by Meg Cowley
Whilst we were on the shuttle, Jamie switched on Nick’s phone. We waited. Nothing. We exchanged a grim smile – what did that silence mean? That Nick was biding his time and we could expect our mole to make contact soon? Or… something worse? It didn’t bear thinking about, but it was hard to think of anything else.
I got my own phone out to refresh my emails. By now, Duncan would have had the team email me a hotel reservation. And, seeing as we’d had no luck hearing from Nick yet, I rattled through my own contact list, messaging anyone who might be able to help us locate the box. Magicai only, of course. I didn’t need any more Ordinary interference in this case. There were few I could trust with this, but I hoped one of them would pay off, that one might have heard of a secretive auction of magical relics. We could only cross our fingers and wait whilst the shuttle shot towards the city.
After the shuttle ride, we bundled into a taxi to take us to our hotel, which was conveniently in the city centre by the beach. Not that we’d be enjoying the beach at this time of year. The sea looked as miserable as the sky. I paid with the last of the Euros I had in my purse from some other trip and resolved to find an ATM as soon as I could to draw out some New Shekels. We’d be high and dry without any funds. The taxi driver ripped us off with the exchange rate, but I gritted my teeth and handed over my money anyway. What other choice did we have?
Jamie was already whistling in appreciation at the hotel when I turned around. “Nice.”
It was one of the nicer ones, I had to admit. There were some perks to my job. I might have had to fly economy around the world, but I did occasionally get a really nice hotel to make up for it.
“Come on,” I said, striding indoors. I’d had enough of the wind and rain.
~
“There must be some mistake,” I said as I stood, dumbfounded, in the room. It was a Deluxe room according to the receptionist. That wasn’t the problem. Nor were the fresh white sheets, sparkling modern bathroom, or the balcony with a view over the city. No, the Glaring Problem was the sole double bed.
Jamie sauntered in with his hands in his pockets. “Ooh, brilliant. Can’t be a mistake; it must be fate. The universe wants you to give in to my charms, Zo.”
“I’ll give you fate,” I turned, glaring at him and making an obscene gesture that made him laugh. “We’re not sharing that. End of discussion. I don’t care who takes the bed; I’ll take the floor if it means not sleeping with you. I’d even prefer the bath. Or the balcony.” Then there’d be a door between us.
“Hey, let it never be said I’m not a gentleman—”
“I can think of a few other choice things to call you, and that wouldn’t be one of them,” I muttered.
“—so,” he continued, louder, “you can have the bed. I’ll take the couch.”
It was a tiny sofa, but I suppose it was better than the floor or the bath.
“Fine. If you come near me, I will snap off the nearest limb.”
“Charming.”
“I mean it. Don’t come near me,” I growled. I knew I wouldn’t get a wink of sleep that night. There was a time I’d trusted him implicitly; that was gone. I didn’t think he would do anything, but I didn’t let my guard down with anyone. Staying in the same room with anybody would keep me on edge; triply so with him. Perhaps, I didn’t trust myself, either.
I dumped my bag on the chair. This job was already turning out to be a nightmare. Pandora’s Box was a curse indeed.
“Safety in numbers, at least.” Jamie shrugged.
I suppose I couldn’t argue with that. We were on the trail of a calculating mind who had already shown she was prepared to kill for this relic. Maybe it was a good idea for us to have each other’s backs. I looked out over the Tel Aviv skyline, or what I could see of it from our room. We were in a crowded metropolis of almost four million people. I prayed it wouldn’t be the first casualty of Pandora’s Box.
At least for now, we were safe and Pandora’s Box would be close. Cleo and her team would have already landed and be assembling. For now, though, it was time to recharge. I unshielded myself and my bracelet glowed with magic. Jamie did the same; his ring was a beacon. But we were still sallow and drained, no inner light to make us shine.
So near to the urban centre were ley line convergences, and I sunk onto the edge of the desk and drew the glut of magic in, basking in warmth and energy as it replenished me until I was so full of magic my fingers tingled and sparks danced across my skin.
When I opened my eyes, Jamie looked rejuvenated, too. His skin was warm and had a healthy glow, and the stress tightening his face had slackened.
“Breakfast?” he said.
“Definitely.” Magic could not fill an empty stomach. He held the door open for me and we left. I stiffened as his hand brushed the small of my back, and stepped out of his reach without a word. I really wanted to punch the smug smile off his face. After the job, I promised myself.
As we filled up on orange juice, caffeine, and a fresh continental breakfast, I flicked through my phone. A few of my contacts had replied with no luck on their end — some of my best, in fact; some of the few most reliable Magicai I knew. It was a blow that hit me in the stomach. Perhaps, this wasn’t going to be as easy as I had hoped. We had an entire city, and no way to narrow it down.
As hard as I pushed my senses out, I could not feel the magic of the box. In a crowded urban sprawl, where the ley lines were a brightness obscuring all other magic, it could have been a block away and I wouldn’t have been able to find it. If only I had put a trace on it. I couldn’t have kicked myself, though, for all I had known when I recovered it, it was safe in Duncan’s hands. We hadn’t counted on Ordinaries meddling in our affairs.
It was mid-morning by the time we finished breakfast and the rain had eased off, though the sky was still heavy with clouds.
With nothing else to do, we sat in the bar, making use of the free Wi-Fi to do some research of our own. There would be no mention of Magicai auctions on the internet. No one would be so foolish. But there were plenty of places in Tel Aviv where an auction could be held. Unfortunately, that was limited to auction houses and top venues like exclusive hotels. It gave us a starting point, but there were still too many options.
My phone pinged and I picked it up absentmindedly, still reading through the google search. Hayley. I opened the message.
“Might have found something. Ring me? Hayley.” Well, that was a surprise. Surely Hayley couldn’t have found anything in the archives. Perhaps, she was better connected than I thought. I dialled her number at once.
“It’s me, what have you found?” I tried to keep the eagerness out of my voice and failed.
“Hey. Well, I have a couple friends who specialise in auctions, and it turns out my friend Nathan is a Magicai and a Traveller. Who knew? Anyway, between what they’ve said, I think we might have found your auction.”
I straightened and forced myself not to smile. This might not be anything, I warned myself. “Yes?”
“There’s an Ordinary charity auction of historical artefacts happening at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Tel-Aviv on Friday night.” The day after tomorrow. “But there’s whispers of an invite only event happening, too, that only Magicai will be attending. It could be nothing, but it’s a strange coincidence, don’t you think?”
“Yes, it is a little too neat. Do you know anything else – what this secret event is about?”
“No, I’m afraid not, only that it’s related to some kind of artefact or artefacts, too, but I’m guessing the Magicai event will have the real deal, not just some innocuous historical items, or even worse, fakes, like the Ordinary auction.”
“That’s great, thanks.” I ended the call and filled in Jamie, who had hung onto my half of the conversation. “I think we need to find our venue, research the Ordinary event, and find a way in.”
“I agree.” His rakish grin was full of excitement at the challenge.
It wasn’t hard to find out about the charity auction;
it was a high profile event with notable conservationists and even some minor celebrities from around the world attending. We would need to blend in. I suspected we wouldn’t look even a little bit in place next to the practically red-carpet attire, which was expected.
The hotel itself was a fair distance away, over twelve kilometres from us in the centre of Tel Aviv. That day, with little else to do, we headed to the Ritz to recon. We didn’t make it past reception, or the snotty receptionist who looked us up and down as if we were dirt on the bottom of her no doubt immaculate shoes, and informed us with the most delicate hint of a sneer that non-paying guests could not use the facilities. We did, at least, manage to confirm the charity auction the next day — the glossy banners in reception attested to that.
I gave up trying to explain we didn’t want to use the facilities, and we took the long ride back to the city. Next on our list was a shopping trip to one of the big shopping malls. To fit in with red-carpet attire, we had to wear it. I hated wearing dresses and heels. They were almost completely indefensible; dresses were impossible to move freely in an attack or defence. And high-heels made it impossible to run.
Whilst Jamie sloped off to a shop filled with high-end suits, I found one selling precisely the kind of slinky floor-length gowns I hated and bought the first one that fit, with shoes to match picked out by the store assistant. I waited, trying not to tap my foot, as she carefully wrapped each item in tissue paper and packed it in its own box. By the time I left, it looked like I had bought half the shop. When I saw Jamie, it looked like he had done the same.
“Sorted?” I asked brusquely. Shopping always made me grumpy.
“Yes, you’re not gonna be able to resist me in this, Zo.” He grinned.
I scoffed.
Our last stop was a street market to stock up on fake jewellery: glittery ‘diamonds’ for me, and a ‘Rolex’ for Jamie. If nothing else, we would look the part. It was crucial to be unseen; we had to be in plain sight, exactly like everyone else. Magic could only go so far to glamour us, to hide our appearances. It was not a reassuring thought.
That night over dinner, we talked of nothing else but the auction. How would we infiltrate it? What would it be? Had Cleo organised the whole thing, or at least, the Magicai aspect of it? It was clear the Magicai event took place using the Ordinary one as cover, but what was it? Was it an auction, too? Would Cleo sell off Pandora’s Box? Perhaps, under a guise? Jamie didn’t put it past her to be as devious. I hoped if she did conceal it, my unfortunate familiarity with its particular brand of noxious magic would prove useful in determining its true nature. Either way, if we weren’t there on Friday night at eight o’clock, we might never find the box again.
It was the most civil we had been in years. Perhaps, it was the drinks that soothed the edge off our usual sniping, but it was almost enjoyable, despite the sense of impending doom.
Nick had still not made contact.
It was the early hours of the following morning that he rang.
For a moment, we awoke, confused by the noise. And then, we flicked the lights on and raced for the phone in a blind panic.
“Yes?” said Jamie, answering the call and flicking it the speaker on.
We heard nothing but heavy, muffled breathing at first, and some indistinguishable thumps. My bare legs and arms crawled with goose-pimples in anticipation, and from the brush of the cold air-conditioned air.
“Hello?” Jamie said. We’d agreed only he would talk to Nick. Nick had no idea who I was, and I doubted we had time to explain.
Something clicked. “Rogue, is that you?”
Jamie slumped with relief. “Yeah, Nightwing, it’s me.” I looked at Jamie and the phone. Code names? Smart, I had to admit.
“I can’t get away, man. She’s got this place locked down,” he said. I could hear the fear in his high-pitched voice, his rapid huffs of breath.
“Calm down, Nick, what’s up? Talk to me; what’s happening. We’re in the dark.”
“We?” he squeaked.
“I have a friend helping us,” Jamie said, his eyes flicking to me. “She can be trusted one hundred percent. I promise.”
“Oh, right.” Nick took a deep, shaking breath. “Listen, Jamie, you need to intervene soon. This is getting out of hand. Cleo’s doing dark deals with some real shady people — dangerous, even. She’s tossed the idea of ransoming the box back to the British, and now she’s out for as much as she can get. She doesn’t care about any of the consequences.”
Nick would know few of those, being an Ordinary. It was far worse than he could have imagined.
“I’m in over my head, man. I need help. I’m scared for my life.”
“Calm down, Nick, it’ll be okay,” Jamie said calmly, but the crease in his brows told me he felt otherwise. I knew he believed this Cleo to be truly dangerous. An Ordinary like Nick would have to tread carefully around her, or he would end up being collateral damage in a magic-filled world he knew nothing about.
“Really? How?” he said. “‘Cause I can’t see a way out, Jamie, I can’t. I want to get back home and see Jasmine more than anything, and I’m so scared I might never see her again.” His breath caught. I swallowed. I wasn’t that close to anyone anymore, but I could empathise. I could never see Emily again, and I remembered the sheer, fraught terror of waiting on that precipice, not wanting to lose her, but knowing just how likely it was.
“We’ll find a way, I promise, but we need more info; anything you have. So pull yourself together and start talking, because the more time you waste flapping, the less chance we have. Okay?”
Nick took another deep, shuddering breath. “Okay, you’re right. Sorry.”
Jamie explained what we knew, and waited for Nick to reply.
“Yeah, that’s right. The auction in the main ballroom is a convenient cover. She’s going for the highest bidder for the box, but we won’t be in that room. There isn’t going to be an auction at all for us; Cleo is using this as a demonstration. We have worldwide interest, and parties are flying in from all over the globe. Everything from Chinese businessmen to Saudi royalty. They’ve each received a unique invite – you’ll need one to get in.”
Jamie and I exchanged a glance. So, we’d need to steal an invite from a dangerous, wealthy, and quite possibly magical guest. Oh, dear. Even if not all the guests were Magicai, that wouldn’t be easy.
“What do you mean by demonstration?” Jamie asked. “Why isn’t she selling it?”
“I don’t know. She has this crazy idea the box can do terrible things and she’s going to demonstrate some of its power. I swear, I think she’s lost her mind. She thinks this will encourage the interested parties to bid even higher than before. I don’t know what that box can do, but it must be big if she thinks it’ll have that effect.”
She was going to open the box. Jamie was, for once, in dumbfounded silence, and I didn’t have words, either.
“Jamie?” Nick asked when neither of us replied.
Jamie cleared his throat. “Thanks, Nick. We really appreciate it. When and where is this happening?”
“Ten, Friday night. Ritz. Small ballroom. Crap, someone’s coming, gotta g—” The line went dead before he finished speaking. Jamie and I stared at the phone in silence for minutes, which felt like hours.
“She’s going to open the box,” I said, my voice hollow.
Jamie nodded heavily.
“Does she have any idea what it could do?”
“I think she must. Otherwise, why risk opening it?”
“But can she contain it when she does? That’s the real issue. Pandora’s Box was never meant to be opened, for good reason.”
“I don’t know.” Jamie’s face was as grim as I felt.
“I wonder how she means to demonstrate it.”
“I don’t know, but it won’t be good, I’m certain of that.”
The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach agreed.
I felt even less like wearing the sparkling dress I’d pi
cked out, even less like pretending to celebrate. Tomorrow night, we would have to wear that mask. But tonight? Tonight, we could despair, just a little.
It was an endless, sleepless night filled with nightmares of opening boxes and magic which scourged the flesh from our bones and brought a never-ending darkness into the world.
Chapter Five
We awoke on Thursday tired and bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. It took a lot of coffee to kick-start us, and even Jamie was unusually subdued. That day, we locked ourselves in the hotel room with the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign hanging on the outside of the door, the curtains drawn, and shields around us so what we did would not escape to the outside world
Cleo’s intentions to open the box had worried me more than I could express, but I didn’t need to say because I could tell Jamie felt the same way. I took a deep breath and sat cross-legged on the bed across from him. It was the only space available for us both to sit together, but opposite each other.
He smiled faintly as he took my hands in his, and I knew he was thinking about another time, long ago, when we had done this as friends and lovers. His hands were as smooth and warm as I remembered, comfortingly big and solid around mine.
My answering smile was tinged with sadness. It would have been easy to love him; perhaps, there was once upon a time when I had come close. It was rare that I wondered what that felt like; I couldn’t imagine it, and I didn’t dwell on it. Finding love wasn’t something that bothered me. I didn’t need someone else to validate my existence or my purpose.
I swallowed. “Ready?” I said, as much to distract myself as to distract him. His thumbs stroked little circles on the back of my hands. They stopped at my words.
“Ready,” he replied, solemn-faced.