by Tara Lain
Hillebrand’s office was located between where Jazz was hidden and where the exit portal was located. His door stood ajar. Dash rapped his knuckles against it. “Professor? Are you there?”
Voices rumbled inside, and then the door swung open. Hillebrand looked quizzical but not angry. “Hello, Dash. Can I help you?”
Dash glanced past him. Warden and Professor Sing sat in front of Hillebrand’s desk. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I was taking a chance you might be working late. I wasn’t able to sleep and was going to try out some new spells on the course. I thought you could recommend the ones you feel will be most useful.” He opened the book and pointed to the index of spells. Hillebrand looked down at it. Hopefully that created a moment for Jazz to run by. Dash said, “But I’ll save it for tomorrow so I don’t interrupt you.” He waved a hand at Warden. “Hi, Vice Chancellor. Couldn’t sleep. I guess I got kind of upset.”
Hillebrand frowned. “Oh, what’s the problem?”
Dash turned his lips up slightly. “Nothing now. Vice Chancellor Warden’s taking care of it for me.” Hillebrand looked back toward Warden. Dash said, “Apologies again. I’ll see you in the morning.” Hopefully, that was enough of a distraction. Dash turned and walked down the hall in the opposite direction from the portal.
“Dash?”
Dash turned as Hillebrand jogged to him. “I think it’s best if you focus on your battling skills and perhaps some new capabilities, such as invisibility. Leave the teleportation until we can work together. It’s too risky to do on your own.”
“Oh, yes, sir. I figured that. I can work on invisibility. Is that one of your powers as well?”
“Uh, yes, actually, by gift of the goddess.” He smiled but didn’t manage to look humble.
A cold chill ran up Dash’s back. Man, talk about your close calls. Somehow he needed to let Jazz know that his guess had been correct so Jazz didn’t take chances.
“And remember, you aren’t going to call me sir anymore.” He smiled and it was allover smarmy.
Dash looked at the floor. “Uh, yes, Brand, but I realize that I’ve never told you an important thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I have a boyfriend, and I committed to him before I came to Arcantaria. Even if I decided to change my pledge, I can’t do it until I’m able to see him again. Otherwise I’d break my word, which would be very bad for my magic.” Dash glanced up with purposefully wide eyes. “Not that I’d presume any interest on, uh, anyone’s part, but that’s my situation.”
“I see.” Hillebrand didn’t look happy, but the fact that breaking your word dulled a mage’s magic was simple truth. He cleared his throat. “But you still shouldn’t be calling me sir. It makes me feel old.” He squeezed out a smile.
“Not you, Brand. Never.” He held up the book. “Thank you for the guidance.” He waggled his fingers and ran toward the staircase. I wonder where Jazz is now?
JAZZ TROTTED across the street in the dark toward the arch in the middle of the square. He had to make a fast dash when a taxi came at him full speed. Forgot he was invisible.
Under the arch, he wandered around flailing his arms, trying for some difference in the texture of the air. Nada. Damn. Of course it was the middle of the bloody night. He knew because he was so tired it felt like he’d been up for a week rather than one day. Nobody’s coming through here tonight.
Jazz took off at a greater than human speed since no one could see him anyway. Wonder if I can make my wolf invisible? Probably better not try. Part of the reason for his being so tired was likely the fact that he was maintaining his hold on the invisibility. He’d like to become visible and pick it up again when he got to the apartment, but he was so tired, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to generate the energy to get the invisibility back.
At his superhuman speed, he made it to the apartment in less than twenty minutes. He stood and stared at the door. Uh-oh. When he became invisible, everything touching his body disappeared as well. He could take off his shirt and throw it on the grass and it would be visible, but holding his key in his hand meant it would stay unseeable. Tricky.
He tiptoed up to the front door, felt the keyhole with the fingertips of one hand and tried to get the invisible key into the lock. After a few tries, he managed to do it. His hand hovered over the door latch.
If someone was waiting inside, they’d see the door open and he’d be toast, even if they couldn’t see him. Jazz listened intently. No real sound. But it was like the air held its breath. He raised his shoulders in a shudder. Something’s wrong.
He stepped back from the door. Is there some other way to get inside? It was so late the chances of somebody coming to the door were slim.
Jazz tiptoed back into the bushes. He pulled out his phone and softly snorted when it wouldn’t even unlock. Physical objects might operate while invisible, but apparently, software didn’t agree.
Okay, get on with it. Focused in his chest, he released the heat, the fire, and sensed his body becoming more—solid, for lack of a better word. As soon as he was pretty sure the invisibility was gone, he hauled out the phone. Sure enough. Worked fine. He texted, You there? I’m outside. Invisible. Or was. But pretty sure someone’s inside and will see door open. Need another way.
It took a minute before a reply came. Invisible?!
Later.
Come back to door.
OK.
Yeah, okay, if he could get invisible again. He focused behind his breastbone and pictured the fire. A wave of exhaustion poured over him like a waterfall. Come on. You’re a damned werewolf mage. You’ve got more energy than Kilauea.
He tried again, and this time the heat built like he’d turned on an old heating pad, but at least it was there. Finally he managed to really center his thoughts and watched them turn to feelings. As the fire rose, his brain said, Invisible.
The tingle began and spread. Good. He didn’t have anyone to test it on, but he was pretty sure that most people wouldn’t be able to see him. He glanced at his phone. No reception. With a deep breath, he stepped out of the bushes and walked to the front entrance. The door opened.
Carla stood there. She was looking over her shoulder. “Would you hold the door for me, please? I left my key upstairs, and I don’t want to be locked out. I’ll only be a minute.” She ambled out the door and sauntered to a newspaper kiosk on the street.
Jazz ran to the door. Sure enough, there stood one of the guys who’d been with Micel, holding it open for Carla. He slipped inside, being careful not to brush against the dude, then raced up the stairs on wolf-soft feet.
Behind him he heard Carla saying, “Thanks a lot. I had to get this catalog. There’s a sale in it I need a coupon for.”
“It’s the middle of the night, cutie.”
Jazz stopped and padded back down to be sure nothing, but nothing, happened to Carla.
She said, “Yeah. I couldn’t sleep. I had to get this coupon because I’m going to be at the sale as soon as they open.”
He chuckled. “You’re crazy.”
“Yep. Crazy for shoes.” She waved at him and took off up the stairs.
Jazz turned and ran to their floor. As he reached the landing, he stopped so fast his feet should have made sparks. There stood Odan, dressed in sweatpants, a short-sleeved T-shirt, and flip-flops, looking out his apartment door.
Damn. He hadn’t even been real careful of the noise. Fortunately, Carla was making a solid clumping sound as she jogged up. Odan stared at the stairs, which meant he was looking through Jazz. Okay, invisibility isn’t in Odan’s magical repertoire.
Carla crested the stairs, saw Odan, and paused. She seemed to be controlling a frown. “Oh, hi.”
“You’re up late.”
She cocked her head. “Yeah, so? You’re up late too.”
“I was partying.” He grinned wolfishly.
She raised her eyebrows and looked at his clothes pointedly. “Well, I wasn’t. I just couldn’t sleep.”
“Want to co
me in for a nightcap?”
She crossed her arms, the catalog still in her hand. “I’m not old enough to drink.”
“Bet that never stopped you before.”
She gave him a look that should have turned him to stone. “Good night, Odan.” She marched to the door of their apartment.
Odan covered the ground between them in three steps and caught her wrist. “Don’t be that way. I want to get to know you better. We’re neighbors.”
Jazz took a step forward before he remembered….
She scowled. “Aren’t you gay?”
“Oh my dear, I’m everything.” He pulled her toward his open apartment door. She yanked back, and he stumbled, which wiped the lazy smile off his face. “Come on, I just want to talk.”
“Let go of me.”
He raised a hand with his fist clenched.
Hell no. Jazz started toward Odan.
The door of the other apartment opened, and Khadija stood there wearing a white bathrobe and a red headscarf.
Jazz stopped, and Odan’s arm froze as he stared at Dij, but he didn’t let go of Carla’s arm.
“Mind your own business, bitch.”
Khadija said calmly, “Carla, close your eyes.”
Carla squeezed her eyes shut.
Holy shit. Jazz ducked his head and covered his face with his hand.
A moment passed, and then a thud made Jazz jump.
Khadija said, “Okay, you can open. Fatima, come help, please.”
Jazz opened his eyes and saw Carla staring at Odan’s body, now stick stiff and leaning against the wall. Her eyes were wide, and she was breathing fast. No wonder. Somebody just got dead because of her.
Jazz glanced down the stairs. Nobody. With a breath, he cooled the fire in his chest. Seconds later, Fatima jumped back, so he must be visible. “Hi.”
Dij, who’d been hauling Odan from the wall, said, “Jazz, where did you come from?”
“I was here. Invisibility’s one of my things.” He made air quotes. “I was about to bash Odan when you intervened, Dij.” He walked to Odan’s stiff body. He glanced at Dij. She didn’t seem to be upset at having offed the guy. Maybe that was a Dusan thing. Carla looked freaked. Jazz said, “So what shall we do with him?”
Fatima smiled softly. “I shall help.”
Dij said, “Let’s take him into his apartment.”
Jazz grabbed Odan’s body under the arms and dragged him into the apartment. It was like handling a statue, and it gave him the creeps. Fatima pointed toward the bedroom, so Jazz hauled him there. Good thing he was a werewolf because Odan was almost as tall as Jazz and weighed more, especially in this petrified form. Hell, scarecrows weighed more than Jazz.
As he dragged the body into the bedroom, Fatima was pulling back the bedcovers on a bed that didn’t look like it was made. She pointed, and Jazz loaded him into the bed.
Odan was wearing flip-flops, so Jazz pulled those off. Then he looked at the women, crossing his arms over his chest. “So what’s the plan? He feels like a store mannequin. Nobody’ll believe he turned to stone in his bed.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
JAZZ STARED at Dij, trying not to freak. “We better get out of here before somebody finds a fossilized dude where Odan’s supposed to be.”
Dij got a little smile. “Fatima, please.”
Fatima knelt beside the bed and placed her hand on Odan’s bare arm. The skin that had looked like something between plastic and stone seemed to glow, flushed pink, and returned to flesh texture. She said, “Now I believe he will wake up and think he had a heart attack.”
“Wake up?” Jazz glanced between them.
Khadija said, “Yes, my sister Fatima is possessed of the ability to reverse the fossilization.”
Carla said, “Whoa, way to achieve balance of powers there, Fatima.”
She smiled shyly. “He’ll also likely have no memory of what occurred. It’s difficult to predict how far back the amnesia will extend.”
Carla asked, “Do you think he’ll forget he saw us?”
“Oh yes. Sometimes people forget everything back to their childhood.”
“Wow.”
Jazz touched Odan with a finger. Sure enough. Warm. And a pulse throbbed in his neck. Jazz dragged a blanket over him. “Let’s get out of here. That guy downstairs is one of the men who tried to abduct me from the club I went to with this asshole. He could come upstairs at any time.”
Dij gave a single nod. She bustled around checking the details, then shooed them all out of the room. Carefully, she flicked off the light and closed the bedroom door.
Jazz hurried to the entrance of the apartment and peeked out. Footsteps echoed up the stairs. Damn.
He rushed to the back hall. “Hide, fast!” He focused in his chest and sucked in heat to go invisible again. Barely in time.
There was a tap on the apartment door, and the guy from downstairs stuck his head in. “Odan. Yo, Odan!” When he got no reply, he stepped inside.
Jazz stood against the wall. He already knew this dude couldn’t see him, but Jazz couldn’t make any noise. I hope the others found a place to hide.
The man called Odan again and kept peering into corners as if he’d find him there. He moved quietly down the hall until he got to the closed bedroom door. He tapped. “Odan? You fall asleep?”
Jazz actually jumped when a voice from inside the room said, “What? What’s happening?”
The man pushed open the bedroom door.
Jazz scooted over behind the guy so he could see inside the room.
Odan sat on the edge of the bed, his sweats rumpled and twisted. His superhandsome face that looked kind of like Dash’s, at that moment appeared confused and disoriented.
The other guy rushed over and knelt in front of Odan. “What happened? Are you okay? Did you see that girl who came up?”
“Girl?” He looked around. “Uh, sorry, but who are you exactly?”
The guy looked shocked and then frowned. “I’m Randy. I work with Micel. You know that. We’ve done about a dozen jobs together.”
Odan just stared at him. “Sorry.” He shook his head.
“What happened to you? I saw you an hour ago when you told me to watch for that Vanessen kid. You sure as hell knew who I was then.”
“I feel strange.” Odan looked up, so bewildered Jazz almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Besides, confused was way better than dead. Odan said, “When you knocked on my door, I felt more like I was passed out than asleep. Something must have happened to me.”
“Do you think that girl did something to you?”
“I haven’t seen any girl.”
“She came upstairs about fifteen minutes ago. Maybe twenty. I figured you’d see her since you were watching for him.”
“Her? Him?”
Randy stood and stalked to the wall. Jazz had to jump back to get out of his way. “Gods, Odan, don’t you remember your assignment? That’s why you’re in this apartment. To watch your next-door fucking neighbors.”
Odan pressed his skull between his hands. “It’s like I’ve got holes in my brain.”
Randy sighed loudly. “As long as you remember what you’re supposed to be doing for Nardo.”
Odan glanced up at Randy, and Quentin Tarantino couldn’t have written a better line in a movie. “Who’s Nardo?”
Randy stared at Odan. “Holy shit.” He ran a desperate hand through his straight hair. “I’ve gotta let somebody know, man. This is very bad news.” He took off at a trot.
Jazz watched him rush out the door. Okay, gotta go.
He took off running behind Randy. How can I let Carla and the troops know I’m gone?
He glanced to the side and saw a glimpse of Dij’s headscarf as she watched Randy run out of the apartment. Jazz reached out and pushed a ceramic statue of a horse off a shelf. It smashed on the floor.
Dij looked out of the closet, then glanced around.
Jazz batted at a lamp and toppled it.
She nodded.
“Okay, Jazz.”
He stepped out of the apartment and heard Randy clomping down the stairs. Jazz glanced toward Dij and Fatima’s apartment. I wonder where BeBop is?
Switching to wolf speed, he raced down the stairs, out of the building, and toward Washington Square.
As he drew close, he sorted through his two options—the Arcantaria portal or the passage under the arch that led who knew where? Not that he could get through there anyway, unless maybe—wait.
Ahead he saw Randy glancing over his shoulder as he hurried toward the Arcantaria portal. Made sense. That’s where the plotters were. The other opening seemed more and more like it might be wizard prison, or wherever Nardo was held.
As Jazz sped up, he almost tripped over a compact body, crouching in the bushes. “BeBop?”
BeBop looked startled and glanced around. “Jazz?”
“No worries. I’m invisible. I’m tracking the dude who’s headed toward the portal.”
“Invisible? Superior coolness, my man. I’ve been watching under the arch. I’ve seen three people disappear since I got here after my last class. So what’s going on?”
“Real quick, Odan proved to be a major asshole, and Dij took him out. Then Fatima reversed it, but he’s got no memory. It appears this is a crisis because Odan was supposed to play some role in breaking Nardo out of wizard jail. I’m going into Arcantaria to find out what they plan to do now.”
“It’s way weird hearing your voice come out of air.” BeBop shook his head. “I’ll watch the arch portal. See if I can detect a way in.”
“You have to be really careful, BeBop. We don’t know who or what’s in there.”
“Got it, oh invisible one.”
Jazz gave BeBop a bump on the shoulder, which made him jump and laugh, and then Jazz took off at a run. He couldn’t get into Arcantaria while he was invisible. He’d found that out last time he exited. There didn’t seem to be any way he could conjure the focus and heat required to pronounce the password while maintaining the invisibility. He had to do the spells, or whatever they were, one at a time.
Randy must have gone through already. Good. Jazz stepped into the bushes near the portal, released his invisibility, and then sidled closer to the invisible opening. “Aperi portam.”
