“Wards can be dismantled,” Zachary pointed out.
“Dismantled, yes, but not set back to their dormant state by someone who was not their maker.” Arrow shoved her hands into her hair, tangled from sleep, and drew a breath, trying to think how to explain it. “There are people who are nulls,” she began, remembering the attacker in the heartland, “who can simply walk through ward spells. The spells are still active. The null has no effect on the wards, but the wards do not affect them. They seem to be only Erith.” She clamped her jaw shut, aware she was babbling, and took another breath, tangling her fingers together in her lap. “But this was different. Dismantling a magician’s wards takes time. A lot of time for this building. There are several layers of wards around us just now, and all of them should have alerted me if they were being tampered with.”
“Alright,” Zachary said slowly, eyes keen. She had his full attention. “The magicians last night weren’t nulls. And they didn’t dismantle the wards. Something else.”
“Yes. I do not understand it. Yet.” Her jaw tightened, wash of clean anger chasing away some of the chill. She remembered something else. “Some of the Collegia magicians have been boasting that they can circumvent wards.”
“Gossiping with humans?” Zachary lifted an eyebrow at her, a spark of mischief back in his eyes. She felt heat back in her face.
“The largest supplier of spell ingredients has a coffee shop,” she explained, feeling the heat spread to her ear tips. “It also serves alcohol. Human magicians like to talk. Talk shop, I think is the phrase.” Her face was burning as Zachary’s lips twitched. “The coffee is excellent.” She had found that out by accident, intrigued by the idea that a shop for ingredients would also serve drinks. She had returned only once, for more coffee and information, not wanting to draw too much attention. The gossip spread around was fascinating.
“They brag about that kind of thing in public?” Con was surprised.
“They do not think anyone can hear them.” Arrow shook her head. “Apparently when they are drinking they become invisible to others.”
Zachary laughed outright, sobering a moment later.
“If the Collegia has a way of disabling wards, they’ve been keeping it quiet.”
“Anything that could disable a ward, set it back to its dormant state, must be very complicated magic. It would usually take time and make a lot of noise. The ones here tonight made very little noise and were quick. Whatever they did left the wards down even after they had left.” She tilted her head, wondering about the other buildings.
“The other break-ins,” Zachary said, uncannily echoing her thoughts again. Something flickered in his eyes, his power coiling out around the room. Arrow stayed still, wishing for more hot chocolate. Or sleep. Or a target. Now that the immediate danger was over and she had eaten, she was torn between wanting to burrow under her bedcovers again and wanting to get her sword and go hunting for humans who could dismantle wards as easily as she could cast a cleansing spell.
Zachary sat in silence for a while before he turned back to her.
“It’s quite late in the day. We’ve got another place for you to stay for a while. How long will you need to pack?”
Arrow had to swallow before she answered, a burn of anger and hurt closing her throat. This had been a sanctuary for a while. She had not fully realised she would need to leave.
“I need to shower first. Perhaps an hour in total.” More time than she needed, in truth, but a little bit of extra time would be welcome.
“As long as you need. Con and Will will stay inside. Rose and Paul are still outside,” Zachary told her. He went on as she opened her mouth to protest. “This is ‘kin property, and we don’t know if they’re after you or us. So we’ll keep an eye out. The muster will keep up a presence until you’re back.” He rose and stretched, smothering a yawn and Arrow realised that he was tired. She wondered how long he had been without sleep to show tiredness. “Can you work out how they dismantled the wards?”
The question threw her for a moment, then she straightened, eyes shimmering with silver. “It would help to see all the scenes. I am finding it hard to get a reading here. More information would be welcome.”
“Good. I will set it up. We’ll go to the other places starting tomorrow.” Zachary’s eyes glinted, a predator at the start of a hunt. The other scenes had all been human buildings, Arrow remembered. The humans had been foolish in the extreme to breach the shifkin nation’s boundaries. “If you need anything else,” he tilted his head, indicating the destroyed workspace, “let Con and Will know.”
“It’s always fun to visit the magic shops,” Con added unexpectedly, showing all his teeth in a grin. “Humans find our presence quite intimidating.”
Arrow choked on an unexpected laugh, easily able to imagine the reaction of human magic users to the presence of armed ‘kin in shops that sold spell ingredients. Some of them even believed the old superstition about wolf’s bane, hanging great bunches of the herb in the doorways, trying to deter ‘kin from entering. The ‘kin could easily have been offended, but chose to see it as a game instead.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Zachary picked the box off the table, not reacting as the wards fizzed against his skin and left with no more ceremony.
CHAPTER 3
The place that the ‘kin had found for her was a sharp contrast to the workspace. An apartment in one of Lix’s most high-priced areas. Arrow knew from previous errands for the Erith that the apartments were as big as many humans’ entire houses and often housed only one or two people.
The apartment the ‘kin had was one floor up from the ground and took up the entire end of the building, the whole property swathed in heavy-duty wards, supplemented by discreetly-placed surveillance cameras inside the entrance. The pair of uniformed humans behind the desk in the entrance might look like receptionists, but Arrow was confident they were both armed and qualified magic users.
“We don’t use this place often,” Con told her, opening the door to the apartment.
“Apparently every time we do, the neighbours complain we’ve lowered the property value,” Rose added. Will and Paul moved seamlessly ahead, hands on weapons, to check the apartment out.
Arrow blinked as she glanced across at the female ‘kin. Her tone had sounded light, but the words were anything but. Living in the human world for the past months, Arrow had tried to follow developments in human news stories. There was a lot of open resentment at what some humans called their overlords. Arrow had wondered if she should make the Erith aware, then told herself that it was not her duty anymore.
“I thought it was just the Erith that humans disliked,” Arrow offered, not sure how to phrase a question for more information.
“Most humans don’t mind the Erith. Or us,” Con said, shaking his head slightly.
“But there’s a hard core of hatters,” Rose added, lightness vanishing from her tone, bitterness rising in its place.
“Pardon. Hatters?” Arrow framed the unfamiliar word carefully.
“There was a superstition at one time that the Erith could read minds and wearing a metal helmet would stop them.”
“That is quite ridiculous.” Arrow blinked again, trying to twist her mind around such an odd belief.
“Yeah, it is. Anyway, since then, among humans, wild conspiracy theorists and human purists tend to get called hatters. It’s not a polite term,” Rose added, nose wrinkling.
“I see. Thank you.” Arrow resisted the urge to bow, Erith Court manners still imprinted on her body. Bowing was not something the shifkin did. Her lips twitched in a smile. “And I should probably not tell the hatters that the Erith do not need to read minds. They have spells to compel the truth.”
“No, I wouldn’t mention it.” Rose’s mood lightened. She grinned. “Although it would be so much fun to start that rumour running.”
“Everything’s clear,” Paul announced, coming back to the group. Only then did Arrow realise that Con and Rose
had been keeping her occupied in the doorway to the apartment while the other ‘kin checked the place.
“Do you think there is danger here?” she asked them.
“No. We’re just being careful. Why don’t you get settled and get some sleep. We’ll keep watch,” Rose suggested.
“Keep watch.” Paul made a low huffing sound that Arrow realised was a laugh. “Raid the alcohol cabinet more like it.”
Arrow left them to their banter, taking her bags into the bedroom Rose had indicated, confident in her watchers. Shifkin enjoyed a drink, or three, as Tamara would say, but it rarely had a profound effect on them.
The bedroom was huge, as big as an Erith lord’s chamber, with an equally vast bed and bathroom through an open door to the side. Arrow remembered to close her mouth after a moment, feeling displaced in a way she had not since returning from the heartland. This soft luxury was a far cry from the basic, serviceable amenity of the workspace or the barely serviceable storage room that had been her residence in the Taellaneth.
It was only temporary, she told herself. And it was safe. As well as the wards fizzing in the building’s fabric and the armed guard at reception, there were four armed and deadly predators in the main living space, doubtless working their way through the contents of the alcohol cabinet but no less lethal for it. It was a safe place to sleep. And so she did.
~
When Zachary arrived the next morning, the ‘kin and Arrow were settled around a large dining table, mugs in hand. The apartment apparently did not come with food, but it had a plentiful supply of coffee. The four others were a little quieter than they had been the night before and Arrow kept herself still and quiet, sensing something amiss.
The ‘kin had turned on the large television in the living area, selecting a news channel, all of them turning to watch and listen as the news segment moved on to an interview with the Collegia Magister. His ornate robes of office, floor length cream brocade fastened with a thick leather belt around his waist, glinted in the morning sunshine, the belt hung with a few vials and pouches which Arrow suspected contained pre-prepared spells, the slender staff he always seemed to carry held beside him the glass orb at the end shimmering with magic. He looked like a human’s ideal of a genial elder, white hair brushed back, beard neatly trimmed, eyes soft as he seemed to listen closely to the question the journalist was asking him. Something about heightened concern among humans after a series of break-ins. Arrow felt her spine lock. Although nothing had been said about the shifkin’s property, she was sure it was related.
“It is understandable that so many of our fellow citizen are concerned for the safety of their homes and persons,” the Magister said. Arrow turned her full attention to him. Even through the electronic medium of television she could tell he was using some form of magic to enhance his words. It was not forbidden magic, but perilously close. “The Collegia are ready and willing to provide aid to anyone who wants their building’s security reviewed. We can provide insights that others cannot.”
Arrow could not help wondering how the police authorities might feel, to have their competence dismissed so easily. And wondered, too, what the Magister was truly about. Human law enforcement agencies had magicians among their ranks.
Whatever the Magister said next was lost as Con got up and went to the door to let the Prime in at some unspoken, unseen signal. Rose turned the television off with a sleek black remote control. Arrow rose as Zachary came into the apartment, another prickle running along her spine. The Prime was carrying a large cardboard box which even Arrow’s nose told her contained food. However, he also had a hard edge to him that Arrow had only seen a few times before, when he had been pursuing his mate’s killer. He had swapped his usual, human-style clothing for close-fitting combat clothing, weapons openly carried, his power coiling around him, eyes brilliant green.
Even with the sharp edge, he spared a glance around the living space as he set the food on the dining table. Nothing was out of place. The cream-coloured, soft chairs and sofas were tidy, cushions nearly arranged, not a speck of dust visible, and yet the Prime lifted one eyebrow as he surveyed the quartet of ‘kin, voice light when he spoke.
“Is the drinks cabinet empty again?”
Paul huffed a muffled laugh, the others grinning back at their leader.
“We really liked the almond liqueur,” Con told him, coming back from the kitchen area with plates and cutlery.
“That was nice,” Will agreed, opening the box and setting the contents out.
“And that vintage whisky, too,” Rose added, grinning at Zachary’s raised eyebrow.
“The sixty-year-old whisky?” The grim edge to his manner had faded, Arrow saw, relieved. He flashed a grin back. “Sure, you can ask Drew to requisition some more.” Drew was Matthias’ twin, and in charge of the shifkin nation’s finances.
Rose winced. Arrow’s interest snagged. Andrew Farraway had always seemed to her to be the most easy-going ‘kin alive, even more so than Tamara, much quicker to laugh than his brother.
“That’s harsh.” Paul grinned at his mate’s discomfort. “You know Drew will make her fill out about ten forms and provide a good reason for the order.”
“Indeed.” Zachary settled at the head of the table.
Five shifkin and one mage emptied the food cartons in short order before Zachary dismissed the quartet for the rest of the day, promising to take care of Arrow. She lifted a brow, but waited until the others had left, taking the box, cartons and plates with them.
“I do not think you had a pleasant night,” she observed into the silence.
“No.” The hard edge was back. “The Collegia claims that the previous scenes are under their authority. They were trying to claim access to our building, too. Tony enjoyed winning that one.” From the expression on Zachary’s face, he had not.
“That is bold,” Arrow commented, sitting up straighter. Part of the treaty between races was co-operation on criminal matters, and it was expressly set out that each race had jurisdiction over its own properties, wherever they were situated.
“Too bold,” Zachary agreed. “Tony and I spent most of last night at the emergency court getting an order to allow the ‘kin official access. We got there, but the court’s order only allows minimal personnel.” His nose was wrinkled as though smelling something disgusting. He plucked a folded paper from inside a pocket and passed it across to Arrow, the expression on his face not changing. She opened it and read, eyes widening in shock. The court’s official order. Arrow had seen a few before now, but not like this. The court had ordered, with open reluctance by the judge, that the shifkin nation be granted access to the previous, specified, crime scenes. Limited personnel was specified to minimise distress to the human occupants.
It was distasteful language and Arrow felt her own nose wrinkling as she finished reading. She passed the order back to Zachary in silence. Humans had lived side-by-side with shifkin for generations of human lives. Inter-racial relationships were common. Arrow had never heard any disquiet expressed by humans about shifkin before the last day. All human unease and dislike had seemed reserved for the Erith.
“The Collegia is not the same as the Academy, is it?” Arrow was partly asking, partly thinking aloud. “Among the Erith, magical issues would fall under the Preceptor’s jurisdiction. But crimes outside a House, or affecting more than one House, would normally fall to the White Guard.”
“The Collegia shouldn’t have the authority to claim jurisdiction. They’re supposed to be independent. That’s why there are magic users in law enforcement.” His nose wrinkled again. “And there’s no way that it should have taken a court order to get us access.”
Arrow absorbed that in silence, crease between her brows, uneasy feeling unsettling her stomach. As well as the open dislike of the shifkin, the Collegia’s assumption of authority was worrying. Humans were still fairly new to working magic, as the Erith would measure time. She remembered one of the Academy Teaching Masters speculating, some
years before, that there would come a point where humans had to rethink their societal structures as those skilled in magic grew in power and influence. She had not understood the comment at the time, simply filing it away for future reference. Now, she wondered.
“We should go,” Zachary said. “We might have court-ordered access, but I do not trust the Collegia. Not anymore.”
“They might tamper with the scene?” Arrow rose and fetched her coat and bag, ready to go.
“There are seven,” Zachary reminded her, “and we can only look one at a time. I have watchers on all of them,” he added, escorting her out of the apartment.
~
They managed to get around the first three scenes without incident or interference. Three high-status human buildings. The first was a private residence, set in extensive garden grounds. On the same estate as humans had been practising unclean magic underground, assisted by an Erith lord melded with surjusi, and the same estate that had, for a decade, housed the Prime’s mate and her new partner. Arrow did not make any reference to Marianne Stillwater, judging by the set of Zachary’s jaw that he had made the connection long before she had.
The second was a high-priced restaurant not that far from the shifkin’s apartment. Perhaps not surprising that it was so close. This was Lix. The human city sprawled over a vast area, but the high-status buildings were mostly contained within the same geographic area. So it was not surprising that the large residence, restaurant and the apartment should be close together. It may just be coincidence that the Collegia’s complex of buildings was in the same area of the city. Perhaps.
There was little to be learned at the first two properties. There had been a thorough, magical, cleansing performed, removing all trace of whatever might have interfered with the wards. Zachary made some observations about line of sight and access to and from the buildings, but beyond confirming that the cleansing had been done by human magic, there was little for Arrow to find.
Taellaneth Complete Series Box Set Page 88