite a bit if I’m honest. But maybe it’s only because I don’t have a cousin.
And Callum does.
He has a very beautiful cousin.
> I didn’t ask Zan any questions about him. I hadn’t wanted to. The last thing I want to do is seem like I’ve got to go to my best friend for information about my own boyfriend. He only sent me a few emails over the past month. They were encrypted because I’m sure it’s not right for the Ridder of the Ravensgaard to be emailing a banished raven. Still, his emails had been short and not nearly as sweet as I would’ve liked. Mostly just asking how I was doing and telling me to stay safe.
But now, as I arrive at Van Arend Manor. There’s a good chance I will find out exactly how he is doing.
Zan left me a note saying she’d gone up to the Manor to let them know Roman and I were in town and planning to come see them. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. Things had been pretty quiet for the previous three weeks, and there was little reason for anyone to suspect the Order was following what was going on here too closely. With the Hunters hot on their trail they had enough problems on their hands. Her note said she’d pick Roman up on the way and hide him inside her coat as they went into the manor. It would do no good to just walk up there completely obvious. While we all figure the Ravensgaard will be forgiving of me for being banished, they may be so surprised we got rid of the collars that word would slip out.
The coastal fog is flying low over the Manor. I can’t see the gray spires and balconies as I fly along the northern perimeter. Zan told me to make my way to the library window so we wouldn’t have to go through any of the formalities of the Ravensgaard or Balthazar, the butler who controlled everything in the Manor. I had kind of thought going up there might not be such a good idea, but Zan was sure Aiden would want to see us while we were in town.
I’m still not the best at landing, but I get pretty close and come in smooth and low through the open library window. I manage not tumble too much but I fall against a cushion on one of the brown leather couches, which I can only imagine is better than tumbling into the wood-panel walls covering the walls of the massive library.
The smell of ancient paper and ink fills my nostrils as I shift and pull myself up from the couch. I press my hand against the cool leather and pull the hair out of my eyes and smile at my friends. Roman and Aiden sit in two easy chairs, leaning forward and talking avidly about something, or they must’ve been before I tumbled into the room. Callum and Zan stand at a table covered in books. I catch my breath in my throat as I’m reminded of us standing around the exact same table looking for the binding spell with Zaragoza.
But all conversation stops and everyone moves towards me as I stand up from the couch. Well everybody but Roman. He’s probably seen enough of me in the last month. Aiden is the first to reach me, pulling me into a warm embrace that captures my lower back and presses me against his chest I hug him back warm and tight. I don’t know if I’ll ever get rid of the charge I feel when I’m in his arms. But I think now I’ve learned to control it.
At least I hope so.
I push back from him and turn to Callum, unable to hide the elation I feel. My body warms as he draws near. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen him.
I can’t help my joy and I think I give a little squeal as I jump up and throw my arms around his neck. His arms are kind of stiff and he doesn’t pull me as tightly to him. When I raise my lips to him, he gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and then pushes me gently back. This isn’t what I had in mind at all. But what else am I supposed to do?
I glance around a little self-consciously and smooth out my t-shirt; as if something in my appearance is affecting how Callum welcomed me. I suddenly realize Roman, Aiden, Callum, and Zan are back in the highlife of Topanga and dressed to kill. Maybe not literally, but man do they look good. Gone are the yoga pants and T-shirt Zan wore at home this morning. She’s wearing gold tapestry capris and a loose flowing maroon sweater that stops at her midriff showing off her flat stomach. It has golden threads running down the sleeves. She’s got the Van Arend colors down. Aiden has on black slacks and a maroon shirt, as if he’s going to go to the office. The only gold he’s wearing is a gold ring on his index finger. Even Roman has dug into his closet to fit the scene. Gone are the jeans and hoodie he’s been sporting up in Potter Valley. Now he’s wearing black slacks and a black t-shirt with gold embroidery running across shoulders that shine in the light as he turns around to grab a book off the shelf. Callum is his usual darkly-dressed self, with black jeans on and a black sweater. There’s not an ounce of gold on him, but there’s no need. We all know exactly where his loyalties lie.
Zan steps forward and grabs my hand, pulling me over to the desk. “I was just telling them the guy you’re talking about sounds familiar.”
“How can a Hunter sound familiar?” I ask. “You don’t know any.”
“No, for real,” she says. “Look. I wasn’t wrong I’ve been trying to find out more information on the Hunters. It’s part of our mission statement from the Order.”
I can’t help the frown the comes over my face when she mentions the mission statement of the Order, but I know that’s the deal. Lord Van Arend rules Muirderkring West. Aiden is his son and all of my friends follow the Van Arends. Until Lord Van Arend breaks with the Order, they need to follow their directions. And there’s nothing to be done about it. It’s better this way, safer for now. That’s why I can’t be here messing things up for them, too.
“What were they asking you to research?” I ask, softly stepping over the books on the floor and trying to ignore Callum as best I can as he dips into the conversation between Roman and Aiden. Roman’s turning the device over in his hand, so I can only guess he’s explaining to them how the box works at least as best we know how it works.
“Ever since the attack on Spotswood Ranch, the Order has been under attack from the Hunters,” Zan says. “They manage to get away near Frog Woman Rock just south of Potter Valley. But it freaked Polaris out so much he has everybody with any sense of computing and research capabilities in Muirderkring West, South, and East looking for all information they can find. They’re finally trying to make eliminating the Hunters our biggest mission.”
“Why would Polaris be making these decisions for the Order?” I asked. “Shouldn’t it be El Oso be?”
“Well, Polaris says it’s El Oso giving the command. But nobody really believes that. No one really thinks Polaris has even heard from El Oso.”
I frown, my eyes staring aimlessly at the desk. Zan returns to flipping through books, trying to find the one she really needs.
“What if he’s dead?” I whisper the words, knowing the guys are too deep in their conversation to pay attention.
Zan’s hands still as we make eye contact.
I see immediately what she’s thinking. “Not my father,” I say. “El Oso. What if he’s dead? What if, somehow, my dad got rid of him?”
Zan’s eyebrows knit together as she chews on her lip. “Well, your dad’s really clever and I thought about that. Like maybe he has resources or friends down there who could’ve set a trap for him, but then why wouldn’t he have come back?”
“He doesn’t know where we are? He doesn’t know Mom, Henry and I moved to Potter Valley? Maybe he’s out there looking for us?”
“Your dad’s not a stupid guy,” Zan says. “He’s like the exact opposite. He’s really clever. He would’ve found a way to get a message to Lord Van Arend and tell him El Oso was dead and he was free. If that was the case.”
“What else is there, Zan?” I can see in her eyes there’s something she’s been thinking about and she hasn’t told me. I want to know exactly what it is.
“Well, you know, no one’s heard from Lady Heather either. It’s like all three of them just disappeared off the face of the Earth,” she says with a frown. “So, there is another option. Maybe something happened to –”
“To all three of them?” I finish, my chest feeling like it may burst.
“Your father didn’t like El Oso any more than the rest of us,” Zan says.
“But he wouldn’t die to kill him.”
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“I don’t think he would either, but the truth is we don’t know where any of them are and we don’t know what’s going on with them. The best we can do is wait.”
“I think we can do better than that,” I say. “I think we can use the Hunter’s machine to go and find them.”
“It only works within a thousand-mile radius,” Zan says. “And you’re not the only Thunder Being on the planet. What are you gonna do? Hunt down every single Thunder Being there is? Even if it’s possible, it could take years.”
“He’s in Indonesia.” There’s conviction in my voice that I don’t quite feel but I speak with the desperation of someone who needs to feel some certainty and clarity. I ignore Zan’s raised eyebrows of skepticism.
“Why do you think he’s there?” Callum’s voice drifts over to us from the couch as he, Aiden, and Roman all look over.
Roman looks almost apologetically between Aiden, Callum, and Zan. My throat is dry and I can’t find the words to tell them because I know how it’s going to be received.
“A Hunter told us,” Roman says for me.
“His name is Darko,” I say.
Aiden’s eyes open wide and Callum’s face goes blank.
“Now the Hunters have names?” Zan asks.
“I assume all Hunters have names.” I measure my words out carefully, pretty clear that all eyes, except Roman’s, are on me.
“Yes, but we don’t usually know them,” Aidan says.
“Right,” Zan agrees. “You’re the first person I’ve ever known to be on a first name basis with a Hunter.”
“Hey, don’t write me off the list,” Roman wags his finger at Zan.” I met the guy too.”
Zan glares at Roman, not even bothering to give him a response. “Darko,” she mutters, flipping through her book.