by Lily Webb
“Hi, uh, I’m looking for the library,” I said.
“Veilside is closed,” the gargoyle growled without looking at me, its leathery wings fluttering and sending my hair swirling around my head.
“I understand, but my friend is in the library and asked me to meet her there. Mallory Crane, does her name ring any bells?” I asked.
The gargoyle glared at me, and I shivered.
“Do you have a note from the Headmistress?” he asked.
“No, I don’t, but I could probably—”
“Then you aren’t getting inside,” the gargoyle interrupted. I opened my mouth to fire back, but the doors behind the gargoyle creaked open, and a wild tangle of hair appeared.
“Don’t be such a stone, Voken,” Mallory said, and I had to bite back my laughter. “Zoe’s with me.”
“No note, no entry,” Voken growled over his shoulder.
“Oh, come on, Voken, live a little! Not everything has to be so rigid,” Mallory said. “We’re just doing research in the library, it’s not like we’re going to cause any trouble. Hey, I tell you what, I’ll bring you some rocks to eat when we’re done!”
Voken grumbled under his breath as he stared at me, but eventually lifted his scaled, clawed feet to step aside. I hurried past, and Mallory slammed the massive door shut behind me.
“Gargoyles, right?” Mallory asked, rolling her eyes.
“He’s just doing his job, I’m not offended,” I said. “But it’s a good thing you were there to back me up; otherwise I don’t think he would’ve ever let me inside. How did you know to come anyway?”
“Just had a feeling you were gonna need my help with him. Most gargoyles are prickly, and Voken’s one of the worst,” Mallory said. “But come on, you’ve gotta see this.”
She took me by the wrist and dragged me through the entrance into the main hall whose central tower spiraled up into nothingness.
We hung a hard left into a hallway that looked like most of the others in the Academy and walked through its dim, candle-lit interior for what felt like forever until we arrived at another set of huge, wooden double doors. An ornate golden plaque hammered into the stone above the doors read Veilside Academy of Magic Library, Sponsored by the Moon Grove Historical Society.
“The Historical Society built this?” I asked.
“Pfft, historical, schmistorical,” Mallory said. “Those old crones don’t know their history from their herbology, but yeah, they built the library.”
“What do you mean?”
“Only the well-to-do witches in Moon Grove are allowed to join the Historical Society, which means the history ends up being more selective than accurate,” Mallory said.
“Oh, so it’s basically like all the history taught in non-magical classrooms? You know, leave out all the stuff that makes the people writing the books look bad?” I asked.
“Exactly,” Mallory said. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s some useful information preserved, without a doubt, but it’s not a complete picture.”
“Is history ever really presented whole?”
“Good point,” Mallory said. “No matter who’s telling the story, there’s always a bias somewhere along the line.”
“Yup. The victor writes the story, or more often burns the manuscript,” I said.
“I knew I liked you,” Mallory said, smiling as she opened the doors to the library.
We entered a cavernous room capped by high, domed ceilings. Shelves that sagged under the weight of hundreds of books lined each of the walls. The shelving reached all the way to the roof, but there weren’t any ladders.
“How are you supposed to get books down from way up there?” I asked, pointing to the top of the nearest one.
“Magic, of course,” Mallory said.
“Right, obviously,” I said.
“Here, watch,” Mallory said, pulling her wand from a pocket within her robes. She waved it, and a book fluttered down, its pages flapping like wings until it landed in her hands.
“See? It’s that easy,” Mallory said and winked at me.
“What kind of things do they keep in here? I mean, if you were doing research, what could you expect to find?”
“All kinds of things. It really just depends on what you’re looking for. Did you have something in mind?” Mallory asked.
I hesitated, unsure whether or not I wanted to tell Mallory about my past, but who else could I tell? She seemed to be a wealth of knowledge, and if anyone were going to help me find my family history, it would be her.
Besides, she hadn’t given me any reason not to trust her so far, so what did I have to lose?
“I see the cogs going in your head, there’s clearly something you're thinking about,” Mallory said.
“It’s my family. I don’t really know anything about them,” I said.
“How can you not know about your family?”
“It’s not hard to do when you grew up without knowing them,” I said, and Mallory’s face flushed.
“Sorry, I had no idea. I wasn’t trying to be mean,” she said.
“No, it’s fine. I’m used to that reaction,” I laughed.
I remembered Raina said something about the library housing historical records for families. Was it possible that my family history was hidden away inside one of the thousands of books in the library?
“I’d be happy to help you look if you’re interested,” Mallory said.
“Maybe some other time. We’ve got bigger witches to fly,” I said, and Mallory gave me the side eye.
“That was so corny it hurt,” Mallory said, and I snorted.
“Anyway, what was it you wanted to show me?” I asked.
“It’s about that book you found,” Mallory said, and my throat turned dry.
“What about it?”
“Just follow me,” Mallory said and led me further into the library. At the center of the circular room, which was so big I felt like I could easily get lost inside it, sat dozens of old, rickety wooden tables in neat rows. Oil lamps perched on the corners of each, and at the very back, the largest table’s surface wasn't visible thanks to the piles of books Mallory had loaded on it.
“Look at this,” Mallory said as she shoved several books out of the way and pointed at another lying open on the table. A hand-drawn graphic depicting a triangular formation of three teardrops stared up at me. My eyes went wide.
“That's the icon from Seth’s book! What did you find out about it?” I asked.
“It’s just a passing reference, but evidently, this shape is a logo that belongs to a group that called itself the Black Brotherhood,” Mallory said.
“The Black Brotherhood? Sounds ominous.”
“It does, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the group was bad,” Mallory said. “Lots of witches and warlocks choose names for groups like that to make themselves sound cool. I've stumbled across hundreds of similar groups since I started looking.”
“Not much has changed in hundreds of years, has it?” I asked, and Mallory smiled at me.
“I guess not.”
“Did you find anything else?”
“Only a bit. This book says the Black Brotherhood was formed in the early 1700s by a warlock named Erik Grimsbane to be a sort of fraternity for warlocks. Unfortunately, it doesn’t say more about the group, and I haven’t been able to find anything else yet.”
“It's still a good lead, and it sounds awfully familiar. Speaking of, guess who I talked to last night,” I said. Mallory crinkled her eyebrows at me.
“Who?”
“Nolan Grimm,” I said, and Mallory looked like she’d been electrocuted.
“What? How?”
“It’s a long story, but basically I tricked him with the charm of a golden retriever,” I said.
“I’m not even going to ask,” Mallory said, shaking her head. “What did he say?”
“Well, he confirmed that he started a group for the warlocks at Veilside, and now I’m wondering if the book he ga
ve Seth and his group are linked to this Black Brotherhood. Why else would Seth’s book have that teardrop formation on it?”
“I think that’s a safe bet. It couldn’t have been by accident; Nolan must know what it is,” Mallory said.
“Agreed. He also accused Jade Hallowell of reporting him for teaching students illegal magic, but Seth and Raina both told me it was Delia who did that,” I said.
“Weird. Why would he accuse Jade?”
“I don’t know, but I guess I need to talk to her,” I said. “Nolan said she’s quite ambitious, and he suspects she was trying to get him fired so she could take his job.”
“That's a pretty serious accusation,” Mallory said.
“I know, but I don't know what to make of it.”
“Well, you could ask her yourself,” Mallory said.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s here right now,” Mallory said. “The school might be closed, but because of her new promotion, she’s been hanging around trying to get things in order while the investigation is underway. Veilside has to re-open eventually, and it's going to need a Deputy Headmistress to help smooth things over when it does.”
“Where’s her office?” I asked, feeling a sudden burst of confidence. I had to talk to Jade now; otherwise I might not get another chance.
“It’s at the very top of the Aether tower, across from Raina’s,” Mallory said. “When Jade took Grimm’s job, his old office came along with it.”
“And you’re sure she’s there now?”
“As sure of anything,” Mallory said. “Give it a shot. I’ll see what else I can dig up on the Black Brotherhood, and I’ll keep an eye open for any mention of your family too.”
“Thank you, Mallory. That means a lot to me,” I said.
“That’s what friends do, right?” she asked, and I smiled.
Chapter Eleven
It was slow going to climb the Aether tower. There was probably some magical shortcut I didn’t know about, but eventually, I reached the tower’s peak winded and exasperated.
The sun’s rays poured in through tall, rounded triangle windows, forming a halo of light around the landing. Ten doors branched off in all directions, but the two at the north and south ends were decorated with ornate, golden frames appropriately designating the Headmistress and Deputy Headmaster. Evidently, the plaque hadn't been updated to reflect the office’s new resident.
Raina’s door was closed, but Jade’s was cracked. I walked over, straining to hear anything from inside, but nothing reached my ears other than a rustling of papers — until something clattered to the ground inside and Jade cursed.
“Professor Hallewell?” I called, and the noise from inside the room ceased.
“Yes? Who’s there?”
“It’s Zoe Clarke,” I said. Another muttered curse and Jade’s door flew open. A tall, stick figure of a witch stared down at me through wireframe glasses, her curly brown hair standing up in every direction like she’d stuck a fork in a toaster.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Clarke,” Jade said as she pushed her emerald robes up her forearms. Sweat dribbled down her forehead, and she blew her fried hair out of her face to get a better look at me.
“Sorry, did I come at a bad time?” I asked.
“No, not at all. I’m just moving my things from my old office into my new one, and it’s proving more difficult than I thought it would be thanks to all those stairs,” Jade said. “What are you doing here anyway? The school’s closed.”
“I know. I met a friend in the library with special admission from the Headmistress,” I said. I heard you were here, so I thought I’d introduce myself.”
“I see. Please, come in, have a seat,” Jade said and turned on her heel to walk back into her office. I followed and found it odd that for all the work she claimed to be doing, there wasn’t anything to show for it. No decorations hung on the walls, and the only desk in the room was heavily loaded with cardboard boxes.
Jade sat on one of the corners of the desk and gestured to the single chair in the room for me to sit. I lowered myself down into it and smiled at her. It was weird that she was so willing to talk to me — pretty much everyone else in town I’d cornered was immediately suspicious, and I couldn’t blame them for it. Speaking to a reporter was almost never an easy conversation for anyone.
“What did you need to talk about?” Jade asked.
“I wanted to ask you about Delia Frost,” I said. The smile Jade wore vanished.
“I'm not sure now is the best time to discuss Professor Frost,” Jade said, her mouth a thin line.
“Why not?”
“Because her murder is still under investigation and I don't think it's appropriate for me as Deputy Headmistress to comment,” Jade said. “I know you're a reporter, Miss Clarke.”
“I am, but that's not why I'm here. I wanted to talk to you about your personal relationship with her,” I said. “I have no problem considering everything off the record if that will make you more comfortable.”
“You won't attribute my name to anything?”
“Of course not. I'd be one shoddy reporter if I did,” I said. “But I'm not here as a reporter anyway, remember?”
Jade hesitated, and I could practically see the devil and angel on her shoulders trying to sway her one way or the other.
Eventually, she sighed and folded in on herself.
“Okay. It might be good for me to talk about things,” Jade said, and my heart rate doubled.
“What was Professor Frost like to work with?”
“Delia was always a delight,” Jade said, smiling.
“Really? I've heard you two had a bit of a rivalry going on. Is that true?”
“I wouldn't call it a rivalry, per se, but yes, we had a friendly competition as peers,” Jade said.
“What sort of things did you compete over?”
“Nothing material. Delia and I enjoyed pushing each other to be the best we could be, and that competition helped us improve in unmeasurable ways as instructors,” Jade said.
“It's always nice to have someone to motivate you to be better,” I said. Jade nodded, but her expression cracked.
“If I can be honest, I'm crushed over her death,” she choked, and my ears perked.
“I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to upset you,” I said — and I really wasn't. Jade reached under her glasses to wipe one of her eyes with a finger and shook her head.
“No, of course, you weren't. It's still so raw,” Jade said. “Delia was the center of gravity for the Academy, and without her here, it feels so empty. It's like everything has spun away.”
“I didn't know her well, but I can definitely see that being true,” I said.
“She and I were best friends outside of being colleagues. The news of her death knocked the air out of my lungs,” Jade said.
They were best friends? Why hadn't anyone mentioned that to me yet?
“I'm sorry,” I said.
Assuming Jade was telling the truth, I couldn't imagine how it must've felt to lose her best friend — and be promoted immediately afterward. Talk about bittersweet, especially if it was true Jade was competing with Delia for the promotion.
“So am I,” Jade said. “Things will never be the same without Delia.”
Whether that was for better or worse in Jade’s case, I couldn't say.
“If I'm asking too much, please let me know, but how did you find out about her death?” I asked.
“I was in my classroom, seemingly as always,” Jade chuckled. “When Raina made the announcement, I knew right away something awful had happened, but it wasn’t until later that evening that Raina told me the truth.”
“You didn't help Raina and the others search the Academy?”
“No. At the time, I wasn't a Head of any of the schools, so I stayed with my students to make sure they were safe,” Jade said. “But I heard you were the one who found Delia. Is that true?”
I hesitated. My presence at the crime scene wasn
't anything I could hide at this point, but I didn't want to give too much away. Besides, it was Jade who had questions to answer, not me.
“It is,” I said.
“Who do you think was behind it? Did you see anything?” Jade asked.
“Not really, no. Whoever did it was long gone by the time I got there,” I said. It wasn't the whole truth, but Jade didn't need to know that.
“That's too bad. If anyone could solve her murder, it would be you,” Jade said, smiling. I wasn't sure how to take the compliment. It wasn't a surprise that she knew about my work at the Messenger — everyone in town seemed to now — but I couldn’t tell if Jade was sincere.
“Thanks, I'm trying,” I said, returning her smile. “Speaking of, did Jade have any enemies? Anyone you can think of who might've wanted to hurt her?”
“I thought you said you weren't here as a reporter,” Jade said, though her smile broadened.
“Sorry. It’s hard for me to turn that part of my brain off fully,” I said.
“I understand. It’s the same thing for me with teaching,” Jade said. “But to answer your question, no, I don’t think she had any enemies — or at least not here at the Academy — but even if she had, it could only have been someone who had access to the school,” Jade said.
“You mean a teacher or student? Why?”
“Yes, or another staff member. Though Veilside is widely open to visitors, the doors into the school at large are all guarded by powerful spells that block anyone who isn’t a student or staff member from entering,” Jade said.
That didn’t shrink the suspect pool. Thousands of people attended or worked at Veilside and trying to figure out which one might’ve killed Delia was like trying to find a black cat in the dead of night.
“What about Nolan Grimm? I’ve heard rumors Delia was pursuing his job,” I said — I’d heard Jade was too, but I didn’t want to overdo it just yet. Jade frowned.