Outlast: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Warden of the West Book 3)

by Annabel Chase

  “Not making me feel better about it,” I whispered, only partially teasing. It was easy to forget we were back in the human world now. Talk of blood magic and oracles was sure to inspire odd looks from anyone within earshot.

  I selected a turquoise oven mitt with big white polka dots. The retro style had the oracle’s name written all over it. We paid for the mitt and left the store with ten minutes to spare.

  “Okay, why don’t we talk about something else?” Robin said. We crossed the road to return to the truck. “This is the ideal time to delve deeper into paranormal history.”

  I barked a short laugh. “Maybe I’ve been too hasty. I can’t wait to learn more blood magic. It is an interesting topic.”

  Robin arched a skeptical eyebrow. “You need to take the tutoring seriously, Bryn. The Board of Regents won’t hesitate to assign you a mentor.”

  The last thing on my mind was the Board of Regents and their concerns about my abilities. My sole focus was getting to the oracle to see if we could learn anything about Cerys. Just to know whether she was alive or…

  Sigh.

  I just wanted to know that she was alive.

  3

  When we returned to campus, Robin was immediately called away to an emergency prefect meeting, apparently to discuss the incident with Cerys. Dani jumped at the chance to join me for the visit to the oracle. She’d been envious ever since my last trip to see the sisters. She couldn’t wait to be an AMF agent and live a life of adventure.

  “I don’t want any surprises,” Dani said. We stood on the edge of the forest with our offerings for the oracle. “I know about the wolves. What else do I need to worry about?”

  “You don’t need to worry about the wolves,” I said. “They’re huge but friendly, as long as you have treats for them.” I shook the satchel with the beef jerky inside.

  “And how scary are these ladies?” Dani asked. “Do they speak with forked tongues and have snakes for hair?”

  “They’re not Gorgons,” I said. I’d met a Gorgon in Stake-n-Shake when I first met Gray. Thankfully, the snakes had been tucked under her headdress. “They’re three sisters and they look like housewives from the Fifties.”

  Dani blinked. “What did housewives in the Fifties look like?”

  Right. Why would Dani know? She grew up in the paranormal world. “You’ll see.”

  I began to make my way through the forest, stepping over tree stumps and fallen branches. There was no obvious path like a yellow brick road. We just had to avoid getting scraped and scratched by our surroundings until we breached the oracle’s ward and alerted the oracle to our presence.

  The snarl of a wolf drew my attention to the right. Bingo.

  “Stay close to me,” I advised. The grey wolf was much larger than the average wolf in the human world, which meant its teeth were that much more intimidating.

  “I thought you said they were friendly,” Dani said.

  “They are, but you can’t be too careful.” I reached inside the satchel and retrieved one of the sticks of beef jerky. “Who’s a good boy?” I waved the stick and tossed it over his head.

  Dani watched the grey wolf disappear into the forest. “What happens now?”

  “I think the wolves serve as their alarm system,” I said. “They’ll be along in a second.”

  Sure enough, a familiar face appeared. Her dark hair was styled in the same short and shaggy Italian cut, and she wore a cobalt blue dress with tiny white flowers, along with a pair of wrist-length white gloves. This time, however, she wasn’t astride a wolf. She emerged from one of the mighty oak trees as though stepping through an invisible door.

  “Betty,” I said, and held the satchel aloft. “Robin sends his regards. He’s sorry he couldn’t come with me today.”

  Betty observed Dani coolly. “And so you brought a friend.”

  “This is Dani Degraff,” I said. “She’s my roommate.”

  “Hi,” Dani said. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

  Betty walked a slow circle around Dani, taking the measure of her. “Such fire. A family tree that extends…” She closed her eyes for a brief moment. “Well, no matter. You’re a talented witch, Dani Degraff. Make the most of your power.”

  Dani’s shoulders straightened. “That’s the plan, Miss…Oracle.”

  “Betty will do.”

  “Where are Peggy and Kitty?” I asked.

  “At the house, waiting for us,” Betty replied. “The casserole is in the oven. They’re excited to see what treats you’ve brought to us this time.”

  “We’re walking?” I queried. Last time, we rode the wolves back to the cul-de-sac.

  “We’ll take the network today,” Betty said, and gestured toward the oak tree.

  Dani and I exchanged looks as Betty sauntered back to the base of the tree. She continued walking until she vanished from sight.

  “You first,” I told Dani. If one of us was going to break a nose on a tree trunk, Dani was the one who could afford to lose a few beauty points.

  She didn’t hesitate. I was confident as a result of my upbringing—you didn’t fend for yourself and survive without gaining confidence. Dani, however, had a natural confidence and grace. Hers was the kind of confidence that others envied and wished they could replicate.

  I stood back and waited until the tree consumed her before I made my attempt. I held the satchel against my body and strode forward. As I reached the tree, I closed my eyes and braced for impact. I felt a light whoosh and then shivered from a damp chill. I opened my eyes as I emerged from the other side of the tree.

  “How cute are those houses?” Dani said, clearly delighted by the three lone homes on the cul-de-sac.

  I whipped around to examine the tree behind me. “How does that work? We entered one tree and exited another?”

  Betty offered a vague smile. “Something like that.” She continued toward the middle house, her dress billowing in the breeze.

  “I love her gloves,” Dani whispered. “So chic.”

  “Thank you,” Betty called over her shoulder.

  We followed her along the sidewalk and took the path to the backyard, where Peggy and Kitty awaited us on the oversized deck. Peggy waved when she spotted us.

  “No Lord of the Tweed?” Kitty asked, as we joined them on the deck.

  “He sends his regrets,” I said. “I’ve brought my roommate instead, Dani Degraff.”

  “I’m Kitty,” she said, and shook Dani’s hand. Kitty’s emerald green dress had a gathered V-neckline with a swing skirt and buttons on the half sleeves. Her short brown hair was slicked back like she’d recently showered.

  “And this is Peggy,” I said. The other sister’s red hair had grown out of its pageboy cut and skimmed her neckline. She wore an off-the-shoulder yellow dress embellished with lace.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Peggy,” Dani said. “I love your hair color.”

  “Right back at you,” Peggy replied. “I always want to lighten my shade of red, but my sisters think I’ll look too washed out.”

  “I don’t know,” Dani said. “I think it would look really pretty.”

  Peggy turned toward her sisters. “See?”

  “Have a seat, you two,” Kitty said, ushering us to the patio set. “Casserole will be along shortly. Bring us news from the academy.”

  “First, I’ll deliver your offering,” I said, and opened the satchel on the table. I retrieved the drink fixings, as well as the rest of the beef jerky, and the oven mitt.

  Peggy scooped up the oven mitt. “It’s perfect! What a doll you are.”

  Betty snatched the alcohol and other items from the liquor store and walked them over to the bar to begin her preparation.

  “Well, the big news is the reason I’m here,” I said. “So I suspect you may want me to save that information until you’re ready.” I glanced over my shoulder at Betty, who nodded.

  “Tell me, Bryn,” Kitty said, leaning forward. “How receptive have others been to your recent revel
ation?”

  I was only momentarily startled. They were the oracle. Of course they knew.

  “It’s been a challenge at times,” I said, with a quick look at Dani.

  My roommate gave me a huge smile. “Bryn is amazing in her own right, and we would never judge her based on her father’s behavior.”

  “No, you wouldn’t, would you?” Kitty said this in a way that suggested she was familiar with Dani’s family history. Although Dani was descended from a long line of powerful magic users, her grandmother’s magic addiction had cast a long shadow over the family name. Like me, Dani worked hard to prove herself.

  “It will always be an issue,” I admitted. “I just hope that, in time, everyone will accept me for me, and not worry that I’ll turn evil one of these days if somebody flips the wrong switch.”

  “You need to offer that acceptance to yourself as well,” Peggy interjected. “I know you harbor doubts.”

  Dani gave me a reassuring pat on the arm. “Don’t worry. My roommates and I will keep Bryn from straying into the shadows. Not that she needs help,” she added quickly.

  Peggy perked up. “There’s the timer. I’ll fetch the casserole. Be right back.”

  Betty wandered over and set a glass in front of Kitty. “Your Manhattan, dear sister.”

  “Thank you,” Kitty replied. “Nobody makes a Manhattan like my sister. I defy you to find a bartender anywhere in Terrene.” She took a sip and sighed. “Ah, nirvana.”

  Peggy returned with a casserole dish. “I hope you like this one. It’s a bit spicier than last time. Kitty’s tend to be on the bland side.”

  Kitty stuck out her tongue at her sister, as Betty returned to the table with another cocktail for Peggy.

  “A spicy casserole?” Dani queried.

  “We like to mix it up,” Kitty said. “Life’s too short.”

  I laughed. “Depends on who you are in this world.”

  “Speaking of long-lived creatures,” Kitty said slyly. “How’s that handsome vampire?”

  “How do you know about Gray?” I asked.

  “We keep up with gossip,” Kitty said. “It passes the time.”

  I avoided her gaze, so that she couldn’t glimpse my disappointment. “He’s good, as far as I know.”

  Graydon Alastair Mappleworth III was a former Warden of the West that now traded in information. The last time I’d seen him had been in the human world, after paying a visit to the Muldoon family to relieve them of the burden of uncertainty regarding their son’s death. Gray had been an enormous help to me then, but I was fairly certain he was still reeling from the truth about my father. He’d been hurt that I hadn’t confided in him, and, although he seemed to have forgiven me, there was a distance between us that neither of us had attempted to bridge.

  Betty began preparations for her Manhattan, the cocktail that would allow her to see visions in answer to my question. She set the four-ounce glass on the bar and stirred together the rye and vermouth, followed by three dashes of bitters.

  “Watch her squeeze the lemon peel,” I whispered to Dani. “It’s like an art form.”

  Betty expressed the oil into the cocktail and discarded the peel. She carried the glass to the table and settled between her sisters.

  “Now, ask your question, doll,” Betty said in an authoritative voice.

  I placed my palms flat on the table and exhaled. “Where is Cerys Davies?” I asked.

  As the caramel colors swirled together, the sisters joined hands and stared into the whirling liquid. Their eyes turned solid grey and they spoke in one voice.

  “You seek a demon called Abraxas,” they said, their cheerful voices suddenly eerie and ominous.

  I tried to peer into the glass, but I couldn’t see anything. “Abraxas? Where does he live? Did he hurt her?”

  I knew the show was over when their pupils returned to normal. Betty drank the cocktail before I could take another peek, not that I could interpret anything I managed to see. If I had oracle skills, I wouldn’t need to be here.

  “Casserole time,” Peggy announced.

  Okay, I wouldn’t need to be here except for the yummy casserole.

  Peggy served the spicy dish, and my stomach responded to the inviting aroma.

  “I’ve never heard of a demon called Abraxas,” Dani said. “He can’t be too dangerous if he isn’t famous.”

  “He’s underworld famous,” Kitty said.

  “Is that the equivalent of saying someone is ‘Spellslingers pretty’?” Dani queried.

  I was too stuck on the location to focus on anything else. “The demon lives in the underworld? How would he have Cerys?”

  “I’ve heard tales,” Peggy said vaguely.

  My pulse began to race as the image of the fissure in the lake bottom sprang to mind. “What kind of tales? Does he ever come to the surface?”

  “They call this realm the overworld,” Kitty said.

  “I don’t care what they call it,” I said, my anxiety soaring. “Does this underworld famous demon ever come here?”

  Peggy chewed her lip. “I’m not speaking as the oracle. I didn’t see this in the cocktail.”

  “What?” Dani prompted.

  “This wouldn’t be the first time Abraxas has tried to follow in Hades’ famous footsteps,” Betty interjected. Frown lines appeared on her smooth forehead.

  “Hades, as in the Greek god?” I queried.

  “Persephone season,” Dani said, her expression grim.

  “I believe so,” Peggy said.

  Dani’s pale green eyes blazed. “This is monumentally bad. Which underworld?”

  “I’m not sure,” Betty said. “I couldn’t see.”

  “Abraxas doesn’t like to be found,” Kitty said. “It’s my understanding that he moves his coterie often. He tires of one spot and has another underworld palace built by doomed souls.”

  “Sounds like Henry VIII,” I murmured.

  “Who?” Dani queried.

  “A former king in Terrene,” I said. “He lived in Whitehall Palace, one of the largest palaces in Europe at the time. It didn’t keep him from owning about sixty other palaces, houses, and hunting lodges, though. Some people collect thimbles, but Henry collected residences.” I paused. “And wives.”

  “He collected wives?” Dani asked.

  “He didn’t have them all at the same time,” I said. “It’s a long story.” But the more I thought about it, the more similar Abraxas seemed to Henry VIII. And if the demon tired of his brides the way Henry tired of his, Cerys truly was in grave danger.

  “There has to be a way to pinpoint his location,” Dani said.

  “Can we do some kind of locator spell?” I asked.

  “That’s not our forte, I’m afraid,” Betty said apologetically. “We’re limited to what the visions choose to reveal.”

  Dani fixed me with a determined stare. “We can do it. We have Cerys’s belongings. If we can track her location through a spell, then we can find where Abraxas is keeping her.”

  “Thank you so much for your help,” I said. “We really appreciate it.”

  “And for the casserole,” Dani said, shoveling another forkful into her mouth. “I love the spices.”

  Peggy shot her sisters a triumphant look.

  Betty returned to the bar to mix herself another drink. “If you end up taking a trip to any of the underworlds, please feel free to use our entrance. You’re always welcome here.”

  I craned my neck to admire the Tree of Life in the backyard. The towering oak was the most impressive tree I’d ever seen, and I’d spent time in the South where live oaks were as prevalent as grits.

  Dani followed my gaze. “That’s an entrance to the underworld?”

  “Tree of Life,” I said.

  “Interesting name for a path to the dead,” Dani replied.

  I continued to contemplate the tree for another moment. “I don’t know, Dani,” I said, blowing out a quiet breath. “I think it’s kind of hopeful.”

&nbs
p; 4

  The moment Dani and I returned to our room after sharing our intel with Chancellor Tilkin, we began scouring Cerys’s belongings for the best items to perform the locator spell. Mia was already there, comforting Haggis, Cerys’s familiar. Although Cerys was the only one of us who could communicate with the cat, we had no doubt the familiar was feeling distressed. A bond between a witch and her familiar could never be underestimated.

  The door swung open and Robin appeared, his concern evident.

  “You heard the news, I take it?” I said.

  Robin gave a perfunctory nod. “I assume you’re planning to perform a locator spell.”

  “That’s what we’re working on now,” Dani said.

  “What about the academy?” Robin asked. “What measures are they taking?”

  Dani rolled her eyes. “The slow, bureaucratic measures. They want to go through proper AMF channels and send a specialist team to handle underworld business.”

  “We told them what the oracle saw, and the name of the demon,” I explained, “but Chancellor Tilkin said that her hands are tied in terms of the official investigation.”

  Robin studied me closely. “Let me guess. The chancellor didn’t specifically forbid you from pursuing your own plan.”

  I met his intent gaze. “I wouldn’t say she gave us her blessing, but she didn’t forbid us from pursuing our own investigation.”

  “We’ll have to miss classes,” Mia said. “And the absences won’t be excused.”

  “Professor Langley will love the chance to knock points off my grade,” I said. Not that I cared. Cerys was the priority.

  “I may be able to help with that,” Robin said. “I can gain access to attendance records.”

  I squinted at him. “You’d do that for us?”

  Robin rubbed his hands together. “I want to help. The disappearance of one of our own is far more important than attendance rules.”

  The prefect was loosening his strict ethical code? Whatever next?

  I continued searching through my roommate’s belongings for an appropriate item. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think you should do anything to jeopardize your future.” Robin wanted to become a justice, and he’d been very careful to cover his tracks as a child star in Terrene. Although I’d recognized ‘Magic Robbie’ when I’d first arrived at Spellslingers, I promised not to reveal his secret. As intelligent and resourceful as Robin was, he would make a not-so-wonderful Warden of the West, so I was #TeamJustice all the way.