“I don’t care,” Luna said. I stopped laughing to see that she was looking at me steadily. “I go to classes and matches and I hear everyone talking about Dark and Light, and they all seem to think that the faction you’re part of is the most important thing in the world. Well, I don’t like either of them. Neither of them are ever going to want me, because I’m not a mage. They don’t care about me. Why should I care about them?”
I fell silent. “It’s not that simple,” I said at last. “I know you’ve got reason not to like either faction. But they are different, and I shouldn’t have joined up with Richard the way I did.”
Luna gave me a puzzled look. “If you don’t like Dark mages, why did you join Richard in the first place?”
I sighed. “Short answer? Because I hated pretty much everyone. I felt like the world had treated me like crap, and this was my chance to turn it around. No one had ever cared about me, so why should I care about anyone else? When you spend all your time lonely and miserable, it’s really easy to start hating everyone who has what you don’t.” I glanced at Luna. “You understand that, don’t you?”
Luna’s eyes went distant, and she nodded. We sat in silence for a little while. “Why did you change your mind?” Luna said quietly.
“Because of Catherine and that boy,” I said. “I guess . . . The way I’d always justified it to myself was that the rest of the world had started it. But those two hadn’t done anything to me. So I tried to fix it. And I failed.”
Luna sat without speaking and I wondered what she was thinking about. It was a relief when I heard footsteps and Anne and Variam arrived. I looked between them, then down the tunnel. “Sonder?” I said.
“He had to leave,” Anne said. There was a slight distance in her manner, but at least she didn’t flinch when I looked at her.
“He’s still choking on the whole ex–Dark mage thing,” Variam said. “He said he’d call.”
It wasn’t really a surprise. Sonder had always been the idealistic one, and I had the feeling it was going to take a while for him to get used to this . . . if he ever did. I glanced at Variam. “How about you?”
“I figure we owe you,” Variam said.
“I don’t want you to get involved in this because you feel you have to.”
“Yeah, well, that’s my call, right?” Variam shrugged. “You’re about the only mage who’s ever stuck around to help us out. I’m not leaving because of some old grudge.”
I didn’t say anything but I gave Variam a nod, and he gave me one back. I looked at Anne, who answered in her soft voice. “I’m not blaming Sonder for leaving,” she said, and again there was that trace of remoteness that hadn’t been there before. “But . . . what’s done is done. I don’t want anyone else to die.” Her eyes held mine and there was a question there.
“Neither do I,” I said, and I felt Anne relax slightly.
“Okay,” Luna said, raising a hand. “Not to point out the obvious, but they seem just fine with someone dying, as long as it’s you.”
“Is there any way to talk to them?” Anne asked.
“Yeah, I got a close look at these guys,” Luna said. “They really didn’t seem in a talking mood.”
“How many of ’em are there, and what can they do?” Variam said.
“Six that I saw,” I said. “At least three are magic-users, probably adepts. Will can accelerate himself, the girl throws ground fire, and the tall one’s a life-drinker. I caught a whiff of space magic too.”
“Only four of them were fighting though,” Luna said.
“That we saw,” I said. “If they can put together an attack team of six, they’ve probably got others.”
“If their group’s that big, they’re going to have trouble hiding,” Variam said with a frown. “There should be some way to track them down.”
“But if you go following them it’ll just lead to another fight,” Anne said.
“You got any better ideas?”
“There has to be some way to get them to listen,” Anne said. “Otherwise it’ll turn into a battle, and the longer that goes on the harder it’ll be to stop.”
“Can you think of anything?” I said. “Because Luna’s right—they really didn’t seem interested in talking things out.”
Anne bit her lip, thinking. “Could we try the Council?” Luna asked. “What about Talisid?”
“He’s still in Russia from that business last month, and I can’t think of any other Council mages I’d trust with this.”
“What about Caldera?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Caldera was asking about Richard,” Luna said. “Then the same day, these guys go after you. It’s probably not a coincidence, right?”
I thought about it. “Caldera was looking into rumours of Richard coming back,” I said. “Maybe those same rumours are the reason Will’s group made their move now.”
“If she’s a Keeper, she’d know more about these guys, wouldn’t she?” Luna said.
“More bloody Keepers,” Variam muttered.
“What happened to Catherine?” Anne asked.
Luna and Variam looked at Anne in surprise. “You mean back then?” I said. “She was alive when I escaped. Beyond that . . . I don’t know.”
“Maybe she’s still alive,” Anne said.
“Didn’t Will tell Alex she was dead?” Luna asked.
“But he also thought Alex killed her,” Anne said. “If he was wrong about that, maybe he’s wrong about her being dead too.”
I sighed. “I’d like to believe it, but . . . I don’t know. Odds aren’t good.”
“It’s possible though, isn’t it?” Anne said. “And if she is alive, you could find her.”
“I guess,” I said reluctantly. “But Anne, it was ten years ago. It’s one hell of a cold trail.”
“But think about what would happen if you did,” Anne said. “It would take away this boy’s reason to go after you, wouldn’t it?” She looked at me. “You said you wanted a way to deal with these adepts without having to fight them. Even if you can’t find Catherine, you might turn up something that helps.”
Variam and Luna looked at each other, then at me. “I guess it’s worth a try,” Variam said unwillingly.
“Where would you look, though?” Luna asked.
“It’s not where.” My heart sank as I said it. “It’s who. There’s only one person who’d know.”
* * *
We spoke for another hour before breaking up for the evening. I wanted to go home, but Anne flatly refused to let me out of Arachne’s lair until I’d had a full day’s rest, and I gave in. Anne stayed to keep an eye on me, Luna stayed to keep Anne company, and in the end we all spent the night there. Before going to sleep I made two calls and left two messages: one to the number Caldera had left me, and one to an unnamed number that cut in to a voice mail service. “It’s Alex,” I said into the phone. “We need to meet. Call me back.” I hung up and walked back down the tunnel. The day had tired me more than I’d realised, and as soon as I lay down I fell into a dreamless sleep.
* * *
The next day dawned hot and dry, the heat reaching down into the earth to raise the temperature of Arachne’s cave. Anne checked on me several times, and by the afternoon finally decided I was fit for action. “Now, do try not to get stabbed again,” Arachne said as I got ready to leave. “At least not until next week.”
“Would you lay off already? It’s not like I do this regularly.”
“Well, whether you do or don’t, come back in a couple of days. I’ll have something for you.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“I think you’re doing the right thing.”
I looked at Arachne in surprise. “Trying to find Catherine?”
“Your friend Anne came to the right answer, even if she might not know why,” Arachne said.
“Whatever you find at the end of this, you’ve needed to do it for a long time.”
“Let’s hope you’re right,” I said. Anne and Variam and Luna emerged from one of the side caves and I waved to them. “I’ll see you soon.”
* * *
It was a beautiful day and Hampstead Heath was packed, people soaking up the warmth of the sun and resting in the shade. Students threw Frisbees on the greens while families walked at a leisurely pace down the wooded paths, children and dogs racing around their ankles. The four of us left the Heath and crossed Kentish Town, taking the bridge over the canal.
Coming back to my shop felt less like coming home and more like making camp in enemy territory. I scanned my shop and flat thoroughly from a distance, then we entered on foot and searched the building from top to bottom. Once we were done Anne and Variam left to make a circuit of the block.
“Anything?” I asked once Anne was back.
“I don’t think so,” Anne said. “The streets are crowded but I can’t see anyone watching.”
I nodded. “I can’t find anything either.”
“That’s kind of weird,” Luna said curiously. “Shouldn’t they be staking the place out or something?”
“Who cares?” Variam said. “They’ll show up sooner or later.”
“No, Luna’s right,” I said with a frown. “If I were them and I’d lost the trail at the casino, I’d try to pick us up again here.”
“Luna said their leader was injured in the fight,” Anne said. “They might be waiting for him to recover.”
“Well,” I said, “for now, we wait.”
* * *
Anne, Variam, and Luna all had afternoon classes, but they skipped them and the four of us stayed inside for the day. I ran the three of them through the building’s defences, making sure they knew how to activate them if they were needed and to stay out of the way once they were. If Will and his friends decided they wanted a rematch I was going to be ready for them.
At four o’clock the phone rang. Not my mobile but the landline, which I hardly ever use. I picked it up and spoke. “It’s Alex. We need to meet.”
A woman’s voice spoke from the other end of the line, familiar and cold. “What do you want?”
“I’ve got questions.”
“I don’t care.”
“I have something to trade. Information.”
“And?”
“Have I ever called you before?” I asked. “You think I’d be coming to you if this wasn’t important?”
Silence. “Tonight at ten o’clock,” the voice said at last. “The market at the Old Truman Brewery. Try anything and I’ll kill you.” She hung up before I could answer.
I put the phone down and turned to the others. “Well, it’s a start.”
“Was that Rachel?” Luna said. She and Variam were looking at me, while Anne was looking out the window.
“Call her Deleo,” I said. “For some reason her old name really pisses her off.”
“She’s going to help?” Variam said.
“She’s going to talk.”
“Alex?” Anne said, a warning note in her voice. “We’ve got a problem.”
We all turned to look. “That boy from two nights ago is back,” Anne said. “And he’s not alone.”
Variam and Luna rose, and I started scanning futures. “How many?” Variam said.
“Two that I can see,” Anne said. “Him and another the same age.”
“It’s them,” I said. Looking into the futures in which I left the shop and turned right, I could see myself running straight into them. “Four . . . no, five. Probably more.”
Luna had drawn her whip and was standing by the door. “What’s the plan?”
I thought quickly. Will’s group were down the street and they were coming closer. But there were other people out there too . . . An odd idea occurred to me. “I’m going to open the shop.”
Anne, Variam, and Luna all turned to stare at me.
* * *
“Alex?” Luna said quietly from my left. “What exactly is the plan here?”
The sign on my shop’s front door said OPEN, and a steady stream of customers was trickling in. It was a sunny day in tourist season, the busiest time of the year, and already the shop was starting to fill up. An American couple chatted loudly over the sword and knife table, while a girl with a satchel and long skirts was going through the herb and powder rack. Luna had taken up a position in the back left corner, Variam was behind the counter with me, and Anne had slipped into the roped-off area holding the magical items to the right, partly hidden from view. “I’m playing a hunch,” I said.
“What hunch?”
The girl in the skirts approached the counter. “Do you have any aconite?”
“Sorry,” I said. “That stuff’s too dangerous to sell over the counter.”
She nodded. “Could I order some? I can show you some ID if you’d like.”
We sorted it out, I agreed to get some for her by next week, and she bought some other herbs. From the selection and her pentacle necklace I pegged her as a Wiccan. I rang up the sale and she left.
“This is stupid,” Variam said through his teeth once she was gone.
“Mr. Diplomacy’s got a point,” Luna said. She kept her voice down, her eyes tracking the customers. “This is way more crowded than the casino. If a fight starts here I don’t think I can miss all these guys.”
“That’s the idea,” I said.
“They’re coming,” Anne said quietly.
Through the shop window, on the other side of the street, I saw the Chinese kid. I met his eyes through the glass; he flinched visibly and ducked back behind a van. “That’s right,” I murmured. “Now go tell Will we know you’re here.”
“Why are we waiting?” Variam said.
“It’s their move,” I said.
“Yeah, how about we take that move and shove it—”
Another customer came to the counter and Variam fell silent, glowering. As I finished serving them, my phone rang and I glanced at it. It was a new number, and I answered. “Caldera,” I said. “Hi.”
“Hey, Verus,” Caldera said. I could hear traffic in the background; it sounded like she was near a main road. “Got your message.”
“Mind coming to my shop for a chat?”
“Thought you didn’t know anything?”
“I had what you might call a motivational experience.” Across the street, three figures had appeared. It was Will, the gold-haired girl, and the Indian kid.
“All right, I’ll head over. Should be with you in an hour or two.”
Will and the other two began walking towards us, crossing the street. They were heading straight for the shop. “Uh, Caldera?” I said, not taking my eyes off them. “You might want to hurry.”
“What’s the rush?”
“Let’s just say you’re not the only one with an interest in Richard’s old apprentices.”
The bell rang as Will strode through the door. His two companions followed him in to flank him, eyes flicking from side to side, gold-hair girl on his left and the Indian boy on his right. Anne caught my attention with a movement of her head and as I glanced at her she held up two fingers and gestured outside the shop to either side. I made a small motion to show I’d understood and kept my eyes on Will.
Will and the other two approached the counter. I’d dropped the phone as soon as they entered and my hand was under the counter, resting on the concealed shelf. They came to a halt ten feet away, staring at me.
There was a long silence. The shop was still filled with the buzz of conversation, but around the counter all was quiet. I could feel the potential for violence but couldn’t see it in the futures . . . yet. “Looking for something?” I said at last.
Will’s gaze slid off me and scanned the others. He dismissed Anne wit
h a glance and studied Variam briefly before settling on Luna. “Who are you?”
“The one who kicked your ass,” Luna said. The handle of her whip was hidden behind her forearm, and the silver mist of her curse coiled around her, quick and eager. She looked casual but I could tell she was ready to spring.
Will’s eyes narrowed, and he looked back at me. “Getting reinforcements?”
“Pretty much,” I said. “Mind if I ask you something?”
Will ignored me and addressed the others. “Why are you helping this piece of shit?”
“None of your business,” Variam said.
“Because we’re his friends,” Luna said. “You have a problem with him, you have a problem with us.”
“Friends?” the gold-hair girl said in a London accent, and laughed.
“Do you know what he did?” the Indian boy said, addressing Luna and Variam.
“Yeah, actually, we do,” Luna said. “He told us.”
“And you’re on his side?” Will said incredulously.
“So you’re Dark mages too?” the Indian boy said.
“It’s not about sides,” Anne said, speaking for the first time in her soft voice. All three of them turned to her, and she met their eyes. “We are his friends. And if you try to kill him we won’t stand aside.”
I felt an odd choking sensation and blinked before shaking it away quickly. But Will and the other two looked off-balance, and in a sudden flash of insight I realised that they hadn’t come in here prepared to confront anyone but me. Friends hadn’t been in the script.
A customer approached, a middle-aged man with a balding head. “Um, excuse me,” he said. “Could I get—?”
Will and the girl turned to stare at him. The man trailed off. “. . . I’ll come back,” he finished, and backed away.
“Is that what this is about?” the Indian boy asked me, gesturing around the shop. “Human shields?”
“Call it that if you like,” I said. “The question is, do you want to start a fight in the middle of them?”
Alex Verus Novels, Books 1-4 (9780698175952) Page 93
