by Devyn Jayse
“Which one?” I searched among the people outside the store. Locals walked past us going about their daily lives while tourists gawked at everything they saw. Across the street was a larger group of tourists. They were focused on the tour guide who held a cane and pointed at various landmarks around them.
“The one in the red T-shirt. She’s part of the group.”
I resumed my search and spotted the woman he was talking about. She stood across the street, her body turned away from us. She gestured at the same buildings the tour guide did and talked to her companion who appeared to be bored from the restless way her head darted around looking at anything but the building in question.
“Yes? What about her?” Before the words had left my mouth, the woman turned slightly towards us and I immediately saw the problem.
A mark over her eye pulsed with a faint blue glow.
“Do you think she knows someone’s cast a spell on her?” Mateu asked me.
I gritted my teeth. Sometimes witches, wizards, warlocks, magicians, whatever you wanted to call magic-practitioners, took advantage of humans. There were many reasons from simple and petty reasons to more nefarious ones. It was our job as a community to ensure that humans weren’t harmed. If we couldn’t regulate our magic users as a community, the SBI would step it and crush the illegal activity. I couldn’t afford to draw attention to myself but I couldn’t stand by and let a human be abused.
“I don't know, but I'm about to find out.”
I didn’t wait for Mateu’s reply as I hurried out of the store and toward the bewitched woman.
Three
My mind raced. I had to be smart about how I approached the women. I swiftly crossed the street and walked to them.
“Thora, can’t we go shopping? All these buildings look the same to me,” the woman’s friend said. She looked around her as if seeking an escape.
I seized the opportunity. “Hello there,” I said with a wide smile. The bewitched woman turned toward me. “I couldn’t help overhearing you. I don’t know if you’re a tourist or a local, but can I take up some of your time?”
The friend looked wary as if expecting me to panhandle. The spelled woman, Thora, looked disgruntled.
I gestured at my store, now behind me. “My store’s right here. It’s full of unique gifts. I specialize in creams and fragrances. I would love to give you some free samples. I also have custom-made jewelry. You won’t find them displayed in another store in Barcelona.”
Thora shook her head saying, “We don’t have the time, we’re on a tour.”
I glanced at her friend. The suspicious look had faded into dismay at the prospect of more talk of architecture. She looked back at the tour guide. “We’ve been standing in the same place for five minutes. I’m sure this won’t take long.” She gave me a beseeching look.
I smiled at her. “No, it won’t take long at all. Besides, I know the route the tour takes so I can return you to your group if they’re not here when you leave.”
“That sounds fantastic!”
“Come on, Thora, this will be nice. Let’s take a short break.” The friend shot me a grateful look.
“It won’t take long,” I reassured them. I gestured at my store and both women followed me as I crossed back across the street and entered the store. The wards didn’t affect them since they had entered at my invitation.
“I’m Carmen,” I introduced myself. “Welcome to Magic Runes.”
“I’m Ingrid, and this is my friend Thora.” Ingrid gazed around the store her eyes bright with interest. She strolled around the place exploring the different merchandise I had on display.
“What kind of store is this?” Thora still looked unhappy at being dragged away from the tour. Her eyes scanned the shelves on the wall.
“It's a boutique that specializes in organic items and obscure objects that specific people would find interesting.”
“What sort of people?”
“The adventurous kind.”
Ingrid had reached the window seat where Mateu sat still. He had reverted back to his usual nature as soon as the women had stepped into the store. Ingrid immediately commented on him. “What a beautiful work of art. He looks exactly like the gargoyles at the Cathedral.” The woman bent down to study the detailing on Mateu. “It actually looks like it's hundreds of years old.”
I didn’t reply. She was right, Mateu was hundreds of years old but was sensitive about his age. Instead, I moved to the shelves and took out drawers of creams I had mentioned. I had plenty that I concocted with herbs I grew myself, for the organic witch crowd. I showed them to Ingrid as I studied Thora covertly, trying to see the details of the spell.
“I love your store. I can’t believe we didn't even notice it when we were standing outside,” Ingrid said, her youthful face beaming.
“Thank you. I know you may not have time but please feel free to return and see the items at your leisure.” I smiled back at her. I was happy that she had convinced Thora to come into the store but I need a closer look at the bewitchment.
I offered an opened jar toward the two of them. “Would you like to try this cream? It’s made in Barcelona using locally grown herbs. The locals swear by it. It makes your skin feel super smooth.” Ingrid moved closer and took a dab of cream, rubbing it on the top of her hand. Thora came over and extended her hand. I reached out for it and refrained from gasping as my fingers closed around her wrist. I could feel the spell working. It felt like it was latched in to her like a hook and it pulsed slightly, warning me off.
She was close enough that I could see the mark above her eye better. I narrowed my eyes in concentration. The symbols looked familiar. I frowned. They were runes that were interposed over each other forming a complex and unfamiliar master rune.
“I’m also trained in healing, can I show you?” I was still holding onto her wrist. She looked hesitant but her friend quickly jumped in. “Yes, go on, she hasn’t been feeling that great.”
Thora made a sound of protest that Ingrid waved off. “It’s the truth, besides what harm would it do? Let her try.”
“The energy around you looks drained.” I improvised quickly. “Something has happened recently that has left you feeling this way. If I had to guess, I would say you’ve been getting headaches recently and feeling tired more than usual.” I guessed based on the spell’s warning. It was bound to leave some sort of effect.
“Yes, you're right that's exactly how she's been feeling!” Ingrid exclaimed. Her expression was hopeful. “Maybe she can help!”
Thora shot her friend an annoyed look. She clearly thought I was some sort of charlatan and out to get her money. I resisted the urge to explain further. Over-explaining made people distrust you.
“This won't cost you anything.” I reassured her. “It won’t hurt you, and if it doesn’t work then no harm done. Please try not to move.”
I began to draw symbols on her arm using just my finger. I was drawing the runes I recognized over her eye but retracing them backwards. It was a technique I had learned when I had studied runelore in Iceland. Sometimes all you need to to break the spell was to reverse it and the easiest way to do that was to practice it backwards. Needless to say it was a lengthy and torturous learning experience, but I got very skilled at writing and sketching spells in reverse.
To give my work an extra effect, I dabbed a finger in the cream and continued to mark her flesh with reverse runes. The blue glow above her eye faded for every rune I guessed correctly. I continued to trace runes. By the time I finished retracing the spell there was one stubborn rune that I couldn't manage to reverse. I frowned and focused. It took me three tries to undo it. It had been a risky measure but finally I didn't feel any magic nipping at me warning me off and the spell disappeared from her.
Thora frowned and tried to pull her arm away. I gripped her wrist. “Just one last one and I’ll be done, I promise.” I wanted to make sure the spell had vanished completely. Once I was satisfied no trace of it remained, I l
ooked up at her. “What’s wrong? Did that hurt?”
“No,” She hesitated. “It’s just…”
“What is it?” Ingrid asked her.
Thora blinked at me. She turned to her friend and said in wonder, “I feel much better. I can’t believe I’m falling for this.”
“There's nothing to fall for.” I assured her. “Your energy was blocked, and I cleared the flow. It will take time for your body to restore its balance, but you should feel much better by the end of the day.”
“The headache is gone?” Ingrid asked.
Thora tilted her head. “Completely.”
I beamed at her. “I’m so glad to hear that. That wasn't so difficult, was it? Just don't go believing anyone who says they’re a healer because there are a lot of people who pretend they are in order to take advantage to make money. A true healer wouldn’t let someone remain in pain in return for payment.”
“Thank you so much! I'll be getting the same creams as my friend.” Thora nodded at the small mountain of products Ingrid had managed to amass in the short time they had been in the store.
“You don't have to,” I waved away. “I didn't do this for you to buy my products.”
“No, I insist.”
“Okay.” It would be stupid of me to refuse sales. I gave the two of them a discount. They thanked me profusely as they took the bagged products and walked out of the store.
As soon as they left, Mateu sprung to life. “What did you do? What was that spell?”
My eyebrows tugged together. “I’m not so sure.”
“What does that mean? Clearly you were successful at removing it. She said she felt better.”
“Yes, I managed to eliminate it. From what I could tell it was a power-leeching spell.”
Mateu frowned and looked back out the window where the women had returned to the tour group. “I thought those were only used on magic-wielders.”
“Some humans have a tiny store of power that doesn’t manifest itself into useable magic. They live their entire lives not knowing that they’ve got dormant power in their blood.”
“How can others spot it?”
“It’s the same way every supernatural senses another. It’s how we saw the spell. Whoever enchanted her was careless, putting it in such a prominent spot.”
“Or maybe it was arrogance?” Mateu suggested.
“Why would anyone do something bad and display it for everyone to see?”
The gargoyle shrugged. “I never said people’s behavior made sense.”
“It’s not good that some magic user is casting spells on humans.”
The supernatural community looked out for the humans by punishing the abusers. It was my job to ensure that this wasn’t repeated. The problem was I didn’t know who cast the spell. My heart sank. That only meant one thing. “I’ve got to tell the SBI.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Haven’t you been listening to me? Whoever is doing this is risking our community. I have a duty to inform the SBI.”
“They’ll make trouble for you,” Mateu warned me.
“I know.” He didn’t have to warn me.
The SBI had destroyed my life once before.
I hoped my decision to go to them wouldn’t destroy it a second time.
Four
I stared up at the Supernatural Bureau of Investigation headquarters. Despite Mateu’s repeated insistence that I didn’t have to report the incident, we both knew that it was the right thing to do. As I stood outside the ordinary-looking gray building, I reconsidered my decision. A step into that building would not be without repercussions. It could be the end of my life as I knew it.
Thora’s face came into my mind with the joyful expression as the spell lifted off her. I gritted my teeth. I had no idea how many others had been targeted. The SBI had to be made aware of the situation. I took a deep breath and forced myself to go inside.
A security guard sat in a chair to the corner. He didn’t get up from his seat. I hesitated, wondering if I was in the right place. I didn’t sense any supernatural energy from him and I couldn’t ask a human if this was the Supernatural Bureau of Investigation. The guard dropped the concealment spell, and I saw that he was one of us. He asked, “Looking to report something?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“All inquiries go to the seventh floor. Elevator’s ahead on the left.”
“Thanks.” I followed his instructions and soon found myself on the correct floor. I looked around. The place was structured as open floor layout. Rows of cubicles were clustered in front of me. They could have been as many as fifty. The separators were low enough for people to see each other over them. No one close to me looked at where I stood by the elevator. Everyone was busy on the phone or typing on their keyboards. At the far end of the floor, doors lined the walls. Most of them were open.
My eyes roamed over the desks until they locked on someone who was staring back at me. He was sitting in a guest chair by a desk. He leaned back in the chair in an elegant slouch. The woman across from him ignored him as she typed away furiously on her keyboard.
He smiled at me and got up from his seat, moving with a lithe stride to where I stood. The second he was in motion I immediately identified him as a member of the fae. Only the fae had that kind of grace in movement, as if walking on air. I didn’t have to check behind his dark hair for pointed ears to confirm it, but I glanced anyway when he got close enough to me.
Yup, he was fae.
His moss-green eyes smiled at me. His bone structure was delicate, almost effeminate but there was a strong masculinity in his jaw line. “Welcome to the Supernatural Bureau of Investigation. This is the Magical Division. Are you here for complaints or inquiries?”
“Neither,” I replied.
“I’m Agent Rafael, how can I help you?” His raised eyebrow was the only sign of surprise he displayed. He extended his hand and I returned his shake. Unlike most fae, his grip was strong. I let go.
“I’m Carmen Rebello. I’m here to report a spell placed on a human without the human’s prior knowledge or consent.”
“That’s against the law.” Agent Rafael’s brows lowered into a frown. “What kind of spell was it?”
I bit my lip. “I’m not certain. I managed to undo it but it appeared to be some type of runework.”
“Runework? Are you positive?” His eyes were intent as he waited for my answer.
“Yes, I’ve studied them before. I know what they look like.” I failed to keep the peevish tone out of my voice.
His lips quirked upwards in a little smile. “My apologies. I had to be certain. Could you sense the purpose fo the spell?”
“From what I could tell, it was draining the girl’s power. She told me I cleared away the headache she suffered from.”
The agent was so focused on me, I stammered the last part.
“Please come along with me.” He turned on his heels and marched away. I followed him as he made his way past the many desks. When we reached halfway down the floor, he turned left and entered an office. The nameplate on the door was engraved with the name Agent Joseph Renalt.
I walked in behind Agent Rafael. A man paced by the window. Stacks of manila folders created towers on the large desk, while sheets of papers and photographs were scattered in disorder.
“Hey, Joe,” Agent Rafael said. “I’ve got someone with a case that sounded familiar. I thought you’d want to hear this.”
Agent Joe stopped his pacing and gave me a curious look, before asking Rafael, “Which case?”
“The girls with the runes.”
“Another dead one? Why haven’t we heard about it? Damn it, they know we’re in charge of this investigation!” He threw himself in his chair and glared at the two of us.
“Because she didn’t die. She was alive,” Rafael replied. He grinned wildly as he pointed at me, “And this woman right here undid the spell.”
Joe’s expression sharpened as he turned to me. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I replied. Despite myself, I could hear the hesitation in my voice. I didn’t like the interest they expressed at what I had done. This was dangerous.
“Tell me everything.” He gestured for me to take a seat. I took a few steps and sat in the chair, my back to the wall. Instead of taking the second empty chair, Rafael leaned against the wall across me, his arms folded across his chest.
I looked back and forth toward the two agents.
“Go on,” Rafael encouraged me. “Tell us what happened.”
“I was in my store when I saw a girl walk past.” I decided to avoid any mention of Mateu since he didn't want anything to do with the SBI. “She had a faint blue glow on her forehead above her eye.” I pointed at the area I referred to.
“What did she look like?” Joe asked.
That wasn’t the question I had expected him to ask me. “She was tall and blonde, with blue eyes.”
“Witch or non-supernatural?”
“Dormant abilities. Doubtful she knew she had them. From what I could tell she has a hidden reserve of talent but I don’t know if it will ever manifest into something tangible.”
He nodded as if my words collaborated something he knew already. “Can you draw for me the mark you saw?” He pushed a blank piece of paper and pen and waited as I picked them up and started to recreate the runes.
As soon as I finished, he snatched the sheet and stared at it. He looked back up at me and gave me a hard look. Then, he shuffled through the mess of papers and photographs on his desk until he found what he was looking for. He raised the photograph and compared it against my drawing.
“It’s a match. Nearly identical. You have some memory on you.” He looked back at me. His eyes shone with suppressed excitement. “I can’t believe you managed to remove the spell! Where is she? Where’s the girl?”