Conrad Edison and the Infernal Design

by John Corwin

  Max gulped. "Does that mean you won't help?"

  Kanaan shook his head solemnly. "We are not rocks. We do not face down adversity with pure strength." He turned to Max. "We are not trees. We do not bend and sway to avoid adversity."

  "We're monkeys," Ambria said. "We trick people."

  Kanaan's lips hinted at a smile. "Correct. We do not have the strength to defeat our enemies in direct confrontation. We must devise a plan."

  "How long before they notice Chachi and Jonas are gone?" Max said.

  "Maybe longer than we think." I recalled the conversation the men had when I was in hiding. "They hunted and killed two people Victus didn't need anymore. I think they were probably people from the white coffins."

  "That's barbaric!" Ambria squeezed shut her eyes for a moment. "I'm glad Chachi and Jonas are dead."

  I didn't respond directly to her and continued my reasoning. "They'd been hunting and camping the forest for two days. Jonas said the last hunt took them a week. That means we have a few days before Garkin expects them back at the foundry."

  "Time to plan," Kanaan said. He walked toward the door leading from the omniarch room. "Go home and rest. I will return to the foundry tonight and observe."

  Ambria caught up to him and touched his arm. "Alone?"

  Kanaan stopped walking. "Garkin is powerful, but he cannot fight what he does not know is there." He nodded at the omniarch. "I will use the portal after you leave, and reopen it to Conrad's room when I am done."

  "Be careful, Kanaan." Ambria's forehead pinched with worry. "We need you."

  He nodded, then opened a portal in the omniarch to the field behind Moore Keep. We walked through the portal and waved goodbye to Kanaan as the gateway flickered and vanished.

  My knees felt weak. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. The magic sickness was getting worse, but there wasn't much I could do except weather it.

  "You look positively green, Conrad." Ambria took my arm. "Max, get him to bed straightaway."

  "Of course." Max kept walking toward the keep, eyes lost in thought.

  I leaned gratefully on Ambria, though I could still walk fine on my own. There was plenty to talk about, but really nothing to say that we hadn't already discussed, so I kept quiet and stumbled along into the keep, up the winding stairs, and into the common room between the male and female towers.

  "Goodnight, Conrad." Ambria kissed my forehead. "Rest well."

  Despite the chills plaguing me, the spot where her lips touched me felt feverishly warm. "Good night, Ambria." I reluctantly released her hand and watched her go.

  Max seemed to snap out of his trance. "Well, let's get up to the room."

  "What's on your mind?" I asked as we walked up the stairs to the male dorm's common room.

  "Can't stop thinking about Ivy." A dreamy look came over his face. "If we rescue her, she'll help us with all our problems."

  "Don't get too excited," I said. "She might not have all the answers."

  Max had already retreated into his thoughts again and merely grunted.

  When I reached my bed, I hardly remembered my head hitting the pillow. A solid night of sleep, however, didn't help me avoid a splitting headache and stomach cramps the next morning. Violent images of my encounter with Chachi and Jonas jerked me awake with a shout.

  "Ah!" Max leapt out of bed, wand at the ready until he realized I'd just been dreaming.

  "Sorry." I groaned and slid out of bed, another worry festering in my mind. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found a portal facing the corner, just as Kanaan had promised. It meant he'd survived spying on Garkin.

  I felt sick as a dog, but missing classes wasn't an option. "Layering spells together is only one part of spellcasting," Gideon Grace announced as he entered the classroom that day. He raked his gaze across the classroom. "Just as important is predicting the spells cast by another person." Grace weaved his wand through a series of patterns.

  I recognized bits and pieces, but was hard-pressed to identify the spells in their entirety.

  Lily's hand shot up. "That was a shield spell combined with electricity."

  The professor nodded. "Precisely." He repeated the process, this time tying off the spell. A sheet of shimmering electricity formed in the air before him. "If you were dueling another Arcane and recognized the patterns quickly enough, you could counter the shield with the proper spell."

  "Dueling?" Harris glanced back at me, a devilish gleam in his eyes. "I didn't realize we got to duel anyone."

  "Eventually, Mr. Ashmore." Grace also spared me a look, obviously wishing Harris could duel me now. "A good offense requires one to anticipate their opponent's spells so they can quickly counter them." He weaved another pattern.

  His wand moved so fast I could hardly follow it, but I picked out two parts of the layers—a water spell combined with freezing. I didn't know the last pattern, but surmised it wasn't a projectile spell, but rather one you might use to trip up an opponent.

  "How would you counter that spell?" Grace's eyes darted to me. "Edison?"

  I hoped my gut instinct was right. "With a heat spell."

  He paused for a moment and begrudgingly nodded. "Yes."

  As class continued, I couldn't stop thinking about Kanaan and hoping he'd discovered a way to rescue Ivy without Garkin killing us. By comparison, all the homework Grace assigned us hardly seemed important. Though I hated to admit it, the professor had taught me something valuable today. If forced into a duel with my father, I would have a hard time anticipating and countering his spells.

  I might have learned a powerful offensive spell, but Victus probably had a way to counter it. Until I increased my arsenal, I had to avoid a direct conflict.

  The bell rang and students filtered out of the class. I dragged behind everyone else, the leaden sensation of magic poisoning pressing on my shoulders. Max and Ambria apparently hadn't realized I wasn't right behind them and were nowhere in sight. I shuffled one foot after the other, in no hurry to get to Asha's class.

  It still seemed unbelievable that she was a demon clone of my mother. She seemed so real. So personable. I'd allowed myself to like her, only to find she wasn't even a real person. Depression snaked around my chest and squeezed. I looked up. The hall was nearly empty and I still had a way to go.

  I picked up my pace, rounding twists and turns. Quick movement caught the corner of my eye, but my sluggish reflexes weren't enough to get me out of the way. A meaty fist caught me square in the temple.

  My legs crumpled and I went down in a heap. Someone grabbed me under the armpits and dragged me a few feet before dumping me on the floor. I blinked the fog out of my eyes and saw Harris and Baxter smirking down at me.

  "You're always avoiding me, Edison." Harris held his wand up. "Afraid to face me and get this over with?"

  "I'm not your enemy." I pushed up to one knee. "The foreseeance isn't about me."

  Baxter shoved me back down. "Don't deny it, you evil filth. You're gonna be just like your father."

  "No." I dug deep inside, trying to find the strength to rise, but the blow to my head had nearly knocked me out. "I'm trying to stop my father."

  "Stop him?" Harris barked a laugh. "He's dead, you idiot."

  "He's alive again." I slid on my backside until my back met the wall. "Demon magic kept him alive."

  "Just end it, Harris." Baxter brandished his own wand, but didn't raise it. "You have to be the one to do it."

  "Kill me in cold blood?" I rasped, my throat suddenly dry. "What evil have I done to deserve that?" I swallowed hard. "What did I do besides being born, Harris?" Fear pumped through my veins, awakening a rush of adrenalin.

  "Your parents murdered mine." Hatred inflamed his voice. "You don't deserve to live."

  From the moment he'd discovered my true identity, Harris despised me for what my parents had done. This wasn't about me perpetrating evil, or even being the enemy he was supposed to face in the foreseeance. Killing me was pure revenge. Wiping out the bloodline of
the Overlord, his twisted idea of justice.

  "Do it before he gets back his senses, Harris!" Baxter came toward me, fist cocked to deliver another blow.

  I wasn't anywhere close to a hundred percent, and the mere thought of casting a spell made me ill. Thankfully, I had a choice. I left my wand in its holster and let Baxter come. He must have thought our encounter in the dining hall was a fluke, because he left himself completely open. He swung his fist toward my face.

  Moving to the side, I gripped his wrist and used his momentum to slam his head into the wall behind me. Harris flicked his wand. I rolled to the side, the heat from a fire spell jetting just overhead. Far from graceful, I hit my head and my elbow on the hard stone floor, but it was enough to get me close to Harris.

  My legs flailed, caught his, and tripped him. His wand clattered to the floor. Face red with rage, he dove toward me. I lashed out with my foot, caught him in the stomach.

  "Ungh!" Harris's eyes bugged.

  I kicked him again, and he stumbled back. Before he could recover, I staggered to my feet and pressed my wand to his throat. I couldn't let this go on. Couldn't let Harris keep dogging me while the threat of Victus loomed.

  My hand twitched and a bead of sweat trickled into my right eye. Don't give him another chance to kill you! I could end this right now.

  I could kill Harris.

  Chapter 22

  Harris's face blanched and his eyes went wide. "Please, no."

  Despite my rage and sense of self-preservation, I didn't want to kill the boy. I just wanted him to leave me alone. I leaned down, wishing I could look fierce, but felt too drained to think straight. Thankfully, Harris didn't know that. "Do you think I could kill you right now?"

  Harris's breathing quickened. He nodded slightly, as if a mere twitch might cause me to slash his throat.

  "Victus is still alive. He summoned a demon to possess my body. It preserved his soul and my mother's soul, binding them to mine, so they could pretend to be dead all these years." Anger and fear twisted my insides. "Victus never saw me as anything but a lab rat. Something to use and throw away." I tried to control the quaver in my voice but couldn't. "He wants to kill me. He wants to control the Overworld again. If you really want revenge, kill Victus, not me."

  Baxter groaned and stirred on the floor behind me. I holstered my wand and shook my head at Harris. "Killing me will only make the man who murdered your parents happy."

  "I don't believe you." With my wand off his throat, Harris regained confidence. "Victus is dead."

  I took out my arcphone and projected a holographic recording I'd made while spying on Victus as he entered the crack leading to the Glimmer more than a year ago. He walked with Delectra and Serena, discussing their plans to conquer mortality with a part of the Anchor Stone.

  "This is fake." Harris's face paled. "Or it's old footage."

  I pointed to the timestamp. "Phone, has this video been altered?"

  "No," the phone replied.

  "Is the timestamp correct?"

  "Yes," the phone responded.

  I looked at Harris. "I took this video myself at the destroyed mansion near the Fairy Gardens."

  Harris drew in a long, ragged breath. "No, it can't be!" He shook his head. "Your parents can't be alive!"

  "My mother is dead." My voice cracked with emotion. "Victus murdered Delectra last year. He controlled her with demons just like he tried to do with me." I flicked off the recording. "The person you hate isn't your enemy. The real enemy is alive and out there." I wiped tears from my eyes and left the room. As I stepped outside, I heard Harris sobbing.

  It was yet another depressing layer to add onto everything else. Remembering how Delectra died in my arms. How Victus controlled her. How he'd made her disguise herself as Esma and become my beloved mentor.

  I kept walking.

  Asha raised an eyebrow when I stepped inside, frowned, and motioned with her finger for me to come closer. "Conrad, what happened?" She took my chin and turned my head sideways. "The side of your head is bleeding!"

  Ambria met my gaze with wide eyes and looked toward the empty desks usually occupied by Harris and Baxter.

  "I slipped on a puddle of water in the bathroom," I lied. "Hit my head."

  "You should go see Percival." Asha blinked. "Or whoever is in charge in the healing ward now."

  "I'm fine, really." I touched the tender spot on my head and felt crusted blood. Baxter had hit me harder than I'd thought. I shuffled to my seat before she could object.

  Ambria gripped my shoulder from the desk behind me. "Conrad, did Harris do this to you?"

  I just groaned, too weary to explain.

  Harris and Baxter walk in moments later, sheepish looks on their faces. Asha's face darkened into a scowl. "Why are you so late?" Her gaze flicked to meet mine, and understanding dawned. She grabbed Baxter's arm and held up his bruised fist. "What happened?"

  "I tripped into a wall," Baxter replied lamely.

  "Tripped into a wall?" Her voice rose in disbelief. She turned to Harris. "Did you trip into something too?"

  Harris looked down at the floor.

  Asha turned to me. I gave a slight shake of my head. Please don't make a big deal of this.

  She pressed her lips together and jabbed a finger at their desks. "In your seats, now."

  They wasted no time complying.

  Lily whispered to Baxter when he sat down and looked aghast at his response.

  I tried to be attentive, but the lesson droned in the background while thoughts and memories occupied my mind. When class ended, Asha put a hand on my arm. "A moment, Conrad."

  Ambria and Max gave me worried looks, but left the classroom. Harris strode past, head down, and Baxter gave me an uneasy glance as he followed.

  "Tell me what happened," Asha said when the other students left. "The truth."

  "I'd rather not." I slumped into a front desk and tried not to meet her eyes. I felt so angry with her for not being real. For being yet another construct of my father's. I wanted to jump up and scream in her face, as if I could make her understand how much this betrayal hurt.

  Is it even her fault?

  No, it wasn't. Asha couldn't help that she was created from demon flesh and a fragment of my mother's soul. She couldn't help how she was born any more than I could. But that didn't mean I could trust her. Victus held her leash, no matter how loosely.

  "Have you even heard what I said?" Asha took my chin in her hand and pulled my gaze up to her. "Conrad, what's wrong?"

  My eyes stung, but I let the tears flow. I wanted to blurt the truth and be free of it, but I couldn't. "I practiced my spells too much and gave myself magic poisoning." That much was true. "I'm ill."

  Her gaze softened. Asha took a handkerchief from the desk and gently wiped my eyes. She smoothed back my hair and smiled. "You need to rest, Conrad. You always look as if the weight of the world rests on your shoulders."

  Her touch made me feel at ease, as if I could finally let down my guard and just rest. She's not real. For a moment, I didn't care. For just a moment, it was okay if I pretended she was more than an infernus. It was fine to play make believe as long as I could face the truth later.

  I looked into that face that so resembled Delectra and shivered. Maybe I could kill Victus and free Asha. She might not be a real human, but she was real enough for me. "Could you tell me more about your childhood?"

  A gentle smile. "Well, it was uneventful. My adoptive grandfather was a powerful Arcane, but he left the Overworld behind to raise me." Asha wiped the corner of my eye with her thumb and I tried not to shiver. "We lived near a small Tuscan village in Italy. For most of my life, it was all I knew. Though I attended normal school with the other children, my grandfather trained me in the Arcane arts." She sighed and smiled. "Everyone there loves him, and I hated to leave."

  "Why doesn't he come to visit?" I knew it was because he didn't exist, but Asha's voice sounded so genuine when she told the falsehood, I found myself wanting
to hear more of her fantasy.

  "He came here once, to try to convince me to leave."

  I frowned. "To leave? Why?"

  "My parents were murdered, Conrad." Asha bit her lower lip. "Granddad Stan told me that he raised me in the country to keep me safe in case those people came looking."

  I tried not to let myself be drawn in, but like reading a good book, I couldn't resist. "Why were they murdered?"

  "He said my parents were mixed up with the wrong people." Asha seemed to swallow a lump in her throat. "Several years ago, he said he'd heard that those people were dead and gone, and that I was free to enjoy my life."

  "Then why did he want you to leave the university?" I asked.

  "Because he heard rumors that tales of their demise weren't true." Her forehead creased with worry. "That they might still be alive."

  This is quite some tale. "Who are these people, Asha?" I sounded more demanding than I meant to be. The bell rang, signaling the start of the next period, but I ignored it.

  Asha flinched. "My next class is waiting down the hall. I have to go."

  I gripped her arm. "Who murdered your parents?"

  Her face darkened. "I can't tell you."

  "Please!"

  "I won't." She shook her arm free. "Now go to your class, Conrad." She touched my cheek gently. "And do be careful in the bathrooms." With that, Asha whisked away like a kite on the wind.

  I didn't like how she dismissed my questions, no matter the fact that her history was a cover story. I needed to dig deeper into her background. Find the cracks and weaknesses. Perhaps she didn't know that she was a demon golem, a tool used by her creator to spy on me. If I revealed her true nature, would it make her angry enough to betray Victus? Could she even betray him, or did he control her will?

  I went into the bathroom and looked at the purple bruise spreading across my temple. A thin line of crusted blood formed a scab right across the center. I was surprised Baxter hadn't inadvertently killed me with the blow.

  Eleanor Beetle barely looked up from reading the Overworld Social Studies textbook when I walked into the classroom, and didn't seem to care that the clock read ten minutes past the hour. Lily's forehead pinched with concern when she saw me. She bared her teeth and slapped Baxter on the back of his head.