“There are no demons,” I said, sitting up in bed and flicking on the light. It cast a soft glow around the room, though the room was so large that the walls and the door were still in shadow. Keller, realizing that he wasn’t getting back to sleep, rolled toward me.
“What just happened?” he asked, carefully looking at me through one eye. “And you look blurry.”
“That’s because you’re tired,” I told him warmly.
“Whatever you say, heart-sweet,” he agreed. “I’m glad you realize it too.” But he was smiling a little as he said it.
After I apologized again for waking him up I said, “This is important!”
“Okay,” he said. He sat up next to me and scrubbed his face, giving a long sigh.
“What’s happening?”
“Sigil was just here,” I said hoarsely. Now that Keller was more awake and looking at me, he could see how upset I was. My eyes felt large and I could feel a bit of sweat on my brow.
“What did he want?” my boyfriend asked, frowning. Keller usually slept with a shirt on, because, as he said, there was less temptation, but sometimes I wished he didn’t.
“He wanted to tell me about my mother,” I said quietly. This was too big, and I couldn’t look straight at Keller while I said it, so I looked at my intertwined hands instead. They felt hot and clammy, but even so, Keller covered my smaller hands with one of his large ones and slung an arm around my shoulder to pull me close.
“What did Sigil say?” he murmured in my ear.
I took a deep breath. I felt safe and warm here in Astra with Keller holding me; it was probably the only place where I could have told him this story.
When I finished, Keller didn’t say anything for a long time. When I finally dared to look at him he was gazing off into the distance, but when my eyes caught his he smiled and gave me a kiss on the head.
“Do you believe him?” he asked quietly.
“You think he’s untrustworthy?” I murmured, a glimmer of hope sparking in my despair.
Keller blinked twice, frowning. “He did steal the Mirror Arcane.”
I nodded. “I know he did, which I have to think about. I just don’t see why he would lie about this.”
“Paranormals lie for all kinds of reasons,” he said. “He’s a ghost, and he won’t tell you what he’s doing here.”
“So, you think he’s lying?” I pressed.
Keller shook his head. “There’s no way to know. Did he have any proof?”
“Not that he offered,” I said, my eyes pleading. “I don’t know how he would know.”
“Maybe he overhead a conversation,” said Keller, turning his intensely bright blue eyes right toward mine. “Maybe he misunderstood a conversation. There are all kinds of ways he could have gotten that idea.”
“And been wrong,” I said, sitting up straighter, but not enough to dislodge Keller’s arm.
“I don’t know,” said Keller. “But I’m sorry.”
His voice and eyes were serious. “I do think . . . .” He paused and looked away again, but I knew what he wanted to say.
“You think it’s something I have to keep in mind,” I whispered, all my glee at the idea of Sigil being wrong draining away.
“Yes,” said Keller. “I think there’s a chance he isn’t lying. You don’t know what happened. She was obviously in hiding, and without more information. . . .”
I nodded. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but Keller wasn’t just going to tell me what I wanted to hear, he was going to tell me the truth. It was one of the things I loved about him.
“I’m sorry,” he said again, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly. He kissed my cheek.
I nodded. “So am I,” I murmured.
“We can figure it out together,” he said, holding me close. “I promise we will.”
Sip, Lisabelle, Lough, and I were kept so busy for the rest of the day at Caid’s summer house that I almost wondered if it was intentional. I hadn’t realized how many paranormals were staying there until we got to the main house, where Dacer was “supervising” a large breakfast. The vampire didn’t actually cook, clean, or decorate, he just ordered everyone around to his liking so that they did it for him, and somehow they all seemed to love it.
“Ah, there are my ducklings,” he said, throwing up his hands when the six of us came in the large double doors at the back of the house. We had walked in silence. I didn’t know what to say, since all I wanted to do was talk to my friends about whether or not Caid was in the pocket of the Nocturns, even if the answer already seemed clear.
Dacer had an apron on over what was for him a remarkably plain white shirt and light khaki pants. He also didn’t have any makeup on, and his longish hair was pulled into a ponytail at the back of his head. His apron spoke for itself, though. It was covered in tiny little cookware utensils in every color, with the background a shockingly bright blue. There was a pink spatula, and here was an orange frying pan. On the left was a purple spoon surrounded by a green bowl.
This was my first time in the main cottage, and the inside was as stunning as the outside. The kitchen was all white, with a white countertop and stainless steel kitchenware. There were blue accents in the tile, and all the pots and pans were a dark blue. The cabinets were a light brown, perfect for a summer home.
Caid’s place was beautiful. Why would he risk it by conspiring with the darkness?
Dacer made eye contact and gave me a questioning look. It was frustrating that he could always tell when something was wrong. I just shook my head slightly, because as soon as I saw him I knew I couldn’t tell him what I had seen and heard that morning. My fears were further confirmed when I watched Caid give his old friend a hug. Once the two had finished their greetings, Dacer looked around again, smiling at all of us.
“Where’d you find that?” I asked, pointing at his kitchen outfit.
Dacer beamed. “It was something I’ve needed for years,” he said, happily plucking at one of the strings.
“What do you get for the man who doesn’t cook? An apron?” Lisabelle asked.
The museum curator looked down his long pale nose at my friend. “You, young lady, lack a certain amount of imagination.”
“You lack cooking skills,” said Lisabelle, “which is why we can’t figure out why you’re wearing that.”
“This shirt is silk,” said Dacer, aghast, as if it wasn’t obvious. “It was designed by Lain Macantire himself.”
“Who is that?” Lough whispered to me.
I shook my head. “I have no idea.” Dacer had said the name before, but I hadn’t been paying attention.
Offended, Dacer puffed out his chest. “He is only the foremost designer of paranormal fashion, a god among us.”
Joining the conversation, Caid said, “Yes, and his designs cost an arm and a leg.”
Dacer shrugged. “I have no children of my own. My clothes are my children, and someone must support Lain and his genius. It might as well be me.”
“Some would say that playing with cloth doesn’t take genius,” said Lisabelle, folding her arms over her chest.
“Some would also say that they shouldn’t speak about what they don’t understand,” said Dacer. “But who is to judge what ‘some’ should say?” He gave Lisabelle a hard glare, which she brushed off, and returned to his supervising.
Despite Dacer’s best efforts, the kitchen was in chaos. Caid had chefs at his disposal, I wasn’t sure from where, but even so, Sip was still put to work stirring cake batter. They tried to enlist Lisabelle, but she flat out refused. Dacer stuck his head up to say that they would get more done without her, and my darkness friend said that she was going to go back to our cabin “to read,” which I knew really meant practice spells that were far beyond the rest of us. Lough, as a “strong young man,” was put to work carrying things, which was fine with him. If he had gone back to the cabin with Lisabelle, he’d probably have had to deal with Bartholem.
I was told to get some ice from the she
d, which Caid said was one large freezer. The shed wasn’t attached to the house; it was a small wooden structure approach by means of a short path out the back door. As I left the kitchen I waved to Caid and Dacer, who were now lost in some conversation about the viability of lightmares in cold climates.
“Before you all go, I have an announcement,” said Dacer, calling our attention once more with a raised hand and stopping Lisabelle and me in our tracks. “I have just been informed that Queen Lanca, of the Rapier vampires, will be joining us tonight. In an effort to travel quietly, she has brought only a small guard.”
My heart soared, and I exchanged grins with Sip and Lisabelle. Like my friends, I desperately missed Lanca. We hadn’t seen her since her coronation, and even though we all wrote letters back and forth when we could, it wasn’t the same. Nodding my thanks to Dacer, I made my way out of the bustle of the kitchen.
As I left the house I passed a guard, realizing that there was one at every entrance. They were dressed plainly, in white shirts and black pants, and of course Caid was the president, but I still felt strange, almost like I was a prisoner more than a guest. The guards were large and strong. I wasn’t sure what paranormal types they were, because they didn’t wear rings. Lisabelle had explained to me that that was a precaution; paranormals were harder to fight if you didn’t know what they were. It gave Caid’s guards, trained at the Police Academy, an element of surprise.
Lisabelle had said this in front of Vital, who had just laughed. He was obviously a vampire, and didn’t care to hide it. He didn’t agree with the tactic, believing that fights should be won fair and square. Lisabelle had said that was all well and good for the best fighter in the world, but the rest of us couldn’t be so picky.
By now it was almost noontime, and there was a steady stream of paranormals on the paths around the house. Just on my way to the shed I ran into Oliva and Dove, both of whom nodded to me. Also present were Professor Erikson, the Van Rothsons, and many others. I even saw the Butters, whose daughter Betsy had nearly died last semester. I wondered how Caid’s house would fit everyone, but since he owned most of the land around the lake I guessed it wasn’t a big problem.
Chapter Six
The shed was a small structure, and I could feel the cold seeping out of it as I got closer. I kept one eye out for Lanca and Vital, but I didn’t see them yet. There were only a handful of vampires already there, including Dove and Dacer. I wasn’t sure how many would be coming, given the ongoing feud between the vampire houses, as well as the problems the Validification children were causing. For that matter, I assumed that Daisy and Dobrov would be there, but I had no real idea. Dobrov, whom I had once considered a friend, had fallen off the face of the earth after his mother was revealed to be a puppet of the Nocturns. What would happen to her, and to Public in the wake of another presidential scandal, was anyone’s guess.
I looked around, but from this spot in front of the shed I couldn’t see the road or any of the houses. It was as if I was alone in the wilderness and about to enter a cave. I felt my elemental magic throb to greet the cold, which was in such deep contrast to the warming day. I put my hand on the metal handle and pulled, quickly releasing it before my fingers turned red and numb. The door was heavy, probably reinforced wood, and I felt the blast of cold as it started to open.
I took a deep breath and immediately regretted it as icy air filled my lungs.
The shed was dim, the only light coming from the now open door and a couple of cracks in the walls. I decided it must be spelled to keep the cold in even with the cracks. The shed was bigger than it looked from the outside, and it appeared to have been dug partially into the ground to make more space. Looking around curiously, all I saw were stacks of ice. In the middle of the shed was a winding staircase that went downward, to what I assumed must be a second floor below ground.
I headed in and past the staircase, quickly glancing down the passage it made as I went. The ice was neatly stacked along the back wall, and I headed there and started to pick up some of the bags. Just as I did, the light wavered. With a frown I glanced back at the door, but there was no one there. I decided that the wind must have blown the door enough to cut off some of the light.
I grabbed as much ice as I could hold, then turned and headed quickly for the entrance. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold the ice for long, because the cold started seeping through my clothing instantly.
As I neared the door I felt a blast of warm air, but I never had time to get back outside, because just as I reached the exit the door closed with a slam.
I growled. This was no time for the wind to act up, especially with an elemental mage. Carefully, I set the ice down. Dacer would have my head if I ruined any of it. I tried the door and was dismayed to find that the handle was even colder from the inside. By now there was just a sort of dark blue light filtering in, and I started to get worried. I tugged and pulled at the door, but no matter how hard I tried it didn’t budge. Frowning, I looked around for another exit. There clearly wasn’t one on this floor, so quickly, knowing that as a last resort I could always blast a wall down, I headed for the staircase.
My breath puffed out in front of me, a wispy gray that slowly disappeared into the air. This time I didn’t put my hands on the banister, because they were already cold. Unfortunately, I had taken off my fleece from that morning before I came out to the shed, so I was wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt. The staircase was slippery under my feet, so I treaded down carefully into the dark.
There was no way I was going to find another way out there. I had hoped that there might be some sort of tunnel leading out of the lower level, but there was nothing. I glanced at my ring, ready to call for more light.
But my ring was dark.
I frowned, calling to the magic again. Still nothing. I breathed out. I was getting colder. It was like walking outside in the middle of winter when it was snowing. I wasn’t dressed for it. I called to my magic again. I felt a start of something, but it seemed to be frozen in place somewhere deep inside me.
Fear started to creep down my spine and I clenched my jaw, determined not to panic. I didn’t have a Contact Stone with me, so calling for help from my friends was out. I hurried back upstairs, where there was more light and it was a little warmer, or at least a little less cold. I threw my shoulder against the door and bounced off. Stumbling backward, I glared. The door wasn’t stuck, and it wasn’t as if it had accidentally shut. Air wouldn’t do that to an elemental.
I blinked several times, then covered a yawn. It was so cold I was losing focus, and I knew that it was unlikely, in all the chaos going on at the house, that Dacer would wonder where I was. He was all for letting us take care of ourselves, and today he was very busy running Caid’s party. As he had excitedly told me about a week ago, there would be faeries at this party, which was a big deal. Faeries were hard to come by and refused to attend Paranormal Public, or indeed any other paranormal school, but Caid was on acceptable terms with the King of the Faeries and his wife, and they had agreed to attend this evening.
I yawned again.
I had to get out of the shed, but as I looked around I started to despair. I tried my magic again, this time pressing my hand flat against the cold wood of the wall near the door. I felt no heat. My magic didn’t stir. I moved my hand over the rough wood until I reached one of the cracks that was projecting a bit of light, but still nothing. My magic didn’t work. Maybe it was the cold or maybe it was the spells that kept the ice box at a low temperature, but either way, my magic was useless.
I started to bang my fists on the door in desperation, hoping someone, anyone, would hear me. I slammed my right hand against the door until it started to hurt. Then I tried my left hand. Blisters formed on my fingertips, but I just kept hammering away. Surely someone would hear me; after all, I had a party to attend that night.
By that time I was desperate, and starting to envision worst case outcomes. What, I wondered, would Ricky say if I didn’t come home
? My little brother needed me.
My hands numb, my strength spent, my mind fogging with the cold, I slid slowly down the wall until I landed in a heap on the floor. My fingers tingled a little, and as I looked at my battered and bruised appendages I saw red blood trickling down my arm. I’d hit the door so many times that my fingers had bled, but they were so numb from the cold that I had barely noticed.
I cradled my hands in my lap, wanting to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come. I was too tired for tears. Leaning my head against the wall I told myself I’d only close my eyes for half a minute, then I’d try again. There had to be something else I could do against the locked door. To remind myself to wake up, I placed my right hand against the wall, flinching a little as I saw the damage I had done to myself.
Then I closed my eyes. My breathing slowed, along with my heart rate. This should help, I thought. Then I could get up with all sorts of energy and get out of there. Having my eyes closed felt good. It meant that I couldn’t look around and see where I was, or rather where I wasn’t, which was in the warm sunshine, or even better, walking back to the house with the ice that Dacer wanted.
Dacer!
I was disappointing my mentor. He had asked me to bring him ice, and now I had hurt my hands. If only I could sleep.
A burning heat near my face sent me yelling awake. I sat up in shock as my hand grew hot. I looked around wildly at my ring. It was glowing, but the color was one I had ever seen before, a mix of brown, blue, white, and red, the deep colors of the elementals. I had always wondered who my ring had belonged to, since it had lived in the glass case in the Astra ballroom with the Mirror Arcane before I came along, but I had never bothered to find out. Apparently, though, it didn’t actually need my magic, or warm air, or even my awareness, to work. It had melted the lock on the door and forced it to spring open. With a sigh of relief I crawled through, squinting into the warm sunshine.
Elemental Air (Paranormal Public Series) Page 5