Lost Cause

by S A Magnusson

  Barden nodded. “That is also my concern. Unfortunately, we don’t know what we don’t know. I feel it’s important for us to be prepared for the possibility we might have to face greater dangers.”

  “Which is why you want to get the hedge mages more involved.”

  “I think we cannot neglect any power that exists. Think about what you can do now.”

  “I’m still learning,” I said.

  “Compared where you were even a few months ago, Dr. Stone, you are incredibly powerful. You have proven you have the potential to do things mages would struggle with.”

  It was something I found intriguing. I had the ability to trigger spells, and because of that, I could use magic in a way others couldn’t. Even fully fledged mages didn’t have the same connection as I did to triggering spells. I wished it was more useful, though when it came down to it, having the ability to trigger spells had helped protect me from people like Matt Gillespie and the others with him. It was possible the more I was able to learn and control my ability, the more useful it would be, but for now, triggering spells was all I had.

  “I’m still learning,” I said.

  “And you will continue to learn, Dr. Stone. If you maintain a willingness, there is a lot you can uncover, and thankfully, I don’t have any sign we’re dealing with a dangerous threat too soon, but I suspect that in time, we will find we do.”

  I thought about the organization and the danger they posed to us. They had enough power they could overthrow the mage council if they put their minds to it. We had been lucky so far, and we didn’t know how deep the infiltration of the organization went. As far as we knew and believed, Matt and John Adams had been working on their own, but there remained a concern they weren’t. It was possible we still had not fully begun to understand the depths of the organization and its involvement. The more I learned, and the deeper I got dragged into the magical world, the more I recognized how little I knew.

  “I’ll go with you,” I said.

  “Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to do this.”

  “What happens when it doesn’t work?”

  “You don’t have faith in my persuasive ability?”

  “It’s not that. I’m sure you’re quite persuasive.” I’d seen Barden working enough to know he was incredibly persuasive, and it was easy for me to believe he would be able to do just what he said, but I questioned the mage council. “It’s more about the nature of the request.”

  “Yes. I’m concerned about whether or not they’ll be willing to consider something different. There’s a great deal of tradition in how the mage council behaves. It’s the same throughout the magical world.”

  “There’s often resistance to changing tradition, even when it makes sense,” I said.

  “Which is why I’m hopeful having someone like yourself, someone who has authority in the non-magical world, would be a little bit more persuasive than merely having me going before them.”

  “I don’t know I have any real authority.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, Dr. Stone. You’re a physician, and even within the magical world, there are plenty who recognize a physician has a specific type of authority.”

  He headed toward the door. “I don’t want to disrupt your evening with your friend, so thank you for your time.”

  “You know you’re welcome here anytime,” I said.

  Barden reached the door, pulling it open. “I hope that’s true.”

  With that, he stepped outside. There came a surge of magic, and I realized he’d transported himself from the hallway. He couldn’t do it within the condo, not with protections placed upon it, but once in the hallway, those protections faded to basically nothing.

  Only a few moments later, a knock came on the door, and I pulled it open to see Brad standing with a bottle of wine.

  “What is it?” he said, searching my face.

  I glanced past him. I could still feel the residual energy in the air, hint of magic racing along my arms. Even without the bracelet I wore all the time, I was able to detect that sense of magic. With it, that sense was only amplified. “It’s nothing,” I said.

  “I hope not. Are we still on for tonight?”

  “Of course,” I said. As he stepped in, I glanced past them, looking to see if there was any sign of Barden having lingered. I wouldn’t put it past him to stay behind, looking around, watching Brad like an overprotective father. Knowing Barden, he wouldn’t even view himself in that way—he probably saw himself as merely supporting me. But there was no sign of Barden.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Brad asked.

  I pulled him to me, wrapping him in an embrace, unable to shake the hint of unease I felt.

  3

  By the time the weekend came, I was looking forward to some down time and a bit of relaxation, having forgotten about what I’d agreed to with Barden. It hadn’t been a particularly busy week, at least not from a volume-of-patients standpoint, but the type of patients had not gotten any less complex.

  It seemed as if everyone I saw had psychosocial issues needing to be addressed, and all of them took a considerable amount of mental energy. It would’ve been easier had they needed to be hospitalized. There was a variety of homelessness or abuse or vulnerable adult situations. All of them took considerable time, and all of them required my presence, the kind of thing where I couldn’t simply leave it to the residents.

  When Saturday morning came and there was a knock on my door, I opened it carefully after detecting for the sense of magic. Barden had trained me to do so, and I was careful now, incredibly cautious so I didn’t get caught with an attack from outside.

  “Barden?” I glanced down, realizing I was dressed in my loungewear, and certainly not dressed to go anywhere.

  “I should have messaged you, Dr. Stone. I realize I came a few days ago and asked you to accompany me this weekend, but…”

  “No. It’s my fault. I forgot about the council visit.”

  “I’ve been a bit distracted this week, otherwise I would have given you more of a heads up,” he said.

  “Distracted how?”

  “Nothing too exciting,” he said. “Only a few things going on from my other business interests.”

  I smiled at him. I was always interested in the nature of his work, and Barden liked to keep it secretive, as if sharing with me might somehow diminish him in my eyes. I knew his line of work was of questionable legality, but when it came to Barden, I also knew he didn’t tend to work in such a way that others were in any danger of harm. It wasn’t as if he was a mobster, looking to break someone’s ankles if they didn’t serve him the way he wanted.

  “When do you want to go?”

  “I was hoping we would be able to go now,” Barden said.

  “What time are we to be at the council?” I pulled out my phone, looking at the time. It was 10 a.m., and I had only been up for about an hour. I’d stayed up too late last night watching a movie, staying in by myself since Brad was working, and I had gone through the better part of a bottle of wine on my own. Had I remembered what I’d agreed to with Barden, I might not have stayed up so late.

  “In a few moments,” he said.

  I headed back to my bedroom, and quickly through on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. “How presentable do I need to be with the council?” I asked, pulling down my shirt and running a brush through my hair.

  “You don’t need to dress up for them,” he said.

  “Would it be a more compelling argument if I did?”

  “As I’m sure you can understand, appearances matter, even to the mage council, but I doubt they will be concerned about your style of dress,” he said.

  I stepped out of the room, and waved my hand at my jeans and choice of shirt. “It’s nothing dressy,” I said. “And again, if you need me to be, I’m happy to get into a more formal attire.”

  “I think it’s unnecessary. Besides, you look quite lovely, Dr. Stone.

  “I don’t think you should be
hitting on me anymore, Barden. I do have a stable relationship.”

  “Can’t a man compliment without it being construed for something more?”

  I grinned at him. “I suppose when it comes from you, Barden, it’s fine.”

  “Only for me?”

  “I don’t need just anybody complimenting me.” I had dealt with enough creeps over the years in the ER—many of them who thought it was okay to get handy with their doctors. I usually dealt with it by moving out of the way, putting space between us, but there were those who never got the hint. I’d dealt with more than a few who thought my physical exam was an invitation to grope, too often grabbing my ass.

  Back in the living room, I twisted the bracelet on my wrist. I debated leaving it behind, but I liked the additional power it granted me. There was a hint of more magic I was able to reach because of it, and I wasn’t ever sure whether it was because of something Kate had given me, or whether the magic came from me and the bracelet merely enhanced it. Either way, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that having the bracelet acted in a way that reminded me of the spell coins.

  I paused, turning back to the kitchen, and went to my supply of spell coins. I shoved a couple into my pocket.

  Barden watched, smiling at me. “What are you concerned you might encounter?”

  “If I were doing nothing other than going to work, I wouldn’t be concerned about anything, but going in front of the council and others who have magic is enough reason for me to bring a way of protecting myself if it becomes necessary.”

  “I hope it does not become necessary.”

  “I hope the same, but considering what we’ve gone through so far, I no longer plan on that.”

  “Then I’ve taught you well,” Barden said.

  We stepped out into the hallway, and after securing the door and reimplementing the protections to seal it off, Barden glanced up and down the hall before quickly drawing upon power and using it to transport us.

  When the spell struck, it was a squeezing sort of energy. I could feel it, though there wasn’t nearly the same strength in the spell as when I was usually transported with Barden. When we were done, I looked around, recognizing we were outside of a nice-looking home with ivy creeping along the side. Massive trees grew along the driveway, their branches arching overhead in such a way they almost blocked out the light. There were no cars on the driveway, and if I remembered right from when I’d been here before, I knew there was a garage around back.

  “You’ve just taken to transporting in public?” I asked.

  “Now I have a means of doing so without expending a lot of energy, I find it is far easier to travel.”

  “How many spell coins do you have on you?”

  “Enough to ensure our safety if it comes down to it,” he said.

  “So you’re prepared as well.”

  “Always.”

  “I thought you said there would be others here.”

  “The others are already here. I brought them earlier this morning and came for you last.”

  “I don’t know if I should be happy about that or disappointed I wasn’t number one.”

  “I think in this you should be happy I didn’t have you waiting at the mage council home for any longer than is necessary.”

  He headed toward the door, up the stairs, and paused. Barden appeared to close his eyes, and his spine straightened. Could it be he was uncomfortable coming here? I understood he was a part of the mage council, but he also was approaching them with a proposition, and I understood Barden well enough to know he didn’t like the idea of failing. Even in this, which might be something as minor as a request to the council, was the kind of thing Barden would not want to be denied.

  “How long are you going to wait here?” I asked.

  “Long enough to gather my thoughts,” he whispered.

  Taking another deep breath, Barden knocked. It took a moment, but the door was pulled open, and Cynthia stood on the other side. I’d last seen her just after the organization attack, and then she had been irritable—though she always seemed irritable when I saw her.

  “Barden. Jen.”

  I had known Kate’s grandparents for almost as long as I had known Kate. I remembered learning they were her grandparents later on, and thinking they looked good for their age. Even now, it was easy enough to believe they looked good for their age. They had to be in their sixties or seventies, but looked to be no older than their mid-to-late-forties.

  “Cynthia Michaels.”

  I glanced between Barden and Cynthia. “Are the two of you going to just stare at each other like this, or are you going to let me come in?”

  Cynthia turned to me. “I thought I warned you about spending time with Barden the last time we saw each other.”

  “You did, but I’m not all a great listener, apparently. Besides, Barden is the one who’s been teaching me.”

  “And we have already spoken about whether or not a hedge mage should be instructed in the use of magic.”

  “This hedge mage is the reason we defended your granddaughter,” Barden said.

  “And had she not gotten involved in the first place, it wouldn’t have been necessary, would it?”

  “You would rather have allowed them to have abducted Jean-Pierre Rorsch?”

  “Enough,” Veran Michael said, approaching the door. He thrust his hand forward, waiting for Barden to take it. “It’s good to see you, Barden. And you, Jen Stone. We shouldn’t have to keep meeting like this. We have a shared interest, after all.”

  I took Veran Michael’s hand, shaking it, and glanced up to Barden. “I thought you were a part of the council?”

  “I am, but they still don’t view me as well as they do others who have served the council for longer.”

  “What he’s not telling you is that this is our home,” Cynthia Michaels said.

  “This is? I thought the two of you lived in Chicago.”

  “We did, but when we started to serve the council more directly, we needed to relocate. As the previous occupant was deposed, we’ve taken it upon ourselves.”

  “Sort of like the president, then,” I said.

  Veran smiled. “Depending on which president you’re referring to, that might be a compliment.”

  “I was referring to the office in general. Kind of like the White House.”

  “Are you going to have us keep waiting outside?” Barden asked.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t transport directly inside as you did the last two times,” Cynthia said.

  “I didn’t think Dr. Stone would appreciate that.”

  “That’s the only reason?”

  Barden flashed a smile. “I did promise to ensure her safety.”

  Cynthia frowned, and I could only shake my head. Knowing Barden, there was another reason for him arriving in this way. It was just as likely he’d done so as a way to remind me of how Cynthia and Veran might react to a hedge mage interacting with the council. Not that I needed a reminder. I remembered all too well how they’d reacted when I’d first arrived to confront John Adams and Matt Gillespie. In this case, I was coming to their place of authority, not at all like when I had been with Barden. At least then I felt as if I had a greater role and as if I understood my position. But now, coming to the council, it was different. I had no idea how safe I’d be here.

  If nothing else, it served as a reminder to me. Reaching into my pocket, I fingered one of the spell coins and palmed it, keeping it with me. It was a simple spell, and after working with Barden, I had ensured I could use it effectively. It created a barrier around me, a ring of protection to buy me time. I had little expectation I’d have the need to use it here, but at the same time, I wasn’t about to be surprised and overwhelmed by something they might do to me.

  “Are you going to invite us in or will you keep us outside longer?” Barden asked.

  “You may come in,” Cynthia said. She stepped away, and Barden and I headed into the room, with me keeping myself close to hi
m.

  I’d never been to the mage council residence before. I’d been to this home before, but it had been outside. I wondered if they didn’t realize Barden had used this place. It was possible he’d kept it from them and was utilizing the power of the Mississippi River—and the mage council—without others knowing of it. We had protected Jean-Pierre there once before.

  The foyer opened up in front of us, with a grand staircase sweeping around in a spiral behind Cynthia. Statues adorned the entryway, with enormous paintings hanging along the wall, depicting strange scenes of battle with odd-looking creatures.

  The moment we stepped inside the building, the sense of magic flowed all around me. It was a chill along my wrist that started at the bracelet, but the more I focused on it, the easier it became for me to detect that cold. Even without the bracelet, I would have felt the amount of magic flowing through here. It wasn’t just me who was prepared for the possibility of needing more defense than what I could obtain easily. I suspected Veran and Cynthia were also ready for the possibility of something taking place. Could it be that they didn’t trust Barden? Barden had proven nothing more than he was willing to do whatever it took in order to help their granddaughter. In my mind, I would’ve expected them to treat him far better than they did.

  Perhaps it was the long-standing differences between the mage council and the Dark Council, but I wasn’t even sure if that was all there was to it. As far as I knew, her grandparents had protected Kate, thinking she was a Dark Council mage, and had wanted to ensure the mage council was not aware of her, and that wasn’t the sort of thing they would’ve done had they been concerned about whether or not she had Dark Council magic.

  I glanced over to Barden. Could he detect the same spell as me? I’d begun to wonder if my connection to detecting magic came from a residual effect of Kate having brought me back, and if that were the case, then it would be unlikely they would be able to detect it as easily.

  “We are going to the hall,” Cynthia said.

  She led us along the hallway and paused by the doorway. I noticed markings all along the surface, and I suspected they were markings of power, the kind I could only faintly detect. They reminded me of the markings made on the spell coins, ways of depicting power—runes, though I still didn’t know how many of the mage council mages were able to use that sort of magic effectively. From what I had understood, it was fairly uncommon for mages to learn and master rune magic.