Harley Merlin 11: Finch Merlin and the Lost Map

by Forrest, Bella

  Etienne shrugged. “It’s hard to say. He has kept away until now, but he will need to find support now that Katherine is gone. And I do owe him my life, so I suppose that makes me an obvious port of call. Former friendships die hard, when that debt of gratitude lies between two people.” He paused. “Part of me is interested in finding out what he wants, and part of me is fearful. He may want to cash in on the favor I owe him. I suppose that is the nature of a debt. They must be paid.”

  “Would you like me to post monks on the perimeter, Mr. Biset, so you can be informed immediately if Davin arrives?” the monk asked.

  Etienne nodded. “Yes, I think that would be best.”

  “Would you like me to post monks at Finch’s door, too?”

  Etienne tilted his head. “No. I don’t think that will be necessary… just yet. Keep watch over him, and I will do the same. It may be coincidence, and with a skillset like his, I wouldn’t want to chase him away if nothing untoward is going on. That said, if my suspicions grow, I may have to take matters into my own hands, to protect the monastère and everything I have gathered within these walls.”

  Huh? I had to get this straight. So Davin and Etienne were friends once, and Etienne owed him his life. And he had a debt to pay, which might bring Davin here? That was confusing and worrying enough. But where had Etienne gotten all his intel from? How did he know about Erebus’s recent transformation? Had gossip spread that fast?

  More importantly, I’d somehow ended up in Etienne’s firing line, thanks to my servitude to Erebus. He didn’t trust the lies I’d told. That put me in an awkward position.

  Now, I had to worry about Davin trying to break in to see his old pal, and deal with Etienne’s suspicion. Man, if Davin and Etienne started working together… that spelled mega trouble for me—a Necromancer teaming up with a former assassin. At this point, I would’ve given my left eyeball to go back to treasure hunting across the globe. That had been simple by comparison.

  Tomorrow morning, I would start training to become a mapmaker. And if Etienne found more reasons to think I was a risk to his little domain, he could easily use that training as a ploy to kill me. But it wasn’t like I could just run off and ditch this whole thing. If I failed, Erebus would hang me out to dry.

  “Don’t you think a Child of Chaos would be more obvious?” The monk’s voice brought me back from my despair.

  Etienne sighed. “Unfortunately, no. Some have always sought to meddle in the human world. They are slyer than you would think, and a Shapeshifter is the ideal candidate.”

  The monk nodded. “I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

  “There is a reason the Children have been separated from the mortal realm for so long. It is unnatural for Erebus to wield such power, and it can only spell trouble for our monastery. If Finch harbors any such motives in being here… I will be forced to eliminate the threat.” Etienne stared dead ahead, making me reel back from the door.

  Did he see me?

  He made no move to stand or call me out, but it was all the warning I needed. I was pushing my luck. I tiptoed away, trying to ignore the chills bristling through me.

  I was trapped in this monastery with no way out. It was getting clearer by the second that I might not leave alive, if Etienne found out why I was here. “Eliminate the threat” didn’t sound like I’d get a slap on the wrist and be let go. And, if he did decide to eliminate me, nobody would ever know where I’d disappeared to.

  Eleven

  Kenzie

  We burst out of a portal. The millionth one today. That’s what it felt like, anyhow.

  Erebus had me on a wild goose chase, and all I could do was follow. Mom needed this. Inez needed this. I needed this. I’d gotten one of the guys from the corner to watch the apartment, but Mom wouldn’t wake for a long time. Maybe not until morning. I felt bad I couldn’t keep my promise to my sister, though. She’d get home, see me gone, and be disappointed. But I’d make up for it by curing Mom.

  You hear that, Ezzie? When I come home, I’ll have good news.

  We’d spent the last few hours portaling. It took some getting used to. Portal travel was pretty new to me, and portal sickness was definitely a thing. I’d had to stop a few times to catch my breath, or else I’d have emptied my stomach. Erebus gave me some dumb, impatient stare every time, but at least he didn’t have vomit on his slick shoes.

  “Where are we?” I stooped again. I had that spit in my mouth—the kind that came right before barf.

  “Just outside Shreveport,” Erebus replied.

  “It’s baking hot out here.” I squeezed my eyes shut, desperate for this feeling to pass.

  He chuckled. “We are in Louisiana. And, you’ll be pleased to know, this is our final destination.”

  “Huh?” I peeked out one eye. We stood in some random field. Nothing as far as the eye could see, except one dingy, janky warehouse up ahead. Erebus had been following a tracking spell through these pain-in-the-ass portals. More than once, I’d wondered if he was just yanking my chain to make it look like he was helping. Then, he could turn around and say, “Well, I tried. Sorry. Now it’s time for you to do what I want.”

  I trusted gang members just enough. Erebus was in the same category.

  “This is our final destination,” he repeated.

  “What is?”

  “That is.” He pointed to the crusty warehouse.

  I shook my head. “Nah, that can’t be right. Look at it. There’s nobody there.” The sun had set, leaving the moon to illuminate this dump. There were no lights on. It probably didn’t even have power. Whatever this place used to be, it didn’t look like anyone had used it in a long time. The door hung from its hinges, and wooden slats were missing from the boarded windows.

  “The spells don’t lie, Kenzie.” Erebus peered at the warehouse. “This is where the spellcaster is hiding.”

  “I swear to Chaos, if you’re messing with me, you won’t like pissed-off Kenzie,” I warned.

  He smirked. “Haven’t we already met?”

  “Fine, super-pissed-off Kenzie.” I folded my arms across my chest. This hoodie wasn’t meant for so much humidity. Sweat dripped off me.

  “Shall we?” Erebus stepped forward.

  “Hang on a sec. How do I know I’m not walking into some trap?”

  “You aren’t important enough for me to lay a trap,” he replied. “And why would I trick you when you have already agreed to do my bidding?”

  I shot him a scowl. “Why’d you have to put it like that? If you want to pass as a human—which, let’s face it, is going to be pretty hard when you look like that—you need to ease off on the fancy talk. And I don’t like the way that sounds. We’re in a deal. I’m not your slave. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Equals.”

  “Equals?” Erebus laughed so hard I thought he might bust a button.

  I glared harder. “You’re in a human body now. So, yeah, equals.”

  “You are funny. A different sort of amusing than Finch. Who knew there could be so many varieties of humor? This human endeavor is very enlightening.” His laughter faded. “Now, shall we proceed?”

  “In a minute. First, I want to know what this is going to cost me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to change anything, but I deserve some facts.” I held my ground. “What is it you need from me, after this?”

  He flicked his wrist. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to give you more information. I made that error with Finch, not giving him enough information while I had the opportunity, and now I’m contending with the consequences.” He heaved a reluctant sigh. “Which, incidentally, is where you come in. There are a few limitations to this body—minor ones, but inconvenient nonetheless.”

  “Will you be getting to the point sometime soon?”

  He cast me a steely look. “Remember what I said about squandering my tolerance.” He turned back toward the warehouse. “I’m having trouble communicating with Finch. I took him to a secret monastery and managed to deposit him the
re, but I haven’t been able to resume a connection with him. I attempted and failed, thanks to the fortifications put in place by the owner of the monastery. My powers are restricted by this form, making it almost impossible to reach Finch.”

  “Why’s he at a monastery? That doesn’t sound like your kind of thing.”

  “It goes by the name Mapmakers’ Monastery.”

  “Uh-huh. Is that supposed to mean something to me?” I waited for an explanation.

  Erebus stiffened, apparently embarrassed by his next words. “I’ve sent other servants into the monastery, and all have failed in the art of map-making. Finch is unlike my former servants. He is more capable, and he is much, much stronger. Still, that is no guarantee of success. From those previous attempts, I learned more about the process. Now, I know enough to guide Finch and help him succeed where the others did not. But, in order to aid him, I need to be able to communicate with him. Obviously.”

  “Still not getting where I fit in.” I tapped my foot.

  “You will go there for me, using your Morph ability, to guide him,” he replied. “A magical without your skills might have problems breaking through the monastery’s defenses, but a small creature should have no issue. That is why you are the only one who can do this for me.”

  “Why didn’t you just say that at the start?” I’d been expecting something way worse, but this project sounded pretty dope. Breaking into some secret monastery to help out my pal… I’d have agreed a hell of a lot quicker if Erebus had said so upfront. This way, I got to help Mom and Finch. Since he was one of the few people I called friend, it sort of felt like my duty or something.

  He frowned. “You like the idea?”

  “Like’s a strong word. But it’s not as bad as I thought it might be.” There would be risks, but it wouldn’t be my first rodeo. I’d dealt with powerful magicals and places, back when I used to trade in stolen magical goods. I didn’t do that anymore, but I still had a knack for getting around magical defenses.

  “Mortals continue to surprise me,” Erebus mumbled.

  “Hey, you’re one of us now. Better get used to our quirks.” I took a deep breath. “Are we doing this or not?”

  “You were the one holding us back,” Erebus retorted.

  “Well, I’m not anymore. So, lead the way.”

  I stayed behind him as he set off toward the warehouse. I figured a Child of Chaos in any form was a pretty good shield, if anyone jumped out of this dive.

  The stench of rotting wood and rusty metal hit me in the nostrils as we got closer. It looked dark inside.

  Following Erebus, I slipped through the gap in the broken-off door. There was nothing inside. Literally nothing. No old machines, not even a crushed beer can or a cigarette butt. No graffiti, either. That’s weird… Even though it looked empty now, somewhere like this should’ve had a hint of bored teenagers or some evidence of passing drifters looking for a spot to lay their heads for the night. The absence of anything like that felt wrong. I lived in a derelict apartment block. I knew what an abandoned warehouse should look like.

  Erebus put his hand out, and the air shimmered. I waited for alarm bells or sirens, but they didn’t come. No snarling guard dogs, either. Erebus knew what he was doing. He tore open a hole in the shimmering forcefield and stepped inside. I followed him, heart in throat. This didn’t feel like a safe thing to be doing.

  Beyond the forcefield, which I guessed was some kind of interdimensional pocket, the warehouse gave way to a makeshift apartment. So, there is someone home. They’d just hidden themselves away, off grid, so nobody could find them. Especially magicals. I could tell that from the symbols that glinted on the inside of the forcefield. Erebus had untangled one of them like a pro, giving us access without alerting anyone. At least, that’s what I hoped he’d done. Wouldn’t have wanted to give this punk a heads-up.

  A big table sat in the middle of the apartment, covered in Voodoo stuff—dolls, pins, knives, books, bowls full of gloopy liquid that looked a lot like blood. Smears of red stained the table’s surface, and one of the knives had rust-colored flakes coming off it. The books were worse. The covers looked… fleshy. Like old skin left to prune in the sun.

  Bookshelves were set up all over the apartment, stacked with the creepy, fleshy books. Paintings and drawings mapped out the human body.

  The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. What has this spellcaster been doing? I didn’t want to think about it too much. But one look at the smeared table was all I needed to get the picture.

  “Can you sense them?” I whispered.

  Erebus shook his head. “No.”

  Keeping my eye on the warehouse door, I started to explore. Mangled bits of meat and bloodied animal fur lay in a bucket on the floor. The smell turned my stomach. So did the maggots wriggling around in there.

  Pinned to the makeshift walls were dried-out lizards and gigantic moths with holes in their wings, the bodies decaying. Everywhere I turned, I saw more death and decay. Creatures, some rotted way beyond identification. And all of it was mixed in with ordinary, domestic stuff. A kettle, a toaster, plates and cups, and a small generator.

  I stopped in front of one of the bookshelves. A photo, no frame, leaned against the spines. A familiar face stared back at me. One I hadn’t seen in person for years. The last time was at the magical army base, before he stepped through a mirror to Iraq. I’d clung to him so hard, Mom had to tear me out of his arms in the end. I remembered crying all the way back to our house. The one we gave up after he died and Mom got sick.

  Why is there a photo of my dad here? The guy next to him had thrown his arm around my dad’s shoulders, both of them in full uniform. They smiled like nothing could hurt them.

  I looked along the line of books and saw white edges sticking out. I reached for one and tugged out another photo. This one showed my parents, with the same guy jumping behind them. They were all laughing, the camera catching the exact moment Mom and Dad had turned to look at this man. Fear smacked me in the gut.

  Frantic, I searched the books, pulling out every tucked-away photo. There were pictures of me and my sister, much younger, playing in the garden of our old house. Birthday parties, Christmases, Thanksgivings, all the family affairs, and this guy was in them all. And one unaware image of me crossing the road in front of our current apartment. The kind of photo you saw in creepy stalker movies. There were photos from the hospital, too, during some of my mom’s worst relapses. I wasn’t in those. They were just pictures of Mom, asleep in the hospital bed.

  What the—!

  I reached for another photo, and a creeping sensation edged up my spine. My head whipped around on instinct. A man emerged from the darkness at the end of the makeshift apartment, from behind a rotting wooden post.

  He lifted his hands, and red tendrils shot out, lightning-fast. He said something, too, but I didn’t understand the language. I’d heard Marie Laveau speak Haitian Creole, but this wasn’t it. The only words I picked out were, “Sisan, sisan,” before the tendrils tunneled into my chest.

  Pain ripped through me like a thousand shards of glass jabbing into me at once. I screamed and sank to my knees. I tried to fight it, but I couldn’t control my body. My blood was screaming too. I didn’t know how, but it was. As if it wanted to tear right out of my veins.

  Darkness threatened. The curse was about to pull me under, but I couldn’t let it. I couldn’t. If this guy was more powerful than Marie Laveau, then I didn’t want to be unconscious around him.

  Hold on… just… keep your eyes open.

  Twelve

  Kenzie

  “Erebus!” I screamed.

  He was my only shot at surviving this. It was killing me from the inside out. My blood burned; my skin felt white-hot. Tears streamed down my cheeks. Angry, painful ones, with a few bitter ones thrown in. If I died here, who’d tell Inez and Mom what happened to me? I couldn’t rely on Erebus for that. He’d just as likely sweep me under the rug and forget about me.

>   I forced my head to twist around. Erebus stood in front of the smeared table. He looked worried. Red tendrils hurtled at him from the grim stranger. The same stranger from all those photos. The strands hovered a moment, sniffing Erebus out like a cautious dog. As if they weren’t quite sure they were allowed to strike.

  What the hell was taking him so long?

  “Erebus!” I rasped, desperate. He might’ve been in a human body, but he couldn’t be that limited… could he? Beneath all that night-black skin, he was still a Child of Chaos. The Child of Darkness. Voodoo played into his skillset; he’d told me so himself. So why wasn’t he doing something?

  The red tendrils sniffed him out some more. A moment later, they seemed to decide that they could get involved. With sparks of scarlet flying, they rammed into his chest. Erebus’s eyes widened in surprise as he glanced down.

  Yeah, they’re attacking you, you moron!

  I struggled to blink, my eyes blurring. The pain heightened, rising up my throat and threatening to close it altogether. Someone might as well have lit a match under me—every piece of me felt like it was on fire, and every breath got harder to take. If he didn’t hurry, I’d pass out. It took all the fight I had left just to cling to consciousness.

  Erebus’s eyes darkened, if that was even possible. He shot a terrifying glare at the stranger.

  “Dedere. Nigrante supervenit aestu. Veni ad me. Frange eo. Qui non cadunt. Et omnia quæ habebat. Veni ad me. Nigrante supervenit aestu. Fiat fluctus influunt. Quod creatio de tenebris ego adsum. Hoc faciunt. Dedere!” Erebus’s voice came from the shadows all over the apartment in a deafening roar. Even this asshole had the decency to look afraid.

  A dark cloud swelled overhead. It started small and expanded outward. The spellcaster muttered more of his Voodoo under his breath. Red light swirled around him and careened upward to combat the gathering storm. The Darkness swallowed it up, smothering the red sparks until they disappeared. That didn’t stop the mysterious man. He kept muttering, clearly panicked now. But he’d pushed Erebus’s buttons, and there was no escaping the Child of Darkness.