by D. J. Dalton
The last thing Briggs wanted to do was leave, but he raised a hand in farewell. “Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Bye, Briggs.” Keren’s voice followed him out the door.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Keren
Keren set the empty pizza box aside. She had coaxed Ordell into eating one piece. Other than that piece, she had eaten the entire pizza herself.
“I don’t know how you can eat so much.” Nadria sat cross-legged on the daybed.
Keren shrugged. “I don’t know.” This hadn’t been the typical stomach growling kind of hunger. Every part of her body cried out for food. She felt like she’d just climbed Mount Everest, twice. She sighed. Her body ached, especially her wrist. She hoped the ibuprofen kicked in soon.
“A magic attack at the hospital was all over the news this afternoon. Were you there when it happened?” Nadria asked.
“What? A magic attack? I heard nothing about that.” Ordell sat on the edge of the ottoman.
Keren’s heart pounded. Quinlin said there was an explosion. He didn’t mention a magic attack. But then, why would he? He knew no more than she did.
“Yes, I was there. It was confusing. And I don’t remember much.”
Nadria gasped, putting her hand to her throat. “Is your mom alright?”
“Yes, I spoke to her at the hospital after the explosion. And Briggs gave me an update tonight on her condition. He said she was doing great.”
“That’s good to hear.” Nadria frowned. “Hey, why are you wearing scrubs?”
Keren had no other clothes to change into after taking a shower, so she put the scrubs back on. She looked at Ordell. He raised his eyebrows, pricking his horse’s ears forward.
“It’s a long story. Can we talk about something else?” She wasn’t ready to talk about Quinlin.
Ordell turned to face her. “Do you know how your imaginary friends are coming to life? We’ve seen Four and Three.”
“I don’t know. They seem to show up when I’m desperate for something.” She would have been desperate to protect Mom from another attack. Did an imaginary friend come to help them? Could that be why she passed out?
“They used magic. So, that means you have magic.” Nadria grabbed a pillow, fluffing it in her lap. “The tea kept that magic shrouded.”
“What tea?” Ordell asked.
Keren reached for her backpack, digging down to the bottom to find the tea bin.
“Oh, no.” Her fingers picked up loose tea leaves at the bottom of her backpack. All the rough treatment today must have knocked the cover off the bin. She sprinkled the leaves into Ordell’s hand. Some missed, floating down to the floor and between Ordell’s legs.
“Why do you think your mom would want to keep your magic subdued?” He brushed the leaves off on his pants.
A chill ran down Keren’s spine. “Maybe it’s dangerous.” Mom thought it important. Even in her weakened state, Keren drank the tea. Her searching fingers found the tea bin. She pulled it out. The cover had popped off, and the bin had a large dent in the side.
“Oh, honey. I’m sorry. I know that was a special gift from your mom,” said Nadria.
“Here,” Ordell held out his hand, “let me see if I can fix it.”
Keren set it in his outstretched hand.
As he turned the bin over in his hands, they heard a clinking noise.
“Wait.” Keren examined the bin with him. “It looks like there are two compartments.”
Ordell pried the tin open enough to reach his fingers in the smaller area. He pulled out a key, half wrapped in a pile of gauze. “What do we have here?”
Keren caught her breath as her heart leaped into her throat. She racked her brain, trying to remember exactly what Mom said at the hospital.
“Mom said we have to stop them, and then,” she put her elbows on her knees, rubbing her temples, “something about information and not letting them have it.” Keren gasped, sitting up. “This is why she kept insisting the tea was important. She didn’t want me to drink it, she wanted me to find this key. She always said antiques hold the secrets to our souls.”
Nadria took the key. “What does it open?” She looked at Keren.
“I don’t know.” Keren’s eyes stayed glued to the key. She flipped through memories, looking for a time when Mom showed her a locked cabinet or box. Her eyebrows furrowed. She couldn’t come up with anything. “It could be something at the house, or maybe at Mom’s work.”
More secrets and surprises about Mom. She wondered if she knew her mom at all. A tear dripped down Keren’s cheek.
“It’s OK.” Nadria handed the key back to Keren. “You’re tired. You should get some rest.”
“No way I can sleep thinking about that key.” Ordell stood and paced the room. “If this has something to do with stopping the Dark Guild, we have to find what it opens.”
“We don’t know it has anything to do with the Dark Guild,” Nadria said. “Keren said her mom told her it was important. She didn’t say she mentioned the Dark Guild.”
“Not this time. But the first time I saw her with Briggs, she did. She told me to protect myself from the Dark Guild.”
Ordell clapped his hands together. “That’s it then. Whatever that key opens can bring the Dark Guild down.” His eyes sparked with anger and the need for revenge.
Something inside her agreed with Ordell. This key was vital to finding the answers they needed. Both to solve Broden’s murder and clear Mom’s name.
“We should go to my house. Tonight.”
Ordell stopped. “I thought the inquisitors had it barricaded as a crime scene.”
“They do.” She looked from Ordell to Nadria. “But we have to find what that key opens.”
Nadria stood, holding her palms out. “Hold on here. You are talking crazy. What we should do is turn this over to Briggs. Let the inquisitors handle this.”
A part of Keren clung to the idea her mom was framed, maybe by an inquisitor. She trusted Briggs but didn’t want someone desperate enough to use her mom as a scapegoat getting their hands on this key. This was her responsibility.
“No, we need to do this.”
Nadria threw her hands up in frustration. “Fine, I’m not letting you two out of my sight.”
Keren grabbed her backpack and headed to the door. When she opened it, Mr. Murphy stood on the other side.
“Papa Murphy.” Keren looked up into the man’s bloodshot eyes. “We’re…”
Mr. Murphy pushed his way into the room. “You’re going to find what that key opens. What you’re planning is dangerous.” Tears brimmed in his eyes. “Do you really think there’s evidence to stop the Dark Guild?”
Keren threw her arms around his waist. “I do, Papa.”
Mr. Murphy held his arms out, beckoning Nadria and Ordell to join the hug. “I love you all and I don’t want you to get hurt.” He squeezed them. “But the Dark Guild has to be stopped.” He kissed the top of their heads. “Please, be careful.”
“We will Papa.” Three voices chimed together.
They gave Mr. Murphy a kiss goodbye and ran out to Nadria’s car.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Quinlin
“Dan!” shouted Quinlin as he burst into the lab. Cool air did nothing to stop the inferno burning in his chest. The first meaningful breakthrough to completing his father’s dream now inhabited an inquisitor evidence room with its body beheaded. The cursed creatures were supposed to be unstoppable. It had to have been Dan’s mishandling of the cursed wolf that caused its demise.
He spotted Dan sitting on the platform. His body slumped forward as he rested his elbows on his knees while his dangling feet swung back and forth. The fifteen elite standing behind him had jumped at Quinlin’s voice, but Dan hadn’t moved.
While storming up to the platform, Quinlin continued his rant. “I want answers. How could this have happened?” After stopping in front of Dan, he stood in a wide stance with his fists on his hips. His nostrils flared as
he tensed his jaw, waiting for Dan’s reply.
“Another creature appeared. It was stronger than the cursed wolf.” His voice came out in a whisper.
Quinlin took a full breath, expanding his chest and holding it for a moment before responding. “That’s impossible.”
Dan remained slumped forward, avoiding eye contact.
While pointing to the floor, Quinlin commanded, “Stand up.” He felt a throbbing in the front of his forehead.
After sliding off the platform, Dan stood in the spot indicated by Quinlin’s finger, but his head remained tilted down.
When Quinlin moved to stand inches away from his lieutenant, he smelled the fear wafting around Dan’s body.
Through gritted teeth, Quinlin said, “Look at me.”
When Dan’s eyes met his, they grew wide and dilated. He visibly forced himself to swallow. With a trembling voice, words spilled from his mouth.
“It was that girl. The creature did what she told it to do.” He licked his lips. “Honest, Mr. Turner. Her creature was stronger than the cursed wolf. There wasn’t anything I could do.”
After Quinlin covered Dan’s face with his hand, his splayed fingers pressing into the skin, the babbling stopped. He’d heard news reports about a siting of this creature Dan referred to but, so far, he’d been unable to get details. The inquisitors kept that information confidential.
But this was too much of a coincidence. He released Dan’s face then turned, striding away from the arcanum who destroyed his triumph. With his hands behind his back, he paced the floor.
“What did she look like?”
“Um, well. She was a little shorter than me and had long, brown hair. Her skin glowed, and light showed in her eyes.”
Quinlin stopped pacing, taking a deep breath. Keren had somehow infiltrated the Dark Guild’s meeting. Questions swirled in his mind. If Dan was right and her creature had been stronger than the cursed wolf, then his plan to annihilate the shifters was threatened by this unknown force. He needed absolutes. His cursed creatures had to dominate. Without looking at Dan, he raised his arm, holding his palm toward him.
“Potestatenum.”
When the energy blast hit, Dan’s body exploded, sending bits of him flying in every direction.
After he heard a scream from the platform, he realized he’d forgotten about the elite. His eyes snapped to the group. They cowered together, bits of Dan splattered across their skin and clothing. Then Quinlin noticed one standing away from the rest, his shoulders pulled back and his chin high. He pointed at that elite.
“You.”
“Mr. Turner.” The elite took a step forward.
“You’re my new lieutenant.”
He lifted his chin higher as a half-smile appeared on his face. “Yes, Mr. Turner.”
“Follow me.” Quinlin stomped over to the shifter cages stacked against the wall. His new lieutenant running to catch up. Two cages were empty, but the other eighteen held shifters kidnapped in the raids.
“Do you know the magic distribution among these shifters?”
“Four water, six earth, and eight fire.”
Quinlin nodded. This elite made an acceptable lieutenant. The throbbing in his head subsided as his pulse and heart rate returned to normal. His mind shifted to the grimoire, mentally flipping through the pages, looking for how to make the cursed creatures stronger. Although not finding anything specific, his father had written a brief note regarding the shifter’s health and the quality of the life force extracted.
While rubbing his chin, he paced in front of the cages, processing his thoughts. Then he stopped, turning to his new lieutenant.
“I want two shifters used per siphoning curse. That should make them larger and stronger than the first cursed wolf.”
“That means four arcanum to cast the curse, correct?” responded the lieutenant.
“Use five to be certain of the curse’s potency.” Quinlin continued to ponder. Given the one-time use of the artifact, weaker arcanum would have to be brought into the elite group. “And two additional arcanum for the elemental magic curse.” That should be more than enough to successfully cast the curse.
Quinlin turned back to the cages as he waved his hand in a large sweep in front of them. “Use all the shifters, create nine cursed creatures.”
“Yes, Mr. Turner. Anything else?”
“Test the controlling spells. They may need multiple arcanum with the upgraded version of the cursed creatures.”
He turned back to his lieutenant, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Create the cursed wolf first. Then organize a live, public demonstration of its power.”
“Consider it done.”
Quinlin smiled, feeling better than he had all day. He headed toward the door. Then, without turning, shouted out a command.
“Oh, and clean up this mess.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Keren
Keren once again crouched in the bushes with a flashlight clenched in her hands. Only this time, the bushes were outside her own house. They left Nadria’s car at the gas station on the corner. The same one she paid penance at for shoplifting. She guided her friends through neighbors’ yards to avoid being seen.
“Is anyone patrolling?” Nadria whispered.
While craning her neck to view the back porch, she let out a breath. “No, I don’t see anything but the yellow barricade tape.”
“Do you think there are magic wards to trap intruders?” Nadria asked.
She never considered that. It made sense to use wards instead of guards. “What wards might they use?”
“Well,” Nadria contemplated for a minute, “there are wards that can alert someone up to one mile away if it’s broken.”
“The inquisitors’ station is farther than one mile,” Ordell said.
Nadria shifted closer to her, her voice quivering. “There’s a ward that’s like sticky fingers. Your feet get stuck to the ground if you step on it.”
She squeezed Nadria’s hand, trying to calm her nerves. “Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of,” Nadria hesitated, “but I’m not experienced with that type of magic.”
Ordell scooted in front of them. “I’ll go to the porch and try the door.”
He had been through enough. Keren wouldn’t let him risk getting arrested. “No. What if you’re caught?”
“Better one of us than all of us.” He smirked. “Besides, you can come up with a plan to rescue me if something happens.”
Keren took a deep breath, then plunked her house keys in his hand. “Text me when you’re inside.”
He saluted. “Yes, boss.”
She frowned, shifting to a new position. Ordell hopped on the porch, disappearing around the corner.
While holding her breath, she waited for something to happen, something to snap. Her phone buzzed with a text from Ordell.
“I’m in.”
They scrambled after him, entering the house.
Keren stiffened, looking around the room. Pots and pans littered the floor. Every cabinet stood open. Stunned, she continued into the living room. They tore the furniture to shreds, tables were busted, and lamp pieces lay scattered on the floor.
Emotion flooded her mind. She wasn’t able to tell one from the other: anger, pain, guilt, sadness, hopelessness. They rolled in a jumbled mess.
Nadria put a hand to her chest. “They destroyed everything.”
Keren gritted her teeth, fighting back tears. The Dark Guild arcanum took everything from her. Her Mom, her house, and possessions. She had to stop them.
“Let’s go to Mom’s office.” Keren headed down the hall.
After stepping into the office, she stopped in her tracks. The room was bare. Not a piece of furniture or even a scrap of paper remained. Black scorch marks ran up the wall. This must have had been where the attack happened. She ran to the closet, throwing the doors open. Mom’s jackets lay in a heap on the floor.
She bent to touch them, then realized they w
ere shredded to pieces. After collapsing on the floor, she pulled the scraps of her mom’s coat to her face. She smelled the faint scent of lilac, Mom’s favorite perfume. Her shoulders heaved from the heavy sobs. Everything released. She held nothing back.
Ordell and Nadria huddled around, crying with her. They let the stress, pain, and sadness from the last two days flow out of them.
When there were no more tears to shed, Keren wiped her face. She kissed her friends on the cheek and stood. “Wait for me here.”
She needed time alone, time to take in the state of her house, which mirrored the state of her emotions, broken and torn apart.
While wandering to the kitchen, she pulled the key out of her pocket.
“What do you belong to?” A misty One appeared, hovering in the doorway. His eyes locked with hers. She held up the key. “What does this open?” It did a somersault, then flew out of the kitchen.
Her heart raced as she bolted up the stairs after One. It flew into her room. She dashed in, finding it hovering over a broken pile of dressers and night tables where her bed should have been.
She sighed, dropping her shoulders. “This is my room, One.” Going to her closet, she rifled through the pile on the floor. At least they didn’t shred her clothes. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, trading out the scrubs. She turned to go. When something poked her in the back of the head.
“Ouch.”
She looked back, seeing One. Did it poke her with its tail? That hurt. Flying back to the center of the room, it landed on the splintered remnants of furniture.
A tingling sensation itched the hand holding the key. This might be crazy, but it was all she had. “Guys,” she yelled out the door. “I may have found something.”
After Ordell and Nadria joined her, she pointed to the pile of rubble. “What we’re looking for is there.”
Ordell’s face lit up. “Awesome. What are we looking for?”
She hesitated, considering the weight of their stare. The hopeful looks on their faces made her wish she had just ignored One.