“All of them?” I asked weakly. Sip knew that Lanca had the Fang First, and for a long time I had been in possession of the Mirror Arcane.
“We want them in paranormal hands,” said Nolan, “and eventually it would be good if we could use them together. But first we have to track all of them down and get them under our control.”
I sat back in my chair.
“You’re all members?”
“Not technically,” said Sip. “Lough just heard about it, as did Dacer. I only told Lisabelle when she found out I had said I was at a gala meeting when there really wasn’t one.”
“Oh, so that’s why you had an hour-long argument about which one of you was more clever,” said Trafton, his eyes lighting with amusement and understanding.
I sat back in my chair, trying to take it all in and to reorder my memories of the events of the past semester. But even without having processed all of it, I was filled with relief. We weren’t alone in our fight against the Nocturns. There was a whole group of paranormals working together to fight them off. Martha’s approach had been crazed, but this collective effort felt good. It felt solid. It felt a whole lot like hope.
“What are you thinking?” Sip asked worriedly, chewing her lip.
Slowly, I started to smile.
Much later I went up to my room. My REAL room, the one Mrs. Swan had chosen for me. It was empty except for the large bed, but I didn’t care, a bed was enough.
Except that there was something on it.
“Bartholem,” I growled, “now’s not the time to visit.”
The cat was sitting in front of a package, his large purple eyes unblinking.
Just then Dacer followed me into the room, a most unprecedented event.
“Ah, I had a feeling we’d find him here,” said the vampire. “Like what I got you?”
“You mean the mask?” I said. “Yes.”
Dacer chuckled. “I didn’t mean the mask, but I’m glad you ignored my orders not to use it unless absolutely necessary, and I’m glad it helped.”
“What, then?” I said as I headed for the bed. Bartholem shifted just enough to let me get at the package, but I didn’t need to open it. I knew exactly what it was.
I gave a squeal of joy and turned back to my mentor, whose eyes were bright.
“Dacer,” I cried, “how’d you get Caid to give it back to me?”
Dacer smiled. “That’s between myself and the president. Suffice to say we both agree that it belongs in Astra.”
I sat down on the bed and picked up the Mirror Arcane. I felt it humming through the wrapping.
“What happens now?” I said.
Dacer looked grim. “Confidence in Caid is at an all-time low. Senior paranormals are losing their confidence in him after all that has happened at Public. He isn’t doing enough to fight the demons, and I’m afraid it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Dacer was saying exactly what I had been thinking myself.
“What about Bartholem?” I said. “He isn’t just a normal cat, is he?”
“Animals in the paranormal world are rarely only what they appear to be,” said Dacer comfortably.
“He isn’t evil though, is he?” I asked cautiously. “He’s not going to turn out to be another Martha, only with a different focus for his energies?”
Dacer chuckled. “No, he is not, but I think I’ll let Bartholem explain Bartholem.”
We both looked at the cat, who simply stared back at us, unblinking.
“I guess not today,” I said, still cradling the Mirror. “And that’s just fine with me.”
Every member of the Sign of Six on campus was waiting for us downstairs. Dacer wanted to return to his house for his own shower, while Zervos said he just wanted to leave. The students, though, were not ready to be alone. Instead of going back to our respective dorms we went outside. Keller kept an arm protectively around me and I snuggled into his shoulder.
As we watched the sunrise I called to the air, requesting a gentle breeze. If the air could have smirked, I was sure that it would have. I had already asked so much of it today, but I needed just a little more. With a gentle push, the breeze blew the smoke that hung over my home away, revealing campus in all its abused glory. I put my free arm around Sip’s shoulder and she pulled Lisabelle nearer, and we watched the sun rise to greet another day.
The End
~
Also by Maddy Edwards:
One Black Rose Series
One Black Rose
August
Autumn
Susan’s Summer
Paranormal Public Series
Paranormal Public
Elemental Rising
Elemental Shining
Elemental Dawn
Elemental Fire
Spiral Series
Spiral
Elemental Air (Paranormal Public Series) Page 26
