by Ben Hale
"It feels wrong to have the Harbingers here, like we've already lost."
Iris was distracted, but she threw a comment over her shoulder. "I know, it's disturbing—yeah, I'll send you what I can find on him."
"What are you doing?" Tess asked.
"I'm talking to your mom," Iris said.
"My mom?"
"Of course." Iris frowned in annoyance. "She's part of my army. How else do I give them inside information about the Harbinger network? Besides, you should call her more. She misses talking to you—yes, I know, Kate, I just told her that. Oh, and I found a way to contact the outside world. I'll teach it to you tonight."
"Since when did my mom join your army?" Tess couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Iris was talking to her mother.
"Since she's been fighting the Harbingers," Iris said. "It's too bad she doesn't have magic. She'd have made a lethal mage. Which reminds me, I should look into getting her an enchanted weapon . . ."
Iris lapsed into muttering about her own mom. Her sudden shift in emotion kept Tess from interrupting her. To find out that her mage roommate had been talking to her mom jarred every aspect of her life. Up until recently her parents hadn't even known about the mages. Then the Harbingers had incinerated their home with Tess and her family inside.
That night she'd learned that she wasn't the only one with secrets. It turned out that Jack had been working with the CIA and her mom was a former sniper in the Marines. A few weeks later Kate had taken her to her secret cache of weapons. Complete with grenades, rocket launchers, and all kinds of hardware, it could have armed a small country.
"So where can we hide from the Voidlings?" Tess suddenly asked.
"You're the one that figures that out," Iris said. Her attitude shifted back to normal. "Just make sure our resistance doesn't get us killed, or your mom will have my head. She's really intimidating, you know that?"
"I do," Tess said, and flashed a smile. "Just wait until you meet her in person."
Iris was already talking to someone else. "No, Uri, I said we were going to lie low for a while. Yes, I know they are trying to track us, why do you think we are bouncing their signal all over the net—seriously, you need to man up. We are at war, you dandelion . . ."
Tess led the way back onto the path, her thoughts on Iris's comments. They split paths when they reached the mind building, and Tess made her way to her gravity class. By the time Professor Lerik had started her lecture on the ripple charm, she was lost in thought.
Where could they meet that would be safe?
Chapter 20: Fighting Fears
Tess had little time to think about where they could meet until the weekend. Waking late on Friday, she and Iris rushed down the stairs to breakfast, and arrived to find the meal hall somber with eating students. A pair of Voidlings stood at the door. For now, their presence appeared sufficient to deter disobedience.
Tess and Iris grabbed their distilled food and sent it through the large cauldron. Tiny cubes and balls of material turned into french toast, eggs, and white chocolate raspberry bread as the cauldron worked its magic. Collecting their plates from the opposite side, Tess and Iris walked to their usual table and grabbed the only two empty seats.
"Why did you bring so many of the team?" Tess murmured to Shorn, who was sitting across from her.
"Tempest has been cancelled, remember?" Shorn replied. "They are itching for something to do, and they want in on our plan. You know you can trust them, and they are good at what they do. Have you figured out where we can set up?" Parker, Kyle, and the others of the team nodded to Tess, and she felt a rush of gratitude.
"I'm working on it." Tess forgot about the need for quiet, and her overly loud answer brought a host of looks.
Derek's head twitched, drawing Shorn's attention. "We'll get you a message once we have a safe place to meet," Derek said.
Shorn nodded, satisfied, and the Tempest team accepted that answer. One by one they finished their meals and left. Tess rounded on Derek the moment they had departed.
"Why would you say that?" she hissed. "We have no idea where we can meet safely."
Derek smirked. "But I know you'll figure it out." He slid his hand across the table and touched hers. "We all trust you. Besides, I talked to Kyle about his younger brother."
"Why?"
"Because he's an anti-magic mage," Derek replied, "and by all accounts a good one."
Abruptly Tess recalled how many times they had been in trouble—and how many times he had come up with a solution. Whether it was a natural gift with strategy or a refusal to give up, Derek had proven his ability.
"We still need a memory mage," Tess said.
Derek's eyes flicked over her shoulder, and tightened. "Later," he murmured. "Drake is watching. If I didn't know any better I'd think he was onto us."
Taking the warning, Tess looked where he had, and saw Drake leaning against a post. Even across the room it was clear he was facing them. Iris, who had been mumbling to herself throughout the entire meal, suddenly stood and started yelling at someone. Casting a "Take care of my plate, would you?" at Tess, she stalked from the hall without a backward glance.
Then Tess realized they were going to be late if they didn't hurry. Downing several large bites, she rose to her feet. Tess frowned when she noticed that the food on Iris's plate had been hardly touched.
"Is Iris alright?" Tess asked Derek as they exited.
He waited until they were clear of the Voidlings to answer. Then he came to a halt and met Tess's gaze. "She can't reach our mom."
Tess frowned. "But I thought your mom was a techno mage. You said she got lost in the threads."
"She did, but even as far gone as she is, Iris can usually find a way to talk to her. As much as Iris acts independent, she relies on mom for approval."
"Is she that bad?"
Derek's expression darkened. "Mom is too distracted to be a mom. In auren terms she's like an addict to her magic. Iris won't let her go. It's probably why she craves talking to your mom so much."
The blame in Derek's voice toward his mom could not be ignored, prompting Tess to say, "I'm sorry Derek."
Derek nodded, his eyes distant. "I'd better get to class." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
She smiled shyly, and said, "We'll talk later."
He returned the smile and departed. Her steps slowed by her thoughts, Tess headed to class. Since the occupation began, the changes to Tryton's were apparent. Students walked with a downcast air, and no one used magic outside of class. Only a handful of students had been punished so far, but the effects on them had been more than enough to discourage more disobedience. Tess passed one of them on her way to the light building.
He was on his knees, shivering and crying. His eyes were like pools of ink, and his face was etched with horror and pain. His skin had a sweaty sheen to it, as if he'd clenched his muscles for too long.
Her jaw tightened as she remembered the few minutes she'd felt the Dark on her mind. Twenty minutes was a decade. An hour would be an eternity. Like everyone else, she passed him by. There was nothing she could do.
The image of him lingered in her mind throughout the day and into the early evening. Her heavy course schedule left little time to verify if he had recovered, but his expression remained fused to her thoughts. After dinner she headed to Basic Light and Luminescence. The atmosphere of fear she'd seen during the day prevailed even in the classroom, heightened by the Voidling present in her class. Professor Gordon ignored it.
"As we discussed last week, light can be manipulated in a variety of ways." He caught the beam of light that focused on the center of the room and turned it solid. "We can even make it solid, or bend it, according to our will. Today, however, we will discuss the impact of the illuminate spell.
"Natural illumination can refract light to where the source does not shine directly. The illuminate charm, however, causes light to perform a perfect refraction. This means that none of the light is lost. With skil
l, this can be done hundreds, or even thousands of times, brightening a point of shadow until it is erased."
Professor Gordon picked up the ball of light from a stand next to him, and gestured to the black pillar that stood a few paces away. A beam of light burst from the light source and struck the column, causing a shadow to fall on the opposite side. The shadow became much denser as he flicked a finger at the room and darkened the ambient light.
"As I have explained before," Professor Gordon said, walking to the shadow, "light wants to spread. The illuminate charm gives it the power to do so."
Coming to a halt within the darkened area, he steepled his fingers and the shadow began to brighten. Then he slowly drew his hands apart. Lines of light streaked from the opposite side of the pillar and seemed to bend around it, gathering in his hands like a small lantern. Once it had grown to about the size of a tennis ball, he pulled his hands away. The ball disintegrated, and light spread around him as if a switch had been turned on.
Nodding to himself, he gestured to the stands of light sources around the room. "Separate into partners and take turns shining the light on them. Please use the focus spell you learned at the beginning of this quad. Then illuminate your partner's shadow. I will move among you and correct as necessary. Extra points will be rewarded to those who master the technique before the end of the hour."
Professor Gordon then descended into the milling students to assist them. Hannah caught Tess's eye and quirked an eyebrow. Tess nodded and the two of them moved to find a clear place to practice. Hannah took the lead and stood a few feet from the light source resting on the platform. Tess cast the focus spell and beamed a column of light at Hannah. Then she strode to the other side, surprised that Hannah turned to face her.
As Tess tried to duplicate the spell, Hannah whispered, "Can I ask you a question?"
Tess bobbed her head, her focus on the complicated magic in her hands.
"Are the aurens going to kill us?"
Startled, Tess lost her magic, plunging them back into shadow. "Why would you think that, Hannah?"
Hannah's features were tight with worry. "My mom's a mage but my dad's an auren. They've lived in England for the last few years. He's the one that thinks we are in danger."
"What do you think?" Tess asked. She pretended to try the illuminate spell again, but her attention was on the subdued conversation.
Hannah's gaze flicked to the Voidling. "Why else would they have them here?"
Because they want to control us. "The aurens aren't going to hurt us," Tess said.
"You said, hurt, not attack."
Tess threw a long look at Hannah. With her beautiful black hair and bright eyes, the petite girl was easy to dismiss, and yet her comment proved she was smart as well.
"People will blame us for what the Harbingers have done," Tess said, "even more so when the Dark expands into their countries."
"Does the Dark do what the Voidlings do?"
The image of the man who had become a fiend flashed before Tess's eyes. "Let's just say it's far worse."
Hannah frowned, but then her eyes cleared. In a louder voice, she said, "Care if I try?"
Tess nodded and traded positions with her. As she did she saw Professor Gordon approaching them. Hannah hurried to try the spell while the Professor stopped to observe them.
"Relax, Hannah," he observed after a moment. "Take your time and you should be fine." He glanced at Tess and seemed about to say something else. Then he noticed the Voidling and he kept it to himself. "Good work, you two," he said, and then moved on.
Confused by the interchange, Tess watched him go. Tall and bearing the red hair of his Scottish heritage, Professor Gordon was one of her favorite professors. He always spoke in a clear, inviting manner. His discipline for rowdy students was swift, yet was never carried out in anger. His dark yellow cloak ended in a swipe of plaid, further emphasizing his homeland. He threw a backward glance at her that caused her to turn away. The expectation in his eyes had been evident in a single glance.
The class ended with only three students succeeding in eliminating their partner's shadow. Hannah was one of them. After assigning two hours of homework practicing the illuminate spell, Professor Gordon dismissed them. Tess didn't look back, but she could sense his eyes on her as she left. It was like he expected something of her.
Once outside she ducked in the opposite direction and found a bench hidden in a grove of oak trees and large shrubs. Then she used the spell that Iris had taught her and called her mom.
"Are you safe?" Kate asked. "Iris told me about Alice's takeover."
"Before Mt. Elbrus the school was just a school. I was worried about the Harbingers, but the classes and students were mostly normal. With magic going public everything has changed. Alice took over the city, and Varson and Dark entities are patrolling the school."
"Are you in danger?" Kate’s voice had taken on an edge.
"I don't think so," Tess replied. "If they wanted to hurt me they could have." Tess released a frustrated breath. "After what happened to Hawk . . ."
"I know," Kate said quietly. "I don't think anyone thought she would be so bold."
"Mom . . . when are we going to start winning?"
Kate let out a long breath. "I wish I could tell you we were on the verge of stopping her, but it wouldn't be true. The fact is that she is powerful. You know that better than anyone. The only thing we can do is keep fighting and hope something gives."
What if it doesn't? "I'm scared," Tess whispered.
"Me too," Kate responded, "but I have faith in you, and your father. You know that if I could extract you and get you home I would. As much as I would like to do that, I can't. You have a responsibility, and my job as a mother is to help you fulfill it. Sometimes all it takes to win is to resist our fears."
I wish it were that easy. "Can I call you later?"
"I have something to do now, but can we can talk tomorrow night if you want." In the background Tess heard someone ordering her to join the briefing.
"I'd like that."
"I love you," Kate said, "I need you to promise me you will keep your head down. Just because they haven't come for you yet doesn't mean they won't. If anything happens to you . . ."
Tess heard her swallow. "I'll be careful," Tess said, "and I love you too." She ended the call.
Tess stared at the oak tree in front of her, unsure if the call had eased her worry the way she had hoped. Her mom's reaction had been unsettling. As far back as she could remember, Kate's voice had carried a steel that could not be denied. This time Tess had heard an emotion she had never heard before.
Fear.
Chapter 21: Extraction
The line went dead, but Kate remained rooted in place. The occupation on Auroraq had been as swift as it was effective. The removal of the Cloudwall had proven that mages existed, and yet had failed to silence many doubters. Much of the population continued to insist that the video of Auroraq in the sky had been faked. But no one had dared launch an attack.
The Dark, however, could not be ignored. Eighteen days had passed since Mt. Elbrus, and the casualty list had skyrocketed to ten million across multiple countries. Whether the world leaders believed or not, whole nations had been erased.
And the Dark continued to expand.
Inside, Kate felt conflicting emotions battle for supremacy. Her training wanted to dissect the call for intel, but the mother in her vacillated between rage and fear. Her daughter was behind enemy lines, and entirely within Alice's power. The fact that she was in danger rubbed against her soul like sandpaper. Kate sensed it was only a matter of time before Alice again tried to force Tess into following her . . .
"Oliver! What have you got for us?"
Kate turned away from the line of black armor-plated SUVs and strode to the group of men. Like her they were dressed and geared for combat. Each wore tac vests with military grade body armor. Ammunition, explosives, and other tools hung like lethal ornaments on their chests. Dressed
in a suit rather than combat gear, Special Agent Trask waited for her answer.
"My contact managed to dig up the target's school file," Kate answered, and felt a flash of gratitude that Iris had been so resourceful. "At Tryton's he was enrolled only in the plant magic school."
"Can we confirm that this is his only specialty?" Trask asked.
Trask's manner was brusque and to the point. As a former Army Ranger, he had abundant experience in combat and special warfare. Injuries and shrapnel kept him from being on the team, but his mind was still sharp enough to lead it.
Kate nodded. "My source said that if he didn't study it in school, he probably couldn't."
"Is your source a student like your daughter?" Jackson, the new sniper, asked.
The trace of derision in his tone caused Kate’s lips to thin. "My source is a class eight techno mage." She answered using the ranking system that the CIA had developed to classify mages based on their power level. "She is also the one responsible for the worldwide telecast breach from Mt. Elbrus." Most of the team already knew exactly who her source was, so she didn't feel the need to explain further.
Someone muttered for Jackson to shut his mouth, but Trask moved on before anyone else could speak. "Excellent work, Oliver. Your information confirms our intel." He gestured to one of the men, and he activated the large touchscreen. A live sat feed resolved into clarity, revealing the target residence and some of the surrounding area.
"The house is on a hill overlooking the road," Trask said, "and the nearest house is half a mile away. As you saw on the sat feed, much of the grounds in front of the house contain some sort of orchard. The trees are small, but there are a lot of them. If our target, designation Leaf, is indeed a plant mage, he has positioned himself well. Sam, how do you want to proceed?"
Sam stepped to the front and stabbed a finger at the house. "I will take Alpha team in through the front door. Bravo will come in through the back. Echo will remain as standby in case things go south. Oliver, you should set up here," he manipulated the screen and it slid south, "at the high school. You should find a good vantage point on the bleachers. Jackson, you are to find a position farther up the slope on the north side. The rocks will make escape in that direction difficult, but you should have a decent view onto the back porch in case he attempts to rabbit that way."
