by D. J. Dalton
Keren’s head spun, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Mom lay in the hospital, accused of using magic as a weapon. The black spots on her hands flashed in her mind. Nadria believed the tea was an herb that dampens magic. If Mom could use magic, does that mean she could, too? Briggs said it was hereditary. If that were true, why was Mom hiding it from her? Keren’s heart pounded as she ran through the scenarios. Afraid of what the answers might be, she changed the topic.
“I don’t know.” She grabbed the printouts. “Right now, we should focus on what we’re going to do about Broden. Let’s think this through.”
She paced the room, forcing the burning questions and doubts about Mom to the back of her mind.
“We can’t be sure this is actually Dan’s address. And we can’t be sure he isn’t a victim as well. If he is responsible for Broden’s disappearance, we’ll be putting ourselves in danger by just walking up and knocking on the door.”
Ordell paced the room, waving his hands in the same manner his dad did downstairs. “What other choice do we have other than just knocking on the door?” His eyes pleaded for answers.
Responding to an email was the safest thing to do. But Ordell had a point. They had to find Broden before something bad happened. Her chest tightened. Unless it already has.
“Dan doesn’t know we have his name and address. Since we know what he looks like, I say we wait outside this address to see if he really lives there.”
“What do we do if we find him?” Nadria asked.
Compared to a full-on confrontation or passively waiting for an email exchange, Keren considered breaking and entering the middle choice. She thought about Briggs. He risked so much for her already. She’d leave him as a backup plan. “We wait until the house is empty, then look around for answers.”
“You’re suggesting we break into someone’s house?” Nadria’s hands went to her chest, her voice raising an octave. “Isn’t there something else we can do?”
Ordell patted Keren’s shoulder. “Now, we’re getting somewhere.” Looking at Nadria, he gave her puppy dog eyes. “Please. Broden needs us.”
Nadria scowled. “Fine, but I don’t like it.”
“Alright.” Keren checked the time. It was 3:30 pm. They had plenty of time before it got dark. “Let’s head over to Dan’s.”
Chapter Fourteen
Briggs
“Why don’t you tell her how you feel?” asked Tabitha as she dropped money into the violin case of a street musician.
“Why don’t you drop the subject?” growled Briggs. He had invited Tabitha along to check out a tip on high-human siting in a predominately magical race neighborhood. Now, he regretted his decision.
“You two have been dancing around one another for years. Just tell the girl how you feel.”
“It’s complicated.” He hoped that answer would shut down this line of questioning.
“Not really. You’re in love with Keren, and she’s in love with you. What’s complicated about that?”
“Plenty. First, how do you know she’s in love with me? And second, I don’t want to chase my best friend away by spewing romantic notions she doesn’t share.” Heat crawled up his neck to his cheeks. This was the first time he ever verbalized his feelings for Keren.
Tabitha’s lower lip puckered out. “I’m hurt, I thought I was your best friend.”
Briggs rolled his eyes.
She laughed. “Believe me, I can tell by the way she looks at you.” Tabitha glanced at him. “And I can tell you already know, but won’t admit it, by the way you 're blushing.” She poked him in the ribs.
“I’m not blushing,” he snapped. “Can we drop the subject?”
“Fine.” Tabitha held up her hands. “But you better say something to her before someone snatches her away from you.”
Briggs pictured Keren laughing, her chestnut hair falling across her face while those dazzling silver eyes melted his heart. Ever since they met in sixth grade, he was hopelessly in love with her. He had done everything in his power to protect her through her wild high school years, and he planned to do everything in his power to protect her now.
He thought of the last time he saw her. It had torn him apart, leaving her at the hospital with Nadria. But he had a job to do, find and stop the Dark Guild. And now that job included helping to prove both Keren’s and her mom’s innocence.
“Here’s Janson’s,” Tabitha’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
When they entered the tavern, Briggs’ eyes had to adjust to the dim lighting. Music from seventies blared from the jukebox as two shifter couples danced in the middle of the room. Three wolf shifters were playing a game of pool, while five others mingled at cozy circular tables. Tabitha and Briggs approached the bar.
“Janson.” Briggs held out his meaty hand to the wolf shifter behind the bar whose hooked nose spoke to his years of working as a bouncer.
“Briggs.” Janson took his hand, giving it a brief shake. “Glad you came.”
“Anything for a friend. You playing bartender today?” Briggs gave Janson a slap on the arm before releasing his hand. “I thought the boss got to kick back and count the money.”
“Well,” a worried look passed over Janson’s face, “with everything going on, I’m having a hard time keeping my staff. No one wants to work at a shifter-owned business after dark.” His demeanor brightened as his eyes shifted to Tabitha. “And who’s your partner in crime?”
“This is Tabitha. Tabitha, this is my good buddy Janson.”
Tabitha smiled, nodding her head. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise.” His eyes checked her out. “I just wish it was under different circumstances.”
After giving him a wry smile, she asked, “Who reported the human activity?”
Briggs had worked with Tabitha long enough to know she let friendly flirting pass without comment. Only when guys became insistent did she start breaking bones.
Janson motioned with his head. “The guys at the pool table. I overheard them talking and thought I’d call Briggs.”
“Alright.” Tabitha tapped her hand twice on the bar. “I’m going over to have a chat.” She left Briggs and Janson alone.
Briggs set his elbows on the bar. “Hey Janson, does your brother Shawn still work at that defense law office?”
Janson started drying glasses. “You bet. He’s making pretty good money. What you did for him changed his life.”
“He was a good kid in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Yeah.” Janson set the towel down and pointed at Briggs. “But you cared enough to notice and save him from a life of being shuffled in and out of prison.” Tears welled in his eyes.
“Like I said, he’s a good kid.” Briggs leaned forward, talking in a hushed tone. “Janson, I need a favor.”
“Sure, what is it?” Janson frowned, matching Brigg’s tone.
“Can I have a pen and paper?”
Janson shuffled around under the bar, finding a pen but no paper, so he tore a sheet from his order pad. “Here you go.”
“Would you give Shawn this information and ask him to call Keren Stewart as soon as possible? She and her mom are in serious legal trouble and are short on cash. Tell him to send any bills to me.” Briggs wrote Keren’s contact information, then slid the paper back to Janson. “I need any connection between Keren and me to be confidential.” He stared Janson in the eyes, knowing he would pick up on the meaning. Briggs could lose his job, or go to jail, for trying to help someone accused of being an arcanum.
Janson nodded. “Yeah. Sure thing.” After looking at the paper, he folded it in half then put it in his pocket. “No problem.”
Before Briggs could thank him, an energy blast crashed through the front window.
His reflexes had him sailing over the bar, tackling Janson to the ground. Alcohol and shattered glass rained down on them.
“Stay down,” Briggs ordered. While crouched, he made his way to the end of the bar. He grabbed h
is radio, calling into dispatch. “I need backup at Janson’s bar on South Court Avenue. Sorcerer attack in progress.”
Another blast flew into the building, exploding on the jukebox. Briggs shielded his face from the flying metal fragments while trying to scan the room, searching for Tabitha. He spotted her hunkered down behind the pool table. One of the wolf shifters crouched with her. The other two lay lifeless on the ground. The impact of the blast had torn off the arm of one and half the face of the other.
The blasts now came in rapid succession, causing smoke and debris to fill the room. Briggs used the army crawl to make his way over to Tabitha. Blood flowed down the side of her face from a deep cut above her eye.
“I’ve called for backup,” Briggs shouted over the explosions.
Tabitha nodded, then tapped on his arm, pointing to the door. Two sorcerers stepped over the rubble into the tavern. The one in back continued the rapid energy blast fire while the one in front focused on blasting the heads off any shifters they found.
A fireball shot out from behind the bar.
Briggs’ heart pounded. He had told Janson to stay down. The front sorcerer threw up his hands, creating a shield right before impact. The fireball disintegrated when it struck the shield. Now, the sorcerers focused on Janson’s location.
“I have to save Janson,” Briggs said to Tabitha. “Cover me.” He reached into his belt, pulling out two gold disks, attaching one to each palm.
She nodded, then pressed her hands onto the floor, letting out a guttural yell. Tree roots shot up from the floor like giant hands. The front sorcerer cast their shield spell, but not in time to save them both. Roots wrapped themselves around the rapid-fire sorcerer, binding his arms to his sides.
“One down, one to go,” said Briggs, as he raced forward. When the sorcerer dropped his shield to shoot, Briggs leaped onto the bar, then sprung to the wall behind the bar. While using the wall as a springboard, he dive-rolled over the energy blast.
When his shoulder hit the ground, he directed roots to weave together, blocking the next blast. As the roots shattered into pieces, he jumped, clinging to the ceiling rafters over the arcanum’s head. The arcanum had a confused look on his face. He clearly hadn’t seen Briggs move.
With an immense push, Briggs propelled himself in a back arch from the rafters, extending his hands toward the arcanum’s wrists. As Briggs’ hands closed around their target, gold cuffs snapped in place, halting the arcanum’s ability to wield magic. Briggs heard the arcanum’s ribs crack as his full weight crashed down on him.
Sirens blared outside. With a moan, Briggs lifted himself off the arcanum. He coughed, trying to clear the smoke from his lungs. Then he remembered Janson.
“Janson,” shouted Briggs. “Are you OK? Where are you?” He ran to the bar, hopping on top. He saw Janson crouched down with his hands over his head. Blood dripped from several wounds made by the broken glass. He looked up at Briggs, his face pale and eyes wide.
“Is it over?”
Briggs jumped behind the bar. “Yeah, it’s over.” He held out a hand, helping Janson to his feet.
“I couldn’t just sit here and let them kill everyone.” He reached under the bar, pulling out a beer. “You want one?” He offered the bottle to Briggs.
“No, but next time when I say stay down. Stay. Down.”
“Hey,” Tabitha ran up, “are you guys alright?”
“We’re fine.” Briggs clapped Janson on the back. Then he looked around at the bodies. His nostrils flared as he ground his teeth. More senseless deaths.
Brigg’s squad flooded into the tavern. When Office Jordon spotted Briggs, he ran over.
“Captain, what happened?”
“Janson’s tavern was attacked by these two arcanum.” Briggs pointed at the man being held by the roots and the one in handcuffs on the floor. “At least this time we caught the assailants.” This might get the Chief of Police off his back for a while.
Medics came in behind the inquisitors, pulling the deceased shifters from the wreckage. A shout came from the corner by the pool table.
“I have one alive.” Two medics scrambled in that direction.
Briggs looked at Tabitha. Her eye had swollen shut. “You need to get that looked at.”
She nodded. “How about you drive me to the hospital? The car’s only a few blocks away and you look like you need a break.”
Briggs watched his squad move with practiced precision. They could handle this without him. “Deal.” He turned to Officer Jordon. “Jordon, I’m leaving you in charge.”
“Yes, Captain,” he responded.
Chapter Fifteen
Keren
Ordell borrowed his dad’s white 1997 Ford Ranger. They squeezed into the single bench seat. Nadria sat in the middle, her legs cramped against the gearshift. A torrential downpour escorted them most of the way to Dan’s house. Typical of Florida’s weather, the brief afternoon shower left behind sticky, humid air.
Keren pointed out the windshield. “That’s the house.”
The chipped paint and unkempt hedges of the two-story beige house matched the rest of the neighborhood. One of the front downstairs windows had been boarded up. Beater cars sat in front of every third or fourth house.
She shifted in her seat. Something told her they shouldn’t be here. As she reached over to push down the manual lock, Three appeared in the truck bed.
Ordell slowed down.
“Don’t park in front of his house.” Nadria pointed at a house across the street and a few doors down. An old-fashioned sprinkler, the type that had a metal arch that oscillated from side to side, watered the weed-infested lawn. The owner must have been oblivious to the rainstorm minutes before. “Park by that house.”
Ordell drove past Dan’s house, banging a U-turn at the next intersection. The truck made a grinding noise as he forced it into second gear. They all winced at the sound.
Keren looked up and down the street. The noise had caught the attention of a couple of guys standing on the street corner. Their tank tops showed off arms with muscles that only came from hours in the gym.
Her first instinct told her to have Ordell keep driving and leave the neighborhood. But given his stubborn streak, she didn’t think he’d listen to her, anyway.
They weren’t private detectives, and the thought of getting caught, or worse, made her heart pound. She considered calling Briggs. But what did she expect him to do? Help them break into Dan’s house? She was letting her nerves get the best of her. This was their best chance to find out what happened to Broden.
Ordell set the parking brake. “Sorry.”
“I don’t like this.” Nadria slouched in the seat. Her voice quivered. “We shouldn’t be here.”
Ordell reached behind the seat, pulling out a worn blanket. “Cover up with this.”
They helped Nadria drape the blanket around her, leaving her worried face peering out through a small hole. He put his arm around her shivering body, pulling her close.
“You’ll be alright.”
Keren wasn’t so sure. A shifter and a puca could turn heads in the wrong neighborhood. She hadn’t thought about that. What else hadn’t she thought about before masterminding this scheme?
Movement drew her attention to Dan’s house. Someone stepped out the door. She grabbed Dan’s picture, holding it up. He could be the same guy. It was hard to tell at this distance.
Ordell snatched the picture from her hand. His face pressed against the side window. “That’s him.” He reached for the door handle.
Keren lunged across the truck, grabbing his arm. “Wait! You can’t let him spot you.”
“I need to talk to that creep.” He tugged at Keren’s grip.
“Please, no,” Nadria’s small voice emanated from the blanket. “We’re not supposed to confront him.”
He relaxed his grip on the door handle. He peeked into the blanket’s opening. His ears flicked back and forth. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
; A bold promise. Keren watched Dan turn the corner at the end of the street and disappear from view. A prickly sensation crawled in her skin. Something seemed off.
Ordell looked up and down the street. “Did you see where he went?”
“He just turned the corner.” Her mouth became dry. They should leave now while they had the chance.
“Let’s go.” Ordell stepped out of the truck.
“Nadria can’t go.” Keren glared into Ordell’s eyes. “Can’t you tell she’s scared?”
“She can stay in the truck.” He looked at Nadria. His tone softened. “Lie down on the seat and lock the doors.”
Something tugged at the back of Keren’s mind that Nadria shouldn’t stay alone in the truck. But she shouldn’t let Ordell go into the house alone either. “How do you know someone else isn’t inside?”
“That’s what I plan to find out.” He pushed the lock down and slammed the door.
Keren watched him trot across the street. The hair on the back of her neck stood up.
“You can’t let him go alone. I’ll be fine here.” Nadria curled up on the seat.
“We’ll be right back. Call if you need us.” She got out of the truck, locking the door behind her.
While glancing at Three in the truck bed, she thought about earlier when Ordell saw Four at the café and then Two at his house. What if her imaginary friends were real?
Keren jumped, hearing a loud bang come from the direction of Dan’s house.
She ran across the street to Dan’s house, keeping her voice low. “Ordell, where are you?” More banging drew her attention to the line of trash cans against the house. Two of them were on the ground with their contents spilled. She noticed a black cat step away from the mess. “What are you doing?”
Ordell changed back into his human form. While wiping grime off his hands, he pointed to a window. “I tried to jump to that windowsill, but I slipped.”