“The kelpie doesn’t seem too threatening,” I said.
“It’s not the kelpie,” Dani said. “It’s worse. It’s like Charybdis.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
Her tone turned ominous. “You’ll see in a second.”
I noticed the water begin to swirl in a clockwise pattern.
Bryn’s head popped up beside me. “We need to get to land. It’s a whirlpool.”
I tried to levitate us out of the water, but the moving water was too powerful. The water churned faster and faster, catching Dani in the current. The fire witch was ripped away from me and I heard her scream just before the lake swallowed her.
“Bryn!” I shrieked. The water witch was a safer bet to rescue Dani.
“On it.” She disappeared beneath the rippling water and I continued my strenuous efforts to escape the whirlpool.
I could see Cerys on the shoreline, waving her arms excitedly. She had to feel helpless, an earth witch watching from dry land as her friends battled a whirlpool. I pushed forward. The lake grew more violent and the waves pulled me toward the center of the lake. I wasn’t strong enough to swim to shore or lift myself from the water. I needed Bryn’s magic, but she was too busy saving Dani.
The whirlpool sucked me into its vortex and I began to spin. Nausea washed over me as I succumbed to the water and I vomited. I was circling the drain and soon I’d be sucked under. I prayed to Hecate that Dani and Bryn managed to escape it.
I finally stopped fighting and relaxed my arms and legs. The water whipped me around, splashing over me, and I felt something hard beneath my feet. For a fleeting moment, I was confused, until I felt my body rise up. Actually, it was being pushed up by the lake bottom. A plateau rose from the middle of the lake and I was on it. I caught sight of Dani and Bryn on the opposite side of the plateau. Dani was on her hands and knees and Bryn was tending to her.
Cerys stood on the shore, her arms raised above her head. Cerys had done this. She’d used earth magic to raise the ground below us and liberate us from the deadly whirlpool.
I rushed to my friends’ side. “Is Dani okay?”
“She’s taken in a lot of water,” Bryn said. “Can you carry us to shore?”
“Yes,” I said, now that I wasn’t weighed down by churning water. I wiped the wet strands of hair away from my face and summoned my magic. We each hooked an arm underneath Dani’s shoulders and I called to the wind to bring us safely to dry land.
“Thank the gods,” Cerys said, once we were reunited.
Dani dropped to her knees and sputtered. “No, thank Cerys.”
The earth witch smiled. “Who knew such a small stone would cause such trouble?”
“The release of the stone triggered a ward,” Dani said. “Moldark must’ve set it up.”
“That sneaky bastard,” Bryn said.
“Speaking of the stone,” I said, almost afraid to ask, “do we have it?”
Bryn reached into her pocket and produced the small red stone. “You mean this old thing?”
I threw my arms around her and nearly knocked us both to the ground. “I can’t believe you got it.”
“I already told you,” she said. “There was no one better for the task than the four of us.” She slipped the stone back into the safety of her pocket.
“Uh oh,” Cerys said. “I think my magic may have drawn unwanted attention.”
I turned around to see three figures racing toward us along the shoreline. “Stars and stones. It’s the League.” I couldn’t possibly be surprised. Cerys used a heavy dose of magic to raise the earth. Tangling with the League was a small price to pay in exchange for our lives.
“What do we do?” Cerys asked.
“Tell them you know Callan?” Dani suggested with a cheeky grin.
I held out my hand toward the tall branch and summoned the wind. A mass of blue-grey feathers floated to us and I snatched it from the air.
“Hurry,” I said. The four of us squeezed in tightly and I threw the cloak around our shoulders.
“There’s no place like home,” Bryn chanted.
And, that quickly, we were there.
Chapter Ten
I’d never been to Evenstar. My family tended to steer clear of cities, although I’d always liked the idea of them. Populated cities were places where everyone blended into the background. In a city, I imagined I would feel more like everyone else. Or, more accurately, they would feel more like me.
“I came here with my mother once,” Dani said. She stopped to admire a block of tall buildings with their golden statues and ornate architectural details. “We spent a weekend. I think there’d been a society event we’d been excluded from, and she was trying to take her mind off it.” Dani’s prominent family had been shunned following her grandmother’s well-known battle with magic addiction.
“It’s bigger than I expected,” Bryn said. “I haven’t been to any large cities in this world.”
“Evenstar is the largest in the Western Quadrant,” Dani explained. “Paranormals from all over the world flock here.”
“Probably why the stone is hidden in the bank here,” Cerys said.
“He tried to bury a needle in a haystack,” Bryn agreed.
Three Brothers Bank stood on the corner across the street. The building was as impressive as its neighbors. If I didn’t know it was a bank already, the ostentatious exterior screamed excessive wealth. The facade seemed to be made of gold and marble. Two golden gryphons manned the entrance. Although they were made of metal, they looked poised to strike should the need arise.
“I get the feeling those two aren’t as friendly as Fred and George,” Cerys whispered.
“Just walk past them like you have every right to be there,” Dani said. “That’s the trick.”
“Easy for you to say,” I told her. We didn’t all possess Dani’s innate confidence.
“What’s the plan once we’re inside?” Dani asked. “It’s not like we know the name of the account holder.”
“And we certainly can’t walk in and request to see the vault of Volans Moldark,” I said, and then paused. “Or can we?”
The other three witches stared at me. “What do you mean?” Dani asked.
“Bryn, do you have your ID?” I asked.
She patted her pocket. “Of course. I always carry it now. You never know when a trip to Terrene is in the cards.”
“The ID card has your blood,” I said. “Go in there and announce yourself. They’ll be able to confirm that you’re his daughter with the card. Everyone knows he’s dead, so naturally you’re the only heir.”
“Mia, that’s so brilliant!” Dani exclaimed. “I’m annoyed I didn’t think of it.”
“You don’t think it’s dangerous?” Cerys asked. “Moldark rigged the bridge. What makes you think he hasn’t rigged the vault, or wherever the stone might be?”
“Maybe he figured the bank was secure enough on its own,” I said. “It’s not like he would have expected his offspring to show up and try to claim it.”
Bryn’s expression reflected deep concentration. “I’m not sure. If he went to the trouble of hiding things, it seems unlikely he’d use his own name.”
“Well, I doubt he used Mr. Shadow E. Sorcerer,” Dani said.
We laughed, and it broke whatever tension we were feeling. “Okay, here’s the plan,” Bryn said. “You witches wait in the lobby and I’ll speak to a manager. If it goes south, I’ll come running and you supply cover. Deal?”
“I don’t think you should go alone,” I said. “I’ll go with you. They’ll barely notice me, so you’ll have backup without it being intrusive.”
Bryn appeared relieved. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. You’re with me for moral support. I’m going to see my dead father’s bank vault. It’s an emotional time.” She pretended to sniff.
I squeezed her shoulder. “I’m here for you.”
“Be there for her inside,” Dani said. “We’re on a tight schedule.”
&nb
sp; I steered Bryn toward the building and Dani and Cerys followed behind. We passed the intimidating golden gryphons, looking straight ahead and acting like we owned the place. It didn’t stop me from feeling queasy on the inside, though.
The bank lobby was every bit as extravagant as the exterior. The floor sparkled with some form of pixie dust and the counters were made of a rich ebony.
“Join the queue,” a voice said, ushering us into the line. The lobby was teeming with customers. No surprise for a busy bank in the largest city in the quadrant.
“Which manager looks the most promising?” I whispered.
Bryn eyed the options. There were ten on duty—two fairies, two elves, an ogre, a vampire, a banshee, a berserker, and two shifters. “I’d say the fairies, but I don’t think we get a choice.”
I counted the number of customers in front of us and then turned to the Gorgon waiting behind us. “Would you like to go ahead of us?” I asked. “We’re trying to find our account information before our turn.”
“Sure, honey. Thanks.” The Gorgon sashayed in front of us and I shot Bryn a triumphant look.
By the time our turn came, I was a jumble of nerves but tried to appear calm and collected. Bryn needed a rock beside her, not a bowl of jelly.
“Good day.” The young fairy greeted us with a smile that reflected her many hours of service already today. “How may I be of assistance?”
“I’d like the key to my father’s vault,” Bryn said. “His name is Volans Moldark. Here’s my ID.” She placed her card on the counter.
The fairy consulted her screen. If the name meant anything to her, she didn’t react. Maybe she was too young to remember. “I’m so sorry. We don’t have an account for anyone by that name.”
“Would you mind checking again?” Bryn asked. “I’m sure the vault is here. He told me so before he died.” She looked so bereaved at the mention of her deceased father that, for a moment, even I was fooled.
The fairy offered a sympathetic smile. “Of course.” She tapped the screen and shook her head. “Would he have used another name, perhaps?” Her smile widened. “I have an idea. Let me run your ID and see if there’s a match.”
“That would be great,” Bryn said. “Thank you.”
“I’ll just be a second,” the fairy said. She ran the card through a scanner and her face brightened. “Oh, you do have a match here. Let me just check that the owner has been declared deceased.” She tapped the screen a couple of times. “Perfect. Vault three hundred and seventy-five. That’s the third subfloor, second elevator bank.” The fairy handed back the ID card and a golden key.
“Thank you,” Bryn said, accepting the items. She seemed shocked that there was, in fact, a match. “So, which name is the account under if not his own?”
The fairy smiled. “Jenny Morrow. The blood match is a parent, so I assume she was your mother.”
Bryn’s mouth opened but no sound came out. I looped my arm through hers. “Thanks for your help.” I guided Bryn away from the counter and toward the second elevator bank, where Dani and Cerys quickly caught up to us.
“I don’t understand,” Bryn murmured.
Dani fist-bumped the surprised water witch. “Excellent work.”
“I can’t believe he had an account in his own name,” Cerys said. “Why didn’t the AMF secure it years ago?”
Bryn looked at her. “Because it isn’t in his name. It’s in my mother’s.”
The other witches appeared equally gobsmacked. “Wait, this vault belongs to your mother?” Cerys asked.
The elevator doors opened and I was relieved that we were the only occupants. I hit the button for the third subfloor and the doors closed.
“She said we were a match,” Bryn said, more to herself.
“It’s not your mother’s vault,” I told her. “The fairy thinks it is because she saw a parental match with your ID. The parent is still Moldark. He only used your mother’s name to hide his identity. It’s his blood in their records.”
Bryn nodded, still shaken to hear her mother’s name spoken by a fairy. “I know you’re right. It just rattled me, that’s all. It was so unexpected.”
We arrived at our destination and stepped off the elevator. Two guards stood sentry at the entrance to the vault wing. Bryn dangled her key. “Three hundred and seventy-five, please.”
The first guard took the key and opened the door to the corridor before returning the key to her. “You’ll need it for the vault door. Straight down this corridor. You’ll see yours about halfway down on the left.”
“Thanks,” Bryn said.
The four of us followed the guard’s directions and arrived in front of the vault marked three hundred and seventy-five. “Do you want to go alone?” I asked. I had no idea what she might find in there.
Bryn stared at the vault door. “No, I’m good. It’s not like I have any sentimental feelings toward the murderous sorcerer.” She inserted the key and the door swung open a fraction. She pushed the gap wider and we spilled into the room.
The vault was larger than I anticipated, stacked with furniture and antiquities. I’d hoped for a basic safe that housed the stone. This would prove a more arduous undertaking.
“Use your spidey sense or whatever it is you call it.” I said.
“I’m trying,” Bryn said. “The problem is I sense him everywhere in here.” She picked up a walking stick and smelled it. “I don’t even know what he smelled like in real life, yet I recognize his scent.”
“It’s not surprising,” Dani said. “You’re his daughter. You share his blood.”
“And you have a special connection to his blood,” Cerys added.
“Stars and stones. My family would be salivating at the sight of this room. All these antiques,” Dani said.
“I wonder why he kept all these belongings here,” Cerys mused.
“He didn’t have a compound or a permanent base,” Bryn said. “He never wanted it to be targeted, so he moved around a lot. Like me.”
“Then why keep so many objects?” I asked.
Cerys ran her hand over a gilded mirror. “Maybe because he expected to one day reclaim them. Settle down somewhere permanently when the dust settled.”
“Or when he rose to power,” I said. “Once he had the power he wanted, then he could put down roots.”
Bryn halted in front of a silver picture frame. “Holy guacamole.”
“What is it?” I peered over her shoulder at the photograph of a dark-haired woman in a blue sweater. There was no mistaking the eyes. “Bryn, is that…?”
“My mother,” she replied softly. She continued to gaze at the photograph with longing. “Wasn’t she beautiful?”
“Why does he have a photo of your mother in here?” Dani asked.
“It was probably the one he used to hunt her down,” Bryn replied. “Showed her photo to others and asked if they’d seen her.”
“In a pretty silver frame?” I asked.
Bryn stroked the glistening metal. “Yes. In Terrene, he would act like she was his missing wife, I bet. Show the framed photo as though he kept it on his beside table. He was very cunning.” She popped the photo out of the frame and slipped it into her pocket. “He doesn’t deserve to keep this.”
“This all belongs to you, Bryn,” Dani said.
“Unless he comes back,” Bryn said.
“He’s not coming back,” Dani said firmly. “That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re not giving up.”
Bryn nodded. “His followers have to be morons to want him back.”
“Remember who they are,” I said. “They’re not morons at all. They’re misunderstood. Disenfranchised. They feel marginalized by society. Moldark’s type of leadership appeals to them.”
“His dark magic appeals to them,” Dani added. “They played by the rules and felt they’d lost, so now they don’t feel inclined to play fair.”
“I wish we could appeal to their better natures,” Cerys said. “Show them what they’d reall
y be getting with Moldark. He’d kill them all the moment he was resurrected if he was in the mood for carnage.”
“I think the Hermes brothers are too far gone,” I said. “Look at the lengths they’ve gone to already. They’re basically brainwashed.”
Bryn stood in the center of the room and closed her eyes. “I’m going to see if I can find the stone, but I need it absolutely quiet.”
We fell silent and moved back, giving her space to work. Two cleansing breaths later and she began to move toward the back wall. She threaded her way through tables and chairs until she reached a cuckoo clock.
“It’s in the clock?” Dani asked, breaking the silence.
“I think so,” Bryn replied. She scrutinized the numbers and the clock’s decoration. “I don’t see it.”
“Hang on,” I said. “I have an idea.” I went to stand beside Bryn and moved the hands of the clock so they both pointed to the number twelve. A fake owl hooted as it burst out of the small door at the top of the clock.
“Not quite a cuckoo,” Cerys said.
“It looks like Icarus,” Bryn said. She gazed at the white owl in wonder until it was snapped back into the clock.
“The eye,” I said excitedly. “The eyes were mismatched. I bet the stone is one of them.”
Bryn moved the hands of the clock again, prompting the owl to reappear. She snatched it right off its perch and studied the eyes. “Anyone have a dagger?”
“I cloaked mine,” Cerys said. She pulled it from the inside of her boot and handed it to Bryn.
The dark-haired witch used it to cut open the owl’s face. Sure enough, the red stone was buried inside its head and only a portion of it had been visible as the owl’s left eye.
“Amazing,” Dani said.
My attention was drawn to the antique secretary positioned below the clock. I opened the lid and peeked inside. “This looks like it actually contains personal effects.” There were documents and writing implements, as well as a letter opener.
“Maybe there’s information about you or your mom in there, Bryn,” Dani said.
Bryn looked at the documents from a safe distance. “I’m not sure I want to know more than I do. It wouldn’t change anything. He was an evil sorcerer, whether he intended to kill us or not. Whether he loved my mother or not. We can’t let him come back to this world. Why confuse things?”
Outgrow: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Keeper of the North Book 2) Page 10
