Outfox_Spellslingers Academy of Magic

by Annabel Chase

  “You need to control your magical impulses,” Professor Mayweather said. “You, of all witches, know this.”

  If she hadn’t said that last bit, I would’ve been okay with it, but she invoked my grandmother. The slight was subtle, but it was enough to rankle me.

  “I control my magic just fine,” I shot back. “Better than anyone here, in fact, considering my genetic disposition. The way you see it, though, you’re all lucky I don’t burn down the whole academy.”

  I immediately felt guilty for mouthing off. Professor Mayweather was one of the sweetest witches at the academy and she was right—I did know better.

  “Dani, what’s gotten into you?” Cerys whispered.

  “Miss Degraff, why don’t you stay after the lesson and we’ll have a pleasant chat?” the professor said.

  A lump formed in my throat. I never got in trouble. Never. “Yes, Professor Mayweather.”

  I heard Wilcox strangle a laugh. What a wereass.

  “Don’t worry,” Bryn said quietly. “I’ll take care of him in the cafeteria. A delicious slug sandwich ought to shut him up.”

  I gave Bryn a grateful smile.

  Everyone vacated the field at once, leaving me alone with Professor Mayweather. I was unusually anxious, probably because I knew I’d disappointed someone I liked and respected. I wasn’t comfortable being a source of disappointment.

  Professor Mayweather clasped her hands in front of her. “Dani, that wasn’t like you. Now what was all that about?” Her tone was lighter and kinder than I’d expected. I began to relax.

  “Wilcox rubs me the wrong way,” I said.

  “Wilcox rubs everyone the wrong way, but you don’t see them setting him on fire.”

  My shoulders sagged. “I would never actually hurt him.” As much as I’d like to.

  “My point is, Dani, that we all develop the urge to hex Wilcox every now and again, but the urge must remain a feeling and not an action. You’re to be a Sentry of the South, are you not?”

  I straightened. “Yes, I am.”

  “So is Wilcox. Did you ever consider that? What if he were to become your partner in the field? I promise you that he will irritate you even then. That’s the type of wizard he is.”

  “Then I’ll request a new partner.”

  She pressed her lips together. “Dani, you can’t let your magic get away from you. You’re a very powerful witch, you know this. Everyone knows this.”

  “And everyone’s waiting for me to fail like my grandmother,” I replied.

  Professor Mayweather placed a hand on my shoulder. “I would be lying if I said there wasn’t concern in certain circles. When you have magic like yours, it can be difficult not to succumb to its call. That’s why control and discipline are important and why we continue to emphasize the need for those qualities.”

  “I’ve always been controlled and disciplined,” I said tersely. “My parents saw to that from the time I was young.”

  “But you also have a deep need to be superior to everyone else,” she countered. “And that need is sometimes at odds with control. The more you give in to the magic, for whatever reason, the more the magic controls you.”

  I considered her words carefully. “I know my limits, Professor. I can pull back whenever I decide it’s best.”

  Professor Mayweather released her hold on me. “Fine then, Dani. See that you do.”

  Chapter Six

  “Dani, are you…napping?” Cerys crept toward my bed.

  I sat bolt upright, scaring the magic out of her. “No, when have you ever known me to nap?” If I had my way, I’d use magic to avoid sleep all together. It just got in the way of being productive.

  “Then what are you doing? We didn’t see you at dinner.”

  “I’ve been trying to astral project,” I said.

  Cerys stared at me. “You mean like that thing you did with the water demon?”

  I nodded. “I want to see if I can use my psychic skills to find a connection to the missing sword.”

  “But you drank from the spring to forge a connection with Aenon,” Cerys said. “That’s how you were able to see the sword’s origin. You wouldn’t be able to do that on your own.”

  “Says who?” I asked. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. “I won’t know unless I try.” The hint of a smile touched my lips as Peter’s words left me.

  “I think you’re going about this the wrong way,” Cerys said. She moved to her desk and opened a drawer, pulling out her grimoire. “I don’t think astral projection is what you want. I think it’s a vision.” She flipped to the index and scanned the listings until the found what she was looking for. “There.”

  I trotted to the desk to read over her shoulder. “There are a lot of spells for visions.”

  “Yes, but you need to drill down to the specifics of what you hope to achieve.” Cerys tapped her finger on a line. “I think you should try ‘a vision to find the location of a missing object.’”

  “How is that different from a tracking spell?” I asked.

  “Because a tracking spell is highly specific,” Cerys said. “If you can’t track the item for whatever reason, the spell simply doesn’t work. No clues. This spell is broader. You might get a lead.” She shrugged. “I found my missing boot with this spell, so it’s worth a try.”

  I squinted at her. “You were missing a boot? Only one?”

  “Don’t ask.”

  “Okay, what do I need to perform the spell?”

  Cerys paged to the middle of the grimoire and handed it to me. “It’s not complicated. I can help you, if you like.”

  “I don’t need help, thanks,” I said. The spell looked fairly basic. A few ingredients from the garden and mixology lab and I’d be all set.

  Cerys fixed me with a hard stare. “Dani….”

  “What?” I was already halfway to the door with the grimoire.

  “You should accept help when it’s offered, if only to give yourself an occasional break.”

  “But I don’t need it.”

  Cerys pressed her lips together, clearly choosing her next words carefully. I felt a motherly speech coming on. “Better to accept help and alleviate the pressure you feel along the way, then to go it alone until you burst. At that point, you’ll need help of a more serious nature.”

  I groaned loudly. “Great Goddess of the Moon, not you, too. I don’t need everyone in my life reminding me of my grandmother’s path.”

  “I’m sorry, Dani,” she said. “You know I love you, but I worry. You’re so hyperfocused and achievement-oriented. I don’t want to see you crash and burn before you have a chance to live your own life.”

  “I am living my own life,” I said.

  Cerys gave me a small smile. “Let me help you with the spell. Mia helped me find my boot. I didn’t do it alone. You shouldn’t have to do this alone either.”

  I relented, handing the grimoire back to Cerys. “Fine, please help me with the spell.”

  “It would be my pleasure.” She pressed the book to her chest. “I’ll start with the herbs. You’re good with herbology, but it’s still my specialty.”

  “That it is,” I replied. “I’ll raid the mixology lab. Meet you back here in an hour?”

  “Deal,” she said.

  By the time we returned to the room, Mia and Bryn were there, studying class notes together. They practically jumped on us, eager to participate in whatever we were doing.

  “I see feverfew,” Mia said. “And blessed thistle!”

  “We’re trying to generate a lead on the missing sword,” I said. “Cerys suggested trying this spell and, at this point, I have nothing to lose.”

  “No one knows anything about Slatra?” Bryn asked.

  “It’s like it never existed,” I said, which seemed to be the goal, according to the Valkyrie in my vision at the spring—except it did exist and my aunt had been in possession of half of it. Until now.

  “We’ll help you,” Mia said. She began to review the ing
redients for the spell.

  “This doesn’t require four witches,” I objected.

  “Okay, then we’ll observe,” Bryn said.

  “Quietly,” Mia added.

  I wasn’t sure Bryn was capable of doing anything quietly, but I acquiesced. “Cerys is help enough,” I said.

  “We’re stronger together,” Mia reminded me.

  “Yes, but we’re not using elemental powers for this,” I said.

  Stop being so difficult, Clementine said, appearing on the windowsill. Do you want to push away the few friends you’ve managed to make here?

  I’m not pushing anyone away, I argued. I don’t want to anyone getting caught up in my assignment. They can’t afford the distraction in our second year.

  You brought Bryn to see Aunt Liliana, Clementine said. You went to Peter about the sword.

  Those didn’t involve using magic.

  So it’s magic you’re being selfish about? Clementine clucked her tongue. Even more reason to be concerned then.

  I ignored my familiar and set to work, measuring ingredients. I let Cerys do half the prep, only to prove a point. I didn’t need to do all the magic by myself. I was just used to operating alone. Last year had been a huge learning curve for me—learning to work with others. I still wasn’t great at collaboration—it seemed to come easier to my roommates—but I was working on it.

  Cerys created a circle with a careful selection of rune rocks and motioned for me to sit inside. Then she set the mixture of herbs and potions in a single bowl in front of me. “It needs to be set on fire. I figured I’d leave that part to you,” she said.

  “Good call,” I said, aiming my finger at the concoction. A single flame streaked from my fingertip and lit up the contents of the bowl.

  “Now, close your eyes, clear your mind, and visualize the object you hope to find,” Cerys instructed.

  I sat cross-legged and tried to relax my body with a few deep, cleansing breaths. Then I focused on the sword. On Slatra. I pictured the battlefield and the sword as it fell to the ground, slipping from the warrior’s grasp. I imagined the Valkyrie breaking the weapon in two.

  Then my mind went black.

  I adjusted my focus and searched the darkness for any signs. A town came into view. I didn’t recognize any of the storefronts, but I managed to glimpse the name of one of the shops—Waterstones. Next door was a shop with spellbooks as part of the window display. I couldn’t see the name, though. I tried to zero in on a reason why the spell was revealing this location to me, but nothing obvious came to light. Finally, my mind cleared and my eyes snapped open.

  Cerys was seated right outside the circle, waiting for me. “Any luck?”

  “I’m not sure. It showed me a town, but not the name. I saw a place called Waterstones and a bookshop next door.”

  “What was Waterstones?” Cerys asked.

  “I couldn’t tell from the outside.”

  “But that was the only name you saw in the whole town?” Cerys asked. When I nodded, she said, “Then that’s where you need to go.”

  “Any other details you can remember?” Bryn asked.

  “The flowers. The streets were lined with all different colors of gladiola. My grandmother would have loved that. It was one of her favorite flowers. My granddaddy apparently used to bring them to her when they were courting.”

  “Streets lined with gladiolas?” Mia repeated. “I’ve been there. Hang on a second.” She squeezed her eyes closed, thinking. “I’ve got it! It’s called Chickweed Creek. I stopped there last year on the way back to the academy. It’s only about twenty miles from here.”

  “Perfect, thanks everyone,” I said.

  “Do you think the sword is actually there?” Mia asked.

  “I don’t know,” I said, “but the vision showed me that place for a reason. I’ll check it out tomorrow.”

  “We’ll go with you,” Bryn said.

  “No, you should all stay for lessons,” I said. “Don’t keep missing out on my account.”

  “At least ask Peter to go with you,” Cerys said. “It might be dangerous. What if whoever stole the sword is there?”

  I sighed. “Okay, I’ll ask Peter. Does that make you happy?”

  “Yes, but it should make you happier,” Cerys said. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

  I threw my head back and fought the urge to howl in protest. “Why do you all feel the need to slap a label on him? Can’t he just be Peter, the druid that puts the ‘smug’ in smuggler?”

  Cerys held up her hands. “Okay, okay. No labels. He’s Peter. The attractive, charming druid that would throw himself in front of a pack of rabid werewolves for you.”

  I collected Cerys’s rune rocks from the circle on the floor and placed them back on the windowsill. “The only way Peter would throw himself in front of anything is if there was something in it for him.”

  “There is something in it for him, Dani,” Cerys said. “There’s you.”

  “We don’t need to label this thing between us, you know,” Peter said. “I’m perfectly content to be your arm candy.”

  I ignored him as we pulled down the street that I recognized from my vision. “There it is!” I pointed to Waterstones, right next to the shop with the spellbooks.

  “I’ll park here,” Peter said. He’d insisted on driving his car today, saying that it was his gentlemanly right to do so. I decided not to argue for once.

  I hurried to the door of Waterstones and turned the knob. It was only when I entered that I realized the place was empty.

  “It’s an old smithy,” Peter said, following behind me.

  “How can you be sure?” The only thing here that indicated its former use was the hearth and some kind of basin. No sign of an anvil or hammer.

  “The forge, for starters, and that’s a slack tub.” He pointed to the basin.

  “I wonder what happened to it,” I said. The floor was mildly dirty, as though it hadn’t been swept in months. There was a layer of dust over the slack tub.

  “I’m surprised they left the door unlocked,” Peter said.

  “What would be left that’s worth stealing?” I queried. Something in the corner of the room caught my eye. “What’s this?” I plucked a shiny silver coin from the hardwood floor. There was a symbol of a spool of thread on one side and a cactus on the other. I’d never seen anything like it before.

  Peter peered over my shoulder. “Wow. It’s a Coin of Fate. How’d that get here?”

  I continued to examine the coin. “Is that lucky?”

  “Depends on your fate, I guess. Maybe whoever dropped it got killed, so in that case….”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to go with the most likely scenario that someone simply dropped it when they visited the smithy. Where does the coin come from?”

  “A norn casino,” Peter said.

  I placed the coin in my pocket for safekeeping. “What kind of casino is that?”

  Peter grinned, clearly pleased to know something I didn’t. “You know what a norn is, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” I said slowly. I’d definitely learned about them at some point during my primary education, but, for some reason, their description was escaping me. “But I’ve never met one.”

  “They’re rare and well protected, so it doesn’t surprise me,” he replied. “They’re crazy powerful, too. If you think my staff is a big deal, norns are on another level all together.” Peter kept his deadly staff hidden away and had only used it once in a moment of dire need. The responsibility was too overwhelming for him.

  “How do we find this casino?” I asked. The coin had to be the clue the spell wanted me to find. Maybe we could track the owner of the coin by visiting the casino.

  “Based on the cactus on the other side of the coin, this one is located in the desert and I’m pretty sure I know which one it is. Norn casinos aren’t exactly commonplace.”

  My brow lifted. “You’ve been there?”

  “Once, but I can’t say I remember t
he visit well.” He scratched his head. “Let’s just say there was a muse involved and a couple of bottles of Viper Venom.” A slow grin spread across his face. “I won a bunch of money, though. Overall, I’d say it was a good weekend.”

  “Do you remember it well enough to take me there?”

  Peter brightened. “A road trip—you and me?”

  “You act like we’ve never done that before.”

  “I know, but the Peento Banquet was different….”

  I crossed my arms. “Don’t make me rethink my offer.” Things between us got a little hot and heavy during our stay in the Jade Pool Mountains. I’d need to keep my hormones in check this time around.

  “I can take you there,” Peter said. “Have you ever been to Las Vegas?”

  “The Terrene city?”

  He nodded. “Lots of glitz and constant activity. It’s a popular fairy hangout, but lots of paranormals spend time there.”

  “I haven’t been, but it sounds like you’ll be a perfect guide. How soon we can go?” If we could figure out who dropped the Coin of Fate, it might bring me one step closer to finding the sword.

  “How quickly can you pack a bag?”

  I knocked on Robin’s door, oblivious to the late hour. I needed to know as much as I could about the norns before Peter and I left for the casino and Robin was the perfect wizard to help me. He always had his nose buried in a book and prided himself on his knowledge of entities like the oracle. He was bound to know a lot about norns.

  The door cracked open and Robin’s sleepy eyes squinted at me. “Dani?”

  “Sorry to wake you. I know it’s late. Can I come in?”

  He left the door ajar and padded back to perch on the edge of his bed. I closed the door softly behind me and tried not to laugh at his pajama set. The royal blue top and bottom were covered in white owls. He caught me staring and I quickly averted my gaze.

  “You’re mocking my sleepwear in your head, aren’t you?” he asked, in his usual prim manner.

  “I…was wondering…if maybe you have a little crush on Icarus?” I bit my lip in an effort not to burst into laughter.

  He glanced at his attire. “This owl is clearly not Icarus. See that brown spot on the owl’s head? Icarus doesn’t have that. Besides, I’ve had these pajamas since before Bryn even arrived here with her familiar.”