Outgrow: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Keeper of the North Book 2)

by Annabel Chase

  Bryn closed the gap between them.

  “Bryn, no!” Dani cried.

  Instead of placing the stone in his hand, Bryn spat in it. “That’s what I think of your offer. My mother would kill me if I resurrected her in exchange for resurrecting him. She would never forgive me.” She turned to look at us. “And neither would they.”

  The brother calmly wiped his hand on the brown robe. “Very well then. I gave my word that I only came to make this offer, and so I will leave you unharmed.”

  “You’ll leave us unharmed because you’re outnumbered,” Dani said, jutting out her hip.

  The brother bowed his head slightly. “Perhaps. We’ll meet again, witches, and next time, the circumstances will be far less amicable.” He pulled the robe in front of him and disappeared.

  “What the what?” Bryn said. “How did he do that? I thought only the chancellor had a teleportation cloak.”

  “It probably wasn’t a teleportation cloak,” I said. “He probably had his brothers summoning him back with a spell once the offer was rejected.”

  “We need that,” Cerys said. “Why does the Fraternal Order of Hermes have capabilities the AMF doesn’t?”

  “Because they’re not the ragtag group of losers we thought they were,” Bryn replied. “They’re dangerous.”

  “They’re dangerous because your father gave them dangerous information,” I said. “I guarantee you that whatever advanced magic they have, he left it for them.”

  “Mia’s right,” Dani said. “I bet your father left helpful tidbits. Anything to aid in his resurrection. He wanted it done right.”

  “He doesn’t want to risk coming back wrong,” Cerys added. “No point in coming back if he can’t perform the same level of dark magic as before.”

  “They know we have the stones,” I said. “What’s to prevent them from coming and taking them by force?”

  “Nothing,” Dani said. “We’ll have to destroy the stones before they get the chance.”

  Bryn removed the stone from her pocket and studied it. “How do we destroy them? No doubt my father isn’t going to make it easy.”

  “There has to be a way,” I said. “Stones are matter. All matter is capable of being destroyed.”

  “The scientific witch,” Dani said. “I like it.”

  “Before we focus on destroying matter, we need to get home,” Cerys said. She produced the speed rune from her pocket. “This one should get us back to the portal quickly.”

  “I’ll make us invisible in case we pass more brothers on the way back,” I said.

  “I think you’re going to need to make us invisible until we can destroy the stones,” Dani said. “The brothers are coming for us.”

  I waved my hand and wrapped the air around us. “Then we’ll just have to be ready.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “How about a blowtorch?” Dani suggested. We stood in a circle around a tree stump in the forest of the academy grounds, trying to figure out how to destroy the three stones.

  “You’re talking about yourself, right?” Bryn said.

  “He must have the stones under a protective spell,” Cerys said. “We need to be careful that whatever attempt we make doesn’t backfire on us.” I knew what she was thinking. When she’d tried to free a djinni from a stone, there’d been a curse on the stone which had resulted in the djinni’s death. She didn’t want to repeat history.

  We stared at the three stones in silence.

  “Maybe we should ask Robin or Cato,” Bryn finally said. “I don’t want to screw this up. It’s our one chance to stop the frat brothers.”

  “I have an idea,” I said. “Why don’t we ask Professor Langley for help?” The professor wasn’t exactly our favorite teacher at Spellslingers, but his knowledge of arcane rites and other magic, as well as his hatred of Moldark, might be the perfect combination.

  Bryn touched her nose. “Not it.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m happy to do it, but he never notices me. He probably won’t even realize I’m asking him a question.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Dani said. “He seems to have come around with regard to me.”

  Cerys placed a hand in front of Dani to stop her. “No, I think Mia should go alone. Force Langley to deal with her. She’s not going to get anywhere by letting others absorb her light.”

  “This is important, Cerys,” I said. “We don’t have time to worry about my personal growth.”

  “We can always make time for your personal growth,” Cerys countered. “It may be our last term at the academy, but there’s still time to learn.”

  “We never stop learning, even after graduation,” Dani said. “At least that’s what my grandmother used to say. Every day is the opportunity for a lesson if we pay close enough attention.”

  “I’m not afraid of Professor Langley,” I said. Okay, maybe I was a little afraid of him, but it was best to sound confident so that I might convince myself as well as the ornery professor.

  “Good luck,” Bryn said. “You know where to find us. Maybe bring back a basket of sandwiches too. I think we’re going be here a while.”

  I laughed as I left the forest and crossed the grounds toward Professor Langley’s office. Whether Moldark’s plan succeeded or not, soon I would be parted from my friends. A knot formed in my stomach when I thought about how much I’d miss them. Declan, too. Our relationship was still shiny and new. We hadn’t discussed a future in any depth. He was willing to buy a place near me in the Northern Quadrant. He might even be willing to live with me if I really wanted that. With everything happening right now, though, I was afraid to even contemplate my future. It seemed like I’d be courting bad luck.

  “Professor Langley?” I stood in the open doorway of his office.

  The professor crouched on the floor, feeding his beloved chicken, Mrs. Butters, by hand. He glanced up at me and squinted. “Yes, Miss Hollow?”

  “Holmes,” I corrected him. “Mia Holmes.”

  “Yes, of course. The air witch. Shouldn’t you be knee-deep in an AMF assignment right now or studying for exams? I wouldn’t think you’d have the time to be gallivanting around the academy visiting professors.”

  Sweet Hecate, he was insufferable. “It’s not a friendly visit.” I paused. “Not that it’s unfriendly. What I mean to say is that we need your help.”

  He rose to his feet. “With what exactly?”

  No point in beating around the bush. “We’re trying to destroy healing stones that belonged to Volans Moldark. The ones with his blood. We assume they’re protected and we don’t want to find out the hard way.”

  Professor Langley looked at me with renewed interest. “You have healing stones that belonged to the Shadow Sorcerer himself? Stones with his actual blood?”

  I waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, there’s a whole story, but I don’t have time to get into the details right now. Will you help?”

  The professor’s eyes narrowed. “Of course I will. Let me think for a moment.” He walked over to his bookshelves and scanned the titles. “This might work. Or this.” He pulled several volumes off the shelves and carried them over to me. “I assume your arms are of adequate use, Miss Holloway.”

  “Holmes,” I corrected him. I took half the books and bolted from the room. To his credit, Professor Langley kept pace with me all the way to the forest and never once told me to slow down. He seemed to sense the urgency of the situation.

  “Ooh, they come bearing books,” Dani said.

  “I should have known it was the four of you.” Professor Langley handed his books to Dani and then spread his cloak on the ground before setting the books there. I placed my stack beside his.

  “Any brilliant ideas?” Bryn asked. She gestured to the stones with a flourish.

  Professor Langley bent over to inspect them more closely. “How did you manage to acquire these? It was my understanding that Moldark worked very hard to keep them hidden.”

  “Not hard enough,” Bryn said. “If we
destroy these, then we can thwart his plans for a return trip.”

  The professor balked. “Return trip?”

  “There’s a group of knuckleheads trying to resurrect him,” Bryn replied. “Apparently, he left a how-to manual behind. Resurrection for Dummies.”

  “But he didn’t count on us getting to the stones first,” Dani added. “Without the stones, they won’t be able to complete the ritual.”

  “There’s a ritual?” Professor Langley inquired.

  Bryn groaned. “There’s always a ritual.”

  Cerys looked at Bryn. “What about your stone? Shouldn’t we destroy that one, too?”

  Bryn hesitated. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”

  “They might be able to use it in place of one of these,” Cerys said. “Better safe than sorry.”

  Bryn bit her lip. I could tell she was wrestling with the suggestion.

  “Cerys is right,” Dani said. “It’s too risky to leave any known stones. We have to destroy it.”

  “We should check with Gray,” I said. “See what they’ve done with the stone from the museum.”

  “You run and fetch the stone, Miss Morrow,” Professor Langley. “I still need to decide on our best course of action. The other witches can help me while we await your return.” He motioned toward the books.

  Bryn heaved a sigh. “Fine. I’ll get it, but somebody owes me some money. These stones are valuable.”

  “It’s not like you paid for it,” Dani pointed out.

  “Oh, I paid for it,” Bryn shot back. “I just didn’t use coins to do it.” She took a few steps before turning back around. “Don’t do anything without me. I want to watch.”

  “We wouldn’t dream of it,” Dani replied.

  I kneeled on the professor’s cloak and began paging through the books. “Are we looking for a specific spell?”

  “There are a few I have in mind.” He observed the book in my hands. “Find the chapter on disruptions and counterspells.” He plucked one of the stones from the tree stump and held it up to the light. The red stone glistened. “A resurrection plan involving the healing stones. Why does this not surprise me?”

  “The Fraternal Order of Hermes is spearheading the effort,” I said. “They tried to trigger an end-of-the-world prophecy and bring him back that way, but we thwarted it.”

  “So this is Plan B,” the professor mused.

  “Apparently,” Dani replied. “The guy seems pretty determined to get back here and rule the world.”

  “He always had more ambition than any one man could manage,” Professor Langley said. He returned the stone to the tree stump. “And how is it that no one has come for the stones yet? It seems to me that you’ve placed the entire academy in danger by bringing them here.”

  “Why do you think we’re in a such a rush to destroy them?” Dani said. “If they come for the stones and are too late, what’s the worst that can happen?”

  Professor Langley surveyed the quiet forest. “Still, we should alert Master Horton and request an additional layer of security. If the members of the Fraternal Order of Hermes are as fanatical as I suspect, it isn’t a matter of if they come, but when.”

  “You don’t have to report it to the Board of Regents, do you?” Cerys asked. “They already despise Bryn. They’ll make this her fault.”

  “Miss Morrow only has a short time left with us,” Professor Langley said. “I imagine the board will be happy to leave her be until graduation whisks her away.” He consulted the book at the top of the stack. “Witches, if the situation is as dire as you suggest, I suggest you start reading.”

  Dani and Cerys each grabbed a book and flipped to the index. “Maybe we should call Robin at the AMF,” Dani suggested.

  The professor snapped to attention. “Are you suggesting that a recent graduate of this institution is more equipped than I am to identify the necessary spell? Do you have any idea how much experience I have in wizardry as compared with Mr. Chambers?”

  Dani shrugged. “May the best wizard win.”

  The professor’s expression hardened. “I think not.” He wrenched another book from the stack and cracked it open to the middle. “Ah, yes. This is the one I wanted.”

  I stood and peered at the open page. “Energy drain? Isn’t that just a spell that will slow someone down?”

  The professor gave me an amused look. “For the uninitiated, perhaps. Energy doesn’t simply refer to the type you exert, Miss Holmberg.”

  “Holmes,” I corrected him, though I wasn’t sure why I bothered.

  “If we drain Moldark’s energy from the blood in these stones, then there will be nothing for the brotherhood to use in their resurrection ritual,” the professor said.

  “But can you deplete the stones of all their energy?” Dani queried. “Don’t you need to replace it with different energy?”

  I latched onto the idea. “If we swap energy, then we can present the stones to the brothers when they come. They’ll leave, thinking they have what they need.”

  “They may not even realize the issue until the ritual doesn’t work,” Dani said, her enthusiasm growing.

  “Here I am,” Bryn called, reappearing through the trees. “Don’t start without me.” She slapped her stone on the tree trunk with the others. “Never say I’m not a team player.”

  Cerys patted her shoulder. “We know you are, Bryn.”

  “We think we’ve found a contender,” I said, inclining my head toward the book held by Professor Langley.

  “Does it take into account that the stones might be protected with dark magic?” Bryn asked.

  “That’s what makes an energy transfer such an excellent option,” the professor said. “You’re not destroying the stone in any physical sense, which is likely what Moldark would have anticipated. You’re simply sapping it of its potency and leaving the stone intact.”

  Bryn glanced at the stones, uncertain. “What about his blood? What will happen to it?”

  “The blood shall remain,” Professor Langley explained. “The properties, however, will have changed.”

  “Sounds like a solid option,” Bryn said.

  Professor Langley thrust the book into Bryn’s hands. “A little challenge for you, Miss Morrow. Let’s see how far you’ve come in these four years.”

  Bryn blew a raspberry. “You heard the part where this is a huge emergency, right?”

  “And you are the future of the Agency of Magical Forces,” the professor replied in his usual calm manner. “You and your friends should be able to master this spell with my expert supervision.”

  “I don’t question the mastering of it,” Bryn argued. “I question the amount of time said mastery takes. We’re kind of under the gun here.”

  Professor Langley was unconvinced. “Then I suggest you get to work.”

  My roommates and I huddled around the spell. Each subsequent stone was easier than the last. In less than an hour, the stones were stripped of Moldark’s energy and replaced with more mundane energy. I finally released the breath I’d been holding.

  “I’ll run over to Master Horton’s office and tell him to increase security,” I said.

  “Oh, I think it’s far too late for that,” a voice said.

  I spun around and saw the brother with cropped hair from Freedom Falls. A dozen brothers stood behind him, their wands at the ready.

  Professor Langley cocked his head. “Hector Juarez, is that you?”

  The lead brother glared at the professor. “I’m surprised you remember.”

  Bryn appeared incredulous. “You know this guy? He didn’t attend Spellslingers, did he?”

  “Only for the first year,” Professor Langley said. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Juarez?”

  Hector glowered. “I was asked to leave.”

  “You wanted to be an agent?” I asked.

  Hector straightened. “Would that be so extraordinary? I’m a wizard, same as he is.”

  Professor Langley stepped forward. “Not the same at al
l, I think you’ll find.”

  Hector held out his hand. “Give us the stones and we’ll leave you alive. No need for violence.”

  “We went through a lot to get those stones,” Dani said. “Do you really think we’re just going to hand them over now?”

  “And we appreciate you doing the work for us,” Hector said with a smile. “Sounds like you girls had quite the adventure.”

  I bristled at the way he said ‘girls.’ “You’re not taking the stones without a fight.”

  Hector took a step toward us. “That can be arranged, girls.”

  Professor Langley shot out a hand and closed it into a fist. The brothers covered their ears, screaming in agony. Whatever the professor was doing, it only affected the brothers.

  “Look at you, Professor Badass,” Bryn said, offering him an admiring glance.

  Hector muttered an incantation and was somehow able to withstand the professor’s spell. He aimed his wand and fired a freeze spell at Professor Langley to stop the attack on the brothers. The moment the professor turned blue and motionless, the brothers renewed their threatening positions.

  Dani conjured a fireball and bounced it in the palm of her hand. “Who wants to play?”

  Hector snapped his fingers and the dozen brothers behind him pointed their wands at us. “The stones, fire witch, or we’ll burn down this entire forest and the academy along with it.” He turned to sneer in the direction of the buildings. “I would consider it a personal triumph to rid the world of that blight on academia.”

  “I guess you were right about Moldark’s followers,” Dani said to me. “They really are the losers of the magic world.”

  Cerys elbowed her way to the front. “Stop it now. You can’t seriously risk the lives of everyone in the academy over a few measly stones.”

  “There’s no risk,” Bryn said. “I can take the baker’s dozen over here with one hand tied behind my back.”

  Hector grunted. “Such a confident witch. Allow us to remedy that for you.”

  Cerys ran to the stump and grabbed the stones. She immediately tossed them to Hector, who dropped his wand in order to catch them.