“Um, Holmes. I think you have a visitor,” Master Horton said. “Welcome back, Chambers.”
“Good day, Master Horton. Witches.” Robin stood framed in the doorway of the armory. He no longer sported a bow tie and tweed jacket. Instead, he wore a collared shirt and dark jeans. The change suited him.
“Love the new look, Robin,” Dani said. “What brings you back to us? Missing the library?”
“Missing all of you, to be fair,” Robin admitted. “But I also have information for Mia on the missing vampires.”
“Magic Robbie is making house calls?” Bryn said. She waved her escrima sticks at the former prefect. “How’d you convince the agency to unlock your chains?”
Robin cleared his throat. “This investigation is a top priority.”
“Then why is Mia so heavily involved?” Master Horton asked. “Seems like they should have more experienced agents working on it.”
I stiffened and tried not to react to Master Horton’s comment. I knew what he meant because I’d had a similar thought only minutes ago. Still. I wanted to be viewed more favorably than that. It was difficult when I was always in the shadow of powerful witches like Bryn, Dani, and Cerys. It was worse that I agreed with him, though. The chancellor’s words haunted me—my belief that I was worth less than others. I had to overcome this mental block. I chose to focus on Declan’s view of me, that I was kind, compassionate, smart, funny, and beautiful. It seemed to me that he had described someone else that night, anyone else but me. I didn’t recognize those qualities in myself—not yet—but I was working on it.
“There are several moving parts to the investigation,” Robin said. “The vampires in Terrene are only a piece of it.”
“If they’re already dead, then it’s not much of an issue,” Bryn said. “Mia will just make arrangements to have their bodies brought back.”
“It isn’t that simple,” I said. “I’ll need to make sure they didn’t come into contact with other vampires or humans during that time. Make sure they didn’t spread the infection to anyone else.”
“Callan will help you,” Cerys said.
“I know he will,” I said, “but I think I’m better off keeping a low profile on this.”
“She means the League will take over and boot her out,” Bryn said. “She doesn’t want to be kicked off her own investigation.”
“I understand,” Cerys said. “This is your chance to show Chancellor Tilkin and the AMF that you’re ready.”
“I want to be a Keeper of the North, Class B. They’ll shove me into a desk job if they think I can’t handle field work.” I glanced at Robin. “No offense.”
The wizard smiled. “None taken. You know analytics suits me much better than running around with a sword.”
“It’s not my priority, though,” I said. “I’m more concerned with preventing a plague. If things get out of control, there’ll be plenty of available keeper positions.” I shuddered at the prospect. “I promise I’ll get the League involved if necessary. For now, I think Declan and I can handle it.”
Robin scratched his chin. “Declan? I don’t know anyone at the agency called Declan.”
“He’s an independent contractor,” I said.
“A tall, stylish, and handsome consultant,” Bryn added.
“I see.” Robin reached into his messenger bag and produced a file. “I managed to create a map based on the movements of both vampires.”
“How did you track them?” Master Horton asked.
“Magic, of course,” Robin replied. “We were able to gather pieces of their hair from both residences and use a special locator spell that shows not only where they are, but where they’ve been within a certain timeframe.” He placed a finger to his lips. “It’s the latest magical technology. These spells aren’t available to the public.”
“Thank you, Robin,” I said. “This is great.” I used my wand to send the weapons back to the armory wall. “I’ll get started right away.” I tried not to picture the state of the vampires when I finally found them. I’d have to steel myself for all the grim possibilities.
“So, I know you’ve got a hot date in Terrene with Brown Coat,” Bryn said, swaggering over to me. “But is there room for another witch?”
“Or three?” Cerys asked hopefully.
“It is an epidemic that threatens humanity,” Dani added. “I should think you’d want all the help you can get.”
She was right. This mission was far more important than whether I proved myself to the academy or the agency. This was about saving lives.
“Let’s saddle up the broomsticks, witches,” I said. “If these maps are any indication, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
Chapter Thirteen
I contacted Declan and told him to meet us at the border. I made sure to use a different crossing than the one where Nick had his freakout. I didn’t want any Order of the Edge guards to recognize me and refuse me entry.
Declan’s brow lifted when he spotted my entourage. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing a small army. I would’ve brought my own.”
“Declan, these are my friends,” I said, pointing to each witch. “Dani, Bryn, and Cerys.”
“A pleasure,” Declan said.
“That is quite the brown coat,” Dani said. The other witches stifled their laughter.
Declan glanced down at his attire. “Too suave for Terrene? Should I swap it for denim? Humans love their denim, don’t they?”
“They like their leather, too,” Bryn said. “You’ll be fine.”
“Remember, Bryn,” Cerys said. “No blood magic. We don’t want to run the risk of infecting you.”
Declan eyed her closely. “I thought you were a water witch.”
“I am,” Bryn said. “I also inherited my father’s blood magic. His name was Volans Moldark. You may have heard of him.”
“The Shadow Sorcerer,” Declan said softly. “Yes, I’ve heard tale of him. He died in battle.”
“Of a sort,” Bryn replied.
“He had a voracious following,” Declan said. “A warrior’s spirit that inspired others.”
“You almost sound like you admire him,” I said.
Declan shrugged. “I don’t admire his evil deeds, but I can’t help but marvel over an individual who manages to inspire such loyalty and devotion. He was a true leader.”
“He was a madman,” Bryn said. “And he would have killed me if he’d ever discovered me. My mother spent her life protecting me from him.”
“I understand. My father wanted to mold me into his image, once he decided I was worthy of his attention,” Declan said. “My mother kept me safe from that.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” Bryn asked. “It’s not like your dad was the Shadow Sorcerer.”
“Or a Death Bringer,” Dani added, invoking Peter’s father.
“I’m sure we all possess elements of our parents that we wish we didn’t,” Declan said. “It has a way of seeping into the blood.”
Bryn barked a short laugh. “You’re not kidding.”
I hooked my arm through Declan’s. “Bryn’s blood magic was a big secret, but it’s pretty much common knowledge now.”
Declan regarded her with interest. “It’s a powerful weapon.”
“We’re all powerful weapons,” Bryn replied. “Even that adorable waif on your arm.”
Declan patted my hand. “So I’ve noticed.”
We handed over our ID cards and I felt a sense of relief when we were waved across the border without incident. Part of me still expected to be hauled off to a holding cell.
“We should split up,” Dani said, once we were safely on the other side. She took one of the maps from my pocket.
Cerys immediately snatched back the map and handed it to me. “This is Mia’s mission, Miss Bossy Boots. Let her decide how to handle it.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said. “I think we should split up.” Everybody laughed and I handed Dani the map she’d taken. “We need to know what happ
ened to the vampires. Whether they were in contact with anyone while they were here and, if so, what happened to those people? If we encounter anyone still walking around who’s been in contact with the infected, then we need to contain them.” I paused. “Discreetly.”
“That’s when we can bring in the League,” Cerys said. “For cleanup.” She smiled to herself. “Callan will love me for that. He hates cleanup.”
“Oh, please. He’d love you if you threw him in a vat of tar in his werewolf form,” Dani said. “That guy has nothing but hearts in his eyes when it comes to you.”
Cerys pressed her hands against her chest and mimicked a beating heart.
“We’ll reconvene here when we’re finished,” I said. “You three stay together. No one runs around Terrene alone, even you, Bryn. And for Hecate’s sake, no magic. That will definitely get the League’s attention.”
Dani held her thumb and index finger a pinch apart. “Maybe a smidge of magic? They won’t detect that.”
“Only if necessary,” I said, and wagged a finger at them. “And I am narrowly construing ‘necessary.’”
Bryn saluted me before grabbing the map from Dani’s hand. “This is my turf. I’ll lead.”
“We’ve all been to Philadelphia before,” the fire witch replied. “Any one of us can lead.”
“Just because you’ve been somewhere once or twice doesn’t make you an expert,” Bryn said.
Dani rolled her eyes. “Fine, but we’re not stopping for cheesesteaks this time. I’ll never understand your obsession with fake cheese when real cheese is perfectly good.” At the mention of cheesesteaks, I thought of Lucille and my chest tightened.
Declan looked at me. “Are they always like this?”
I laughed. “Pretty much.”
We went our separate ways and Declan and I headed to a train station in Center City. The vampire must have used the underground passages to get around the city.
“Polly Whelan,” Declan said, reviewing the file. “Not a very vampire-y name.”
“No, she sounds more like a nymph or a leprechaun,” I said. Not that it mattered anymore. Polly Whelan was most certainly dead.
We boarded the train and stood together on either side of a pole. “I’ve always liked trains,” Declan said. “There’s something soothing about the motion. That gentle whoosh sound as you trundle along.”
“It is nice,” I agreed. “Why do you think Polly came here? Based on her time of entry, she must’ve already been showing symptoms when she left our world.”
“What’s the address?” Declan asked. “Maybe it’s a hospital. Maybe she felt humans would have a treatment. It isn’t as though vampires are used to dealing with infection or toxins. They’re generally immune.”
“It’s just a street name and number. This was apparently her first stop.”
We disembarked at Narberth and I admired the picturesque street with its rows of quaint shops.
“Have you ever lived in a city?” Declan asked.
“No, you?”
“No. I’ve never been a fan,” he said. “I like to visit, but I prefer fields and open space.”
“Me, too,” I said.
“Well, you’ll get plenty of that in the Northern Quadrant,” he said. “It’s probably the least populated of the four quadrants.”
“You’ve spent a lot of time there?”
“Yes, it’s where I grew up. I’ve traveled quite a bit in the years since then, but it will always be home to me.”
“I hope I feel that way about it,” I said. I knew it wouldn’t happen overnight. Maybe in time.
We turned down a side street and I immediately felt the more residential vibe.
“Why choose somewhere foreign?” Declan asked. “Why not stay here and become a warden?”
“It’s my big chance to get out from behind everyone else’s shadows,” I admitted. “At home, it was my brother’s. He’s the best at everything. No matter how well I performed, it was never as good. And I don’t mean that in a bitter way, it’s just a fact.”
“And that’s how you feel here, too?”
“Yes. My roommates are the best of the best.” We stopped in front of a narrow brick house set between two other brick homes. They were identical except for the color of the shutters. “I need to find my place in the world where I get to shine. I’m excited to go somewhere no one knows me. Where no one knows who my brother is, or who my roommates are. It might help me overcome some of my…issues.”
“I can understand that,” he said.
“Oh? You’ve got a golden boy for an older brother, too?”
He smiled vaguely. “Something like that.”
I used the brass knocker to bang on the door. No one answered.
“Are you looking for Dr. Margaret?” a voice asked.
I turned to see a petite older lady at the bottom of the steps. “Yes,” I said. “Is she at home?”
“I haven’t seen her in a few days,” the older woman said. “I’m Esther. I live next door.”
“Is it unusual not to see her?” I asked.
The lady tapped her finger against her chin. “Now that you mention it, I guess it is. Her schedule is pretty steady at the hospital. One of the perks of seniority.” She laughed. “I’m still waiting to see what my perks are. Other than a discount for the bus, it’s a little lackluster.”
Declan smiled at her fondly. “Thank you for your help.”
The older woman gave a dismissive wave and shuffled up her front steps. “I wasn’t any help. I was just being nosy.” She disappeared inside her house.
“What do you think?” I asked quietly.
“I think we need to get inside this house,” he replied. “I’d need to break down the door or bust a window. Do you have any subtler means?”
“I do.” I glanced around quickly before producing my wand. It was such a small amount of magic—the League wouldn’t pick up on a trace amount. “This qualifies as necessary, if the girls happen to ask.” I conjured an unlocking spell and Declan pushed the door. Nothing happened.
“Are you sure you unlocked it?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “It’s a simple spell and a Terrene house won’t have any wards in place.”
“It might if vampires regularly come to visit,” Declan said.
I placed my hand on the door and focused. “I don’t sense any magic. I think it might be barricaded.”
Declan’s eyes rounded. “To keep people out or in?”
“Only one way to find out.” I pressed the tip of my wand against the door and performed another spell. I heard movement inside, as though heavy objects were being dragged across the floor. “Try the door again.”
Declan pushed and the door clicked open this time. He shot me a triumphant look before slipping inside. I quickly followed and closed the door behind me. Sure enough, large pieces of furniture sat out of place in the middle of the entryway. A barricade.
“Dr. Margaret?” I called. “Are you home? Polly?”
No response.
“I’ll take downstairs and you take upstairs,” Declan said.
I hurried up the steps without another word. The house was eerily quiet and an unpleasant odor burned my nostrils. Four closed doors greeted me at the top of the staircase. I chose the first one on the right and turned the door handle. The bedroom was mostly empty, except for a bed, a small dresser, and a photograph on the wall of a young blond woman. She wore a blue cap and gown and held a rose. There were no other personal effects in the room, so I moved on to the next one.
The stench hit me as soon as the door opened. These smells I recognized. Urine and vomit. Possibly feces. A lone figure was sprawled on the bed. Her blond hair was matted to her face and her skin was cracked and dehydrated. She wasn’t the young woman in the photograph, although there were similarities in the shape of the eyes and mouth.
“Dr. Margaret?” I asked. An audible breath told me she was still alive. I rushed to her side. “Margaret. Can you speak?” Undou
btedly, she was too weak. She must’ve been up here for days, suffering alone.
I considered any spells that might help her—if not to cure her, then to at least ease her suffering. How she’d managed to survive this long was nothing short of amazing.
“Declan, up here!” I yelled.
He appeared in the doorway moments later and his frown deepened when he spotted Margaret on the bed. “This must be her mother.”
Of course. Polly Whelan was the young woman in the photograph. This had been her house once. “Is Polly downstairs?”
Declan gave a curt nod. “Dead, but her mother must have recognized the condition was contagious. She placed Polly in a sealed container.” But not before Polly had transferred the toxin to her, apparently.
“I don’t think Margaret’s a vampire, though,” I said.
“No, I think Polly was turned. I bet she came to her mother for help when she realized she was ill.”
“Because her mother’s a doctor,” I said, more to myself. “She knew how bad this was. That’s why she barricaded them in. She didn’t want to infect anyone else.”
“Margaret was trying to figure it out before she became too ill,” Declan said. “I found notes in a book downstairs. She’d been keeping watch over her daughter, I think. Monitoring her symptoms as they progressed.”
“If Margaret is a doctor, why has no one come to check on her?” I asked. “Surely, someone would’ve sent the police around by now.”
“I’m sure she did everything in her power to prevent it,” Declan replied. “Think about it. She knew her vampire daughter was sick and that she’d likely catch it trying to help her. She barricaded herself in. She sealed her daughter’s body. She probably told the hospital she was taking an unexpected vacation to keep anyone from coming around.”
“But she didn’t secure her own body,” I said.
Declan’s gaze shifted to Margaret. “There’s a second…container. I think it was her intention to lock herself away, but she didn’t get the chance.”
Sweet gods above. Poor Margaret. If Polly had understood the situation better, I wondered whether she would have come here and put her mother at risk. She must have decided that the healers in our realm weren’t able to help.
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