Jade followed my gaze, tugging off her gloves to reveal deep-garnet nails. “I just got a pretty manicure too. We the Female. I wish I could grow mine long enough to justify the expense of a French manicure, though. I always love yours. Gel?”
I nodded as I placed the oyster-shell cube holding the reconstruction from the cemetery down on the stainless steel workstation between us. “The color lasts about two weeks,” I said. “But I do nothing with my hands.”
Pearl leaned over the cube, frowning slightly.
Jade smirked, nodding toward the reconstruction. “I’d say that was something.”
I smiled. Being proud of myself went against my upbringing, but I could be pleased with my efforts at least.
“Not much magic,” Pearl murmured.
“Hardly any at all,” I said, focusing on business instead of the friendly banter that Jade was so fond of. “The gravesite was scorched —”
Pearl flinched, then grimaced.
I followed her gaze. Kett was standing beside Jade on the other side of the workstation.
The dowser had already thrown her arm over his shoulders in greeting. Her laughter practically set off sparks in the magic that she’d been generating while baking. The vampire had appeared out of thin air, as if by teleportation. But I was sure I would have felt any spell that powerful. And I was also fairly certain that teleportation wasn’t an ability vampires inherently possessed. At least I hoped they didn’t.
The fact that he was mobile during the day reinforced my impression that he was ancient. According to the minimal amount of lore that the rest of the Adept world had access to, younger vampires were actually dead through the daylight hours.
Though Kett didn’t return her embrace, he was smiling at Jade. Really smiling, not smirking or sneering. They were so obviously friends. Though I’d known this, or at least had thought it to be the case, seeing it in front of me was surreal. My admittedly patchy understanding of vampires made the idea of them forming friendships seem highly unlikely. Magical or not, we lesser Adepts were simply inferior. Weaker and mortal. Sustenance. Prey that might be otherwise useful for a short period of time.
Magic sparked off the right side of my face, neck, and shoulder. I took an involuntary step away from Pearl, glancing her way as I did to see that her eyes were glowing electric blue.
She was angry. Possibly in reaction to how Kett had snuck up on her.
“Pearl,” Kett said, nodding toward the perturbed witch. His smile had vanished.
Jade huffed out a sigh, picking up the tray of frosted cupcakes. “Don’t go without saying hi to Kandy.”
Kett nodded, but he didn’t turn his silver-blue gaze from Pearl as Jade swept out of the kitchen.
“Reconstructionist,” Pearl said, not even bothering to greet the vampire as she gestured me toward the oyster-shell cube.
I nodded. Visualizing my personal shielding as a dense, protective layer between the witch, the vampire, and me, I stepped forward to place my fingers on one edge of the cube.
“I assume you’ve seen it, then?” Pearl directed the question to Kett without actually looking at him.
“Not yet,” he said, distantly polite. “The reconstructionist was adamant about the chain of custody.”
Pearl drew herself up to her full height, lifting her chin regally. “Wisteria is a fine witch.”
“Indeed. Shall we proceed?”
Pearl placed her fingers on the edge of the cube perpendicular to mine. The vampire did the same across from her. I triggered the magic within the cube, calling it forward to play out the scene I’d collected in the cemetery. I could have chosen to project and play those events directly above the cube as well. However, with Pearl and Kett touching the cube, they would see the reconstruction unfold in their minds exactly as I’d seen it.
While I controlled the playback that way, I could also manipulate the image, zooming in on details or viewing the entire scene from a different perspective. Though only as I had witnessed it while collecting the magic. I couldn’t highlight any details after the magic had been contained in my cube. Which was fine because I was thorough, keeping my reconstructions tightly confined in the first place.
After the scene had played through once, Pearl disengaged from the cube. “And the person wielding the knife and the pencil?” she asked. “Human?”
I hesitated. Technically, it wasn’t my place to comment on collections. “I’m not sure Carolina has come to that —”
Pearl waved her hand impatiently, making her magic brush against me uncomfortably. I forced myself to stand against it. I was fairly certain the elder witch didn’t know she was wielding her power so loosely. But the presence of a vampire in the bakery and a murdered fledgling vampire in a West Vancouver cemetery clearly disturbed her.
“I’d like to see it again,” Kett said.
Pearl finally turned her attention to him. “This is Godfrey territory.”
“This is Conclave business.” The vampire’s tone was as dispassionate as ever.
“There is no Conclave here,” Pearl said. Her own voice became clipped, edged with anger. “Have you done this?” She gestured toward the reconstruction cube.
Her magic buffeted me again. I took a step away, drawing Kett’s gaze.
“A child of mine would not be so easily slain,” he said. “Nor would he turn into some sort of gelatinous mess.”
“Have. You. Done. This?” Pearl wasn’t yelling, but she was close to it.
Kett eyed her coolly. “I have not. But I will take care of it. With Wisteria’s help, so as to —”
“What?” Pearl snapped, rounding on me.
I took another step back.
Jade appeared between the swing doors, hissing, “What the hell, Gran?”
Pearl turned her fierce scowl on Kett. “This one has sullied our territory.” As she raised a hand toward him, some sort of electrical magic danced between her fingers.
“ ‘This one’?” Jade repeated. “That seems a little —”
“And now he is demanding the cooperation of a witch under the protection of the Convocation.” Pearl was building up to a full-fledged rant, ignoring Jade’s attempt to defuse the situation.
Then suddenly, there was too much magic in the kitchen.
The air became clogged with it. Energy from three powerful beings pressed against me, driving me sideways yet again.
Kett and Pearl were locked in some sort of staring contest. And Jade had stepped up between them, possibly to mitigate the situation. But for me, her involvement only increased the strain on my personal shielding. I was struggling to maintain the detachment I constantly strove for.
I tried to calm myself. None of the magic swirling around the kitchen was directed toward me. None of it was of malicious intent. Powerful people simply expressed themselves with —
Bright spots appeared before my eyes. I felt myself becoming lightheaded. I’d stopped breathing. I was being ridiculous. Cowering like some fledgling witch.
I took a deep breath, gathering my shields. Then I visualized those shields pushing the suffocating magic away.
Nearest to me, Pearl swayed under my unintentional assault.
Jade slipped a hand underneath her grandmother’s elbow. Then all eyes turned toward me.
I smoothed my hands down my dress, lifting my chin against their shocked expressions. “Pearl, Kettil informed me that there has been another incident that he wishes me to look at, with your permission. And, of course, any way I can be of assistance to the Convocation and the Godfreys …” I allowed my words to trail off, hoping I had eased the situation enough without having to blather on about loyalty and friendship.
Pearl pursed her lips. “I see.”
“I had no intention of superseding the Convocation entirely,” Kett said. “I understood that you assigned the reconstructionist to this case specifically. That you trusted her to represent —”
“Of course.” Pearl returned her gaze to the cube thoughtfully.
> “Is this something I need to be involved in?” Jade hadn’t taken her gaze from me. But I couldn’t quite tell what she was thinking, which was odd, because the dowser was normally anything but oblique.
“If you wish,” Kett said.
Jade snorted. “So, no.”
He laughed quietly. “No. I imagine you are busy with wedding plans.”
Jade grimaced, then smiled when Pearl glanced her way. “Yay! Wedding plans!” she said, far too brightly.
“Please, Jade,” Pearl said. “I’ve already relented.”
“Relented!?”
Kett stifled a smile. I didn’t know Jade very well, and I knew the vampire even less. Which made it even harder to figure out what they could possibly have had in common. Perhaps simply shared experiences?
“I didn’t know you were getting married,” I said, politely inserting myself back into the conversation. “Congratulations. Have you set the date?”
“Yes,” Pearl said.
“No,” Jade said.
Pearl eyed her granddaughter, who smiled at her sunnily.
“There will be an engagement party,” Pearl said. “I’ll send you a save the date.”
“Warner’s schedule is difficult to nail down,” Jade said, completely amused by Pearl’s obvious frustration. “You know dragons. He’d get married tomorrow, or ten years from now. Time is relative.”
I didn’t really know any dragons, and I certainly didn’t know that Jade was engaged to one. Though I had met Jade’s fiance, Warner, in Seattle, I was pretty sure we hadn’t said more than two words to each other at the time. And I was happy keeping it that way. Dragons and guardians were beings that featured heavily in Adept bedtime stories and morality tales. The fact that a few of them actually walked the earth was more nightmare inducing than comforting. Maybe that was an ill-informed opinion, but I assumed demigods had to be unpredictable. The fact that Jade’s father was one was a tidbit of information to be stored away and never discussed.
I smiled as if an engagement party filled with uncountable powerful Adepts didn’t sound completely terrifying.
Pearl let out a deep breath, completely exasperated.
Jade patted her grandmother’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll come to the party. Just as long as there aren’t any demon invasions that day.”
“Keep me informed,” Pearl said, changing the subject and turning her intensely blue gaze on me. “Hourly texts, and a phone call every twelve hours.”
“Of course,” Kett said, speaking for me.
Pearl ignored him. “Be careful, Wisteria.”
I nodded.
The elder witch exited the kitchen.
Jade leaned back, resting her hip against the stainless steel workstation and crossing her arms as she regarded Kett, then me in turn. “Working together, eh?”
“So it appears,” Kett said, reaching for the cube. “I’d like to view the reconstruction again.”
“Old business or new?” she asked probingly.
The vampire ignored her, looking expectantly at me instead.
Not completely following their exchange, but also completely content to not get involved in anything Jade considered ‘old business,’ I obligingly stepped forward. Placing my hands on the edge of the cube opposite to Kett’s, I triggered the scene from the cemetery.
Jade was eyeing the vampire thoughtfully, then her gaze fell to my right wrist. “I like your bracelet,” she murmured.
Concentrating on the magic underneath my fingers, I smiled politely but didn’t answer. The reconstruction finished playing out in silence.
“Again,” Kett said.
But Jade spoke before I could comply. “Just a second.” She curled her fingers around Kett’s wrist, then wrapped her other hand over my bracelet. “Wisteria seemed a bit nervous earlier.”
Kett raised an eyebrow in Jade’s direction.
I opened my mouth to protest.
“I mean, who wouldn’t be when faced with you?” she added, smirking.
“You,” Kett said.
“Oh, I was scared. But Wisteria isn’t foolhardy. And I owe her a gift.”
“Do you?” Kett asked coolly.
“I believe I do.”
I snapped my mouth shut. There was something going on between the two of them that I couldn’t figure out. Some concern that Jade was trying to be flippant about.
“I have no intention of harming the reconstructionist,” Kett said.
“Of course not. But you don’t mind if I give her a little peace of mind, do you?” Jade dropped her voice to a whisper. “When was the last time you walked the earth beside someone who considered you prey?”
A shiver ran up my spine. I clenched my fingers into a fist, but didn’t attempt to free myself from Jade’s grasp. Though she held me lightly, I knew there was no way I could have broken her hold.
“I have never walked shoulder to shoulder with anyone who …” Kett trailed off. Then he nodded.
Jade’s hand on my wrist warmed. I forced myself to relax my arm. Then I realized she was doing something to my bracelet.
“Wait!” I cried, suddenly fearful for the two reconstructions hidden among the platinum charms.
“It’s okay,” Jade said. “I can taste the magic already held within.”
She released my arm and Kett’s wrist. “There. All good. Armed for vampire.”
I glanced down. The bracelet didn’t look any different.
Kett chuckled.
Jade smirked at him. “Test it, then.”
He shook his head almost imperceptibly. “Your concern is noted.”
“Well, that’s good,” Jade said. “I wasn’t aware I was being subtle about it.” She touched one of the tiny house charms on my wrist. “Is this supposed to be … what is this supposed to be?”
“A white picket fence,” I said stiffly. “That I carry with me wherever I go.”
Jade eyed me for a moment, then nodded. “You should be able to use it like a shield now.”
“Against vampires,” Kett said wryly.
“Thank you,” I said politely, though I still wasn’t following what was going on between the dowser and the executioner.
“My pleasure.” Jade offered Kett a smile that was both challenging and playful. “See you later, alligator.”
“I shall pay my respects before I leave,” Kett said.
Jade turned away.
“Wait,” I called out, suddenly remembering the magic that had surrounded Jade earlier. “Do you mind … I’d like to collect … before, when you were baking …” I stumbled around asking permission awkwardly.
Jade smiled at me, as open and friendly as she apparently always was.
“I create miniature reconstructions for my cousin Jasmine,” I said. “For her birthday. I don’t have one yet, for this year. But I collect moments, magical moments. Pretty or inspiring things. Just seconds. A glimpse. Not a scene, you understand. Not usually. I wouldn’t be stealing anything or using your magic …”
“Wisteria.” Jade interrupted me gently. “I’m overjoyed that you think a glimpse of me baking is a worthy moment to give to Jasmine for her birthday.”
I nodded, feeling childish about my clumsy request. “Thank you.”
Jade exited through the swing doors into the bakery.
I turned back to find Kett watching me, as if I’d done something terribly interesting. Or perhaps completely baffling. He was nearly impossible to read.
“Again,” he said, indicating the cube.
I reached forward obligingly.
He hovered his fingers over my bracelet instead of touching the cube.
I froze with my hand extended, suddenly very aware that the long table between us was nothing to him. He wouldn’t even need to bother tossing it aside if he came for me.
He pressed his fingers to the edge of the cube, lifting his icy gaze to meet mine.
I could feel the weight of the charm bracelet on my wrist. Normally, I never noticed it at all. Kett hadn�
�t actually touched it. I wondered if he could feel or sense its magic.
I swallowed my trepidation, then lowered my hand and triggered the reconstruction for him once more. This time, I focused on the young teen rising from his grave. This time, I reminded myself why I was there, and why I’d be moving forward with this investigation.
Someone had murdered a human teenager.
Twice, by my reckoning.
Normally it wasn’t my job to call for justice or to exact it, but that waste of life had to be answered for. Nothing was more precious, and nothing was more worth fighting for.
I knew.
❒ ❒ ❒
Kett wandered off into the bakery storefront while I laid out my candles and quickly captured a brief moment of the magic that dwelled in the bakery kitchen. I channeled the dancing, almost capricious energy within a tiny oyster-shell cube. When I constructed cubes that small, I added a platinum locking eyelet to them so they could be clipped onto a chain. I commissioned the eyelets from a silversmith, so they were pricy but unbreakable.
I made only two of these special reconstructions a year, one for Jasmine and one for Declan. Jasmine collected her reconstructions on a necklace. I had no idea what her half-brother did with his. Perhaps he threw them away unwatched. But I sent him one each year in August for his birthday, usually after requesting his current mailing address from Jasmine.
Other than confirming his address once a year, I never asked after Declan. And I definitely never asked after my parents or any of the other relatives who Jasmine kept in contact with for some insane reason.
And I never would utter my uncle’s name ever again. It had been twelve years this fall. Twelve years since I’d laid eyes on any of them, on Declan.
Yes, I accepted the little bits of information Jasmine dropped about her brother in casual conversation, hoarding those morsels, then running them over and over in my mind for months afterward.
But as far as I knew, he had never asked after me either.
When I closed my reconstruction circle, the magic that coated every surface of the bakery glistened in various shades of blue and gold. I didn’t even need to coax forth a scene. The magic that played out around me was like joy and peace personified. Just watching it would bring a smile to Jasmine’s face. And that was the point of my birthday gift reconstructions.
Catching Echoes (Reconstructionist 1) Page 6