by Linsey Hall
His green gaze snapped to me. He was slender, about forty years old with a scholar’s face. Spectacles perched on his nose, giving him a slightly owlish air.
Horatio gestured to two chairs in front of his desk. We sat while he went behind his desk and took the massive leather chair that looked like it had seen a lot of butts.
“How can I help you?” Horatio asked.
“I have power that I can’t control. But it’s a weird one. Can I rely on you not to share what you hear from me?”
He nodded, his gaze serious. I searched his face, looking for any sign of perfidy, then glanced at Roarke, who nodded. Roarke didn’t necessarily like the guy, but he trusted him. That was a good enough endorsement for me.
Horatio nodded and listened intently as I explained how I attracted demons with my new Ubilaz power. And that I had also taken an ice demon’s gift.
“But the thing I don’t get,” I said, “is how I can control the ice power but not the demon attraction. And I once had the power of teleportation—I was very good with that.”
Horatio leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful. “The control of magic is a complex subject, but there are a few general principles. It is easier for you to control powers you were born with. Were you born with the teleportation gift?”
“I think so, yes.” And I was actually a Phantom, so it made sense I could control that.
“As for powers that you obtain from other sources—it’s easy for you to control lower category powers. Ice is a Cat 2. The Cat 5 power will be almost impossible to control.”
“So, for example, bringing back the past—what about that?”
Horatio nodded. “A rare power, that. Not normally associated with a category of demon. I’ve never heard of anyone mastering it.”
That made me feel a bit better.
“Do you have that gift?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Just trying to understand.”
The power had shown up out of the blue, but I hadn’t taken it from a demon. Which meant it was my own, and eventually I’d have better control of it.
From the crease of his brow, I could tell that he didn’t believe my lie, but I wasn’t going to tell this guy everything about me. Keeping things close to the vest was too ingrained.
“We’re here to see if you can help Del control the demon attraction,” Roarke said. “She needs to learn to repress it.”
“I can try.”
“How do you do that, exactly?” I asked.
“My gift is manipulation of the part of your brain that helps you control their magic. I can help you focus and direct your energy toward that. Hopefully, it will work.” He glanced at Roarke. “It doesn’t always, however.”
I glanced at Roarke, whose expression was stony.
Holy undercurrent, Batman. There was something here.
I’d bet big money that Roarke hadn’t needed help controlling his own power—he was the epitome of self-control. But someone else close to him, perhaps?
Now clearly wasn’t the time to ask.
I turned back to Horatio. “Can we do it now?”
He nodded and stood, then came around the desk to kneel by my chair.
“I’m going to touch your shoulder.” His voice was soothing, like a doctor’s. “Your brain may feel….tingly for a moment. That’s just me figuring out exactly what we’re dealing with.”
I couldn’t help but stiffen when he touched my shoulder. Slowly, I sucked in a breath, waiting.
Horatio stumbled back, his eyes wide.
“What’s wrong?” Roarke demanded.
“Did it work?” I asked.
“I didn’t have a chance.” His gaze traveled between the two of us as he stood. “You have a block in your mind.”
“A block?”
“Yes. A rare spell. Someone—or something—has cursed you.”
Confusion ricocheted through me. “What the hell do you mean?”
“I don’t know how or when, but you have a rare obstruction in your mind that limits your control of your powers. It’s not just that higher category powers are harder to control—you have something in your mind that is making it nearly impossible to control certain gifts.”
Shit. “Why? How?”
“A seer prophesied that someone like you would come to me for help,” Horatio said. “It was fated.”
Roarke made a noise low in his throat, the kind that indicated what he thought of fate. Many supernaturals didn’t believe in it—which I thought was totally nuts. Magic was real, so why not fate? I definitely believed. There were all kinds of ways to figure out fate—seers, prophecies, spells.
“I find that hard to believe,” Roarke said. “You just stumbled into a seer who predicted Del’s arrival here?”
Horatio straightened. “We have some of the most advanced seers in the world here, over in Cassandra’s College. I make a point to visit them every year.”
“That’s a bit often.” I might believe fate, but I didn’t want to know too much about it. Knowing what was coming could be stressful. But some supernaturals liked to know. They were the magical equivalent of those humans who called the psychic hotline. Except in this case, it was true.
“I know.” He grinned sheepishly. “But I like to stay on top of things. And it helps with my work. Like with you. About five years ago, Cassandra, our oldest seer, prophesied that a woman would come to me needing help. But that it would be beyond my capability. She requested that I bring you to her.”
Hope and confusion fluttered in my chest, two butterflies duking it out for superiority. Cassandra might have answers—to problems I only now realized existed?
At least it explained my miserable control over my magic.
“Can we go see her now?”
Horatio nodded. “She doesn’t work as late as me, but she’ll want to see you.”
Roarke and I stood, and Horatio led us down the stairs to the foyer. Near the door, cloaks and hats hung from the wall. He grabbed two heavy black cloaks and two hats and handed them to us.
“Wear these,” he said. “You didn’t have an appointment, so I assume you broke in. We don’t want the Chief Constable to find you.”
I smiled weakly and said, “Yeah, that would be bad.”
Roarke and I put on the cloaks and hats. Mine was just about the right length, but Roarke’s was far too short.
“Hopefully no one will look too closely,” Horatio said. “You’re much larger than any of the other professors.”
“Is that what we’re dressed as?” I asked.
“Yes.” Horatio tugged on his cloak and hat, then hurried out into the snowy night.
Roarke and I snuck out behind him, and we moved quickly across the campus, keeping to the shadows. We saw no one as we passed by old buildings and beautiful courtyards.
“Nearly there.” Horatio led us around a silent pond.
A massive stone building sat on the other side. We skirted the pond and went around the side of the building. When we reached a small wooden door, Horatio pulled a keyring from his cloak and undid the lock, then ushered us into a small, dark hallway.
Horatio squeezed around in front of us. “Keep your footsteps silent and follow me.”
We followed him down the hall, then up a back staircase to the fourth floor. He knocked on a door at the end, and we waited for at least five minutes. It felt like ages.
Finally, a young woman opened the door. She was beautiful, with long dark hair and sleepy eyes.
“Cassandra,” Horatio said.
This was Cassandra, the oldest seer? She looked to be only twenty. Subtly, I tried to feel out her magic, sniffing the air and breathing deeply. I got a hint of something ancient—more of a feeling than a scent or taste or sound like some signatures. She was older than she looked.
“Horatio? What are you doing here at this hour?” her voice was raspy with sleep.
He pointed at me. “This is the woman you prophesied. The one with the block on her magic.”
&nbs
p; Cassandra’s green eyes widened. “Really. Well, come in. Come in.”
She stepped back and gestured us inside. We followed Horatio into the almost painfully modern space. Everything was chrome and leather and looked slightly out of place against the old stone walls of the building.
“Take a seat.” She led us to two long leather couches that faced each other across a coffee table. She and Horatio took one, Roarke and I the other.
I sat in the hard seat and leaned toward her. “What do you know about me?”
She shifted closer. “Not much. But you have a rare spell that has been placed upon your mind. Something old that I’ve never seen before. It makes it difficult for you to control your magic.”
“Who put it there?” I hated that I couldn’t remember my past.
“I don’t know,” she said. “But I do know you are important. And that the spell is harmful.”
“No kidding. I’ve been a magical mess lately, unable to control my powers. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t.”
“Yes. The block affects particular gifts. You are able to control some gifts but not others, am I correct?” she asked.
“Yes. Horatio said that my own powers are easier to control, along with lower category powers. Ice and things like that.”
She nodded. “That would make sense. Those are easiest for any supernatural to manage, so you can control them despite the block. And some of your powers are new?”
“Um…” I didn’t want to confirm or explain how I got them. Obtaining new powers was strictly forbidden since normally you had to steal them from other supernaturals if you wanted to get them. Since that was exactly how I’d gotten most of my powers, I didn’t want to share. Though the Phantom power had appeared without me having to steal it, it was a particularly dangerous power and one that no one needed to know about except those I trusted.
She sat back. “Don’t worry. I don’t need to know.”
“Why? You trust me?” I asked.
“Enough,” she said. “I’ve seen that you have a role to play in something important and that I must aid you. I can’t help you get your magical control back, but I have something that might help.”
She stood and went to the corner of the room. She touched the wall, which shimmered and disappeared to reveal a massive black safe. When she opened it, a messy trove of books and boxes threatened to spoil out. After a moment of digging, she pulled a leather folder out and returned to us.
She held it out. “This is for you.”
I took it. “What is it?”
“A map. With directions. It will lead you to answers. I found it in the back of our main library. I think it’s been there for centuries. When I touched it, I had the vision of you. It’s how I knew you would come to Horatio.”
Hope unfurled in my chest as I opened it. The leather was brittle under my fingertips. Carefully, I laid it open on my lap.
Squiggles and lines, along with a really foreign language, met my gaze. It made Cyrillic or Arabic look easy to understand, and I spoke neither of those languages.
Disappointment welled. “It’s indecipherable.”
“You’re supposed to be able to read it,” she said. “I’m certain of it.”
“Well, I can’t.”
She frowned. “I wonder if it’s part of the block on your power.”
Damn it.
A horrendous rattling ring rent the air. I jumped, seeking the noise. On a silver end table, a sleek black phone rang.
Cassandra’s face paled, and she hurried to it, pulling it off the hook and holding it up to her ear. I could just make out the babble of a voice on the other end as Cassandra’s gaze traveled to meet mine.
She hung up with a clatter. “You’ve got to go. That was the campus-wide warning system. The Chief Constable is looking for two fugitives who brought a demon army onto the campus. Apparently they escaped from the dungeons. I imagine that is you.”
I jumped to my feet, the leather folder clutched tightly in my hand. “It is.”
“You need to be quick,” Horatio said. “He’ll turn you over to the Order of the Magica in a heartbeat. They don’t know you’re here yet, but they’ll find you. We could cover for you, but if he finds you, we can’t protect you.”
“Is there a graveyard or a haunted place nearby?” Roarke asked, his voice tight.
“A small pet cemetery behind the building,” Cassandra said. “In the rose garden.”
“It’ll do.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us?” I begged.
Cassandra nodded to the map. “That is all. It will help you find the answers you seek.”
But I couldn’t read it! Though there was no time to worry.
Horatio surged to his feet. “I’ll lead you out.”
“Thank you, Cassandra.” I turned and followed Roarke and Horatio, clattering down the dark, narrow staircase.
At the main landing, we turned away from the front door and made our way to the back of the building. A narrow kitchen led out to the back garden where the scent of roses drew us to the pet cemetery. It was lovely, with benches and a fountain. Glittering white snow fell lightly upon it all.
“There.” Horatio pointed.
“Thank you,” I said.
He disappeared back into the building.
“Here.” Roarke held out his hand for me.
I gripped it just as I heard a rustle in the bushes. “Hurry!” I hissed, my heart racing.
Roarke held out his free hand, palm out. Magic flowed from him, the scent of sandalwood and the taste of wine strong. Then he drew back his fist and slammed it forward. A burst of light exploded as it stopped dead, like he had punched a wall.
Roarke wrapped his arm tighter around me and tugged me forward, stepping into the glow. I glanced behind us, catching sight of the Chief Constable’s enraged face just as the Underpath swept us up. We hurtled through space as gravity disappeared. I tightened my grip on Roarke.
A moment later, we stepped out into the woods near Roarke’s house. He dropped my hand immediately. It was pitch black, and I could barely make out the trees, though I could hear the river rushing nearby.
“Here?” I asked.
“My house is protected from demons. And I didn’t want to draw them to your place.” He pulled on my hand, and we hurried through the forest.
We raced up the stairs to the porch, dashed through the front door, and slammed it behind us. Only once we were inside did I realize that Roarke was still holding my hand.
A shiver ran up my arm as I looked up at him. Adrenaline from our escape still raced through my veins. His, too, from the brightness of his eyes. His gaze riveted to my face, warming with a heat that made my heart pound
Oh, man, he was so hot.
His hand tightened on mine, and he pulled me closer. I stumbled forward, my chest bumping into his. Warmth flowed through me, and my skin lit up with electricity. I tilted my head up to his, giving him my best I want you look.
This was it. He was going to kiss me.
The heat in his beautiful eyes made it clear. The way they traced over my lips. His own full lips parted just slightly, enough to make me want a taste more than my next breath.
He dipped his head just slightly, sending my heart rate into the stratosphere. The warmth of him almost burned me as he stepped closer. My skin prickled with awareness.
He hesitated, so long that I stopped breathing. So long that I decided to take matters into my own hands and prove that I wasn’t being paranoid about his recent distance.
I stood on my tiptoes, almost having to jump because he was so tall, and pressed my lips to his. It was more of a brush, really, because he immediately pulled his head away and stepped back, letting go of my hand. A wall slammed down behind his eyes.
His expression went completely blank.
What?!
It was suddenly much colder without his touch. Embarrassment was hot oil poured on my head. I wanted to sink into the floor and live there under the hous
e, a weird hermit person.
“We need to figure out what it says on that map,” he said.
“Uh… Yeah.”
That was the best I could come up with in this circumstance.
“I have a friend that I can send a picture of the map to,” he said. “He or she may be able to read it.”
“Thanks.” My mind buzzed with embarrassment and confusion. “I’ll, uh, text a picture to Dr. Garriso. Maybe he’ll know something.”
Roarke turned on the lights as I laid the map out on the narrow table by the door. We each took a turn snapping a photo with our phones, then sent them to our friends. My skin tingled the whole time, like even it was embarrassed, wanted to run off my body, and get away from what an idiot I was.
“It may take a while to hear back,” Roarke said. “But as long as we’re in the house, we’re fine. It’s protected from demons.”
Desperately, I tried to make conversation and act like this was normal. I could call him out on his mixed signals, but then I’d have to acknowledge my ridiculousness, and this just seemed easier.
So I said, “I guess they’d have good reason to want to take you out. There’d be one less person trying to keep them in hell.”
“Exactly, though they don’t often try. I do like to sleep without worry.”
Sleep. Wow, that sounded great. It’d been a while since I’d had a nap. Or a shower. I could smell myself.
“I’m going to get a shower while we wait to hear back about the map, okay?” I said.
“Sure. I’ll put something on to eat.”
Well, that made it hard to stay annoyed with him. “Thanks.”
I hurried up the wide wooden stairs to the bedroom I’d used last time I was here. It was as ski lodge chic as ever, with beautiful rustic furniture and a massive fireplace. I stopped by one of the wide windows and peered out, looking for demons. The river glittered in the moonlight below, but there were no demons that I could see.
Didn’t mean they weren’t there—or that they wouldn’t show up. Having them stalk my every move, drawn to me like freaking flies to honey, was hell on my nerves. With the Order of the Magica also possibly on my tail, this was turning out to be a pretty rough week.
I touched my fingertips to the comms charm at my neck, igniting the magic. “Cass? Nix?”
