by Viola Grace
“I will make a call, and if you need a place for them to go and sniff flowers all the year-round. I know just the spot.”
Kitty smiled. “I will think it over.”
“Good. I am going to head back to Reegar Hall. It has been a very long day.”
“Thanks for coming out, Imara. I appreciate it.”
Imara was turning to leave when she had a thought. “If you know anyone who is giving away a bike, let me know. I think it is another thing that will come in handy.”
“Will do, now shoo!” Kitty grinned and waved her off.
Imara nodded and headed out the door. There were only a few security vehicles on campus, and her calm and even stride didn’t raise their suspicions.
It took her twenty-five minutes to get to the hall, and she peeled off her wrap with a sigh, stumbling through the hall and up the steps until she got to her room. Changing her clothing was going to take too much effort, so she just dropped onto her bed.
Bara rubbed her shoulder. “Imara, come on. I have my exam in two hours, and I need to make final adjustments on the gown.
Imara sat up, and she flung her arms wide.
“Damn. Okay. Come with me, and I will do what I have to so you can get back to bed. Are you still ready to be my model?”
Imara nodded.
“Good. Now stay there, I will get the gown.”
Imara was on autopilot as she was stripped, stuffed into eveningwear, and pinned.
“Wow, you have been working out. Impressive. This is going to look fantastic.”
Imara nodded, and when the gown was gone, she thudded back into bed.
Imara woke fully in a strange environment with Bara fussing with her hair. Bara grinned. “There you are. Mr. E was willing to drive you on autopilot all day, but he was gravitating to ordering his own pizza, so I was hoping you would come to.”
“I am so sorry.”
“You have been burning the candle at both ends. I get it. Now, we are up next, walk with your head high with an expression that everyone is beneath you but amuses you.”
Imara smirked. “That is my normal expression.”
“I know. Down the runway, turn, and back up. No drama.”
“Nothing dramatic. Got it.” And so, barely awake, she walked up the steps, waited for the announcement of Bara’s name, and she walked down the runway, wondering why the hell they had made it so long. At the end, she caught a look at what had to be her father, but this was a drama-free zone, so she kept walking back to the rear of the stage.
Bara’s hug nearly crushed bones.
They waited backstage until the scores were announced, and when Bara was declared, “Ninety-eight,” Imara was hauled onto the stage once again.
There was applause, she took a bow, and she had to wait for Bara’s return after her fellow students applauded her because Imara had no idea where she was.
Mr. E rubbed against her ankles, so Imara reached down and picked him up. The population around her made cooing noises, and since he had driven her there, she offered him up for caresses and cuddles.
The party that Bara had planned was extensive, but Imara only had to be there for the first twenty minutes. She scampered upstairs and checked the calendar. She hadn’t missed it. Tomorrow, she would get her exam assignment and the rest of the time would be used for preparing her assault on whatever hall she was assigned.
Imara looked at the engraved document, and she looked back up at Professor McClairie. “You are joking.”
“I am not. That is your assignment.” He raised his voice. “Guard your assignments well, as your fellow students can find you, foil you, and use their skills to work against you.”
Edgar Demiel was still sneering at her, and Imara had no idea why. She had his ancestral home on her card. Demiel Hall, on the twenty-seventh. It was the last place she wanted to be.
When the professor finished reading out the rules of their exam, she stood up. Another card dropped in front of her, and when she looked up, Edgar was out the door.
She didn’t look at the card until she was home, and Mr. E was fighting to cackle. It was hard with a kitten’s face.
“What the hell?”
Reegar stepped over to her and looked over her shoulder. “You have been invited to a birthday party.”
“It is my father’s birthday party and an introduction to my first niece. This is... something is... damn it is the same day as the exam.”
She huffed and sat down for a moment before Hyl’s advice ran through her head. “It has to be that day but not during the day.”
Bara looked up from where she was sewing together the wraps that would keep Imara from being glaringly visible during her adventure. “What does that mean?”
“That means that I am going to be doing a lot of night work, but this is all going to work out in the end.”
Reegar grinned, Bara gave her a thumbs-up, and Mr. E stretched before going back to sleep on his favourite book. Now that the Death Keepers had taken off with the spectres from the accumulation stone, everything was finally coming together.
She might be able to master stealth magic with just a little help from her friends.
Chapter Seven
Imara had given up on telling herself that she was an idiot. She already knew it. Mr. E was wrapped in the same fabric that she was, and it appeared that Bara’s weaving work was paying off. They were nearly invisible.
Demiel Hall was exactly where the map had shown her it would be. The magical sensors were at the edges of the property, and it was with a slow and casual motion that she walked past them, waiting for the alarm.
Hyl had been confident. She just had to act like she belonged there, and the grounds would accept her.
She moved calmly to the house and used her fingers and toes in the brick and stone to pull herself upward. Mr. E was sensibly using her for transport.
When they made it to the second floor, she closed her eyes and looked for what she knew had to be there. A spectre stuck its head out and spoke.
“Should I alert the family?”
The words were faint, and Imara gripped the wall with her left hand and extended her right. The spectre ran her hand through Imara’s and smiled. “A daughter of the Demiels? Well, well, what do you want here?”
Imara whispered, “The crystal. Just for three hours.”
“Well, your timing is impeccable. They have been preparing to put traps in the chamber, but they won’t put them in place until the morning.”
Imara nodded and spoke low, “Can you open the window?”
“I can turn off the whole security system, but why should I?”
“I can give you enough power to let you take physical form when you want for a year.”
Her ancestor grinned. “Deal. Do you want me to bring you the crystal?”
“Can you?”
“I can, I will give it to you now, child, and put it back when you bring it. Your soul does not shine with greed.”
The ancestor disappeared for a moment. Imara hung on and felt the panic begin to take hold. The window opened, and the crystal fell the few feet into Imara’s hand. She slipped a little of her energy into the crystal and felt the response.
She wrinkled her nose, and she waited. The slight ripple of shadow gave her what she needed, and when the weight returned to her shoulder, she took the crystal and headed down to the ground.
The bicycle was where she had hidden it, tucked in the shadows.
Now, it was time for the most dangerous part of the evening. She rode over to Professor McClairie’s home and cast an assessment spell. The professor was asleep in the study, main floor, rear.
She went to the back of the building and sent Mr. E a signal.
She stepped back against the building as her kitten gave a strangled yowl. The professor came out warily and looked around. With their wraps still on, they looked like bent landscape. If they didn’t move, they were unseeable.
<
br /> “Professor McClairie? I have completed my exam.”
The face turned toward her with shock and his fist raised. “Who is it?”
She carefully parted her mask. “Mirrin, sir. I have my assignment, and I wish to register completion of my project.”
“Show me the assignment.”
She reached into the wraps and found the page that she had guarded with her life. “Here.”
“The Lieth crystal, at Demiel Hall. Where is it?”
She extended the crystal to him, and the moment he touched the glowing blue crystal, it dulled.
“Well, Mirrin, this is a fail. This isn’t the crystal.”
Mr. E started hacking up a hairball, and the genuine crystal slid out of his throat and onto the grass.
Imara reached down and picked up the crystal, wiping it off on the grass before handing it over.
“Is it still wet?”
“No, he isn’t really physical, so that sound was just for fun.”
Mr. E was busy putting his mask back in place, and he soon disappeared.
The professor examined it, and he nodded. “You have done it.”
A flash went off, and he blinked. “What was that?”
“A record that I finished in case you wake up thinking this is a dream.”
“Oh, right. Why are you here now?”
“Ah, I wanted to return the crystal to the hall before anyone notices it is gone. Since they are so eager to set me up, I thought that I shouldn’t let them panic. Plus, I have to go to a party there tonight, and all eyes will be on me. Breaking in before dawn to complete the assignment will be difficult, but if I leave now, I can manage it.”
He grinned and handed her the crystal. “I normally just return it via a spell, but I like your idea. If you survive to attend class tomorrow, let me know how the party was.”
She mentally cursed as much as she could manage, but she took the original and the dummy crystal, nodded her head, and Mr. E hopped on for a ride.
So, we could have just handed it over?
Yes. She got back on her bike and pedalled as fast as she could as the night crept on toward dawn.
I think I am going to do a pass-through.
Are you in a good state of mind?
Yes. Can you show me where to go?
So, you will carry me?
Of course.
This is getting exciting.
I have been learning, may as well use it.
She pulled up and tucked her vehicle deep into the bushes where she had set it before and saw the security vehicle patrolling the area.
Her heart pounded heavily, but when it continued past her hiding spot, she noted that it was a simple set of human mages behind the wheel.
Bara said this clothing could take a shift. He looked at her.
I am trusting that she was right. Did you want to eat the crystals again?
Sure. It will be easier for you to get us through, and I will deposit them back in the chest. Side by side.
She set down the crystals and shielded them with her body while he swallowed them.
She exhaled and nodded in personal determination. Let’s go.
Imara held still and felt her body melt and twist. When her contortions ceased, she flexed her wings and gave a few practice flaps. She was ready to fly.
I will snag you in the open.
I will try not to run.
She took a few steps and pushed down with magic as her wings propelled her upward.
A few heavy beats and she was high enough to get into open space. She climbed to about sixty feet, wheeled, and went looking for her familiar.
She found him by scent, not by sight. Imara dove down and grabbed him carefully, keeping her claws wide to snag him before she carried him up and over the peak of the hall.
Down to the third chimney. The northeast space.
Got it. Going pass-through.
Ready when you are.
Her wings thrashed the air as she cast the spell, and when she felt it working, she dropped through the roof using her flying magic to keep her from moving too quickly.
The layers of the building were exposed to her, but having trained for this, she was ready for it.
Next chamber down.
Got it.
She came through into a huge horde of magical artifacts. She dropped her kitten and hovered in the space, not touching down. The pass-through spell only worked on objects that she touched, but since her kitten was part of her body, she could scoop him up and carry him away later.
Mr. E moved like a professional. He climbed over a few displays until he reached a box that was open and tempting.
He did his hairball hack silently and brought up the genuine stone. Next to it, he brought out the fake. Just to let them know that their subterfuge had been discovered.
He finished with the deposit, and he pushed the lid closed with his little paws.
Imara kept herself in place, and when he jumped for her, she caught him, carrying him right out through the wall and into the night.
The security officers were near her bike, so she turned toward home and flew steadily.
The night was beautiful, and the dawn was pinking the edges of the sky. The stars mixed in with the lightening sky were gorgeous.
When she saw Reegar Hall, she headed to the familiar rooftop. The XIA vehicle down in the lot did make her nervous, but she wasn’t doing anything wrong. Well, not now anyway.
She dropped Mr. E off, banked, wheeled, and landed on her own, down on one knee. She stood and pulled the wrappings from her face and hands. Mr. E was tucked up under her arm, and she headed to her room.
She heard voices downstairs but ignored them in favour of getting to her room and stripping off the wrappings, getting a normal outfit of underwear, jeans and a sweatshirt in place, just as Reegar knocked on the door.
“Imara, there are XIA agents downstairs.”
She paused. “Argus?”
“No. Not Argus.”
“What do they want?” She pulled her sneakers on.
“A Death Keeper.”
“Oh. That I can help with. Be right down.”
Mr. E finished his disrobing, and he hopped on her shoulder. Not without me.
“Right. Not without you.”
She finished getting dressed, combed her hair, and flipped it over her shoulder, catching Mr. E in the face.
He dug his little claws into her skin, and she left her room to head downstairs.
The agents were not ones she had met before, but she had seen them that night at the carnival.
“Hello.”
“Death Keeper Imara Mirrin?” The elf was polite, but there was tension around his eyes and lips.
She inclined her head. “Yes, yes, I am.”
“I am Iofer, this is Morgig and Henry. We have been sent to ask you to assist us in a matter involving a spectre.”
She scowled. “I thought that was the Mage Guild’s issue.”
“That is the problem. Please, come with us.”
If he didn’t have panic in his eyes, she would have turned to Reegar for help. But, as it was, she paused and sent a quick notice to Argus.
A moment later, she got a thumbs-up, two hearts, and a black cat.
“Gentlemen, I am yours for the day, but I have an event this evening. I need to be home for that.”
Iofer blinked, and she could swear that his ears flapped a little. “Of course. Right, well, this way, then. Time is of the essence.”
She nodded and waved toward the door. “After you.”
The elf, the goblin, and the troll wearing sunglasses surrounded her and escorted her to their vehicle.
The moment she was inside, she was urged to buckle up, and as the click locked her in, the SUV took off.
“We are going to use a mobile transport, Ms. Mirrin. Please relax and don’t fight the magic.”
Imara nodded and sat back aga
inst the polished seat. Next to her, the troll took some gulping breaths, and she reached out and held his hand while they were surrounded by magic and pulled through space.
The moment they stopped, Henry opened the door and threw up.
She unbuckled and got out. “Now, will someone tell me what I am supposed to do?”
Feel it, Imara. There is one of those stones here... and it isn’t good.
She extended her senses and found the stone. “Aww, shit.”
The lot where they had stopped was outside a Mage Guild office, and as she ran toward the pull of magic, Iofer, Morgig and a still-green Henry surrounded her to give her a mobile escort.
The underground parking lot was filled with panicked guild officers. The XIA pushed them aside and showed her the problem.
“What do you want me to do with it when I get it out?”
One of the officers asked, “Who are you?”
She scowled at him. “A Death Keeper. Who are you?”
He was elbowed aside, his golden good looks ignored by those around him.
“We need the stone contained by whatever means you can arrange.”
She nodded and looked down at the woman who had a dozen dead mages trying to take over her body.
Her right hand was clenched, and the flickers of power were running through her.
“What is her name?”
“Officer Corral.”
Imara sighed. “Her first name.”
The older officer crouched next to Imara. “Etta. Her name is Etta. She has two brothers, a sister, and is the fourth generation to be an officer. She was cleaning out and bagging evidence from this vehicle, and she touched the stone. The Death Keepers recommended you.”
She nodded. “Right. Not many of them would like to do this.”
Mr. E, get to safety.
You need me.
You can take the overspill. I don’t want you taken over. If these guys are aggressive, I am going to have to drain them. That will be messy.
“If I could get a little more space, please. This will throw off a bit of power.”
The crowd shuffled back a few inches, but Imara didn’t care. She was where she needed to be with her kitten out of touching range.
“Etta, my name is Imara. I am here to help.”