by Lucia Ashta
“That’s a problem.” Marcelo ran another hand through his dark hair. Unlike Count Vabu’s, it shot up in every direction.
“One we’ll resolve.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“It reinforces that the sorcerers of this sect are highly skilled. We need to be at the top of our abilities to defeat them.”
“Is this your information?”
“No. I interrogated the sorcerer, once Prudence prevented him from transforming again.”
“And spelled him into the body of a half-human, half-mouse,” Brave said from his place next to Gertrude. It sounded like amusement colored his words, and Marcelo arched his eyebrows at his nephew.
“I hope you made him suffer like you promised me, Vladimir,” Madame Pimlish said. Her tone was as unforgiving of the sorcerer’s transgressions as it’d been before.
Brave gave Marcelo a look that promised to share the story later, a twinkle in the nephew’s eyes, and Marcelo returned his attention to Count Vabu, who said, “I kept my word to you, Prudence.”
I noticed that Count Vabu dodged her question a bit, and I hoped it was because he wasn’t the type of vampire who enjoyed people’s suffering.
“I interrogated the sorcerer, and what I learned is disturbing. He says that the SMS keeps secret the identity of every sorcerer in their ranks. Unless they’re directly working with each other, they don’t know who’s a part of the organization. But the sorcerer believes there are hundreds of them.”
“That’s consistent with what we saw today,” Marcelo said, “If there were any fewer of them, they wouldn’t have been able to come at us in such numbers.”
“Agreed. From what our mouse says, they receive their communications through coded, magical missives. There’s a great degree of coordination from a governing body. The mouse received orders, and he followed them without question. And there’s more bad news.” Count Vabu paused, scanning all of us in the room. “What he describes suggests that there’s a traitor on the Magical Council.”
“No,” Arianne gasped, and I remembered that when I first arrived in Acquaine, the SMS agents who pursued us suggested that she and Mordecai were on the Magical Council. “It’s not possible.”
“Are you certain?”
Arianne sat heavily on the sofa next to her brother. From the look on her face, her answer was clear.
“If there’s a traitor on the Magical Council,” Count Vabu continued, “we’re in more trouble than we thought.”
“Nothing is safe if what you say is true.” Arianne stared off into space as if already imagining the terrors the SMS could bring about.
“Vlad, you’re certain this mouse sorcerer told you the truth?” Marcelo asked. “Is it not possible he could be telling you things to frighten and mislead us?”
“Oh, I’m sure he would if he could. He seems as frightened of what the SMS would do to him once they found out he revealed their secrets as he did of me, and I can be very... persuasive.”
“Then perhaps he told you lies.”
“He couldn’t have. Like your wife, my powers are a bit unique, though not nearly as much as hers. I can compel anyone to tell the truth. They can’t resist my magic. So you see, I’m certain he’s telling us the truth. The SMS is a more formidable opponent than any of us had previously realized.”
No one questioned Count Vabu about his power to compel people to tell the truth, and I wondered if it was part of being a vampire or if all magicians had different powers, and this was one of his. If Marcelo knew Count Vabu before now, then he probably knew he was a vampire.
Or not. I had no idea how all this worked. I needed to start figuring things out, and fast, before any more information piled up, burying me beneath it.
Gustave stood and offered his sister his hand. “We can only handle one problem at a time.”
With a whoosh of air, I sighed my relief. Gustave’s memories were back, and gone was the look of a lost child. Thank goodness.
“Arianne and I will go see to Humbert. Marcelo and Clara, you go after Mordecai, but be careful.” Gustave pinned them in a stare. “Seriously. You go after him, but you back off if the danger is too great. If you can’t help him, there’s no point in getting yourselves hurt. You come back and get the rest of us and we’ll figure it out together.”
Marcelo nodded, but he didn’t convince me. I had the feeling the wizard would do anything to recover the man who was much like a father to him. “Has there been any news of Albacus?”
Gustave looked to Arianne to answer. He had been in a haze for a long while.
“Mordecai sent a missive saying he believed he’d caught Albacus’ trail and he was going to investigate. He didn’t elaborate, though he did say he had a student with him already.” Arianne frowned at that, and I understood why as well as anyone. I knew very well what it felt like to be recruited and then plunged into danger immediately. I hoped the student was all right. Nando and I had barely survived the SMS’ attack on us. I hadn’t totally recovered from the experience yet.
“Then we search for Mordecai and Albacus, and protect the student.”
“Please be careful.” Arianne added her plea to her brother’s. “You’ll be on horseback and much more exposed.”
“They won’t anticipate us heading out right away.”
“No, they won’t,” Clara said. “No one in their right mind would.” But she looked at Marcelo with affection, and I realized she was teasing. To me, they were both crazy.
Gustave started leading Arianne across the parlor, toward where Nando and I stood. “Vlad, protect the estate while we’re distracted, will you?”
“Of course.”
“Prudence, it seems you have quite the penchant for transformation magic. Do you think you could enforce our protections to prevent anyone from entering the grounds under the disguise of a transfiguration?”
“I will give it my best,” she said, popping up from her seat merrily. Of everyone there, she seemed the least affected by the dangers. I’d only seen her upset over matters that weren’t of terrible importance given our circumstances.
“Brave and Gertrude, will you please discover what needs attending to that I haven’t thought of in this moment and see to it?”
“Of course,” they both said at once.
“Sir Lancelot, please continue to keep guard. I’ll ask Mathieu and Sylvia to fly overhead and see if they spot anything.”
Then Gustave led Arianne right past us. Even the firedrakes had a job, but not us.
“What about us?” I blurted before I could think better of it. I didn’t want to add to everyone’s concerns, but I did very much want to be of help.
Gustave and Arianne turned to Nando and me as if they’d once again forgotten us. Before either of them could speak, Nando said, “If there’s nothing pressing we need to do, might I have some time alone with my sister? There’s something of a personal nature we need to attend to.”
“Of course.” Gustave looked relieved that Nando had defined our course of action. “Do as you need to. We can all convene over dinner.”
With that, he and Arianne left, hurrying toward the staircase, and all busied themselves with their appointed tasks.
Bewildered, I asked Nando, “What personal things do we need to do?”
He grinned. “You’ll see.” He tugged me from the parlor with excitement in his step.
I had no idea where he was leading me, but when he was like this, I’d follow him anywhere.
Moving quickly, he led me down the long hall we’d taken earlier for our firedrake lesson. When he pushed open the door, he bound through it, and broke into a run.
Clutching my skirts, I chased him and his trailing laughter, which almost allowed me to believe this was just another ordinary day.
Chapter 8
“What is it, Nando? Where are you taking me?” I asked. He’d led me past the manicured gardens and into the wild forest that covered much of the Acquaine estate.
“You’ll see.”
>
I ran after him, enjoying the stolen moment despite my confusion. Out in the late afternoon sunshine, in the midst of nature, it was nearly possible to forget Nando and I had landed in the middle of a war—one he and I were entirely unprepared for.
The path narrowed and grew unkempt, brambles catching at my skirts. “I’m going to rip my dress if we keep going like this.”
“Since when do you care about ripping your dresses?” he called over his shoulder, continuing to move just as fast. “I thought that was a particularly favorite pastime of yours. Or was it just to annoy Uncle with your recklessness?” He chuckled.
“I never annoyed Uncle on purpose! He had it out for me no matter what I did. But I do care about snagging my dress now. If it rips, I don’t know who I’d ask to mend it.”
He kept running. I slowed my pace. “Nando, please, I already feel out of place enough as it is. I don’t want to give myself another reason to feel uncomfortable.”
He turned and slowed. His smile was big and wonderful, but it wasn’t as contagious as it had been before.
“I feel lost and frightened. I don’t want to keep going without knowing where we’re heading or what we’re doing. I have enough of that inside the manor.”
Sympathy crossed his handsome features. I’d known that would get him to stop. Always, his greatest concern was my well-being. He stopped running entirely and walked back to me. “I’m not leading you anywhere in particular. I just wanted a little time with you apart from all the madness.”
“It is pretty crazy in there, isn’t it?”
He and I hadn’t had much privacy to discuss our circumstances.
“The craziest.” He looked around us. “Why don’t we just find a place where we can comfortably sit?”
“Here?” We were in the middle of trees and bushes and wild grasses.
“Sure, why not?”
I looked down at my new dress. But he was right. I’d never been one to care about things like that. I met his eyes and smiled. “Sounds good. I could use some time in your company, that’s for sure.”
“Here,” he said, dusting off a large rock.
I sat and he sat next to me. I breathed in the fresh scents and felt myself relax—finally. I didn’t think I’d entirely relaxed for a second since I’d first arrived at the academy, not even in my sleep.
“What do you think of this place?” I asked. “Can you believe it? I’ve never seen so many impossible things.”
“I wouldn’t guess there’s anywhere else in the world that gathers impossible things quite like this place. But I like it, don’t you?”
I hesitated.
“I mean, the levels of danger are unacceptable,” he continued. “We don’t know how to defend ourselves in any meaningful way. And we’re supposed to be studying magic.” He paused. “Even so, I like it here. I already care about the people and the non-people. It’s interesting how magic is a given to them, and they seem so comfortable with something we knew nothing about. And while we aren’t studying much, we certainly are learning. I know I am, and I see you there with your wide eyes, hanging on every word. You don’t miss much.”
“I like it too. It’s infinitely better than Uncle’s place. I couldn’t stand his constant judgment. And he wouldn’t let me leave the place! Do you remember?”
“Of course I remember, Isa. It’s only been a few days.”
“I realize that. It’s just that it seems like it’s been so long. I mean, how much can possibly happen in a few days?”
“A whole lot apparently, and the day isn’t close to over.”
“I hope they find Mordecai and whatever poor student he has with him. And I hope the dragon is all right.” Now that I started thinking about all the things I wished would go well, there were too many of them. I stopped myself. I’d only fret, and it would ruin my time with my brother.
“I have the feeling Mordecai will be just fine. I don’t think wizards live to be hundreds of years old—which is one of the craziest things I’ve heard yet—without being resourceful and careful.” He patted my hand. “If we have to be in this crazy magical place, then I’m so glad we’re in it together. There’s no one I’d rather take the journey of magical learning than with you.”
I narrowed my eyes at him with suspicion. “What’s come over you? You’re never so... like this.”
“Well, I almost died. You almost died. And given the circumstances we’re currently in, it seems to make sense not to hold back. I admire you, Isa. You’re the best.”
“All right, all right. Enough of this.” I was sure I was as red in the face as the scarlet dragon. “I think you’re pretty incredible too.” I forced myself to meet his eyes despite my embarrassment. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I don’t know either. You’d be pretty lost without your brave and incredibly handsome protector, that’s for sure.”
“Ah!” I pulled a hand from his and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “You rascal.”
“Rascal, yep, that’s me.”
I pulled my other hand from his and tucked the loose strands of my long chestnut hair behind my ears, then looked around some more. “It’s lovely out here. Very peaceful. I was really needing some calm. Thanks for bringing me here.”
“I thought you’d like it. Obviously it’s not a big getaway, but it’s something.”
“It’s wonderful. And I’m glad for the chat too. It’s hard not to say what I’m thinking. I have to keep biting my tongue to keep myself from blurting out what’s on my mind.”
“I’m sure you do, especially with Madame Prudence Pimlish.” He said our teacher’s name with a fancy air.
“Oh my goodness, that woman is something!”
“Something indeed. I’m sure we’ll get to see plenty more of her performances while she’s here.”
“Of course we will. I don’t think she can help herself. That woman is pure drama.”
“Absolutely. What she can do is pretty amazing though, isn’t it?”
“The best. Her pig? Incredible, with its human-looking hair and pearls.”
“I know! And what about this Count Vabu fellow? He’s a vampire? Is that for real?”
“It seems like it.” All our enthusiasm for Madame Pimlish’s dramatic episodes fled. “Do you think he drinks human blood? Like the legends say?”
“I don’t know.” He sat taller. “They seem to trust him.”
“They do. And he appears to be quite a competent wizard, though of course we aren’t the most qualified of judges.”
After that, we milled on our thoughts for a long while. I was as grateful for the silence as I’d been for our conversation. Eventually I said, “Come on. Maybe we should go back. I want to be there when they get back with Mordecai and this new student.”
“We can’t go yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because we haven’t done what I brought you out here to do.”
“Well, get on with it then. What is it?”
He squared himself to face me again on our rock perch and picked up my hands again. Nando wasn’t much the staring-into-my-eyes-hand-holding type. “What’s up with you?” I asked. “You’ve been behaving very strangely.”
“Isa,” he started, sounding deadly serious. Then he broke into a smile that lit up his entire face. “Happy birthday!” His deep brown eyes danced. “Happy, happy birthday!”
“It’s my birthday?”
“It is.”
“Wow. I had no idea. I’d lost track of time.” The truth of it was that I’d kind of forgotten about my birthday.
“I’m sorry we have no better way to celebrate.”
“That’s why you brought me out here, to celebrate my birthday?”
“Yes. I’m sorry it’s not more. It’s nothing really, we’re just sitting out here on a rock. But—”
“No, Nando. It’s perfect. Thank you for remembering, especially when I didn’t.” I gave him a hug.
“It’s my brotherly duty to r
emind you that you’re getting old.”
“Ah, what? I’m seventeen years old!”
“A lady.”
“Don’t call me that.”
He chuckled.
Then we heard what sounded like hundreds of strange, squawking birds.
Our eyes widened. “The firedrakes,” we said at the same time.
“Do you think it means Mordecai and the rest of them have returned?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but I want to go find out.”
I nodded, jumping to my feet. The birthday celebration was over.
We raced back to the manor, reaching it in record time.
Chapter 9
When we rushed past the parlor, it was empty, as was the entryway. But the front door hung open, and Nando didn’t slow before exiting the manor again. I was right on his heels, pressing close to my brother’s shadow, where I found safety from the unknown.
As soon as I saw Mordecai, Marcelo, and Clara dismounting from their horses, I stepped from behind Nando before anyone had the chance to notice me cowering. Right away, I noticed Gertrude’s attention on me, and I realized she’d seen me hiding. But when I met her gaze, I saw no accusation there. She remained an enigma. I didn’t understand her emotional responses, or lack thereof, to my actions.
She leaned over to whisper something to Brave, and her focus pinned on those who’d arrived. I followed it as Sir Lancelot flew from the manor to again perch on Brave’s shoulder.
Once Mordecai dismounted, and straightened out the robe he’d crunched up so as not to get tangled in it, I noticed a boy sitting behind him.
And a girl behind Clara!
These were obviously the new students. I experienced a rush of relief to think Nando and I would no longer be the only outsiders among the pupils.
The girl wore her hair in a long, blonde plait, and took Clara’s offered hand to get down from her horse. She smoothed out her dress and met the curious eyes on her with a hint of timidity, but she still managed a friendly half smile.
