by Antara Mann
“Oh, holy magic! I can’t believe it. It feels so much better!” I exclaimed as we walked toward the table reserved for the fae.
“What is it, sweetheart?” he asked, his voice strained.
“My ankle feels so much better. I got bitten by a stray dog a few hours ago. Shortly before I came to meet you, the injury still throbbed and hurt.”
“My magic works very well on you.” Kagan grinned and whispered into my ear, “I could heal more than your ankle when we’re alone. I’m an expert at massage.” He winked at me.
Just like I told you.
I ignored my inner voice. As always when I entered this place, enticing magic tickled my senses, making me ravenous. My eyes popped out at the luxurious setting: opulent furniture, marble floor, silk tablecloths and golden chandeliers sparkling on the ceiling.
“So, which ankle is injured?” Kagan asked me once we were seated at a quiet table tucked away in one of the more secluded corners of the restaurant. I pointed at my right ankle. He laid his hand gently on the wound, and warm, soothing, rhythmic waves of his magic fed into the site of my pain. In less than a minute, my ankle felt as new. I moved my foot in circles to check for any left-over pain.
He removed his hand. “Better?”
“Absolutely. Thank you.” I grinned.
“You’re most welcome, sweetheart.” Kagan slid his hand over my leg, his fingertips touching my inner thigh. I twitched and shifted in my seat, crossing my legs.
“Not here,” I whispered.
“Nobody’s watching,” he said, his voice strained and husky. His intense stare penetrated my eyes. This fae was shameless. He drew back, the intensity in his stare dissolved, his demeanor colder; he must have read my mind or picked up on my embarrassment.
“So, how did the talk with your supervisor go?” he asked me, trying hard to sound nonchalant.
I was glad he read my mind. Most of the time, when in his presence, I kept my shields down, giving him permission to do so. It was advanced magic, but most powerful supernaturals were able to perform it, and we all learned to protect ourselves from mental invasion early on.
“Better than I imagined,” I said.
In that moment the waiter — a lion shifter, my magical sense told me — put a bottle of white wine and two glasses in front of us, and handed us the menus. “The wine is on the house, Mr. Griffith,” he said and smiled. He was trying hard to make a good impression. His manners were impeccable, but behind his friendly, polite attitude, he was all business.
“Thank you, Jeff. We’ll order in a few minutes,” Kagan said, and the waiter curtly nodded and retreated. My boyfriend poured some wine and handed a glass to me. He did the same for himself.
“Cheers!” he said, and we clinked our glasses. “So, from now we’ll be investigating the mages’ disappearances, right?”
I nodded, the memory of what I’d seen in Kevin’s room overwhelming me. I shuddered and sipped the wine.
“Don’t worry, we’ll catch the inferni,” the fae said so confidently that I really wanted to believe him.
What’s the matter with you? You’ll catch him, have a little faith, I scolded myself mentally. At least now I had Kagan on my side. He was on my team; so much better than being on my own. We had every chance to succeed.
Something bothers me about this inferni, I thought to myself in response to my lack of confidence and brooding doubt. And just then, I shivered again. That was most bizarre. I couldn’t really put my finger on what it was that troubled me, but the fear was palpable. My magic was feeling it, too.
You ought not to worry, Alex. When Brighid made that prophecy, it wasn’t out of accident, nor was it a stab in the dark, the goddess in me chimed in, and her words, for the first time in a while, soothed me.
When I directed my attention back to Kagan, I saw him watching me carefully; I felt he was well aware of my internal dialogue and struggle. When he caught my eye, he smiled at me and said, “Now that you’re back, please tell me, sweetheart, did you feel any specific sensations during your vision?” He took a sip from his wine.
I hesitated for a moment and was just about to ask him if it was safe to talk about the case here, in the open, when he forestalled me, “It’s okay.” He waived his hand dismissively. “I have muted our conversation anyway. No one can eavesdrop.”
His confident demeanor relaxed me, and I began with my story.
“It all felt very twisted. The air was damp and moist, as if no fresh air had entered that room for months… which doesn’t seem that unlikely,” I said and cleared my throat. I frowned, trying to remember more details. “The magical energy was very violent, probably because Garrett, the psychopath, was draining power from poor Kevin. Oh, and I saw an inverted triquetra on Garrett’s chest, exactly like the one we saw when we found the scrolls describing the Egyptian ritual — do you remember?”
He nodded, so I went on. “The triquetra on his necklace was glowing in a pale-bluish light. Then its light blinded me and knocked me out.” I sighed. “That’s all I experienced.”
He nodded, his brows furrowed, and said, his tone unusually grave for him, “So it is what I’ve been fearing. Garrett is indeed a sorcerer, and he is stealing powerful mages’ magic.”
“Do you believe he is again obsessed with releasing the inferni from Inferno?”
“Probably,” Kagan agreed and scratched his stubble. “If he’s not after that goal, which I highly doubt, he certainly has some darker, more sinister plans in his twisted mind.”
“I bet. But tell me, what’s the deal with this Inferno and the inferni there? It seems to me you know more than what the official version says, the one we studied back at the Magica Academy.”
I had just finished asking my question when the waiter reappeared, as quiet as a mouse. We ordered our meals. I — Buckwheat Crêpes, and Kagan — Baked Camembert, both from the French cuisine. This week, Temptation’s specialties were obviously from France. I didn’t even dare glance at the price tags — I knew the dishes were insanely expensive; a heart attack usually didn’t aid digestion.
“You asked about Inferno,” Kagan brought me back to the subject.
“Yes,” I nodded. I’d been curious about Inferno and the inferni for quite some time, and in particular why it was such a big deal if its gates opened. Not that I wanted it to happen.
“Well, the official version, as you well know, says that Inferno is a special type of prison in Hell, where the most vicious and dangerous inferni — very powerful demons — are locked. While this is partly true, there are major parts of the puzzle that are more complex to grasp — like the significance of Inferno and the nature of the supernaturals locked over there.”
“Okay. Enlighten me, Mr. Fae. What’s this big, dirty secret you guys are holding back from the rest of the community?”
He chuckled. “Millions of years ago, a huge conflict arose between the two courts — of Heaven and Hell. Supernaturals from both courts were constantly fighting and slaying one another. I, myself, wasn’t present then, I hadn’t even been born, but my parents told me about this dark period of time. So, the tension led to the Great War. You studied about it, didn’t you?”
I nodded. The devastating war between the Court of Heaven and Court of Hell was like the ABC in magical history.
“Right. But what they didn’t tell you was that, in his attempt to win the war, Kai created thirty-three inferni to help him destroy the Court of Heaven. The Morrigan responded by creating the archangels — the counterparts of inferni — supernatural beings much more powerful than ordinary angels; they have enhanced superpowers and abilities.
“My parents also told me the two armies of gods and demons met at the great field of Cath Maighe Tuireadh. Both armies were so grand and impressive that the Valkyries had a tough job deciding which side to pick as winners, so half went to the gods, the other — to the demons. As a result, at Cath Maighe Tuireadh — the battlefield — a lot of supernaturals from both courts were killed, yet the war
was still raging and there seemed to be no end to it.
“Eventually, the Morrigan and Kai saw that neither of them could prevail and they shook hands. Thus, the Great Peace was established. A set of rules were penned down and agreed upon, and both courts had to observe them. Any breach, according to the peace treaty, could result in a new, devastating war. The peace was only once temporarily breached during the Second World War, but soon it was re-established. Kai and the Morrigan had learned the hard lesson that neither of them could easily exterminate the other court and its members. These were the terms that Kai and the Morrigan have negotiated and agreed upon.
“The Morrigan let the archangels interfere with humanity’s complex problems — they could help nations and even common people when in need — but Kai had to lock the inferni away. They were extremely dangerous and potent, impossible to tame, and posed a threat to the Court of Heaven, the human world, and even, to some extent, the Court of Hell. The inferni, though, being so vicious and powerful, are not submissive by nature, and rebelled against their creator, Kai. They demanded a new leader of the Court of Hell and promised Kai punishment for locking them inside his own hellish kingdom. Kai had no choice but to kill some of the more arrogant inferni. Others, rumor has it, managed to flee; some went missing forever. Probably only a handful survived. Facts and legends blur, and no one but Kai knows for sure what really happened. As a result, currently thirteen inferni are locked in Inferno.”
“And what about Kai’s Inner Circle?”
A mischievous smile flickered across his handsome face. “Well, here comes the really secretive part, something only few supernaturals know.”
“Oh, you don’t say,” I teased him. “I am among the chosen few? Wow! I am flattered.”
His grin broadened. “So, the whole thing is that Kai kept a few inferni close, in what he prefers to call his Inner Circle. He confided in only one person — the one he later made the scapegoat. Kai preferred to believe this inferni was behind Garrett’s attempt for magical revolution. Needless to say, he got the wrong guy. The inferni we’re after — Garrett’s ally — is a completely different person.”
“And what about all the other inferni? How many are they, actually? Do you know their number or… something? Anything at all?”
He shook his head, his eyes gleaming with unusual sadness. “Information about them is scarce. I am sorry, Alex. I’ve heard rumors about some of Kai’s closest demons, though. Do the names Alastor and Nysrogh accidentally light up your magical radar?”
“I dunno — have I seen them at the Veil? And what do you mean by ‘light up my magical rada —” I couldn’t finish because he cut me off.
“Hey, I have an idea. The Council must know who was there for sure. They record all types of information. Especially a meeting such as the one at the Veil.”
“Great! Then let’s go and check their files. But just to make sure I understand: You believe I’ll sense who the inferni is when I see the participants’ names on the list, right?” If I understood him right, he believed my magical sense would get activated at the sight of a name.
In that moment the waiter reappeared out of nowhere and served our dishes. They both looked delicious. The savory aroma of fresh vegetables, berries and hot, gooey cheese wafted in the air and filled my senses with promises of gluttony pleasures. My mouth watered. I took a bite, not caring that it was hot. The crispy buckwheat crepes crunched between my teeth and I devoured the whole stack in minutes. I had never before tasted this meal, but was greatly rewarded; the dish was scrumptious.
“Yup, that’s right,” mumbled Kagan through a mouthful of food. “I think you could remember who the inferni is with a little luck. It’s not very likely, but it could happen, depending on the condition of your magic. It’s worth a try.” The smell of the soft, creamy Camembert wafted up from his plate as he scarfed down his food, and I was sure his dish tasted as yummy as it looked. I decided I’d order Baked Camembert next time we dined here.
“So what are we waiting for, then? Let’s go!” I said.
“We’ll go and check the Magic Council’s files, honey. However, first we need permission. This information is top secret. I’ll call my Council contact and ask him to grant us access. It might take a little time, though. Until then, we need to find a pattern to the mages’ disappearances.”
“Oh, yes — the difficult part,” I agreed between mouthfuls. "The two missing mages share some traits, though: both are intelligent, both super gifted, with loving families, but different in their own way." I remembered that the healing mage was a bachelor, in contrast to the time mage. Their work places were also different. "We must find the common link between them," I mused aloud.
“Once we find that, half of our job is done.” A smile opened up on Kagan's face, and he devoured his last morsel greedily, like a predator his prey. “And we are going to find it.”
Chapter 9
It was past 3 p.m. when we walked out of the fancy restaurant. We’d spent nearly half an hour there discussing the case and how we would proceed. Kagan had called his contact and asked permission to check the Council’s record files from the meeting at the Veil. We needed to know how Garrett picked the mages. There was bound to be a pattern to the kidnappings; we had only to figure it out. Sigh — that was easier said than done.
“Maybe if you touch some other items that belonged to the missing mages, this time on purpose, you’ll be able to see more,” Kagan suggested. “At least we should give it a shot.”
“I was thinking the same thing. Shall we go to Aldwyn Saal’s house?”
“Was that the first missing mage?”
I nodded.
“Yeah, it’ll be a good start.”
I took out my cell phone and dialed Kathryn Saal’s number — Aldwyn’s wife. She didn't pick up her phone, even though I tried a few times. Then I dialed Finn’s number to ask if he knew where she was or could let us into his brother’s home. He picked up on the third ring. We asked permission to visit Aldwyn’s home. Finn said his sister-in-law was already there, but was too distressed to take any calls. He suggested we head on over and he would try to meet us there. We teleported, but this time Kagan took charge of the teleportation to Massachusetts. We arrived on Forrest Street, and I rang the already familiar doorbell of apartment number 52.
Kathryn was quick. She opened the door immediately. When she saw me her face puckered, as if a shadow had passed over it, but it quickly dispersed and a sudden ray of hope glowed on her face.
“Miss Shaw! You are quick. Do you have any news from my husband?”
“Unfortunately not yet, Mrs. Saal, but we have a key lead. Hence, we’d like to take another look at your husband’s laboratory.” I smiled at her. She frowned in response.
“It can greatly help our investigation, ma’am,” Kagan said. His tone was calm and serene, his magic coming out, palpable in the air, reaching for the mage’s wife’s own magic. One of the faes’ many superpowers was mind-control and manipulation. Kagan was careful in its usage — not too much, but enough to make a difference when we faced uncooperative supernaturals like Kathryn.
She looked him up and down, her stare hard but gradually softening. “Are you from the Magic Council, too?” she asked.
“I am Kagan Griffith, CEO of Griffith Enterprises. I have been assigned by the Council to assist Miss Shaw as an independent consultant,” he said with a good dose of cockiness and the arrogance wealthy people are often associated with. He was overegging it on purpose.
“Oh!” Kathryn seemed taken aback. She pulled herself together quickly and replied, “Come in, Mr. Griffith. And Miss Shaw.” Her face creased into an artificial smile. “I am more than happy to assist you if that would help you in any way.”
The fae nodded at her and we stepped inside. Kathryn guided us toward her husband’s lab. It was intact, just as I’d found it the day before: white and clean, with a few tables laden with traditional scientific equipment. I went to them and successively touched the mic
roscopes and computers. Nothing. I even touched the family photos on the shelf. Still nothing. Damn it!
I sighed and turned to Kagan. “I am sorry. I’m getting nothing at all. Plain zero. Even less than a zero — utter void.”
He chuckled. “It’s okay, don’t worry. Maybe we can go to the second mage’s house and check there? Can you talk to his family?”
“Ah, Kevin Rydell. Yes, he was a loner, only lived with his sister. I don’t think there’ll be any problem in revisiting his room,” I said and called the mage’s sister, Freya. She picked up her phone immediately. I asked if it was convenient to go to their house and check her brother’s room again. She said she was at work but assured me she could be home in less than an hour, and so we were set.
At the appointed time, we teleported over to the other mage’s house in Princeton. This time, though, the hostess knew very well who Kagan was.
“Oh, sweet magic! You’re Kagan Griffith!”
Kagan smiled wide and shook her hand when she grabbed his in both of hers. “Pleased to meet you,” he said in a quiet voice.
Freya’s eyes, however, were glowing with excitement. “You've been on the covers of Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker and Forbes. And I’ve just read an article in CS on your generous contributions to the public libraries attached to three Ivy League colleges just this past school year. Mr. Griffith, you’re an inspiration!”
Kagan let out an embarrassed chuckle and asked her to lead the way to Kevin’s room.
Despite the warm welcome, we didn’t have any luck here either. Well, I had a small vision, but it wasn’t related to the mage’s disappearance at all; something from his personal past.
Freya let us go only after we promised to stay in touch, and her eyes lingered on Kagan far longer than I liked as we walked out, but finally we were on the porch and the door was firmly closed behind us.
