Outgrow: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Keeper of the North Book 2)

by Annabel Chase

  Xavier frowned after I hit the ball.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “I don’t know how you’re playing so well with that terrible stance. Your legs are all wrong. Shoulders too.” He held out his hands and then stopped himself. “Mind if I touch you?”

  “Go ahead,” I said. He was surprisingly respectful for an organ trafficker.

  Xavier shifted my body so that I was better aligned with the tee and the club. “Hit the ball again,” he said.

  This time, when I made contact with the ball, I felt the difference. “Wow. Thanks,” I said. I was tempted to undo the spell and see if I could hit the ball without help.

  Xavier snapped his fingers at the caddy to move to the next hole. Once Joel was out of earshot, Xavier fixed me with a hard stare. “Now why don’t you ask me whatever it is you want to know?”

  I blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “Enough with the minotaur shit.” His hands cemented to his hips as he glanced from me to Declan. “Clearly, I like you both, or you’d each be missing a limb by now. I might be contemplating retirement, but I’m still me.”

  I thought Declan might play the demigod of war card in response to Xavier’s tough talk, but he merely cocked an eyebrow in my direction.

  I decided to come clean. “We came to Molten Springs to talk to you.”

  Xavier’s booming laugh traveled across the green. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  “Okay. We’re investigating a murder,” I said. “Five murders, in fact. The victims were missing body parts and we thought you might have heard something about it. Maybe some upstart trying to move in on your market share?”

  Xavier wiped his brow with a plaid handkerchief and stuffed the cloth back into his pocket. “Five murders, huh?”

  I explained in greater detail about the crime scene and the five missing body parts.

  “No way are you searching for a smuggler or a trafficker,” Xavier said firmly. “I only know a few guys who do rituals in connection with organ removal—mainly for cleansing purposes. Protects the merch. It’s still in a professional setting, though, not the grubby base of a random tree. That’s far too secretive.”

  “What about the ancient dagger?” Declan asked. “Know anything about that?”

  Xavier shook his head. “Whoever you’re hunting, he’s not in my line of work. He took those parts for a reason, but it sure wasn’t to sell them. A brain?” He blew a raspberry. “This is dark magic, my friends. Dark magic for a dark purpose. Best avoided.”

  Declan and I exchanged uneasy glances.

  “This is exactly one of the reasons I’ve decided to retire,” Xavier said.

  “Dark magic?” I queried.

  He leaned on the top of his club. “No. You two coming to me because I might know something about five gruesome murders,” Xavier said. His gaze swept over the green. “There’s enough ugliness in the world. I don’t want to contribute to it anymore.”

  “Bluebells would be a beautiful contribution,” I said.

  “They would,” Xavier replied. “I considered buying a parcel of land right here in Molten Springs, but flowers don’t grow in this soil.” He offered a vague smile. “It’s nice to know the future’s wide open, though. There’s something comforting about that.”

  Declan took my hand and squeezed it. “I couldn’t agree more.”

  His smile cracked open. “You two are really an item? I wondered if it was real or part of your gimmick.”

  Declan snaked an arm around my waist. “No gimmick. We just make a great team.”

  Xavier’s expression grew wistful. “I spent too much energy trying to be big and bad. The only team I’ve got is one that’s afraid of me.” He shrugged. “You reap what you sow, though, right?”

  “It’s not too late,” Declan said. “As long as your heart’s still beating, there’s time.”

  “A poet, too, huh?” Xavier said. “You should go. You’ve got far more important business than listening to the lamentations of a regretful criminal. I’ll finish the game on my own.”

  “Best of luck with your retirement, Xavier,” I said. “I hope you’re able to grow the garden of your dreams.”

  He grunted his appreciation and started toward the next hole. I aimed my wand and quietly performed a spell. With every step he took across the green, a bluebell sprouted alongside him. He glanced over this shoulder and tipped his pom-pom hat.

  Maybe it wasn’t Cerys-level earth magic, but it was enough.

  Chapter Five

  “Faster!” Dani yelled.

  Bryn raced across the field with a hellhound close behind her. She’d decided to practice with one of Cerys’s speed runes but insisted on the pressure of a real world experience. The problem was that Rudolph, the three-headed hellhound now chasing her, would never hurt her. Bryn had liberated the hellhound from the underworld where it had been living with a horrifying demon.

  Bryn crossed the finish line and tumbled to the ground. She rolled right back to her feet without missing a beat and tied her arms around Rudolph’s three necks. “Good effort, Rudolph!”

  “My turn,” Dani said. She held out her hand and Cerys gave her a rune rock.

  “How fast was I?” Bryn asked. She wasn’t even out of breath after that mad dash.

  “Twenty seconds,” Cerys said.

  Bryn lifted her brow at Dani. “Top that, Firestarter.”

  Dani offered a fake smile of sweetness and light. “Gladly.” She sauntered to the starting line and Rudolph trotted over to stand at his.

  “Go!” Cerys yelled, and off they went.

  Dani’s feet moved so quickly, they were practically a blur. As Rudolph passed us on the sidelines, he changed course and charged toward us, his long tongue hanging from the middle mouth.

  “Rudolph, no,” Bryn said.

  The hellhound didn’t listen. He went straight to Bryn and lowered his heads, angling for a scratch behind the ears.

  Dani crossed the finish line and Cerys shouted, “Twenty-three seconds!”

  “That’s only because I didn’t have a threat,” Dani said in a huff. She marched over to where Rudolph had rolled onto his back so that Bryn could rub his stomach.

  “Sorry about that,” Bryn said. “He knows where his bread is buttered.”

  “I’m pretty sure he’d follow you anywhere,” I said, “whether you had a treat for him or not.”

  Bryn laughed. “Fonthill had him out for a walk last week and he took off into the woods. Poor guy didn’t know what the problem was until he reached the river. I was in there, practicing water magic. Rudolph had picked up my scent. He jumped straight into the water to rescue me.” She put air quotes around ‘rescue me.’

  My phone buzzed and I pulled it from my pocket. I saw Robin’s face on the screen and clicked. “Hi Magic Robbie, I’m here with your favorite witches.” Robin Chambers was our former prefect at the academy and now an analyst for the AMF.

  Robin huffed. “Please don’t call me by that name during a professional call.”

  “Sorry. Do you have an update for me?” I asked. I’d already told him about my discussion with Xavier and that we’d ruled out traffickers.

  “I do,” he replied. “I’ve been researching the history of Mrs. Ashdown’s dagger. You’ll be interested to know that it was once used as the official blade for ritual sacrifices.”

  “And history is now repeating itself,” I said.

  “I’m quite sure the dagger was a deliberate choice,” Robin said. “I believe it was chosen precisely because of its history.”

  “How would anyone know it existed and that Vera had it?” I asked.

  “The dagger has been around for centuries,” Robin explained. “It once belonged to the Emperor of the East.”

  “Wow,” Dani said. “Back before the quadrants were formed.”

  “That’s right,” Robin said. “The emperor was known for his immense power. It was believed that he achieved this through ritual sacrifice as a matter
of routine.”

  “And the Ashdown dagger was the one used for this?” I asked, still in disbelief.

  “Yes,” Robin said. “The murderer must have known of its historical importance and tracked it to Vera Ashdown’s house.”

  I frowned. “No fingerprints on the dagger, I guess.”

  “Only those of two of the victims,” Robin replied. “It would be easy enough to erase the evidence, though.”

  I thought more about the dagger’s history. “So the power rune was probably the most significant one in the circle,” I said.

  “There’s more,” Robin said. “Once we identified the victims, we were able to investigate them in depth. Your theory was correct. They were all members of the Fraternal Order of Hermes.”

  I squeezed the phone. “Sweet Hecate.” There had to be a connection.

  “What do you think it means?” Cerys asked. “Were they being sacrificed because they’d failed to bring about the end of the world? Some sort of punishment?”

  “It’s possible, but I doubt it,” Robin said. “Based on the information we gathered, it seems that the victims each lost their best body part. For example, the missing brain belonged to Francisco Martens. He was a highly regarded alchemist known for his keen intellect. Before he fell from grace and joined the brotherhood, he’d earned the highest honor from Sanctum University.”

  “And the others?” I prompted.

  “Bernard was missing his liver,” Robin said. “The liver filters the blood.”

  “I don’t get it,” Bryn said.

  I snapped my fingers. “Bernard had been stripped of his magic. I bet his liver was strong and healthy because of it.”

  “Maybe the murderer plans to eat it and gain its healthy properties,” Dani suggested.

  “Declan had a similar guess,” I said, recalling our rooftop conversation. “What about the bone marrow?”

  “I’m sure you recall that bone marrow is responsible for producing blood cells. This marrow came from a mage called Finneas Ludlow,” Robin continued. “He was a vampire mage. A very rare combination.”

  “No kidding,” Bryn said. “What a sad end for that guy.”

  “The kidneys were removed from Alfie Tinicum,” Robin continued. “He was a known vegetarian who drank only water.”

  “And the heart?” I asked.

  “Javier Bartholomew,” Robin replied.

  “Let me guess,” I said. “It wasn’t because of his kindness and compassion.”

  “No, Javier was well known as the strongest wizard in the brotherhood,” Robin said. “He was the one they sent into any competition that required physical strength.”

  “They entered competitions?” Bryn asked. “Are we talking wrestling or what?”

  “A subset of the members of the Fraternal Order of Hermes have been stripped of their magic,” Robin explained. “And so they engage in competitions of strength to show their power is still potent, albeit in another form.”

  “Were all the victims stripped of magic?” I asked. We knew that firsthand from the old wand factory where we fought against a group of alchemists led by Tito. He’d died and I’d wrongly believed the group had died with him. He’d warned me that the wheel of time kept on turning. Maybe that was his way of telling me that the brotherhood had a Plan B. What was the goal, though—another attempt to end the world? Was that the meaning of the power circle?

  “Those five were, yes,” Robin said.

  “Why couldn’t we have fought them at the wand factory instead of Tito and his gang?” Dani asked.

  “Group sacrifice is one of the most powerful rituals possible,” Bryn said. “The murderer wasn’t using that circle to summon a good burger.”

  Dani rolled her eyes. “You’re not going to try that one again, are you? I don’t need to remove another live cow from our dorm room.”

  “It was so cute,” Cerys added. “It made me never want to eat beef again.”

  “I considered it,” Bryn said, “for about two seconds.”

  My phone buzzed again. “Hold on, Robin. Nick’s calling.” I clicked the screen. “Going old-fashioned again today? Why not send another flying note?”

  “I would have, but I don’t have any magic users around right now,” Nick said.

  “I’m talking to Robin right now about the victims,” I told him.

  “About that,” Nick began. “The investigation has been transferred. We’re to cease all activities in connection with the murders.”

  “Transferred?” I repeated.

  “That’s what the emergency meeting was about yesterday,” Nick admitted. “I was hoping to change the boss’s mind today, but no dice.”

  My expression crumpled. “But I’ve already been working on it. We found the bodies.”

  “It’s been passed to two good wardens,” Nick said. “And we have a new assignment. One that’s more appropriate for a trainee. That’s why I’m calling.”

  “You need me to come to headquarters?” I asked. I tried to disguise my disappointment. Robin’s information would be passed to the other wardens now. My efforts were for nothing.

  “Not headquarters. Meet us in Folsom Falls,” Nick said, and gave me the address.

  “I’ll ride my broomstick. It’ll be faster.” I clicked back to Robin and delivered the news.

  “There will be other investigations, Mia,” Robin said. “Speak soon.” His face disappeared from the screen and I put away the phone.

  “I’m sorry, Mia,” Cerys said. The earth witch gave me a tight squeeze. “You realize it has nothing to do with your abilities, right? It’s just bureaucracy.”

  “I know, and, honestly, I should be relieved,” I said. “I chose Class A for a reason. I don’t want to track mass murderers.”

  Cerys rolled her shoulders. “Nope. That’ll be my job in the Eastern Quadrant.”

  “Have you decided?” I asked. Cerys had been debating whether to become an Enforcer of the East as originally planned or switch to Warden of the West and be closer to her family and Callan.

  “I’m leaning toward Enforcer of the East,” Cerys said. “Both quadrants have said they’re willing to have me, so I only need to decide.”

  “That’s because they recognize how valuable you are,” Dani said.

  “We’re all valuable,” Cerys replied. “For reasons that go far beyond our academy skillsets.”

  “Speaking of valuable, I’d better get moving and see which object has gone missing,” I said. “I don’t want to keep Gray and Nick waiting.”

  “Definitely don’t keep Gray waiting,” Bryn warned, “although it’s funny when he gets that impatient vein that pops out on his temple. Maybe circle the place in the air a few times before you land just for fun.”

  “Gray isn’t likely to be as forgiving of me,” I said pointedly. “I’ll see you all later.” I gave Rudolph a pat on each head. “Someone will take him back to the hellhound enclosure?”

  Bryn raised her hand. “I’ll sprint. He’ll follow. That’s how we roll.”

  I stood in the center of the large foyer, waiting to be noticed. Nick and Gray were deep in conversation and I didn’t want to interrupt.

  “Mia, I didn’t see you there.” Nick waved me forward. “Glad you made it so quickly. Come and take a look.”

  Glass fragments covered the floor and I tiptoed gingerly around them. “What’s been taken?”

  “An ancient drinking horn,” a man said. Not just a man, but a giant. He was enormous in every way—large head, large body, even his thumbs were huge. No wonder the foyer had such high ceilings.

  “Mia Holmes, this is Elias Nilsson,” Gray said.

  My hand was swallowed by the giant’s. “Nice to meet you, sir,” I said. “It’s your horn that’s missing?”

  “That’s right,” Elias said. “Belonged to my grandmother, Ebba.”

  “A special heirloom then,” I said.

  “I’ll say,” Elias replied. “She won it in a card game against a bunch of vampires. Proudest
moment of her life. She told that story at every party.” The giant sighed. “I was so pleased she left it to me when she died. She knew how much I loved that story.”

  “It was valuable?” I asked.

  “Museum quality,” Elias replied. “I’ve had offers over the years, but the horn has sentimental value. I’d never part with it. Not voluntarily.” His gaze swept over the broken glass on the floor. “I should’ve had a stronger ward in place. My grandmother would break my kneecaps if she knew.”

  “The burglar broke through your ward?” I queried.

  “It was only around the case.” Elias gestured to his body. “I am a giant, if you haven’t noticed. We don’t tend to have issues with intruders.”

  “If they broke through the ward, why all the glass?” I asked.

  “Whatever they did to break the ward, it broke the glass in the process,” Elias said.

  “Any reason why someone would want the horn, aside from its value?” Nick asked.

  Elias stroked his round chin. “Doubtful. According to my grandmother, the horn had a dodgy history.”

  “How could a drinking horn have a dodgy history?” I asked. “Someone was thirsty and they drank from it.” Seemed pretty straightforward.

  Gray’s eyes flicked from me to Elias. “Unless it wasn’t water they were drinking.”

  Elias touched his nose. “Leave it to the vampire to make that deduction. The original owner—at least, the one my grandmother took it from—was a notorious vampire. He took over multiple territories in the Eastern Quadrant and drank the blood of the vampires he’d vanquished.”

  My nose wrinkled. “Out of the horn?”

  Elias nodded. “Part of the celebration ceremony, apparently. He’d save up the blood of his enemies and then drink it in front of his followers. Grandmother was full of colorful stories like that.”

  Gray smiled. “She sounds like quite a character.”

  “I had a grandma like that,” Nick said. “She used to tell us stories about stalking prey in the Southern Quadrant and accidentally killing the chief of some remote clan. Caused a clan war because there was no one primed for succession.”

  “I feel a little disappointed that I don’t have an impressive grandma story,” I said.