When Zayn focused his hearing again, he couldn't find the sound of the boots. He ran up the street scanning, but nothing. When he realized he was two blocks from the Blue Line, Zayn sprinted towards it, thinking whoever was fleeing the factory might use it to get away.
He almost tripped over his own feet to stop when he saw the Gurken step out of the Merlin's Creamery three doors up. The tattoos on his slate-gray skin rippled like waves. He carried a massive broadsword on his back and a tray of six glass and stainless steel cylinders suspended on a hook in his left hand.
Screams erupted as everyone nearby scattered, except for one teenager with big red headphones on and his face in his smartphone. The kid nearly ran into the Gurken, and when he looked up, he fell over himself scrambling out of the way.
The Gurken looked right at Zayn, and his knees turned to water. But then he remembered that the otherworldly assassin had killed Tally, and that fear was replaced with a white rage. He screamed before sending two force bolts at the Gurken's head.
"You killed Tally!"
The seven-foot-tall assassin ducked beneath the bolts, sliding his broadsword from his back in one smooth motion. Far up the street, he heard Keelan shouting, but Zayn wasn't about to back down, not when he had a chance to slow him until the instructors arrived.
The Gurken blocked his next two bolts with his sword, absorbing the magic as simply as if it were drops of rain. When the tip of the sword pointed at Zayn's chest, a blast of sonic energy knocked him into a trash can, spinning it into the street.
With the air knocked out of him, Zayn floundered on the ground, trying to find his feet, but he couldn't even get his hands to work enough to push onto his knees. The blast had knocked the sense out of him, probably worse than it normally would have because he had his imbuement on.
As the Gurken approached with his sword, Zayn was painfully aware that no one was close enough to save him. Keelan was the closest, and he would do no better than Zayn did. As the seven-foot assassin raised his broadsword, Zayn made a silent prayer that his actions might lead to the virus being stopped.
The blade rose high, reflecting the sunlight. The Gurken paused, his dead eyes looking right through Zayn.
He flinched when he thought the blade was descending, but the Gurken had slipped the broadsword into its sheath on his back. The assassin fled the other way.
Though part of Zayn realized he had been granted a miraculous reprieve, the other part still understood what danger the Gurken presented. Zayn made it to his knees and fired another force bolt at the back of the Gurken's legs, hoping to trip him up, but the assassin veered into an alleyway at the same time, throwing his aim off. He hit the edge of the tray instead.
Glass shattered at the impact, leaving a fine mist in the air as three of the virus cylinders exploded. The wind was headed south, right at him, and Zayn felt the droplets of water on his face. He turned to yell at Keelan, to tell him to stop, but it was too late. His cousin came up beside him, out of breath. The mist continued into the crowd of gawkers on the other side of the street, leaving no doubt that the virus had been released.
Keelan's eyes were wide as he stared at the broken shards of three cylinders on the sidewalk. Zayn's force bolt had snapped the wiry frame holding them, sending the three containers to shatter against the concrete.
When he saw Priyanka and the other instructors sprinting towards him, he shouted at them to stop. But it was too late, as they were headed right into the wind, getting a face full of the virus.
"Where's the Gurken?" asked Priyanka when she came up.
"It doesn't matter," said Zayn, crestfallen.
She followed his gaze towards the shattered glass. "Is that—"
"Half of it," said Zayn, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop him, but my shot went wide..."
He expected anger from her, but she only nodded.
"The virus is loose," she said absently.
He clawed at the back of his neck, frustration filling him like a balloon until he was ready to explode. His shot had gone wide. If he'd just aimed better, or not gotten involved at all, then he wouldn't have put the whole world at risk.
Strangely, it didn't bother him as much that the virus was coursing through his veins, a virus that would silence his magic forever. What worried him most was how it would change the world and end any chance he had to stop the Lady forever.
Chapter Twenty-One
Second Ward, April 2015
Some people have eyes in the back of their head
The city of sorcery had lost its luster, like a jewel dropped in cigarette tar. Zayn was wandering down Orpheum Avenue with his cousin, trying his best to enjoy the spectacular illusions doing battle overhead, but he couldn't help but feel like it was all about to come crumbling down upon his head—because it was. A lifelike Chinese dragon swooped down, breathing butterflies at a group of squealing kids, right across the street. Their laughter was empty and hollow to Zayn, like the painted backdrop of a school play.
"What do you think will happen once everyone realizes it's all over?" asked Keelan, craning his neck at the illusionary butterflies rising from the street like a million tiny balloons.
"It can't be over," said Zayn, thinking about how something could be so beautiful, yet not exist at all. "There's got to be a way to stop it. Priyanka will figure something out."
"What's to figure out? We're infected with a magic-killing virus," said Keelan.
"We still have time," said Zayn, wanting to believe it. He wasn't sure if he was being hopelessly optimistic or delusional, but he couldn't let himself think that they were out of options.
"I ran into Instructor Pennywhistle on the way out," said Keelan. "She didn't look the same. Like when you see a celebrity in real life, when they're not all dolled up and wearing makeup. I didn't feel compelled to like her either."
They strolled in silence. It was strange to be walking around in a place so filled with smiling faces and happiness. It was like holding a funeral in Disneyland.
Keelan slowed to a stop and pulled his smartphone out. He paled a little. "It's a message from Instructor O'Keefe about the blood work."
"What's it say?" asked Zayn.
Keelan scrolled through the email. When he finished, he looked a little perplexed.
"We're not carriers. I didn't understand everything, but she said it was something about the Lady's poison that protected us," said Keelan.
Zayn rubbed the back of his neck. "Great balls of fire. I don't know if I should feel happy or sad."
"Why would you feel sad?"
"Think about it," said Zayn. "If only the people in Varna can use magic, think how powerful the Lady will become."
"Oh," said Keelan softly. "Though it won't be everyone. O'Keefe mentioned that the virus doesn't affect everyone the same."
"Even if it were only fifty percent of the population, it's going to cause a global panic, upsetting the balance of power. This is going to be a disaster," said Zayn.
"Maybe they can figure out a counter to it? Surely there has to be a way to use magic to combat it," suggested Keelan.
"If there is, then Priyanka's probably going to try it. Or maybe the other patrons will know what to do," said Zayn.
While they were talking, the illusionary dragon battles continued overhead. But when two dragons flew at each other, the glittering silver one blinked out for a few seconds, as if the illusion had been interrupted.
As the crowd groaned with disappointment, Zayn shared a look with his cousin. They both knew exactly what it meant. The entertainment district prided itself on ceaseless wonders to draw in the crowds. An interruption was unforgivable, which meant the virus was loose amongst the greater population of mages.
"How much longer until everyone knows?" asked Zayn with a sinking feeling in his gut.
When Keelan grabbed his arm roughly, he thought his cousin might be experiencing the effects of the virus, but found he was staring across the street.
"It's him,"
whispered Keelan.
"Who?" asked Zayn, scanning.
"The Animalian."
When Zayn didn't follow, Keelan added, "Alex Malice."
He'd only seen Alex's picture from the internet and the back covers of his books. In those pictures, he had black hair with a streak of gray, not from age, but the kind that came from a bottle or enchantment. He had the smug, arrogant tight-lipped smile of a professor who liked to bludgeon his students with his erudite knowledge. But what Zayn hadn't realized was how tall Alex was, until he saw him towering over the others on the sidewalk.
"He's the one that sent the Stingtails after us," said Keelan.
"Yeah. That must have been him standing by those bums that night," said Zayn.
"What do you think he's doing?" asked Keelan.
"Maybe he's here for a show." Zayn paused. "We should talk to him. We can find out more about why he had the spider ecology book and if he knew your dad."
Keelan turned on him. "We trashed his apartment. He tried to kill us with some Brazilian flying scorpion things. Are you crazy?"
"Probably," said Zayn. "But with everything that's happened in the last two weeks, I'm kinda over giving a crap. Let's go talk to him."
Keelan rolled his eyes. "It's hard to argue with the logic of illogic. Let's go see if we can get ourselves killed before the world turns to hell."
"That's the spirit," said Zayn.
There was more to it than carelessness. If the poison preserved them from the virus' effects, and the Lady stood to gain from its spread, stopping her became of paramount importance. He had to know if there was a way, and if Uncle Jesse had figured it out.
They followed Alex from a distance, weaving through the crowds while using their senses to keep watch. When Alex suddenly turned into an open-air square with hundreds of booths called the Goblin Market, Zayn motioned for Keelan to split away so they could both keep tabs separately.
The market was a place for kids and adults to buy enchanted knickknacks like exploding whistles and fart shorts. Booths were a mixture of wooden stalls, colorful tarps hung over metal scaffolding, and crowded blankets on the concrete. Most of the crap didn't work as well as the sellers advertised, but the kids didn't care because they were purchasing items of magic.
The place was packed, forcing Zayn to wedge his way through to keep up with Alex, who seemed to glide through the crowd without being slowed down. Zayn had to hop over a vendor with a blanket full of "magic rings" to get past a particularly resistant knot of teenage girls.
When Alex glanced back, looking directly at Zayn, he knew he'd been spotted, but not how. There was no way that he could have known that he was following, because their encounter had been purely by chance.
Assuming that Alex had some enchantment running that had alerted him, Zayn left all pretense of stealth and rushed through the crowd. Before, he'd been able to maneuver around people, but now it seemed like everyone stepped into his path at the last moment.
Alex fled further ahead, moving easily and quickly. He was about to leave the back of the Goblin Market, so Zayn jumped up and grabbed an overhead scaffolding, pulling himself up and running along the thin beam while market-goers gasped.
Zayn reached the street a few moments after Alex, but couldn't locate him.
"We just want to talk," shouted Zayn through cupped hands.
Keelan came up from behind. "That was like moving through a maze."
"We should head to his apartment. We know he has to go back there," said Zayn.
Before Keelan could answer, his pocket buzzed.
"Yes, we'll come straight back," he said into the phone after listening.
"Priyanka?"
He nodded.
"I hope she has a plan."
"The whole world does," said Keelan. "What about Alex?"
"We'll track him down later," he said, and having a premonition about why Priyanka might need them back so suddenly, added, "if there is a later."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Second Ward, April 2015
Drastic measures
When Zayn and Keelan entered the conference room in the high-rise, they were surprised to find the rest of their team standing at the windows. They, in return, looked confused about why they were there.
After a round of hugs, Skylar asked, "What's going on? Instructor Pennywhistle brought us here, and she doesn't look the same. Does this have to do with why half our classes have been cancelled this last week?"
Zayn felt a little bad about what he was about to say since Priyanka had given them explicit instructions not to tell his team about the virus until she had more information, but he assumed that their presence meant it was time.
"I've got good news and bad news. The good news is there won't be any more beheadings. The bad is that it's because they got what they wanted, a virus that stops someone from being able to use magic," said Zayn.
"Mierda," said Portia. "We have to stop that virus."
"It's too late," said Zayn. "The virus is out."
"Are we infected?" asked Vin.
"Yes," said Priyanka as she entered the room. She wore black jeans and a black T-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. "I'm sorry to tell you like this, but we don't have a lot of time, and I need your help."
"Our magic is going to leave us?" asked Skylar, clearly trying to process the horrible news.
"Not everyone," said Zayn, trying to console her. "It doesn't affect everyone."
Priyanka had taken a data chip and pressed it into a hidden compartment on the stone table. She paused after Zayn spoke, her lips squeezing together.
"The virus is spreading unevenly, but those newest to magic are most vulnerable. Almost anyone under the age of fifty will not have their magic when the virus has finished its work. Beyond that, the percentages will drop."
To his teammates' credit, they did not cry out, or break down. Portia stepped to the table and said, "Tell us what you need us to do."
Priyanka acknowledged their professionalism with a nod as she made arcane gestures. A cityscape appeared on the table, resulting in noises of surprise from them. Zayn recognized it right away as Deathbird.
"There is a place that keeps dangerous magical things within a fortress. There is one such item that can stop the virus and reverse its effects.
"It is called the Word of Annihilation. Its origins are unknown, but its effects are well understood. Once there were three of these devices. The other two were used to devastating effects. Which is why the last one is being kept in the Bastille, which is the most secure facility in the realms."
"We're going to do a heist?" asked Vin breathlessly. "Please tell me this is a heist."
Priyanka looked taken aback by his enthusiastic outburst.
"He has a thing for heist movies," said Skylar. "Please don't encourage him."
"I have this mascot costume—"
He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, as Portia clamped a hand over his mouth.
The expression on Priyanka's face suggested she might think they weren't taking this seriously. Zayn was about to interject, when their patron burst out laughing. This result trumped Vin's outburst, leaving them all bewildered.
"Thank you, Vin. This is why I still run the Academy, despite what a marvelous pain in the ass you students are. If you get to my fossilized age, you'll find you're carrying a mountain of baggage with you. Like an old ship dragging tons of barnacles and rust with them. So it's good to have some of that crap knocked off my hull." She sighed heavily. "So yes, this is a heist."
Vin broke from Portia's grip and made a whoop of joy. The previous dreary mood had been dispelled, and Priyanka continued her explanation, this time with an eagerness that made Zayn wish he'd known her when she was younger.
"As I said before, the Bastille of Deathbird is the most secure facility in the realms, controlled by the Black Council, a group of retired assassins and thieves, who know best how to protect such arcane objects like the Word of Annihilation."
Priyanka looked Zayn straight in the eyes. "The task I have for your team is to get my team into the Bastille."
"Wait? We're not going in?" asked Vin, his shoulders slumping slightly.
Priyanka reached up to put her hand on his shoulder. "My dear Vin, let me say that in this case, that is a blessing. If we are caught while breaking into the Bastille, a likely event given its protections, and if we are taken alive, we will be put inside a sphere of eternal pain from which there is no escape."
"Given the impact of the virus, can't we just ask them for this Word?" asked Skylar.
"They wouldn't care," said Priyanka bleakly. "The whole purpose of Deathbird is that it's a place to retire from the trials and tribulations of life. They have, in a sense, given up. The only thing they care about is if someone violates the Pact or threatens their comfortable existence."
Zayn detected scorn in her description of them, as if she were discussing a parasite or infection. While he thought well of his patron, that insight suggested to him that she had complex motives about how she operated her life and the Academy.
"What do we need to do?" asked Keelan.
Priyanka pointed to the lifelike map of the city that spread across the stone table, indicating a mansion on a hill not far from the Bastille.
"This is Halfdan's place. At much risk to himself, he has agreed to help us. The first difficult task is to get into the Bastille without notice. There are two problems with entering the Bastille. The first is that the whole city keeps tabs on the comings and goings of the fortress since it is the home of the Black Council.
"The second is that the Bastille is inhabited by a psychic bird of prey that was long ago disjoined from its body and welded to the building using awful magics."
"The Deathbird," said Zayn, suddenly understanding.
The Sorcerous Spy Page 17