“The program is the key. Someone on the other side used it to breach the wall. Would you like to elaborate on the travelers and tell us what you know?” Honora asked Min.
“A decade ago, twelve travelers left Everland through the arch at the North Woods Station. We were under orders from the council for complete secrecy, especially with family, friends, and associates. No one was to know the details of our trip. We all had our own reasons for going, and we mostly kept to ourselves when we arrived. We were given set dates and drop-off points for correspondence throughout our time there and a ten-year return date. As you know, only ten of us returned. Your mother and a wizard didn’t make it to the rendezvous point.” Min cleared his throat, prompting Sawyer to pour him a glass of water.
“Who was he?” Honora asked, curious to find out the identity of the other wizard who didn’t return.
Min shrugged. “A companion of hers. That’s all I know. I believe they were close.”
Mother never mentioned a companion in her correspondence. Honora broke his stare. “And the others? Not counting you, that leaves nine travelers to investigate,” she said. “I suggest we divide and conquer.”
“I’ve already eliminated four of the travelers. There are two sky flyers from a flying club, living in the eastern sky country, and a couple of elementals who relocated to the South. All four are completely harmless and living quiet lives.”
“If you say so,” Jenny said, tossing her bobbed hair with a swing of her head.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Min asked with a sneer.
“That’s it? You’ve only investigated four witches and wizards?” Jenny uncrossed her legs, planting her feet on the floor. “That’s a little pathetic, isn’t it?”
“We didn’t realize there was a threat until after Jonathan’s disappearance, which we initially thought was due to personal problems. None of us suspected a magic-wielding ghoul.” Min adjusted his collar, clearly unnerved by Jenny’s directness.
“But Jonathan disappeared two months ago,” Jenny continued. “I know because I was the only one looking for him back then.” She pointed to her chest.
Honora shrugged at him. “She’s right. Why now? Why did the council suddenly get involved?”
He smirked at her. “You, of course. Your investigation raised a few eyebrows. And the fact that Jonathan’s wife was still pressing to find him. Between your mother and the other wizard not returning and Jonathan’s connection with the wall, the council could no longer ignore the issue.”
“When did the council realize Jane was an impostor?” Honora asked.
Min’s smirk dissolved. “Not long. Our investigations are parallel.” He twisted up his lips.
“I guess you guys need me more than you want to admit.” Honora felt a flicker of satisfaction.
Jenny examined her fingernails. “I suppose better late than never,” she said, taking the high road.
“Did you know many of the travelers while in the Otherworld?” Honora asked.
“No, we all had separate assignments. I prefer to work alone. Also, being with Hex, I’m not at liberty to discuss my mission. I hope you understand. But I will help in any other way possible.”
“The council likes to keep secrets,” Sawyer said. “Here’s the list of the rest of the travelers. That leaves three witches and two wizards to track down.” He brought the casebook in and opened it on Honora’s desk.
“Anything interesting show up when you checked them out?” Honora asked.
“Two work for Haven Academy, so that’s good. You can find both of them at one time. Husband and wife professors—the Brassborns.” He waved his wand, and a picture of the towering stone buildings of the iconic academy appeared on the page with the wizards’ names.
“What do they teach?” Honora asked.
“Advanced spellcraft and magical illusions. Next on the list is a naturalist, a gypsy witch, and two astronomers,” Sawyer said.
“I’ll take the astronomers and the naturalist,” Min said, quickly laying claim.
Honora raised her brow at him.
“The astronomers were next on my list,” Min explained. “I’ve already done some background checks on them, so I’d like to finish what I’ve started. The naturalist is a mystery to me. I’m interested in learning more about her.”
“I’m going with you.” Jenny hopped up from the sofa. “Just think of me as a fly on the wall.”
Wisely, Min didn’t argue, but opened the door for Jenny.
Honora grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. “I’ll go by the academy first and get the professors done, and then track down the gypsy. We meet back here at one o’clock with as much information as we can gather. Focus on suspicious behavior, associates, and daily routine.”
“Not a problem.” Min nodded. He was being suspiciously agreeable.
Flying over the Haven Academy grounds brought back a flood of memories to Honora, mostly of sneaking out late at night to fly by midnight or to cut class. A smile bloomed across her face as she remembered the old spellcasting classes, brewing parties, and her first wandworking lessons. School had been an interesting experience for Honora. She loved learning but hated studying. She preferred to jump right in with both feet when trying to learn a new subject. Why study when she could just do magic?
Honora dropped down from the sky and landed in front of Craft Hall, which contained the bulk of the academy’s classrooms. It was a mammoth gray stone building with a huge arched entry covered in carvings of giant caldrons, witches on broomsticks, and a galaxy of stars and moons. When a young witch wanted to learn everything she could about magic, this was the place she did it. Honora landed just as a rush of young witches and wizards poured out of the building, forcing her to push through a crush of students making their way to the grassy quad.
Nostalgia filled her heart as she navigated the halls. The directory led her to the seventh floor. After a few wrong turns, she found the professors’ classroom in a far-off corner of the building, with stacks of moving boxes crowding the hallway. The room was empty—no desks, no students, nothing but a tiny hedgehog sitting on a red velvet pillow in the middle of the room.
“Hey, little guy.” She bent down and scooped him up, gently holding him in her palm. “Did someone leave you here? Better be careful—you might get stepped on.” She picked up the velvet pillow the animal was sitting on, suspecting he was someone’s familiar. There was nowhere to put him out of the way of unsuspecting feet. “What kind of classroom is this?”
“It’s the illusion room,” the hedgehog whispered and twitched his nose.
“Did you say something?” she asked, staring in shock. Animals didn’t speak, not even in Everland.
The hedgehog sparkled on the pillow, beguiling her as its quills suddenly sprouted from its back, growing into long spines that shot right through the pillow, pricking Honora’s hand. “Ouch.” She dropped the animal, but it was too late. The creature transformed into a thorn-covered vine that twisted around her wrist.
“Not funny!” she yelled, trying to remember what the illusion room was. She vaguely remembered a class on disarming magical illusions. “Advanced phantoms!” she yelled, proud of herself for remembering, but then realizing the class name alone did her no good. The vines tightened. She silently berated herself for falling for such an obvious trap. Was this some kind of joke, witch hazing, or impromptu lesson?
She tried to pull the vine off, but it twisted harder, digging into her skin. Panic, mixed with anger, flared in her. She slipped the wand out of her inside jacket pocket and whispered a basic severing spell, but nothing happened. She tried a dissolving spell and a cutting spell, but neither worked on the thorny vine. Frustrated, she dropped her wand, pulled the knife from her boot, and awkwardly sliced through the ropey flesh. It snapped and sparked, the magic dissolving in a pool of golden light.
“Bravo, bravo.” A wizard wearing a long purple robe and black boots appeared on a raised platform that materialized in t
he front of the room. His gray hair was cropped short, giving his tanned face a bright glow. He had spent time in the sun. Desks also appeared out of thin air and filled the classroom.
“I’m going to presume you’re Professor Marvin Brassborn,” Honora said. “I seem to have stumbled into your illusion maneuvers.” She smiled politely.
“It’s a basic security illusion. Can’t be too cautious.”
A sticky pool of thread bound Honora’s feet to the floor. She shifted an annoyed glare from the golden pool of honey-like goo to the professor. Talk about being paranoid. “Do you mind?”
“Of course—once you tell me who you are and why you’re in my classroom.” He tilted his head to the side in an inquisitive way, but his stern gaze told her he was not playing games.
“I’m working for the council. They sent me to check on you and your wife, to find out how you are adjusting to life back in Everland.”
The skin at the corner of his eye flinched. “How considerate.” He waved his wand, and the sticky trap disappeared. “The council should have notified us you were coming. It’s very unlike them to send someone. Are you Hex? You don’t look like Hex.” He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.
“Is your wife around? It won’t take long. I’d like to ask you both a few questions.”
A witch wearing a startlingly red gown with an open neckline appeared from a small door in the back of the room. Her skin was milky-white and glowed strikingly against a cascade of long blood-red hair that fell well past her waist. A huge black spider perched on her bare collarbone. “She looks just like her mother, doesn’t she, Marvin? She has Elspeth’s eyes and that penetrating gaze.”
“You know my mother?” Honora jerked toward her.
The spider reared up, shiny black legs twitching. Its fangs dripped with venom. What kind of witch had a spider as a familiar? A confident one, Honora mused with a swallow.
“Now, now, dear,” the witch cooed to her spider. “Let her explain all the details, tell us of this important mission she’s on. She’s come all this way to speak with us.”
“I’m Honora Mayhem, Elspeth’s youngest daughter, and first of all I want to know anything you can tell me about my mother. Do you know what happened to her?” Honora’s mouth went dry as dust.
“Not well, but yes, we know Elspeth Mayhem. Sadly, we don’t know what befell her. I’m so sorry not to have better news. But you must have other questions we could assist you with. What else has brought you to us?” the witch asked.
Honora’s stomach twisted over another dead end about her mother’s fate. “I’m here on urgent council business. It’s imperative that I speak with the two of you about recent events. You’re Professor Sky Brassborn?”
The witch nodded. Eccentric professors permeated Haven Academy, plus the Brassborns had been out of the witching world for a long time, so their odd behavior wasn’t entirely unexpected.
“I wanted to talk to you about your time in the Otherworld.”
The professors exchanged a nervous glance. “Not here. We’ll go somewhere more private,” Marvin said.
They invited Honora into their office. Two large desks filled the cluttered space packed to the brim with trunks and boxes, towers of books, shelves stacked with parchment scrolls, and huge vases filled with wild plants. Sky glided into the room and perched on the edge of one of the desks. The spider disappeared into the folds of her dress, making Honora shudder.
“You really must be more careful, my dear.” Marvin mopped his brow with the sleeve of his robe. “Secrecy is of the upmost importance. No one here at Haven Academy knows where we’ve been for the past ten years. They think we were on sabbatical, writing a book on magical illusions.” He sat behind his desk and exhaled a nervous sigh.
“We can’t be too careful. Our privacy is essential to protecting our research. Life in the Otherworld has taught us to be cautious.” Sky sat straight-backed, her gaze roving around the room, checking, assessing. “Tell us, what’s happened to suddenly bring you to our doorstep?”
“Let’s start with you telling me about your studies in the Otherworld. Specifically, where you traveled to and what creatures you encountered while there. Also, I need to know if you met any unusual people.” Honora sat in a chair between the two desks.
“That isn’t an easy request. We’re still compiling our journals. We filled over a hundred while in the Otherworld.” Marvin motioned proudly to the piles of books and parchment scrolls. “It was a marvelous and trying time. Can you be more specific?”
“Did you encounter any dangerous creatures?”
“Oh, yes. Many, many.” Marvin’s eyes flickered with delight. He sifted through the materials on his desk and pulled out a red leather journal, passing it to her. The first page read Creatures of Death and Destruction.
Honora’s eyes widened. “You weren’t kidding.”
Sky raked her pointy fingernails through her hair, completely relaxed, in contrast to her husband’s jittery demeanor. “The Otherworld is brimming with darkness and beings who dwell in the shadows—vampires, demons, dark angels, and scavengers of death,” she practically purred. The spider re-emerged from the cleavage of her dress and crawled to her shoulder.
Honora tried not to flinch. “What about ghouls?”
Marvin pushed his chair back, scraping the legs against the hardwood floor as he sprang to one of the shelves. “There are things far worse than ghouls on the other side. In fact, though foul, a ghoul is much tamer than something like a goblin or a demon or a blood-sucking fiend,” Marvin said, sifting though the parchments.
“Really? Because I’m tracking a ghoul who knows how to use magic, and that’s bad enough for my taste.” Honora watched for a reaction from the two, but their expressions were blank.
“Impossible. Ghouls don’t possess any magical abilities of their own. What kind of magic is it using?” Sky drummed her nails against the desk.
“The ghoul has taken the shape of a witch—the wife of a very important wizard.”
“This is truly disturbing. We had no idea that something unusual happened with the crossing other than two of us not returning,” Sky said with a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry your mother didn’t make it back. It must be hard.”
“Yes, it is. No one knows anything.” Honora swallowed her emotions, forcing herself back on topic. “Do you have any idea how a non-magical creature is creating advanced spellcraft?”
“An identity spell. Very tough, but not impossible to master. The ghoul is probably wearing a charm,” Marvin said, abandoning the parchments and returning to his desk. “It’s the easiest way to maintain the spell over long periods of time.”
“A charm? You’re kidding. I didn’t know charms infused that much power.”
“You might be surprised.” Sky stood and selected a small wooden box from the shelf. Inside was a long golden chain holding an ornate amulet with a dull purple gemstone embedded in a wreath of gold filigree. The gaudy necklace had been in fashion about a century ago.
Sky draped the chain over Honora’s head, and as the amulet touched her chest, a tingly feeling ran throughout her body. The red-headed witch handed her a gilded mirror, but to her shock, when she peered into the glass, Honora saw a girl with short white hair and pointed ears.
She gasped, and the girl’s face moved. Honora looked exactly like an elf!
Honora fingered her new ears with amazement. They even felt real. “This can’t last for months, can it? And fool someone’s husband?”
Marvin and Sky exchanged a look. “This kind of magic isn’t from Everland. I obtained the amulet from the Otherworld. The magic of the fairies and the elves is different, and in some ways, more powerful. The fairy folk enjoy foolery done with illusions and disguises.”
“Fairy and elfin magic, interesting.” That explained the ears. Honora peeked in the mirror and tugged on her short white hair. She pulled off the amulet and smiled as her familiar face appeared in
the mirror and then handed the necklace back to Sky. “But would fairies want to cross the wall and enter Everland? Could they be working with a ghoul?”
“I couldn’t imagine an alliance between them,” Marvin said. “They’re not natural allies and frequent different worlds entirely. I can’t think of a reason for them to come to Everland, but I wouldn’t know for sure. Rogue factions exist in every society.”
“Graveyards infested with ghouls don’t seem like typical fairy or elf territory.” Honora stood. She needed more information, but it was a good start. “Now I just need to know two things—how can I break the spell and kill the ghoul?”
“Take away the charm and force the creature to show its true form,” Sky said, shaking her head. “It won’t be easy.”
“If you want to kill the ghoul, decapitation followed by cremation is your best option,” Marvin added. “Ghouls live off dead flesh, and they are surprisingly resilient. You’re going to want to make sure there’s nothing left.” His fleshy jowls shook when he spoke.
“Who’s the wizard the ghoul is after?” Sky asked.
“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you that the ghoul is suspected of coming through the wall on the pilgrimage. With you.”
“You aren’t suggesting one of us could have had anything to do with it, are you? We’re loyal to the council and Everland. We would never do anything to jeopardize it.” Flustered, Marvin spilled a pile of parchments on the floor.
“I’m not making any judgments, but I must suspect everyone. I’d be careful if I were you two.”
“We’re peaceful, law-abiding witches.” Sky never took her eyes off Honora.
“But you have no idea who on the pilgrimage might have had the power or opportunity to join an alliance with dangerous Otherworlders?” Honora leaned against her chair, keeping it between her and the witch. “It would go a long way in proving your loyalty to the council.”
Fly By Midnight (A Sister Witches Mystery) Page 17
