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

by Annabel Chase

  “Cerys!” Bryn yelled. “How could you?”

  Hector retrieved his wand with a slick smile. “Many thanks, earth witch. You’ve chosen wisely.”

  Bryn extended her wand, but Cerys jumped between them. “Leave it!” Cerys ordered.

  Hector frowned. “There are four stones. Where did the fourth one come from?”

  “My personal collection,” Bryn said. “Consider yourself lucky.”

  Hector’s lips parted. “Oh, I do.” He whirled around and signaled for his brothers to follow.

  Bryn waited until they were out of sight before she unfroze Professor Langley. He bent his neck from side to side.

  “Did they buy it?” he asked.

  “Hook, line, and sinker,” Bryn replied, satisfied.

  “What happens when they realize they’ve been duped?” I asked. “Do we really think Moldark stopped at a Plan B? These guys were willing to end the world. I doubt they’re going to stop just because we conned them into taking useless stones.”

  Bryn stared at the empty space where the brothers had stood. “Then let’s hope we can have them all in custody before Plan C happens.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Why did you not come to me sooner?” Chancellor Tilkin demanded. My roommates and I sat in her office, offering details on the Moldark situation and the potential threat to the academy should the brothers return.

  “Everything’s happened so fast,” I replied.

  “And time is of the essence,” Dani added. “We should be out there right now, tracking their location so we can stop them once and for all.”

  Hazel bustled in with a tray of drinks and snacks and Bryn practically leaped from her chair.

  “Hazel, you’re the best,” Bryn said. She turned back to the chancellor with a biscuit in one hand and a lemon fizz in the other. “Our main focus has been on stopping the frat boys from getting their greedy hands on my father’s stones.”

  “And now they have them,” the chancellor said.

  Bryn took another bite of her biscuit. “Yes, but they’ll figure out that we neutered them sooner or later, and they won’t be happy with us.”

  “I shall speak to Master Horton about security,” Chancellor Tilkin said. “I must admit, I’m surprised they’ve come as far as they have with Moldark’s plan. The Fraternal Order of Hermes has long been associated with males of a certain quality.”

  Bryn arched an eyebrow. “Is that your polite way of saying they’re a bunch of losers?”

  The chancellor suppressed a smile. “Let us simply say that Mia’s instincts about the organization are quite correct. The group is mostly comprised of wizards and other magic users that have fallen by the wayside for one reason or another. A history of criminal activity. Economically disadvantaged. They feel that their birthright has been somehow taken from them by other paranormals.”

  “I don’t understand how they can believe someone like the Shadow Sorcerer will support their interests,” I said. “Seems pretty misguided.”

  “Seriously,” Bryn agreed. “The only interests my father supported were his own.”

  “And he will use the brotherhood as a tool, to be discarded when no longer of use, I’m certain of it,” the chancellor said.

  “He’s using them now from beyond the grave,” Dani said. “It would be impressive if it weren’t so frightening.”

  The chancellor stared into space for a brief moment, seeming to contemplate the possibilities. “I suppose this was inevitable.”

  “His return?” I asked.

  The chancellor shifted her focus to me. “Moldark was an ambitious sorcerer. It should surprise no one that he created a plan to resurrect himself. In truth, I’m only surprised it’s taken this long to come to fruition.”

  Bryn swallowed a mouthful of lemon fizz. “If he comes back, I want a top that says ‘my dad was raised from the dead and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.’”

  “No one with any sense wants to see him return,” the chancellor said. “I intend to reach out to my contacts and see what I can uncover. I assume the AMF is aware of the recent developments.”

  I nodded. “Nick and Gray have been updated and they’re getting to work on pinpointing the brotherhood’s hideout.”

  Chancellor Tilkin regarded Bryn. “And what of you, child? How are you feeling about all of this?”

  Bryn leaned against the back of her chair. “I don’t need a session with Alana, if that’s what you’re hinting at.”

  The chancellor seemed amused. “I’m making no such suggestion. I’m merely inquiring as to your state of mind. We are discussing the potential resurrection of, not only the most reviled sorcerer in history, but your father. I imagine you have complicated feelings on the subject.”

  Bryn shook her head. “Not complicated at all. We’re not letting that evil bastard step a single toe back in this world. He had his chance and he blew it.”

  “Very well then,” the chancellor said. “Perhaps you should consult Cato on the brotherhood’s history. That might yield a clue as to their whereabouts.”

  “What about Moldark’s history?” I said. “If he’s pulling the strings from beyond the grave, then maybe the location was chosen by him.”

  “Excellent point, Mia,” the chancellor said.

  Bryn sucked down the last of her lemon fizz and sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without that gryphon head on a wall when I leave here. I don’t suppose there are any others like him.”

  “I’m afraid not, child,” the chancellor said. “Cato is one-of-a-kind.”

  “Too bad,” Bryn murmured.

  “Let’s go see him now,” Dani said, “before the library is full of everyone studying for exams.”

  “Which we should probably be doing,” Cerys added.

  “We have special dispensation, don’t we?” Bryn eyed the chancellor.

  “I do think that saving the world from Volans Moldark outranks the current need to study,” Chancellor Tilkin said. “The agency would fall over themselves to have agents capable of thwarting such a plan.”

  Bryn rubbed her hands together eagerly. “Falling over themselves. I like it.”

  “Before you begin, might I suggest much needed rest?” Chancellor Tilkin said. “The four of you have been going nonstop. Your bodies need the break, as well as your minds.”

  “I was going to make the same suggestion,” Cerys said.

  “Okay, but as soon as we wake up, it’s straight to Cato,” Bryn said, looking at each one of us for confirmation.

  “Best of luck, witches,” the chancellor said. “I shall apprise you of any developments on my end.”

  My sleep was fitful at best, but it was better than nothing. I opened my eyes to see Dani poised beside Bryn’s desk, reading a note.

  “Ugh, she’s such a pain.” Dani tossed the note onto the desk.

  “What?” I climbed out of bed and stretched.

  “She went to see Cato without us,” Dani said. “Well, she was stopping at the cafeteria first—shocker.”

  Cerys yawned. “Why not wait for us?”

  “Because she wants to spend quality time with Cato before we meet her there,” Dani explained. “And she was hungry.”

  We quickly washed up and dressed before bypassing the cafeteria and heading to the library. Fred and George perked up when they saw us.

  “Where’s the fire Quad Squad?” Fred asked.

  “A fire I can handle,” Dani replied.

  “I can’t believe the four of you are graduating soon,” George said. “We’re going to miss you all.”

  “We’ll miss you, too,” I said. “There’s nobody like you two.”

  “I’m sure Bryn will be able to visit you on occasion,” I said. “After all, her boyfriend will still work here.”

  “She’ll be too busy to see us,” Fred said. “Most trainees don’t pay us attention even when they’re here.”

  “But you’ve always shown an interest,” George added. “You’ve never t
reated us like objects to pass by without a kind word.”

  My heart lurched and I threw my arms around the gargoyle’s neck. “Oh, George. You’re the sweetest.”

  “Hey, what about me?” Fred said. “I’m sweet, too.”

  “We can’t both be the sweetest,” George argued. “One of us has to be only sweet.”

  I crossed the steps and hugged Fred and my roommates followed suit. “You’re the sweetest, too, Fred,” I whispered, and planted a kiss on his stone cheek.

  “I’m getting teary-eyed,” Cerys said.

  “Nothing to be ashamed of,” Fred said. “If I could produce tears, I’d probably be crying right now.”

  I held my wand in front of Fred’s face and conjured a quick spell. Tears streamed down his gargoyle face. He seemed delighted.

  “I can’t believe it,” Fred said. “I’m emoting.”

  “My turn,” George said.

  I performed the same spell on George. Cerys fished a tissue from her pocket and offered to wipe them away.

  “No, thank you,” George said. “I’d like to feel them on my face for a moment.”

  “As much as I want to keep going with this whole emotional moment, we need to see Cato,” Dani said.

  We marched straight to the back wall of the library to see Cato.

  “Where’s Bryn?” Dani asked.

  The gryphon observed us. “Is this a trick question?”

  “No, she said she’d meet us here,” Dani replied. “We have questions for you.”

  “Ask away,” Cato said. “You know I like to be useful.”

  “Let’s wait for Bryn,” Cerys said. “She’s probably still in the cafeteria.”

  “If they had bacon, I can guarantee she’s still in the cafeteria,” I said. “I’ll run and check.”

  I bolted from the library and raced to the cafeteria. I contemplated grabbing a muffin, too. I tended to get nauseous if I didn’t eat within an hour of waking up.

  The cafeteria was full of bleary-eyed Fourth Years. Part of me wished I could focus on something as simple as exams, but no. There had to be another world-saving crisis. Well, at least I’d be more prepared for the job than the agents who spent most of their time with their noses in books.

  I spotted Madge LaRue at a corner table, watching over the cafeteria like she was its queen. As much as I disliked her, she had the best vantage point of the room.

  “Have you seen Bryn?” I asked.

  Madge cocked her head. “You think I’d notice?”

  “You notice everyone, even me,” I said.

  Madge smirked. “You’re not wrong there. How do you think I manage to feel so superior all the time? Watching others nourishes my soul.”

  “So have you seen Bryn?”

  Madge tapped her nails on the table. “No, I haven’t.”

  I frowned. “How long have you been here?”

  Madge patted the book on the table. “Hours. I prefer the cafeteria to the library. Better observations when everyone’s eating and drinking and their guards are down.”

  I started to feel sick. “You’re one hundred percent sure that you haven’t seen Bryn in here today?”

  “Your friend has not been in here,” Madge said firmly. “With that big mouth and attitude problem, she’s impossible to miss.”

  Icy fingers crept up my spine. “Thanks,” I said. I sprinted into the corridor and down to the restroom to check for her there. No luck. I called her phone. No answer. I asked everyone I passed on the way back to the library. No one had seen Bryn today.

  By the time I returned to Cato, the others knew something was wrong.

  “What happened?” Cerys asked.

  “Bryn is missing,” I said.

  Dani’s face drained of color. “She wouldn’t have gone anywhere else without telling us. It isn’t like her.”

  “This can’t be happening,” Cerys said.

  “We have to tell Gray,” I said. My palms began to sweat. “What if the brotherhood has her? We have no idea where they’re operating from.”

  “We can use Bryn to find them,” Cerys said.

  “Locator spell,” Dani said. “Now.”

  We rushed back to our room to retrieve a strand of Bryn’s hair from her brush. Icarus hooted at us from his perch atop the headboard of Bryn’s bed. He knew there was a problem. He always knew.

  “Don’t worry, Icarus,” I said. “We’ll find her.”

  “But we won’t stop you from searching, too.” Dani opened the window and the snowy owl flew out of the room in search of his witch.

  Cerys created a circle of rune rocks and we sat in the middle to perform the spell. We joined hands and began to chant, summoning our magic. Energy rippled through me as the spell progressed. I closed my eyes and lost all sense of time and space.

  Then I saw her.

  Bryn was being held in restraints. Her dark hair dipped over her eye. She was either asleep or unconscious. There were no visible injuries.

  I tried to focus on the details around her. The lack of sunlight. The variegated rock behind her. Droplets of water slowly dripped from above and splashed into a puddle on the ground.

  Then nothing.

  The vision was snatched away by an unseen hand, as though our intrusion had been detected. My eyes snapped opened.

  “I saw her,” I said. I quickly described the details of my vision.

  “Same,” Dani said.

  “Me, too,” Cerys said, “but I also saw a brown robe.”

  No surprise there.

  “So what’s their plan?” Dani said. “They figured out the stones were useless and took her for revenge?”

  I thought of the stones, what we’d taken from them. “No,” I said. “They found something better than the stones. Moldark’s blood.” Lots of it.

  Cerys winced. “They’re going to drain her for the ritual.”

  “Her blood is potent,” I said. “Chock full of the same magical properties as dear old dad.”

  “We need to tell Gray what we saw,” Dani said.

  “And I need to call Declan,” I said.

  “He’s a demigod of war,” Dani said. “How’s he going to help in this situation? He probably draws strength from this kind of thing.”

  “Dani!” Cerys scolded. “That’s a terrible thing. Declan has been incredibly helpful.”

  “And he’s my boyfriend,” I said quietly. “Don’t underestimate the value of emotional support.”

  Dani’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, Mia. You’re both right. I’m just upset.”

  “We all are,” I said. “Why don’t you call Peter? He’ll want to know what’s happening.”

  Dani released a breath. “That’s a good idea.”

  “This is a nightmare,” Cerys said. “I can’t believe we let them take her.”

  “We didn’t let anyone do anything,” I insisted. “And when we’re finished with them, they’re going to be sorry they ever touched a hair on her head.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I’m sorry about Bryn,” Declan said. He’d come straight to my room at the academy after my call. It was comforting to know I could count on him in a crisis—because I sure seemed to deal with a lot of them.

  “Thanks. We tried another locator spell, but this time we only saw pitch black. They must’ve done a spell to block us.”

  “What’s the plan then?” Declan asked.

  “We’re all over the map right now,” I admitted. “Gray is working his contacts for any intel he can get. Cerys, Dani, and Robin are researching in the library to narrow down her location. We saw variegated rock, but that’s about it.”

  “Doesn’t exactly narrow it down,” Declan remarked. “We should see the necromanteion.”

  I squinted. “The what now?”

  “It means Oracle of the Dead.”

  “That sounds very specific.”

  He smiled vaguely. ”They’re found at certain entrances to the underworlds. Spirits of the dead available for consultation.�
�

  A shiver broke out. “Why would the spirits of the dead be the best option to find Bryn?”

  Declan placed a reassuring hand on the back of my head. “Because they often see what we cannot.”

  “Do you know any we can visit on short notice?”

  Declan stroked his rugged jawline. “I went to one once, a long time ago. I think I can find my way back.”

  I inclined my head. “Why did you consult one?”

  His green eyes flashed with sorrow. “When my mother died.”

  My heart squeezed. “You tried to find her?”

  “I wasn’t sure where she went in the afterlife,” he explained. “She was human, but had ties to a god. I tried to ask my father where her spirit went, but he was either too busy or too grief-stricken to see me, so I consulted the necromanteion.”

  I took his hand in mine. “And did you find her?”

  He managed a smile. “I did. I only wanted to make sure she was all right. That no terrible underworld fate had befallen her.”

  “And was she?”

  “Yes.” He wore a satisfied expression.

  “I’m glad it worked out.” I paused. “You must miss her.”

  “Every day.” He kissed my forehead. “She would have loved you. You’re exactly the kind of woman she would have wanted for me.”

  “And what about the kind of woman you want for yourself?” I asked. “Does Declan get a vote?”

  He rubbed my cheek with his thumb. “Declan’s already cast his vote. I think the result is pretty clear.”

  I grabbed his hand and kissed it. “So how do we get to this Oracle of the Dead?”

  “The entrance I remember is near Athens, Greece,” he replied.

  “In Terrene?”

  He nodded. “They tend to be located near ancient Terrene sites.”

  “Do you know the quickest way of getting there?” I asked. “I don’t think the chancellor will be eager to hand out her cloak again. She probably needs it herself right now.”

  “There’s a portal to the Eastern Quadrant we can take and then cross the border into Terrene from there.”

  I felt a surge of excitement. “I’ll let the others know where we’re headed.”