by Shawn Reilly
Ari leaned back in the chair and pondered his words before asking. “So someone other than Doc Garret knows about the key. And you didn’t know about the key hidden in the bookends until he told you?”
“I knew about a particular solution key to a spell, but I didn’t know where it was hidden.” Asher took notice of his brother’s thoughtful expression. “What are you thinking Arimus?”
“I think that both Doc and Ross know things we don’t and the fact you’re the Keeper is a little disconcerting,” Ari said.
“Yes it is,” Asher agreed. “It seems I need to pay another visit to the old man.”
“You mean we should.” After a long drawn out sigh, still clearly confused, Ari shook his head. “Okay, so Ross wanted the key to a spell, what did it go to?”
Asher nervously chewed on his lower lip. The time had come for him to reveal his secrets, but Asher feared the outcome. “I need to show you something first, something important that I should have told you about a long time ago.”
Rolling over, Asher pushed Ari’s leg aside so that he could run his hand along the edge of the antique bed. He felt for the notch and pulled open the small door. Reaching inside, he removed the treasure chest that usually sat on the dresser. Lying back Asher sat it on his stomach. He removed the medallion from his neck and, with his index finger, pushed on the center. When a small key appeared on bottom, he put it in the lock. Once the chest was unlocked, he reached inside and took out the leather spell book, and placed it on the bed. Taking out a second book, he handed that one to Ari.
“What is it?” Ari flipped open the first page and saw the name penned neatly at the top, and a reflective expression crossed his brow. Asher had no need to answer. “It’s Grant’s journal,” Ari murmured, “but how did you get it?’
“He left it for me the night he was called,” Asher answered. He handed the other book to Ari as well, “along with this one, which until this night, I kept in the hidden vault along with the archives. It’s a spell book that contains the spells used by those who practice death magic. I think Ross was searching for it along with the solution key.”
“What exactly is a solution key?” Ari questioned.
“Actually to clarify matters there is a solution which is an encryption or algorithm, and a solution key, and both of those two things are needed to reverse or unlock a spell. Most mages preferred to use cryptography or ciphertext to write their solutions, but there are a variety of ways to write them. A solution key, however, is a piece of information which can be anything from words to a song, a quote or a particular number pattern such as an address. But whatever the key is, it’s something memorable and possibly unique to the person who wrote it. I believe the solution key was what was taken in that first break in.”
“Asher it’s late and that explanation is far too deep for me to decipher.” Ari grinned at his choice of words, and then let it fade. “But this is mage stuff and Grant wasn’t a mage. He seldom even used magic unless he had to. So what’s his journal got to do with all of this?”
“He may not have been a mage but he took an interest in learning to write and understand coded messages a year or so before he was called.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t sound like him at all.” Ari rubbed his eyes and then waved the spell book at him. “This nonetheless, I most definitely see Ross wanting to get his hands on.”
He sat the spell book on his knee and picked up Grant’s journal and flipped through the pages. “But what would Ross want with Grant’s journal. It’s his personal thoughts, the thoughts of a lonely man and the thoughts of a man in love by the looks of the last few pages. Wow, I don’t believe it. He actually drew a red heart with their names inside.”
“Did you know that Grant was in love?”
“I knew he had a girl,” Ari said. “He did accept the call Asher.”
“I know that,” Asher snapped in frustration. “I just didn’t know how much you knew about their situation.”
Ari shook his head, “I remember him mentioning she worked at the corporate office. He had me watch the kid’s a few times while they went out. But what does that have to do with anything. Grant was in love, so what?”
Ari looked even more confused than he did before so Asher explained further. “I didn’t mean to imply that Ross wanted Grant’s journal but it is the matter of the solution. There’s a spell in the back of that spell book that I believe Grant used, and in order to reverse the spell you need a solution and a key, but the last few pages have been torn away where the solution should be. I always believed that since Grant left me his journal with the spell book, he did so for a reason, other than the words he wanted me to read. I believe he rewrote his own solution and hide them in the pages of that journal, but in order for me to solve the coded message, I need the key. I’ve searched this manor and I’ve wracked my memory trying to remember something, anything that was exclusive to Grant, but after ten years I’m still clueless. Nothing ever made me think of the bookends.”
“So the key is not a key that turns a lock but a key to a solution…to an ancient spell?” Ari flipped to the back of the spell book. “And now it’s gone because someone took it, but not Ross?”
“That appears to be the problem.” When he saw Ari scan over the contents of the page, he shook his head. “Never read the spells Ari, just the descriptions. When you do you commit the spell to memory and some of them I fear learning, and I’m a mage master.”
With that knowledge Ari tossed the spell book toward him and it landed on Asher’s stomach. He returned the book to the chest. “The night Grant left he told me he was going to try and use a spell he found to break the Raven’s curse. The solution and the key are needed to reverse the spell that he used. That and this spell book is what I believe Ross was after, but I’m not sure what he wants with either yet.”
“You never told me about Grant mentioning a spell before?”
“Ari, I have tried but whenever I talk about the possibility of Grant still being alive you shut me down.”
“What does Grant being alive have to do with the spell?” Ari said, sounding exasperated.
“Ari it is the spell. The spell that I believe Grant used would have allowed his spirit to remain behind and in Grant’s case, in his wolf body. That’s why I’ve always looked for him. That’s why I believe he’s still alive and I saw a…” Asher allowed his words to fade when he not only saw his brother’s skepticism taking form in the narrowing of his eyes, but when he started adamantly shaking his head as well.
“Asher, Grant is dead,” he pointblank said.
Asher realized he could tell Ari about the wolf he had seen near the cabin but the fact wouldn’t change anything. He lifted his arms over his head, totally relaxed now from the tea, as Ari carefully studied him. Asher had expected his brother’s reaction and Ari had expected him to argue his point but they had reached an impasse. The difference now was Asher no longer wished to argue his case anymore in regard to Grant. His brother would either choose to believe or he wouldn’t.
“Just read Grant’s journal Ari. I think it will become clear to you that you’ve had reason to hate me all these years. You’ll soon learn the secret I’ve kept from you.”
“Asher, I’ve never hated you and again I believe you’re being affected by your magic drain.”
“Doubt me if you must but the truth remains, whether or not you believe me,” he grumbled. “I’m weak because that blind Raven freak drained my powers.” Quickly before Ari could dispute his words, Asher added, “Did you know the Gothi were being taught death magic?”
“How do you know they were?”
“The gloves and chanting are notable signs Ari, which I know you’re aware of because of me.” Asher cocked his head sideways to look at him, and Ari nodded. “By chance did you see the red aura surrounding the Gothi?”
Ari shook his head back and forth in answer. “But you think they were draining your magic…somehow?”
“I know they were draining my
magic somehow. I’m just not sure how they were doing it. I may not practice all the spells in that book, but I do know them, and there isn’t one for sucking the life out of a mage.”
Ari scratched the skin beneath his bandage. “I think Vince mentioned the Gothi were learning magic but I didn’t realize that it was death magic until tonight.”
“Ari, I was led to believe that a person can’t learn death magic without the spell book, and as far as I know I’m the only one in possession of such a book. That’s why I’ve never been all that concerned, and why I discounted Vince Donavan and the other Watches when they brought the petition before me. I may be a Keeper but I don’t care if those in the Union learn magic. I find the idea a complete contradiction.”
“I’m surprised to hear that Asher when you rebuke us enough about the matter if you think we’re using.”
“I don’t care that you do Ari, I care if you get in trouble. I may ignore the Council but they do not ignore me.” Yawning, Asher peered up at him. Ari was doing some serious thinking, but Asher had no plans to elaborate or explain his words. Talking to Ari about his feelings of the Council wasn’t much different than the subject of Grant still being alive. Ari had never believed or supported him on either.
“That strange man tonight with the freaky red eyes was a mage,” Asher said, “and a skillfully trained one. The other Gothi didn’t sport the red eyes that come with mastership, just the gloves so that meant they were mere apprentices, just learning the trade, and already I could sense their powers. Not all of them had magic though. The Asian one didn’t, along with the majority of the fowlers. I tend to wonder if they weren’t recruits, and that was the purpose of their meeting at the cabin.”
Ari exhaled loud and deep. “If that is true Asher, we should probably learn everything we can about this uprising.”
“In the morning,” Asher sleepily yawned again. “We both need sleep.”
“I’ll give Vince a call.” Ari tucked Grant’s journal into the back pocket of his jeans. Picking up the empty mug he crossed the room and switched off the light, plunging Asher into complete darkness.
“Arimus,” Asher said on the verge of sleep, “what of the child?”
There was a momentary pause before Ari answered, “There was a lot more damage to her in rat form, but Doc Garret was able to patch her up well enough for her to transform back. She has a broken arm. He was able to heal her cut but he was pretty much drained by then and couldn’t repair the bone. He’s too old to be much good anymore.”
“Ari, I don’t trust Doc Garret. He knew who took you and chose to say nothing to me.”
“Well, I didn’t know about his involvement until you told me, and it’s not like I had a choice anyway. She was hurt and he’s the only healer around other than you,” Ari paused. “Too bad Ren’s not here. We could use another healer.”
“When I’ve regained my strength, I will repair the damage.” Asher didn’t want to think about his old friend. Ren Rollins was the only one that he felt he could give that title to.
“You would do that?” Ari asked. “But I thought you said it drains you?”
“She’s such a small girl. She can’t take up too much magic,” Asher groaned.
“Okay then, I’ll let Linn know. She’s insisting that both twins stay with her for the time.” Ari opened the door and a faint light in the hall cast a dull shadow on his form. “Linn’s even angrier with you now for involving the twins and frankly so am I. They could have been killed.”
“I was only thinking of you,” Asher said.
“Thanks for coming for me.”
Heavy with sleep, Asher closed his eyes and soon he was dreaming of her. He could see her standing before the tombstone softly crying. The sound of her lonely tears tore at his heart, causing him to feel things that he had long forgotten, love, hope, joy. Reaching out, Asher took hold of her hand and looked into the eyes of the child that would someday become his wife.
Chapter Ten
The promise
Ari returned Asher’s empty tea mug to a messy kitchen and went in search of Nixon. After knocking on his door and getting no answer, he headed straight for the studio. Dressed in black sweats, Nixon had just finished a series of slow graceful movements when he noticed him coming.
“I thought T’ai Chi wasn’t your thing,” Ari said.
“Yeah, well tonight I needed something to help me get my mind off things.” Nixon turned and walked to the bench. Sitting down he pulled on socks and shoes, in a hurry to leave.
“Kennedy told me what you did,” Ari said. “How you set off on your own to find me. I just wanted to thank you for that.”
“You would have done the same for me,” Nixon grunted.
“Probably,” Ari nodded, “but that wasn’t the point. Nixon, we need to talk.”
“Look, I know Kennedy more than likely let you in on my behavior but let me save you the hassle. I’ve been having those dreams again about my dad. I must have sensed he was back. No biggie. I don’t need some big brother talk. I’m going to be okay.” Nixon glanced up, and then back down again, when Ari stopped in front of him.
“I made a promise to Grant,” Ari said, “that I would never let him hurt you again and I plan on keeping that vow.”
Angrily, Nixon stood before him. “I said I don’t need your help!”
Quickly reaching out Ari snagged Nixon around the neck and pulled him into an embrace, and then held on tight. Sometimes that was the only way with Nixon. For a brief instance Ari thought he would have a fight on his hands but Nixon’s tense rigid body swiftly relaxed against him, as though he had been waiting for the precise second to vent. Lucky for Ari, the boy no longer felt the need to bite.
Nixon rested his head against Ari’s shoulder and when he spoke his voice was full of raw emotion. “I thought they were going to kill you and I hid like a coward.”
“It’s all right, I understand and I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know Ari. I know!” Nixon cried. “I was supposed to pick off the fowlers and if I wouldn’t have hid like a baby,” Nixon pushed away, “then maybe they wouldn’t have come here!”
“Asher’s a little drained and I have a bump on my head. I think things turned out just fine. Let it go. There’s no point in beating yourself up.”
“Don’t do that to me.” Nixon stepped away. “Don’t treat me like I’m some nine-year-old kid who doesn’t know anything. You don’t know what my father’s capable of.”
“No, I don’t Nixon, but I plan to find out.”
“Then do me a big favor, leave me out of it. The only thing I want is to be as far away from here as possible. Distance from my dad is the only way to keep me and everyone else safe.”
“Distance didn’t stop the dreams from coming,” Ari’s said to his retreating back. Left alone, standing in the darkened studio, and eager to put the long day behind him, Ari decided to turn in. He started for the door when a strange sensation overcame him.
“Ari, Ari.”
Swiftly Ari turned around and scanned the room. Darkness fell in the corners of the room which his human eyes couldn’t access, so he shifted into his dog form. He sniffed the air and caught nothing but dust and a faint hint of mildew probably coming from the laundry room across the hall.
“Ari, Ari,” his name repeated and Ari turned in the direction he thought the voice was coming.
What is that?
He dropped down and crawled forward on his belly, ears back and head lowered. The creature standing outside the studio glass wasn’t giving off any signs at all, and he found that strange, ghostly strange. Far more mysterious was the way the brilliant blue eyes gave off a luminescent glow.
What are you?
Laughter immediately followed his question. A question that Ari realized he had been thinking. Rising up, Ari prepared to run.
“Ari, don’t be afraid. You have to help me.”
“Help you? Who are you?”
Ari moved closer, four paws clun
king across the spongy mat, and then in the moonlight he saw what he believed to be a wolf. But how? There was nothing outside the window. The studio was built on an embankment.
“Asher must fall in love. It’s the only way to call the Raven.”
“But then he will die,” he argued.
“He must call the Raven or my sacrifice will be in vain. You need to help Asher before it’s too late and he’s lost to himself. Don’t forget the promise you made to me. It’s more important now than ever that you find her.”
The wolf vanished before Ari’s eyes and shifting back to his man form, he hurried toward the window and looked out. The moon hung low over the distant forest silhouetting the field beyond the pond. And it was there he saw it, the shadow of the wolf racing for the trees.
“I’ve really got to have my head examined.”
“Yes, you do.”
Ari spun quickly and spotted Kennedy coming toward him across the mat. Moving over to the bench, he sat down and rubbed his temple. He wasn’t too surprised when she sat down next to him, pushed his lame attempts away, and took over in his place. After a few seconds she started on his tense shoulder muscles. Her soft touch and her strong perfume played havoc with his insides.
“Does that feel better?” she asked. Ari didn’t want to tell her that he was just as tense as before but now he was tense for different reasons. “I’m so glad you’re all right Ari.”
Ari suddenly stood up and walked several feet away from her. “Kennedy, we went through this before babe. I have no sense when it comes to women and you know that. Right now you’re putting too much on me with everything that’s happened and the approaching full moon, and I don’t want to cross that line. You mean far too much to me for that. Besides Kennedy, I’m not so sure you know what you want. You always seem to come at me when you know I’m the most vulnerable. Is that what you want, a senseless relationship that means nothing, because I’ve had my share of those, and I’m not so sure you do?”