The light flickered on in the kitchen, and Gordy blinked, shaking his head and waking, his hand and the jar of strange liquid still hovering above the stove. Tobias stood with his arms folded at his chest, leaning against the refrigerator, watching Gordy brew.
“Having fun, are we?” Tobias chewed on his lip, his eyes unreadable, his expression cold.
“Uh . . . I . . .” Gordy stammered and looked down at the cauldron in astonishment. What was he doing? How had he gotten there? “I have no idea what’s going on.”
Once again, as Tobias’s house sat cloaked in darkness with the exception of a single luminary potion glowing at the center of the table, Gordy found himself in the dining room, only this time under less-than-favorable circumstances. Everyone, except for Gordy’s dad, Max, and the twins, was awake and seated around him. Their eyes were puffy and red from sleep deprivation, but Gordy’s mom had never looked more worried. Gordy felt as though his chair might catch fire beneath him, just by the way she watched him.
“I’ve seen one of these before.” Tobias studied the peculiar gray jar. “I helped my father make one several years ago to spring my grandmother from her exile on her ninetieth birthday. We had a celebration for her, complete with cake and ice cream. The potion lasted the whole of two hours before the banishment dragged her back to Inishmore. It’s called a Clasping Cannikin, and it’s highly complicated to concoct.”
“Ah, yes,” Zelda chimed in. “I thought I recognized it. Haven’t seen one in quite some time. A Clasping Cannikin can also be used to temporarily free someone from a Binding.”
“Why would you even try to make that, Gordy?” Gordy’s mom demanded. “You’ve crossed the line this time.”
“Oh, you doof!” Tobias shook his head and chuckled scornfully. “He didn’t make this. But he was about to add to it.”
“Why?” Priss leaned across the table, one hand held out in front of her. “What were you trying to do?”
“I wasn’t trying to do anything,” Gordy reasoned, feeling his pulse race. “I was asleep, and then I woke up. And now everyone’s mad at me again.” This had become a common occurrence.
“Brewing in your sleep?” Bolter’s head perked up from where he had been resting upon his forearms. “That’s probably not the safest practice.”
Gordy dragged his hands through his hair. “I didn’t do it on purpose.” He was in hot water, that much was for certain, but this wasn’t his fault. He had been lying down on Tobias’s mossy floor, covered in blankets, then everything went haywire.
“Do you know how a Clasping Cannikin works?” Tobias held out the jar, the dull gray liquid looking like old mud. Priss took it from him and squinted at the strange potion, swirling it in her hand. The gloppy substance bubbled and clung to the side of the jar.
“It forms a temporary Blood Link between the prisoner and a close relative,” Zelda answered. “Their actions can be mimicked from time to time because of their connection.”
“Bravo, Ms. Morphata,” Tobias said, nodding at Zelda. “In this case, I would say the ‘close relative’ is Mr. Gordy here, which would make the Blood Linked prisoner—”
“Mezzarix!” Gordy blurted.
“Bingo.” Tobias snapped his fingers. “The potion binds them together so that it can extend beyond the Forbidden Zone. My guess is that piece of rock came from Mezzarix’s cave, but there’s also some of Gordy folded in as well. Mezzarix is still technically in exile, but now he has the freedom to go anywhere within range of Gordy. That would explain the sudden appearance of your grandfather at B.R.E.W.”
“And my Blind Batching episodes,” Gordy said, suddenly realizing the gravity of this news. “When I made that Mangle potion in the lab.” He looked at his mom. “That wasn’t me, was it?” And what had happened just now in Tobias’s kitchen wasn’t his fault either. Somehow the potion was causing Gordy to mimic his grandfather’s brewing techniques.
“I suppose we can also assume that the Blight Bomb Gordy made at headquarters during training was a manifestation of Mezzarix as well,” Zelda offered.
“His what?” Gordy’s mom asked, alarmed.
So much for keeping that a secret. Gordy had known Zelda was bound to spill the beans eventually.
“He Blind Batched a Blight Bomb,” Zelda said and then snickered. “Say that five times fast.”
“It was an accident,” Gordy said. “I was just trying to open the lock.”
“That’s why there’s a warrant for Gordy,” Bolter said. “Madame Brexil believes his potion was what let the Scourges into B.R.E.W.”
Priss glowered at the table, flashing her teeth as though blaming herself for not piecing together the puzzle sooner. “But he couldn’t help what he was doing. We have to remember that.”
“I know,” his mom said. “I can’t believe Dad knowingly put my son at risk!”
“But how would he have formed this link?” Bolter inquired. “He lives in Greenland. Gordy is here. That’s quite a distance.”
Tobias held the jar to the light. “He would need an item of the boy to connect them. Blood is best, but it’s not entirely necessary. And he wouldn’t need much. My father used a fingernail from my grandmother to brew their Clasping Cannikin. And she was old and feeble at the time. Died shortly after, rest her soul.”
“When you brought Gordy with you to see Dad last year.” Aunt Priss eyed Gordy’s mom. “He must have taken something then.”
Gordy’s mom covered her mouth with her hand. “This is my fault. I did this to you,” she said to Gordy. “I should have never taken you to see him.” Tears fell from her eyes, dampening her cheeks.
“It’s okay, Mom. You didn’t know.” Gordy was relieved to discover he wasn’t going crazy. All the Blind Batching that had gone awry had been the result of the connection with his grandfather. Maybe they could find a way to explain that to Madame Brexil. She then could lift the Sequester Strap from off their lab.
“In order to last this long, Mezzarix would have needed to add upon the potion from time to time to keep the spell active,” Tobias said. “As soon as it weakens, he will have no choice but to return to his cave. And quickly too.”
“What happens if he doesn’t go?” Priss asked.
“He’ll die, I think,” Tobias answered grimly. “I can still remember my grandmother’s screaming on the flight back to her cottage. She kept clutching her stomach as though her insides were about to burst. My dad swears it’s what caused her eventual death.”
Gordy remembered his grandfather’s behavior back at B.R.E.W. He had looked emaciated and desperate for help. Gordy’s help. That’s what he wanted! Mezzarix needed Gordy to strengthen the potion to keep him from suffering. Despite knowing how evil Mezzarix’s intentions had been trying to overthrow B.R.E.W., Gordy couldn’t help but feel guilty for his grandfather’s condition.
“You said my father has to stay in range in order for the Cannikin to work,” Gordy’s mom said. “What sort of range?”
“A few miles, thirty at most, but it’s not just that. He would need to be in close proximity of the Cannikin as well.” Tobias tapped the jar. “I suppose he could have made another to extend the distance, but even then, I figure he was counting on Gordy supplying the potion with some hair or blood to keep the Blood Link strong.”
“What’s going to happen to him now?” Gordy asked.
“We’re over a hundred and fifty miles from B.R.E.W. and Mezzarix’s last-known whereabouts. It’s not as though he can track you easily,” Bolter answered. “My guess is that he is in pretty poor shape right now.”
“If he doesn’t get back to his Forbidden Zone soon . . . Well, perhaps that would put a proper end to this predicament once and for all.” Zelda squeaked with laughter, her head bobbling from side to side as though she had shared something hilarious.
There was nothing funny about it. Gordy looked at his mom, panic
rising in his throat. They couldn’t just let his grandfather die, suffering in the worst possible way. From the expressions on their faces, he could tell his mom and Priss were thinking the same thing.
“That doesn’t explain how that jar ended up in Gordy’s possession,” Bolter said. “Someone would have had to plant it on him.”
“Someone close,” Zelda suggested.
Everyone at the table turned and stared at Gordy’s satchel. It was such a lovely bag. Expensive and made of the finest leather. How long had the Clasping Cannikin been hidden within that secret compartment?
“Sasha and Mrs. Brexil gave me that bag.” Gordy turned to his mom.
Priss’s upper lip curled into a snarl. “That hideous woman! I’m going to poison her!”
Gordy’s mom palmed her chin. “I know it seems obvious, but there are too many holes to the story. Why would she fight back at headquarters? Why didn’t she just hand over the Vessel immediately? The Chamber moved it to keep it safe, and no one knows where it’s hidden. That doesn’t sound much like guilt to me.”
“She’s just trying to keep up appearances for the public,” Priss said. “Wake up and smell the corruption!”
“Maybe she was Blotched,” Bolter suggested.
Priss scoffed. “The Chamber President Blotched? Oh, come off it!”
“It could happen,” Zelda chimed in, her voice chirping like a bird. “Someone as powerful as Mezzarix could do that.”
“Blotching still doesn’t explain Talia Brexil’s behavior. She’s not exactly cooperating with the Scourges!” Gordy’s mom smacked the table emphatically. “If she had been Blotched, Dad would already have the Vessel in his hands. The fact that B.R.E.W. is still standing at all is a testament of her innocence.”
“Here we go again!” Priss shouted.
“We’re not going to solve any of this by fighting with each other,” Gordy said, interrupting what promised to be another thunderous argument. “Right now it doesn’t matter who planted the potion in my bag. The Scourges were able to attack B.R.E.W. and would’ve stolen the Vessel had it been there. They’ll do it again unless we stop them.”
“Gordy’s right,” Tobias said, starting to whittle a piece of wood with his knife. “We need to solve this mystery first. How many Scourges did you say there were?” he asked Priss.
“I didn’t say,” Priss answered. “But there had to be several dozen.”
“At least,” Bolter added. “My count would be closer to eighty.”
“Eighty?” Tobias looked bewildered. “Can’t be that many. My father has plenty of followers, I’ll give him that, but there’s no way a group of Scourges that large could have made it onto the grounds of B.R.E.W. One or two, sure. Even a dozen, maybe. But eighty?” He shook his head and nicked a sliver of wood off from his whittling block. “What did they use? Bugs? Mice?”
“They didn’t use any Wardbreakers.” Zelda had removed her knitting from her satchel and teased threads through what Gordy had decided would one day be a sweater for an octopus.
“That’s what we need to understand,” Gordy’s mom said. “What have you heard Ravian talking about? What do you know?”
Tobias clicked his knife closed and leaned forward, but instead of erupting with a series of insults and “how-dare-yous” to Wanda, he simply shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t the foggiest. He’s a tough one to crack, my pop, but this he’s kept close to the chest. Is there any way you could gain access to the security footage outside of headquarters?”
This time Bolter answered. “I’m afraid not. The only one here who had access to the cameras was Wanda, and, well . . .”
“Got herself sacked, didn’t she now?” Tobias clapped. “Best news I’ve heard all year.”
“Can we stay focused, please?” Gordy’s mom pleaded.
Max appeared in the kitchen doorway, yawning, a blanket wrapped around him like a tortilla. “Is it breakfast already?”
“It’s like four o’clock in the morning,” Gordy said, laughing at Max’s unruly hairdo.
“You geeks,” Max grumbled. “You woke me up for nothing.” He scooched a chair over to the table and wedged himself between Gordy and Zelda.
“What good would the security footage do anyway?” Gordy’s mom asked.
Tobias cleared his throat. “Well, it might show how they did it. Perhaps you missed a species of Wardbreaker going to work. I’ve known some folks to use gnats, and they don’t get very plump, drinking up potions.”
“Bolter was out on the lawn the whole time, and he didn’t see any creature at all,” Zelda chirped. “And I doubt Madame Brexil was paying too much attention to the outside security cameras. She had her hands full, proclaiming Gordy’s outlaw status after watching him tear a hole through the training room.”
“She does have it all on video,” Bolter said. “Cameras can be very convincing.”
“Yeah, but they can also be modified.” Max had somehow found more dried aloe vera chips, and his mouth was filled with Zelda’s snack. “People are always uploading fake videos of ghosts and magic tricks. The video never shows the whole story of what’s really going on.”
Gordy heard Tobias’s voice chime in with something else, but he wasn’t listening to him anymore. Right now, Max’s words had triggered a thought in Gordy’s mind.
“Mom, do you have your tablet?” he blurted out, interrupting the conversation. “The one with the security footage from the first breach of the Vessel room?”
“Yes, but—”
“Get it out, please, and also, do you still have Max’s rock?”
“My rock?” Max asked. “What’s that have to do with anything?”
After taking the glowing rock from his mom and waiting for her to cue up the footage from the breach exactly one week earlier, Gordy stared at the tablet, his heart racing. The entire clip had a running time of fifteen minutes, start to finish, and his mom had insisted they would see no evidence of anything out of the ordinary on the screen.
Gordy fiddled with the stone until he felt the section depress beneath his thumb and the dark dining room lit up with a bright, bluish light.
“Stifle that, will you?” Tobias complained.
“Replay it, Mom. From the beginning,” Gordy commanded. His mom didn’t argue, and together they watched the footage once more, only this time with the rock light shining directly at the screen.
“There!” Gordy shouted, feeling as though he might jump right out of his skin. “Do you see her?” He gestured excitedly at the screen, his whole body tingling with goose bumps. A sensation of nausea almost overtook him from the harrowing pit forming in his stomach.
There, entering the Vessel room corridor, peering through the window of the empty room and hiding in the corner, until she plowed into Max trying to make her escape onto the elevator, was Adilene’s new friend, Cadence.
Adilene clenched her jaw, steadied her finger, and pressed the doorbell to the Stitsers’ home. She felt horrible for having ignored Gordy all week. He was her best friend, and she couldn’t stay mad at him. Max, on the other hand, would get over it. She ignored him at least once or twice a day anyway. It was almost nine o’clock on a Saturday morning, and Gordy was probably eating breakfast, so Adilene didn’t plan on staying long. Just long enough to apologize and become friends again and put the whole nonsense behind them.
She watched a few cars drive by as she waited for someone to answer the door. Then she noticed a blue pickup truck parked at the edge of the cul-de-sac. Somehow she had missed it on her way in. Adilene’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. Was it weird Uncle Carlisle’s vehicle? She glanced back and thought about pressing the bell again, but then she saw that the door was open a crack, and she heard rummaging noises coming from inside.
“Gordy?” Adilene called out, pushing open the door and gazing into the foyer. “Mr. and Mrs. Stitser?”
/> No one answered, and Adilene’s eyes drifted up the stairs to where the door to the Stitsers’ lab stood open. The rummaging noises were coming from there.
Adilene stepped into the foyer, forearms prickling. Oh, how she hoped Gordy’s dad would suddenly appear in the kitchen, a steaming platter of pancakes clutched in his hands as he called the rest of the family down for breakfast. Maybe Gordy and his mom were just busy brewing in the lab and couldn’t hear Adilene calling. That seemed like a possible reason, except that Gordy couldn’t enter the lab. Not with that Sequester Strap still in place.
Slipping the vial of vanishing potion from her pocket, she uncorked the lid and took a sip. Disappearing didn’t feel strange. No tingling sensation. Adilene didn’t feel hot or cold or even warm, and the liquid, which had the consistency of cough syrup, only slightly reminded her of black licorice as it flowed down her throat.
When Adilene looked at her arms and hands, however, that’s how she knew it was working. The shape of her body, the outline of her fingers, and the scuffed, worn-out patches on the knees of her blue jeans remained visible, but her skin and clothing had turned translucent. Almost half the bottle Cadence had given her was gone. Adilene liked being invisible. She enjoyed having an ability that others could only dream of having.
Tiptoeing softly up the stairs, Adilene supported her weight with the handrail to keep from making any extra sounds. She was invisible, not weightless. As she approached the lab, Adilene knew instantly there was a problem. Not that she had heard any voices to give her a warning, but she could see a hunched shadow on the carpet and recognized it as belonging to Carlisle. Adilene froze in her tracks.
“Have you checked all the bedrooms?” Cadence’s voice whispered from inside the lab. She sounded desperate. Frantic. What was she doing in Gordy’s house uninvited? “And the parents’ bedroom?” Cadence pressed. “Did you check their closet? Under the bed?” No one answered, and Cadence growled in frustration. “Go check them again, and don’t come back until I call you! We have to hurry!”
The Transparency Tonic Page 21
