The truck jerked to the side as Dani pulled off the road and into a clearing. My roommates wasted no time in joining me.
Luca appeared amused by our efforts to intimidate him. “And what could the four of you hope to accomplish? Your feeble minds cannot even begin to comprehend…”
“Feeble?” Dani interrupted, fuming.
Bryn looked ready to blow an artery. “Do you have any idea who I am?” she demanded.
Uh oh. Luca had done it now.
“Don’t go there, Bryn,” Cerys whispered.
Bryn’s hands gripped her hips. “Perhaps you’ve heard of my father, Volans Moldark.”
Dani swore under her breath. “She went there.”
Luca trembled at the mention of Moldark’s name. “The Shadow Sorcerer’s child?”
Bryn rolled up her sleeves. “That’s right, and I have the same blood magic, which I’m more than happy to share with you right now.”
Luca’s trembling subsided. “We believed you were a mere bedtime story.” Slowly, he lifted his head and smiled. “Praise the gods.”
We?
Bryn grabbed the top of his hair and yanked his head higher. “Why would you say that? Why should anyone be happy that my father’s bloodline continues?”
I stared at Luca’s raptured expression. It was eerily familiar. “What do you know about the prophecy? Badb’s Garden?”
Cerys gave me a curious look. “Why would you ask about that? It’s finished.”
“We saved the world, remember?” Dani added.
Luca began to laugh. “The wheel of time keeps on turning.”
My blood ran cold. That was the same phrase Tito used before he died outside the factory. “You’re a brother,” I said.
Bryn released his hair. “Not necessarily. He might be an only child.”
Dani groaned. “She means a member of the Fraternal Order of Hermes.”
“Like the murder victims I found in the tree,” I murmured.
Luca’s eyes glazed over at the mention of his fallen brethren. “You’re the one who found them.”
“What do you know about the murders?” I asked.
Luca’s lips peeled back to show his yellowed teeth. “Not murder victims. Volunteers.”
“What did you say?” My pulse sped up. “Those five men were murdered. I saw them.”
“You saw their great sacrifice,” Luca said wistfully. “By their own hand.”
I rubbed my temple. “That’s why the only fingerprints on the dagger belonged to two of the victims,” I said. I shook my head. “Someone else had to be there, though.” The body parts didn’t walk up the steps and out of the tree on their own.
“The circle,” Luca said, and laughter spilled from his lips.
Dani frowned. “The parts were teleported out using magic from the circle?”
“Great Godzilla. How many more frat boys are there?” Bryn asked. “Here I thought you were some tiny ragtag group of nutballs.”
I kept my focus on Luca. “I’m starting to see they’re a larger ragtag group of nutballs than we realized.”
“Why did your brothers want to trigger the prophecy?” Dani asked. “The end of the world wouldn’t have worked out so well for you guys.”
Luca wore a dreamy expression. “A new world order from the ashes.”
“You’re the Fraternal Order of Hermes, not the Order of the Phoenix,” Bryn quipped.
I froze. “The phoenix.”
Bryn glanced at me. “It’s a Harry Potter reference. A Terrene thing. Sorry.”
“No.” I shook my head. “There’s another phoenix reference.” I tried to remember what Monica had said. The oracle’s vision at Talons nail salon had provided Declan and I with the clues we’d needed to solve the case. “Every evil. Every disease. Every vengeance. Life has fallen, but like the phoenix, life will rise again.”
“Right,” Dani said, looking perplexed. “That was connected to the prophecy, but they failed.”
Cerys’s eyes locked on mine. “Life will rise again.”
Bryn pressed her wand against Luca’s neck. “Which lives did you want to have rise again? Your fallen brethren?”
The knot in my stomach pulled tighter as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. “There’s only one life they’re concerned with bringing back,” I said. “Isn’t that right, Luca?”
Luca struggled to answer as Bryn forced the tip of her wand deeper into his neck.
“Bryn, maybe take a step back,” Cerys said.
“And a deep breath,” I added.
The dark-haired witch complied with a grumble of protest.
“Thanks to us, he will reign supreme,” Luca choked out. “The Shadow Sorcerer will lead us back to the top of the pyramid where we belong.”
“How could anyone want to bring back the most feared sorcerer in history?” Dani asked. “Why on earth do you think he would make a good leader?”
I thought about the different types of members I’d met, the commonalities of the men who’d sacrificed themselves. “They’re the disenfranchised. The wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers who’ve been marginalized or sidelined.” Some had been criminals. Others had come from disadvantaged backgrounds or lost their privileged status somewhere along the way.
“They want the power they feel they’re entitled to,” I said.
Bryn threw out her hands. “Great. They worship my evil father thanks to entitlement issues. That’s terrific.”
“The prophecy failed and now you’re trying to raise him another way,” I said. “How?”
“Is it necromancy?” Cerys demanded.
Luca only laughed in response.
“I’d be happy to tickle your funny bone until you talk,” Bryn said, twirling her wand in a menacing manner.
Luca remained unfazed. “The Shadow Sorcerer will be reborn. He alone will be our salvation.”
Bryn scoffed. “Do you really think my father would have a bunch of losers on his team? He wouldn’t tolerate weakness, Luca. He’d kill you without a second thought. You’d be worthless to him.”
“And I would be grateful for his attention, however fleeting,” Luca replied. He reached toward Bryn. “May I touch your hand?”
“You can touch my fist with your face. How about that?” Bryn whistled. “How does one get to this level of crazy? Is there an accelerated program?”
“I’ll call Gray and give him our location,” I said. “The wardens will want to interrogate him.” There was no doubt in my mind that the missing drinking horn was connected to the dagger and the dead brothers.
“I cannot be captured,” Luca said simply.
Bryn folded her arms. “A little slow on the uptake, aren’t you, Luca? You’ve already been captured. By us.”
“You cannot stop what is already in motion,” Luca said. “The wheel of time keeps turning.” Luca’s hand whipped to his mouth.
“No!” I yelled.
Bryn threw herself on top of him and tried to pry his mouth open. “He’s swallowed something.”
“Probably a poison tablet,” Dani said. She grabbed Luca’s arms to keep him from struggling.
White foam appeared at the corners of his mouth and Bryn backed away while Dani released his arms. We were too late.
“I. Cannot. Be. Captured.” His body began to spasm against the back of the cab.
“Should we call a healer?” Cerys asked.
“There’s no point,” I said.
There was nothing to do but watch him die. Another life taken by Moldark, however indirect.
“I’ll tell Gray and Nick what happened,” I said. They wouldn’t be happy with me, not when I was supposed to wait for them.
“I’ll tell Gray it was my idea,” Bryn said, seeming to read my mind.
“No, it was my decision to go for it,” I said. And now Luca was dead and, with it, whatever information he possessed.
Cerys placed a hand on Bryn’s shoulder. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I just watched a
man die for nothing,” the dark-haired witch replied.
“Not about Luca,” Cerys said gently. “About your father.”
Bryn stared at Luca’s corpse. “I haven’t exactly had time to process it yet. Do you really think they’re capable of bringing him back?”
“I bet that’s what the sacrifice was for,” I said. The power circle and the chosen dagger made more sense now. “It was some kind of ritual to raise the dead and give him power.”
“Then it didn’t work,” Dani said. “There’ve been no reports and Luca didn’t say they’d succeeded. It seems like they’re still working on it.”
“Then it must be the first step,” I said. I thought about the missing body parts, and my heart skipped a beat. “Sweet Hecate.”
“What is it?” Cerys asked.
“The dead brothers,” I began. “Their body parts were chosen for a specific reason. The brain was from the smartest wizard in the group. The heart was from the strongest.” And so on. “What if the missing pieces are meant for…practical purposes?”
Bryn grimaced. “A Frankenfather? Thanks for that mental image.”
“That would mean they intend to raise him in a new body with the best available parts,” Dani said.
“And channel as much power as they can into it,” I said.
Cerys shuddered. “How is that possible? They would need skin and bones…” She trailed off, unwilling to entertain the idea.
“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s just a theory.” Why else take those parts and purify them if they weren’t intended to be used?
“Ritual sacrifices are often symbolic,” Dani said.
“Then why teleport the body parts to another location?” Cerys asked.
“Dani’s right,” I said, still thinking. “It could still be symbolic. Or maybe they get eaten as a way of absorbing the brothers’ power.” Declan’s stew theory could pan out after all.
“We have to track down more of the Hermes brothers,” Bryn said. “Obviously, there are far more than the ones from the factory.”
“And the tree,” I added.
“At least one good thing came out of this,” Cerys said.
I glanced at Luca’s dead body on the ground. “What’s that?”
“If Luca is any indication, they don’t know that Bryn is his daughter,” Cerys replied. “They think the existence of Moldark’s child is only a rumor.”
Bryn pressed her lips together. “If those nutballs do manage to bring him back, he’ll find me.” She raised her chin a fraction. “But, this time, I won’t hide. This time, I’ll be ready.”
I flung my arm around her shoulders. “We’ll all be ready, Bryn. We’re not going to let him anywhere near you, not without the fight of his life. It’ll be worse than the failed coup.” Moldark had drawn his last breath during a failed coup attempt.
“So much worse that he wouldn’t dare try to come back ever again,” Dani said.
“The key is to stop him from coming at all,” I said. “We need to find out what the brotherhood’s plan is. How they intend to revive him this time.”
Cerys shivered. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but we should talk to a necromancer.” Cerys had a complicated history with necromancy after her parents’ failed attempt to resurrect her younger brother. It had been Cerys who plunged her father’s sword into the monster’s chest and lived with guilt for years afterward.
“Cerys is right,” I said. “A necromancer might know something about the rituals or, at the very least, next steps.”
“In that case…” Bryn shoved her hands in her pockets. “Anybody know a good necromancer?”
Chapter Seven
Langston Medley was not what I expected. When Gray suggested that we visit one of his sources, I pictured someone on the fringes of society, not a successful stockbroker in nearby Papplewick City. His office was at the top of a glass high-rise building full of bustling fairies and other paranormals. According to Gray, Langston’s necromancy was a deep, dark secret, which was the reason Gray was able to extract information from him. Langston didn’t want to risk exposure and lose his luxurious lifestyle.
“You look beautiful today,” Declan said, as we sat in the waiting area. “The sunlight brings out the copper in your hair.” I’d ask Declan to join me because Gray had specifically asked me to keep a low profile, which meant not traveling to Papplewick City with three other witches.
I smiled. “We should probably focus on the questions we need to ask.”
“Are you suggesting that I can’t multitask?” Declan teased.
“I just need to not mess up this interview,” I said. “I’m walking a thin line right now.” Nick had wanted to suspend me over the Luca situation, but Gray had convinced him that it wouldn’t do any harm to let me speak to a necromancer. He’d argued that the information from Luca was a major breakthrough and it might not have come to light if I hadn’t gotten to the suspect first.
“Mr. Medley will see you now.” A buxom fairy fluttered ahead and opened her boss’s door. “This way.”
The office had dual aspect windows with a view of neighboring buildings, all smaller than the current one.
“Welcome to Medley Financial,” the necromancer said, and crossed the room to shake our hands. He wore a red and blue silk scarf with an electric blue suit. His pants were tapered at the bottom and he wore black loafers without socks. His auburn hair was slicked back, save a single curl stuck to his forehead. A black raven rested on a perch behind his desk. For someone who dabbled in an illegal practice, he didn’t seem interested in subtlety.
“Thank you for seeing us,” I said. “We understand you might be able to help us with a delicate matter.”
His expression remained neutral. “Shut the door on your way out, Felicity.”
“Yes, sir.” The fairy slipped into the waiting area and closed the door behind her.
“Define a delicate matter,” Langston said.
“Agent Mappleworth said you might be able to help us,” I hinted.
Langston adjusted his silk scarf. “I see.” He motioned for us to sit.
“A dark matter, sir,” the raven said.
“No doubt,” Langston replied, and took his seat behind the desk.
“Your raven speaks?” I inquired.
“Ebony is highly articulate,” Langston said. “An essential part of my team.”
Declan leaned forward. “Your financial team?”
Langston didn’t flinch. “You may speak freely here. I have initiated the wards that prevent us from being overheard.”
“Gray said you can answer our questions about necromancy,” I said.
Langston relaxed. “You have only general knowledge questions? Surely, the AMF library is a better option.”
“Time is of the essence,” I said. “And our questions are highly specific.”
Langston folded his hands. “Go on.”
“There was a ritual performed recently,” I said. “Certain body parts were removed and lives were self-sacrificed. There were runes for power and purity, among others.”
“How many lives?” the necromancer asked.
“Five,” I replied. “The missing body parts were specific to the individual. A brain from the smartest wizard, for example.”
Langston swiveled in his chair to face the raven. “What say you, Ebony?”
“No body?” Ebony asked. He flapped his wings abruptly, as though scratching an itch.
I looked at the raven. “Nobody what?”
“Ebony means is there a body these parts are being transferred to?” Langston asked. “Is the original body available for resurrection?”
“No,” I replied. Moldark’s body had been burned during an immolation ceremony after his death. I knew this for a fact because Chancellor Tilkin had attended.
Langston and the raven seemed to be engaged in a silent conversation of their own. Finally, he swung the chair back to us. “Necromancy does seem likely, based on what you’ve describ
ed, though the absence of a body is intriguing. Allow me a moment to consult with my ancestors.”
Screens dropped in front of the windows, blocking out the light. A beveled ball descended from the ceiling and music began to play.
“Surround sound?” Declan asked. “Nice.”
“Thank you.” The necromancer stood and seemed to tune in to the music. He danced around the perimeter of the room, his feet gliding and his narrow hips swaying. The raven remained on its perch, an observer like us.
“How is this communing with his ancestors?” I whispered to Declan.
Declan shot me a look that said ‘don’t judge.’
Langston made it twice around the room, wholly absorbed in the music, before dropping back into his chair. Sweat glistened on his pale skin. He removed the silk scarf and dabbed at his face. The screens slid up, the ball ascended, and the music switched off.
“I have a couple of ideas,” he announced.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Um, great.”
“If there were a body, then I’d say the body parts were chosen for practical purposes,” he said. “Without a body and with only five body parts included in the ceremony, however, then I believe the parts are likely symbolic. Still chosen for their specific qualities, but not meant to be used physically, only their power transferred to the new form or to fuel particularly strong dark magic.”
“New form?” I repeated. “What form could there be if not a body?”
Langston shrugged. “Perhaps the power will create the new form. It’s hard to say with certainty.”
Who knew necromancy was so complicated?
“Sounds like it’s some form of necromancy at work either way,” Declan said.
“So my ancestors believe,” Langston replied. “I have not seen such a ritual in action, but my Great-Aunt Zelda mentioned one that she oversaw centuries ago. A vampire she knew had created a backup plan should immortality not work out. The instructions were in his will and, when he was staked during a family squabble, his family followed the instructions to the letter.”
“And he was reborn?” I asked.
“For a moment,” Langston said. “Apparently, his brother made sure to kill him all over again the moment he became corporeal. He was the one responsible for the vampire’s death in the first place.” He chuckled softly. “Family squabbles, eh? Great-Aunt Zelda wasn’t exactly a peach when she was alive either.”
Outgrow: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Keeper of the North Book 2) Page 7
