Outlaw: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Enforcer of the East Book 2)

by Annabel Chase

  “No,” Gene admitted, somewhat dejected. “Business is always slow this time of year.”

  “Then can we talk about portals?” I asked.

  Gene clapped his hands together and a few lights flickered off. He chuckled. “Oops, I always forget about the clap-controlled lamps.” He motioned us to a different section of the store to a kitchenette area. “Have a seat. Can I offer anyone a delicious cup of jasmine tea?”

  “I’m good, thanks,” Callan said. He sat on the brown leather loveseat and stretched out his long legs.

  I offered a polite smile as I joined Callan on the loveseat. “No, thank you.”

  Gene filled a mug with water, added a teabag, and popped it into the microwave. “Portals are one of my favorite subjects. What would you like to know?”

  “Kendall says you’re somewhat of an aficionado on the subject,” I said. “What can you tell us about the area around Mountainview, West Virginia?”

  “Ooh, that was the site of quite a bit of action during the Second War,” Gene said. The microwave beeped and he removed the steaming mug.

  “It’s such a remote place, though,” I said. “Why so much action?”

  “There used to be a convergence of portals there,” Gene said.

  “A convergence?” I echoed. “Like a vortex?”

  “That would mean ley lines,” Gene replied. “Back before the Second War, there were three portals within striking distance of Mountainview.” He sipped his tea and sighed with contentment. “Jasmine always hits the spot.”

  “Three portals in one place?” I asked.

  “That’s right. One between Terrene and the paranormal realm, one between Terrene and the underworlds, and one between Terrene and the djinn realm.”

  “The connection to the underworld still exists there,” I said. “Petram Caverns has a river that runs to their entrances.”

  “Not a portal, though,” Gene said. “That got sealed after the Second War. So did the one between Terrene and the djinn realm. The one between Terrene and the paranormal world was destroyed.”

  “How do you know all this?” Callan asked. “I thought there weren’t records of the portals from back then.”

  “No official records,” Gene agreed. He perched on the arm of the loveseat with his tea. “I’ve logged a lot of research hours in that area. When you’re an enthusiast, you’re willing to do the legwork. Talk to families that go back generations in that area. Oral history is worth its weight in gold, you know.”

  I digested the new information. “Do you know if there was a portal between Terrene and the djinn realm in places called Salem Town or Rothschild?”

  He lit up. “How did you know? Those are two lesser known portals. They were destroyed during the war rather than sealed.”

  “For the ones that weren’t destroyed, is it possible to unseal the portals?” I asked. “Do you have any record of that happening?”

  Callan slapped his thigh. “Gene might not know, but I do. We’ve got documentation of a successful unsealing near Jacksonville, Florida. It’s common knowledge in the League. That’s the big stuff we need to watch out for.”

  “What happened there?” I asked.

  “It was about forty years ago,” Callan said. “A group of Marida were trying to escape their realm in secret and devised a plan to reopen the portal and sneak into Terrene to build new lives.”

  “How did they know about the portal from their end?” Gene asked, leaning forward with interest.

  “Apparently, the lead djinni had family in that area before the Second War,” Callan said. “Kind of like your oral history, Gene, the information got passed down so the djinni knew it was there.”

  “Someone’s been trying to reopen portals between the djinn realm and Terrene,” I said. “That’s what the magic incidents have been about. They failed in Salem Town and Rothschild because those portals were destroyed, not sealed.”

  Callan cast a sidelong glance at me. “For what purpose, though?”

  “I’m not sure,” I said. “Quietly testing the boundaries?”

  “That can’t be good,” Gene said. “You don’t want undocumented djinn sneaking into Terrene. Their magic could cause chaos here.”

  “Right now it’s not chaos I’m worried about,” Callan said.

  “What could be worse than chaos?” Gene asked.

  I knew the answer to that. I met Gene’s inquisitive gaze.

  “War.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “How does it feel to be back in sessions?” Dani whispered. We sat in the front row for the next Psychology 301 lecture. Callan had insisted that I return to the academy while we waited for the results of Henry’s analysis. He knew my friends were worried about me and he was right. They’d wasted no time plying me with food and drink and fluffing my pillows. Haggis refused to leave my side even when I went to the en-suite bathroom.

  “I’m ready to get back into my routine,” I said. That much was true. I’d leave again in a heartbeat, though, if we got a solid lead on Lumin’s killer, or any information that would persuade King G’lur to think twice. I knew what it was like to mourn and to feel that someone was unjustly taken from me, but violence was not the answer. No matter what Callan and his friends told me, there was no way I’d be fit to serve as an AMF agent if I walked away from this.

  “You have all my notes,” Dani said, “but let me know if you have any questions.”

  “I will.” I knew I wouldn’t, though. Nobody took notes like Dani Degraff. It was her other specialty aside from fire magic. Professor Lurch had been kind enough to waive my overdue assignments and Dani’s notes had quickly gotten me up to speed. Apparently, they’d explored the concept of fear for more lectures than the goblin had intended and were now rushing to cover the preplanned curriculum.

  Professor Lurch hoisted himself onto the edge of the desk and crossed his ankles. “Nice to see you back unscathed, Miss Davies.”

  “Thank you, Professor Lurch. It’s nice to be back.” The unscathed part was questionable, but I’d keep silent on that score.

  “Anything you want to share with the class about your unexpected visit to the djinn realm?” he asked. “I bet your classmates would be interested in a firsthand account. It’s unlikely most of you will ever see it for yourselves.”

  “No, they’re not exactly encouraging tourism from the outside world,” I agreed.

  “Is it true they eat Wish cookies for breakfast there?” Milo asked.

  Well, there was a question I wasn’t anticipating. “I didn’t see a single Wish cookie during my time there,” I replied, “but it doesn’t mean that no one eats them for breakfast.” I told them about the different colonies and the missing Shaitans, including the prince. I talked about Riffat and the Ghuls and the increased military activity.

  The professor stroked his chin. “I take it the AMF has been informed of all this.”

  “Yes, by the League,” I replied. “But there’s nothing to do but wait and see. Officially, unless it spills over into our realm, it’s not our concern.”

  “I suppose it’s a good thing most of the ancient portals were sealed after the Djinn Accords,” Professor Lurch said. “Otherwise, it would be harder to contain if it did spill over.”

  I thought back to my conversation with Gene and the existence of sealed portals in places with unexplained magic activity. I’d asked Hazel to let me know when Chancellor Tilkin returned from her latest trip so that I could share what I’d learned. It couldn’t be a coincidence.

  “Did you have to kill anyone?” Madge asked.

  My blood ran cold and my mouth went dry. Images flashed in my mind. My brother. Lumin. The young men turned into monsters by the Hunter. The Hunter himself. Plenty of Ghuls. Although I wasn’t even an agent yet, the body count seemed awfully high. To everyone here, though, I was still Cerys—maternal earth witch whose cup runneth over with optimism. They had no idea.

  Bryn twisted in her seat and glared at Madge. “What kind of quest
ion is that?”

  Madge offered an innocent look. “She was dragged to the djinn realm against her will and somehow got free and came back. I assume there was a little bloodshed between then and now.” Her blasé attitude even seemed to irritate the good-natured professor.

  “Miss Davies is safely back in our fold and that’s the important thing,” the goblin said. “Let’s focus on what we can learn from her, shall we?”

  Madge was undeterred. “Fine, then maybe she can tell us about how the djinn handled her situation. This course is all about understanding our enemies. I’m just curious what their mentality was. Did they want revenge for the death of the Shaitan?”

  “The Shaitans are not the enemy,” I said. “They attempted to resolve an open investigation, which is basically what we’ll be doing every day as agents.”

  “You’re very forgiving, considering they kidnapped you,” Madge said. “I guess you’re used to being a victim by now.”

  As I turned to respond, Bryn’s wand appeared out of the corner of my eye. Flecks of white light shot toward Madge and her mouth promptly disappeared.

  “Professor!” Priscilla said, aghast. “Bryn’s in violation of the rules.”

  “So she is,” the professor said calmly. “Miss Morrow, please put away your wand.”

  “Yes, sir,” Bryn said. She tucked it away with a defiant lift of her chin.

  “Just out of curiosity, when will the spell wear off?” Professor Lurch asked.

  Bryn’s mouth curved into a vague smile. “How many minutes are left in this class?”

  “Let’s carry on then,” the professor replied. “Who would like to give me an example of revenge from the textbook?” He scanned the classroom, completely ignoring the fact that Madge LaRue still had no mouth.

  “A feud or a personal vendetta,” Wade called out.

  “Yes, can you elaborate?” the goblin asked.

  Wade scratched his fingernails on the table in a mindless gesture. “It’s retaliation for a perceived injustice.”

  “Some cultures won’t forgive an injustice until revenge is exacted,” Priscilla offered.

  “And it will be important to know which ones in your line of work,” the professor said.

  I felt a sudden shift in energy in the room. The air in front of me sparked and a note appeared. I immediately noticed the League’s seal and tore open the note.

  “A love letter, Miss Davies?” Professor Lurch asked.

  “No,” I said, scanning the contents. “It’s the results of a blood analysis we had done on a djinni’s remains.” My pulse sped up as I read whose blood was found mixed with jihoon.

  “Is everything all right, Miss Davies? You’ve gone pale.”

  I gathered my things in a hurry. “I’m sorry, Professor. I have to go. It’s a matter of life and death.”

  “It always is with agents, I’m afraid. The nature of the beast. Good luck.”

  By the time my roommates returned from class, I’d gathered my weapons and packed a bag, ready to return to the djinn realm. Before I left, there was something I knew I had to do. I picked up the rune rock I’d marked for strength. “I need to talk to you. All of you.” I sucked in an uneven breath.

  “What is it?” Dani asked. “You don’t usually have trouble telling us what to do.”

  Bryn made a face. “Um, you’re the bossy one, Degraff.”

  “I didn’t mean to suggest Cerys is bossy,” Dani replied. “I just mean she’s comfortable communicating her wishes.” The fire witch crossed her arms, satisfied with her explanation.

  “I have something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time,” I said. Haggis trotted over and rubbed against my leg in a show of support.

  Mia peered at me. “What is it, Cerys? You’re not dropping out of the academy, are you?”

  “No, nothing like that.” I cleared my throat. “I know you’re aware that I have a strained relationship with my parents.”

  “We might have noticed,” Dani said vaguely.

  “I have younger sisters,” I said, “but once upon a time I had a younger brother, too.”

  “Folant,” Bryn said.

  “Yes, Folant.” I pictured his face in my mind. His cornsilk hair and brown eyes. The smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose. “He had the most mischievous grin you could ever hope to see. It was infectious.”

  Mia settled down beside me. “What happened to him?”

  “He died,” I said. “He was a frequent climber and he fell out of a tree. A horrible accident.” My voice remained steady, despite the thumping of my heart. “My parents were understandably heartbroken.”

  Mia clutched her chest. “Stars and stones, Cerys. How awful for your family.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Dani said.

  I drew my knees to my chest, snuggling Haggis against me. “It was the worst time. I was so young and my sisters…” I stopped to take a deep breath. “My father was grieving. Folant was his only son, so he made a bad decision. He chose to try to bring my brother back.”

  Mia gasped. “Necromancy?”

  I nodded. “I didn’t know what he was up to until it was too late. Naturally, it didn’t work out the way they expected. He came back as a monster.”

  “He didn’t come back at all,” Dani said.

  I wiped away a stray tear. “You’re right. I know that. And I knew it then, too. My parents were paralyzed. They couldn’t bring themselves to take care of the situation.”

  Mia’s hand flew to cover her mouth. “Great Goddess. You did it?”

  “I didn’t have a choice. I grabbed my father’s sword and I stabbed him in the chest.” Usually, this was the point where I said I killed my brother—that had been the rhetoric in my head ever since the day it happened—but I was past that now. I didn’t kill my brother and I knew it. I killed whatever creature came back in his place. A creature that would likely have harmed my family. A monster that did not belong in our world.

  Although Mia was right beside me, Bryn was the first to attack. Her arms tangled around my neck, prompting Haggis to dart aside to avoid getting squished.

  “I thought I carried around a horrible secret,” she said. “How have you managed all this time?”

  “Have you talked to Alana about it?” Mia asked. “I know you started seeing her after the whole Abraxas thing.”

  “I’ve talked to her about all my traumas,” I said. “She’s a really good listener if any of you ever needs a sympathetic ear.”

  “I wish you felt like you could talk to us,” Dani said, kneeling beside me. “But I guess I understand how hard it must have been for you.”

  “I’ve wrestled with the guilt for a long time,” I said. “And I’ve resented my parents for putting me in that position.”

  “You were a kid,” Bryn said. “And you were forced to make an adult decision because the adults you trusted to take care of you—didn’t.”

  Dani rested a hand on my foot. “Is that why you chose the Eastern Quadrant? To get away from your parents?”

  “I was torn,” I said. “On the one hand, I want to be near my sisters. On the other hand, I have a hard time being in the same room with my parents. I always end up thinking of Folant when I’m with them.”

  “Of course you do.” Mia squeezed my arm. “Sweet Hecate, I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with this on your own for so long.”

  I sniffed. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you. I worried what you’d think of me.”

  “We think what we’ve always thought,” Dani said. “That Cerys Davies is one of the bravest, most caring, most irritatingly responsible witches in the known universe.” She pushed Bryn out of the way and planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek.

  “Thank you,” I said. “That means more than you know.”

  “Cerys, we support you no matter what,” Mia said. “We know who you are and we know you’d never do anything to intentionally hurt anyone you care about. That’s the complete opposite of you.”

  “My sist
ers were too young to remember,” I said. Or not even born. “It’s been my one saving grace, that I never had to justify myself to them.”

  “Your parents haven’t told them?” Bryn asked.

  “No. They’ve been ashamed of their actions. We all have.” Even though we’d never discussed that day, I knew how they felt. It caused a lot of discomfort between us and I couldn’t wait to leave home as soon as I was old enough and enroll in the academy. It was the reason I was so prepared during the admissions testing. I’d never wanted anything more in my life.

  “Will you tell Callan?” Mia asked.

  “I already did,” I said. “Months ago, back when we were bound to each other.”

  Bryn smiled. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

  “He handled it so well, he’s one of the reasons I feel capable of sharing it with you now.”

  “I’m glad he reacted favorably,” Dani said. “He’s a good guy.”

  I managed a smile. “The best.” I looked at each of them. “There’s something else.”

  “More?” Bryn asked. “Let me guess. Professor Langley is making you repeat his Third Year classes.”

  “Thank the gods, no,” I said with a laugh. “I’m going back to the djinn realm and I need you to cover for me here.”

  “Go back?” Mia echoed, alarmed. “Why?”

  “Because I have an important lead,” I said. “And I think it’s connected to the war the king is about to wage against the Ghul colony.”

  “That’s the note you read in class?” Bryn asked.

  “Yes.”

  “You can’t go by yourself,” Dani said. “We’ll go with you.”

  “Callan is going, too,” I said. “I don’t want to put anyone else in danger.”

  Bryn barked a short laugh. “Because that’s so unusual for us.”

  Mia hugged herself. The air witch didn’t seem entirely on board with the plan. “Cerys, you were lucky to get out of there alive. Why would you choose to go back?”

  There was a momentary silence. Finally, Dani spoke. “Because sometimes in life there are things that we feel we need to do. My grandmother was dying and, even though I knew it was foolish to try and obtain the elixir she wanted, I did it anyway.”