Dark Light of Day

by Jill Archer

  “Are Maegesters able to summon other demons to assist in a matter like this?” I asked.

  All went still and quiet. No shuffling of papers, no squeaking chairs, no coughs or scratches of pen on paper. How could there be when every eye was suddenly on me?

  “Summon another demon? Are you crazy?” Tosca said. Brunus guffawed. Sasha looked at me, eyes agog, mouth agape.

  “Well,” I said, unable to prevent the spreading blush on my cheeks, “I just wondered what would happen to Ashe and the Greenwalds after their demons are appeased.”

  “Who cares?” Brunus shouted and then groaned. “You’re still thinking like the Hyrke you’ve spent your whole life pretending to be. Stop wasting our time. We need to focus on how to put the demons back in their balls so to speak, not pull more of them out.”

  “Strong but stupid,” I heard Tosca murmur under his breath.

  “She has a point,” Ari said. He’d been so quiet during the discussion of Mercator and Brunus’ assignment, I’d wondered if he was paying any attention. “Which demon would you call?” he said, turning to me.

  “Ari,” Rochester said, his tone of voice a clear warning.

  “I was thinking the patron demon of the Lethe might be helpful.”

  “Helpful?” Brunus echoed, his face pinched with scorn. “In what corner of Halja would summoning a demon ever prove helpful?”

  “Even if you settle the current dispute,” I said, racing to get my point across before I lost my nerve, “it will likely heat up again with everyone just sitting there tethered to the Blacken Ridge dock, going nowhere. It’s obvious that Ashe hasn’t been making his sacrifices to the river demon.”

  Obvious? Hardly. I’d been denied the education and experience that everyone in this room had been given since birth. I’d based my assessment only on the general knowledge that every resident of Halja had and common sense. But was that enough? Had I missed something crucial?

  Rochester cleared his throat and folded his hands in front of him, contemplating me. He appeared to consider his next words carefully.

  “You will be interesting to teach, Ms. Onyx,” he said. “You dismissed appeasing the on-site demons, Rictus and Yul, as if it were a fait accompli. In practice, appeasing demons, even if you have a plan, is a grim and difficult job. Separating entangled demons often leaves Maegesters with little strength to tackle additional problems. Also, while summoning demons is not strictly forbidden, it is discouraged. Summoning the river demon for ‘assistance’ could backfire. Once the river demon’s attention is focused on the matter, he may require more than just a sum of sacrifices to balance his truant client’s account.”

  To my left, Sasha laughed. I looked down at my desk.

  “Mr. Olivine,” Rochester snapped, “you’ll represent Ashe. Mr. Palladium, you’ll represent the Greenwalds.” They nodded, apparently satisfied with the sides they’d been given. “Opposing counsel shouldn’t collaborate, and should avoid even the appearance of collaboration. This means you may not discuss your assignments outside of class.

  “Okay, that’s it for today. Tomorrow I’ll hand out the rest of the clinic assignments. We’ll discuss them in class again on Wednesday. By Bryde’s Day on Thursday, you should have some thoughts on overall strategy and be prepared for your first client interview. Ms. Onyx, please see me after class.”

  Chapter 11

  Beneath my desk my fists clenched, echoing my stomach. Chairs scraped across the floor as the rest of the class gathered their books and prepared to leave. Beside me, Ari sat still. I didn’t want to look at him. I didn’t want him to see how stupid I felt for suggesting an additional demon might help with Brunus and Mercator’s problem. I reached down to grab my backpack. I’d spent half the night reading the books that were in it and I’d barely scratched the surface of the material. I didn’t have time to read more. We had a Sin and Sanction midterm coming up that everyone needed to pass, regardless of whether they were Host or Hyrke. I’d now missed more than a few study group sessions with Ivy and Fitz. I was behind in my Oathbreaking work. I’d never mastered remedies like I planned. By Thursday, I’d have a client to represent in a matter that was likely to have serious, real-life implications. And the one person who’d offered to help me catch up in Manipulation was now my opposing counsel. Further study sessions with Ari were now unadvisable.

  Ari gave my shoulder a brief squeeze and walked out. I slung my overweighted backpack over my shoulder and walked to the front of the classroom where Rochester waited for me.

  He stood draped in a cloak of blue so dark it seemed to swallow light, like a new moon midnight sky. Rochester must have been in his early sixties, but I saw not a single strand of gray in his coarse, black hair. His eyes were a cold gray and he wore a neatly trimmed mustache. It was rumored that every Maegester had a drop of demon blood in them. Looking at Rochester, it was easy to imagine that the rumor was true.

  “Most of my students wouldn’t think of the Hyrkes’ fate after the demon issues have been settled,” Rochester said. “Your unique upbringing may have hidden benefits.”

  I still didn’t understand why calling the river demon was such a bad idea. My Hyrke friends were forever calling upon their demons to help them out. I said as much to Rochester.

  “Exactly,” he said. “Calling, not summoning. There’s a difference.” He folded his hands across his bulging stomach and leaned back against his desk.

  “Hyrkes have the privilege of calling their demons anytime they want. But that’s because they can’t control or manipulate them. Hyrkes beseech demons, they adore them, and make pleas to them, which the demons are free to answer or not, at the demon’s discretion. Maegesters, however, are capable of controlling and manipulating demons. When a Maegester summons a demon, the demon feels bound. A Maegester’s summoning can create feelings of animosity and ill will between the demon and the Maegester.”

  I nodded, and wondered what my life would be like if I survived my training. Everything about being a Maegester seemed counterintuitive.

  “Thanks for the additional background,” I said. “I realize I have a lot of catching up to do. I had thought to study with Ari Carmine, but if we’re going to be opposing counsel… ?”

  Staying away from Ari outside of class would be difficult. How broad was the prohibition on collaboration between opposing counsel? Unfortunately, I couldn’t imagine studying with any of the others. Well, maybe Mercator, but Ari had said he spent most of his free time with his girlfriend.

  “Your magic today was strong and effective,” Rochester said. “That’s why I ranked you second. But your methods are unorthodox. It’s clear you’ve had no real training. Under ordinary circumstances, I would say Mr. Carmine would make a fine study partner, but…”

  Rochester paused, peering intently at me. I could feel his signature creeping along the edges of mine. It was very subtle and I wondered if someone with less sensitivity than I had would have felt it. I fought an instinct to push it back. It would have been futile and I didn’t want Rochester to think I had anything to hide. But what was he looking for? Did signatures carry residual magic from things previously experienced? Declaring had wiped clean any potential sin of denying my magic. Did Rochester sense some lingering emotion over Serafina in my signature? Guilt and grief had been my main reactions to the ordeal, but maybe fear would have been more appropriate. I shuddered and Rochester’s look became more inquisitive. It was impossible to tell what he was picking up. But his next words surprised me.

  “Are you romantically involved with Mr. Carmine?”

  I blinked, not sure I’d heard him right. I wasn’t sure what to say. Regardless of the fact that we were opposing counsel now, what we’d done outside of the classroom before was no one’s business but our own.

  “I only ask because your magic affected him, and there’s no way it could have unless there was a connection between you. It also seemed as if he was taunting you into proving it. And you did, by tapping into some shared emotion. It
’s very dangerous stuff, for both of you.”

  Two spots of color formed on my cheeks. I could feel them. Sure, a part of me was embarrassed. But a part of me was livid.

  “Do you plan on giving this lecture to Ari?” I asked, looking straight at Rochester, my back stiff. He could eat me in one gulp, but I refused to be bullied. His question was out of line.

  “Mr. Carmine will get a slightly different version,” Rochester said, returning my stare. But his posture remained relaxed. If he’d wanted to threaten me, I doubted he would be leaning against his desk while he did it. And his signature was far from fired up. Good thing. If Rochester ever lost it, I sensed it would be a seismic event.

  “I heard your father sent you a familiar to work with before class,” Rochester said, changing controversial subjects at dizzying speed. “How did that go?”

  “I killed her,” I said, thinking bluntness would be the best way to handle someone who seemed to know everything already.

  Rochester grunted. “Did you read the books Dean Seknecus gave you before opening the ball?”

  Slowly, I shook my head.

  “It was a great gift that Seknecus bestowed on you, giving you his books. You should have read his margin notes.” Rochester’s massive physical presence and the bulk of his signature loomed over me. I forced myself not to look down.

  “Pull out Skleros’ Lesser Demons and open it to chapter nine,” he said.

  I did. A picture of a demon familiar covered the first page of the chapter. The demon looked eerily like Serafina, with a distended belly, beady black eyes, and grayish green skin. It appeared to leap off the page, claws extended, a malevolent, evil grin on its face. I wondered if the artist had been an Angel (many were) and had infused the page with a bit of magic. My throat tightened and my belly clenched. The chapter was titled “Demon Familiars.” I started reading.

  Familiars are a subclass of the demon race. Like winged imps, they are physically small and psychologically immature. Like all members of the demon class (except ice breathers, see Chapter 23), familiars have the power to start fires and leech oxygen. Familiars have a moderate amount of magic and are capable of wreaking havoc and causing great pain. The single most dangerous aspect of the familiar, however, is its power to enchant.

  Enchantment occurs when a Maegester develops too close an attachment to a demon. Understanding enchantment is easiest when it is compared to adoration. Adoration is the Hyrke act of beseeching a demon. It is a healthy connection, voluntary on both sides. Enchantment, on the other hand, is a sickness. Once enchanted, a Maegester will be enslaved to the demon. The relationship is involuntary and forced. The demon becomes the sole focus of the enchanted Maegester’s life, often with life threatening consequences…

  I couldn’t bear to read any more, but Seknecus’ bold strokes in the margin were impossible to ignore.

  Only way out—Death or Dementia

  I slammed the book shut. “Great, so my dad sent me something that had the power to kill me or the potential to drive me insane.”

  “No. He sent you something that would teach you a valuable lesson. Demons enchant. Don’t become enchanted.”

  I shoved Skleros’ Lesser Demons into my bag, fighting to not cry. Did Rochester actually think I should be grateful for the gift I had to kill? Again I thought of the evergreen my mother had sent me. I would damn my parents, truly, if we weren’t all damned already. I swiped at a tear that slipped free.

  “Nouiomo,” Rochester said softly, “If you were forced to kill the familiar to control her, that meant you’d become enchanted. It didn’t take long. I suspect you have a soft spot for demons. And Hyrkes, but that’s another discussion,” he said, waving his hand through the air. “Familiars are the best enchanters the demon class has to offer, but they are not the only thing in Halja that can enchant. Maegesters can enchant too.”

  I frowned and shrugged. I hadn’t known but why did it matter? I wasn’t enchanting anybody.

  “You and Ari Carmine are opposing counsel because I assign pairs based on rank. But there is another reason. I believe you are in danger of becoming enchanted by Mr. Carmine. The less time you spend with him the better.”

  I walked down the long hallway of the fourth floor of Rickard Building in a daze. I entered the winder lift and murmured “Lobby” to the operator. I don’t know if anyone else rode down with me. Maybe someone spoke to me. Maybe not. When I stepped out of the lift onto the ground floor of Rickard, I only knew I had something new to fear. I honestly wasn’t sure how many more things I could be afraid of without losing my mind.

  In the lobby, St. Luck’s students were clustered in groups, talking and laughing. It was so loud, it was impossible to pick up individual conversations. Everyone was waiting for their next class to start. I had Sin and Sanction with Copeland in fifteen minutes. I couldn’t even remember what we were supposed to be discussing today. And I was supposed to be the Sin and Sanction expert.

  I shoved and bumped my way through the crowd, thinking to find a quiet spot to sit before class. Somewhere that I could pull myself together and regroup. I could not think about the implications of my meeting with Rochester right now. If I did, I’d never make it through the rest of my day, since Ari was in all my classes.

  Were my feelings for him the product of enchantment? If so, was Ari aware of his effect on me? Was he doing it on purpose? To what end?

  I shook my head and sat down on the nearest bench, unable to go any farther. Around me, the din and buzz of conversations hummed along, with all oblivious to my distress.

  I’d never thought the feelings between Ari and I would last, but I’d at least thought they were real. Now, I realized, they might not be. I was beyond feeling embarrassed by my infatuation for Ari. I was afraid. After the ordeal with Serafina, I knew where enchantment could lead and I wanted no part of it. Hands on my knees, I breathed deeply, trying to calm myself with the thought that, at least if we broke it off now, the hurt would still be manageable. But could I do it? Even now, I scanned the crowd looking for him, desperately hoping to find him, desperately hoping I wouldn’t.

  Luck below, was I already enchanted?

  I felt him before I saw him, which ratcheted up my fear a notch. By the time he stepped into view, I was almost in full panic. I debated running off to Megiddo and skipping class, but that would only put off the inevitable. Ari stood in front of me, smiling. His hands were in his pockets and his backpack was casually slung over his shoulder.

  “You did great today,” he said.

  I said nothing, only swallowed and tried to shut my signature down to nothing. Magically, I tried to make myself small so I would be less of a target. I had no idea what would work or how to stop what was happening to us. Even while trying to shut down, a part of me opened to accept Ari’s signature. His warmth seeped into me unbidden. I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from crying out. Suddenly, Ari’s presence felt like a violation.

  “Noon,” he said, dropping his pack to the floor and kneeling in front of me. “What’s wrong?” He grabbed my hands and a few of the students closest to us glanced our way. I shook my hands free of his and stood up, shaking.

  “Nothing. Everything,” I said.

  Realizing I was still capable of rejecting his touch made me less panicked. What I was feeling now didn’t feel like what I’d felt when I was with Serafina. She’d made me feel fuzzy headed and sleepy. Ari made me feel hypersensitive, ultra aware. I supposed enchantment could feel different depending on who was doing the enchanting, but the difference was enough to calm me. Rochester had said I was in danger of becoming enchanted, not that I already was. I took a deep breath.

  “We’re going to be opposing counsel,” I said. “We probably shouldn’t talk outside of class until the semester is over.”

  “That’s four months from now,” Ari said, almost laughing. He seemed relieved now that I’d recovered from my fight-or-flight reaction to him. But when he realized I wasn’t joking, his expression became seri
ous. “I can’t go four months only seeing you in class,” he said matter-of-factly.

  Again I cursed how he made me feel. Just that simple statement had my heart racing, from elation, and then from fear.

  “I don’t want to see you outside of class,” I said. “I don’t want to risk… things.”

  “What things?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

  “You heard Rochester,” I said. “Collaboration between opposing counsel is prohibited.”

  “We’re not planning on collaborating—or are we?” He gave me an impish grin. “Actually, I can think of several things I’d like to collaborate with you on.” His gaze caused a supernova-like explosion in my stomach. The aftershocks moved to other parts of my body and I squirmed.

  “Ari,” I said, my tone a clear warning.

  “Always so reluctant,” he chided. “Seriously, Noon, you’re not going to let Rochester’s pairing stand in the way of us, are you?”

  “I wasn’t aware there was an ‘us.’”

  Ari just looked at me, with one eyebrow raised. I guess it was stupid to deny a connection since even Rochester had picked up on it. The question was the nature and extent of the connection. Best to sever it now, while I was feeling confident about my decision.

  “We should follow the rules, Ari. Praeceptum primum, praeceptum solum. Scrupulous rule following is ‘the first rule, the only rule,’ right? Opposing counsel shouldn’t collaborate and should avoid even the appearance of collaboration.”

  I hated that I sounded preachy. Like everyone else in Halja, I was a rule follower. But it didn’t feel right to be giving Ari the wrong reason for not wanting to see him.

  He studied me for a moment. I could feel his magic building.

  “You’d better not,” I said.

  “Better not what?”

  “Just keep your magic to yourself. I don’t want any part of it.” His signature folded in on itself. I wondered if any other Maegesters were around to pick up on the byplay between us. If Rochester found out Ari was the first person I’d talked to after his class, it would confirm his suspicions about my susceptibility. I glanced around, nervously biting my lip.