Institute of Magic

by Linsey Hall

  Lachlan inclined his head politely, and kept walking. We passed by street merchants hawking their wares—ghostly clothing and food, mostly—as well as street musicians and patrolmen on ghostly horses. They looked like old-timey cops. But dead.

  The patrolmen looked at us from beneath the brims of their hats, their eyes glowing a bright green.

  “They’re the ones who see through the bats’ eyes?” I whispered.

  “Aye.”

  Lachlan raised a hand in a subtle greeting, and the patrolmen nodded.

  “They know you?”

  “I come here occasionally.” He stopped and ducked through the low doorway of a large mausoleum.

  I followed, stepping into a raucous nightclub from the early twentieth century. Or maybe the late nineteenth. I wasn’t an expert, but the decor and clothes were old. There were chorus girls, though, the fancy French kind with the ruffled skirts that flared high as they kicked their legs toward the ceiling.

  A skinny ghost with a top hat banged away at an old piano as the revelers swilled glasses of gleaming green liquid. The air of the place was jovial, but a few turned to glare at us.

  “They don’t always like the living,” Lachlan murmured.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Doesn’t seem so bad to be dead.”

  “They’ve created something nice here, but some still want to leave.”

  I could understand. I didn’t like being stuck either. I edged closer to Lachlan as we made our way toward the bar. Ghosts were tricky in a fight. Nearly impossible to destroy since they were already dead, and some of them still had their magic.

  Which put us at a distinct disadvantage.

  There were a few figures leaning against the bar, and Lachlan chose to approach a chorus girl. A cigarette dangled from her fingertips, and her eyes glowed with a similar light as she watched him approach.

  I might as well have not existed, which was probably for the best. I lingered in the shadows, just close enough to hear, and let him get down to it.

  Lachlan leaned against the bar and smiled. “Hello, Marlena.”

  “Lachlan. It’s been too long. ” Her French accent was thick and her eyes hot as they traveled up and down his form.

  “Far too long.”

  “What do you want now?”

  “Just a bit of information, love.”

  I bristled at the endearment, then mentally kicked myself. Idiot. Now was not the time to get possessive over some dude I’d just met. Never was actually the appropriate time for that.

  “Ah, the usual.” She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “What for?”

  “Decker is missing.”

  Concern glinted in her eyes, and her lips softened. “What happened?”

  “Abducted by someone who stole some dangerous magic from me.”

  “Silly Lachlan, still crafting such deadly tricks.”

  “They pay well.”

  She harrumphed. “What do you need?” She shook her finger. “And I’m only helping you for Marcus’s sake, just so you’re aware.”

  “I am. I need to know where Madam Alamedra is.”

  “Ah, but of course. I heard that she is at the pond tonight, performing some silly spell.”

  “You know they aren’t silly.”

  She shrugged. “In the eye of the beholder.”

  His face shifted into an expression that was almost kind. There was a hint of caring at least, something I hadn’t yet seen on his face. I watched, undeniably envious and hating myself for it, as he picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.

  I didn’t know if he actually moved her hand, or if she did. I’d never touched a ghost before. The mechanics of it were a mystery.

  But she smiled, then shooed him away.

  He joined me again, leaning low to murmur against my ear. “Ready to go?”

  I shivered at the warmth of his breath. “Yep.”

  I stepped away, not sure why he chose that moment to stand so close. His gaze lingered on mine just before he turned and led the way out of the bar. I followed him onto the street, my gaze darting all around the ghostly city as we walked. It was one of the most fascinating places I’d ever been, and I wanted to bring Rowan and Bree back here.

  “What is Madame Alamedra?” I asked.

  “She’s a seer. Ancient.”

  “Perfect.” Age often equaled power.

  The cemetery sloped downhill toward a pond. At the edge, fireflies danced in the rain, circling around a woman wearing a flowing cape that twirled in the wind. She was doing some kind of strange dance, and humming low in her throat. As we stepped off the path and onto the grass, she stopped dead, then turned.

  Her dark eyes burned me. I flinched, but there was no getting away. She was looking into my soul.

  I sure hoped she liked what she found.

  “Reading the future?” Lachlan asked as we approached.

  She cackled, and up close, I could see that she looked older. She’d lived a long, full life before she’d become a ghost.

  “I’m dancing, you nitwit. The fireflies needed a partner, and so did I.”

  I smiled.

  “What are you smiling at, girlie?” she demanded.

  “Um. You?”

  She nodded. “All right, then.”

  “We need your help, Madame Alamedra,” Lachlan said.

  “Of course you do. What is it this time?”

  He explained about the missing magic and his friend Decker.

  Madame Alamedra sighed. “When will you stop with this dangerous magic, Lachlan?”

  “Probably never.” He grinned. “I’m the only one capable of making it.”

  “Perhaps it should stay unmade.”

  “Impossible. But will you help us?”

  She sighed. “Yes. But for a price.”

  “What?”

  “You will owe me a favor. A dangerous one. And you must come back and dance with me and the fireflies. You’re stealing their partner for the night, and they don’t appreciate it.”

  A pained expression crossed his face. He really didn’t seem like the dancing-with-fireflies type. “That’s two favors.”

  “I don’t care.”

  His mouth thinned.

  “I’ll do it,” I said. “I’ll dance with you and the fireflies.”

  I wanted to come back here sometime, to see more of it. And I liked Madame Alamedra. Not to mention, how often did one get to dance with fireflies in a graveyard city? Not often. Hardly ever, even.

  Madame Alamedra looked at me, her sharp eyes assessing. Then she nodded. “All right, then. At a time of my choosing.”

  “Okay.”

  “This way.” She waved her hand for us to follow, and hurried up the slope toward the path.

  Lachlan joined me as we walked, leaning down to whisper, “Thank you.”

  “I could tell you weren’t that keen on it. And I am.” I glanced at him.

  He was shooting me an evaluating gaze, then he hurried to keep up with Madame Alamedra.

  She led us to a large building at the very edge of the ghostly part of town. I could feel the magic fading as we neared the human part of the graveyard.

  “Here we are.” She drifted through a large door.

  Lachlan pushed it open for us, and we walked inside.

  The space was pitch-black, so I raised my hand, igniting the magic in my lightstone ring. It had been a gift from my old friends the FireSouls.

  The light flared, illuminating hundreds of shelves all over the walls. Bones were stacked in them, all in piles. Millions and millions of bones.

  “What is this place?” I spun in a circle, taking it all in. There were some statues here and there, along with a soaring ceiling, but for the most part, it was just bones.

  “The ossuary,” Lachlan said. “The cemetery gets too full, so they dig up the bodies eventually and put them here.”

  “Good for my work.” Madame Alamedra cackled. “They make it easy for me!”

  She raised her hands, an
d magic swelled on the air. It smelled of fresh bread and sounded like the tinkling of wind chimes. The bones flew off the shelf, whirling around in the air like a cyclone. I ducked, narrowly avoiding being hit by a leg bone.

  Madame Alamedra continued to laugh, clearly liking her work. I stayed crouched low, and Lachlan joined me. The bones slowed, forming a pattern.

  “Ah, yes.” Madame Alamedra sighed. “But of course.”

  “Of course what?” I had no idea what the heck she saw in the bones. They were still just swirling in the air, totally unrecognizable in pattern.

  But they kept moving and soon, the Eiffel Tower appeared. Magic made my skin prickle.

  “Holy fates,” I murmured. These bones were smart.

  Madame Alamedra murmured something unintelligible, then flung her hands downward. The magic on the air faded, and the bones zipped back to their places on the shelves, leaving the room silent.

  Slowly, I rose.

  Madame Alamedra turned, her eyes glinting. “It looks like you must borrow my crystal.”

  “I promise to return it,” Lachlan said.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “The Eiffel Tower is more than just a monument,” Madame Alamedra said. “It is a magical beacon. An indicator. Because the bones revealed it just now, it means that there is new, dangerous magic in the city.” Her gaze riveted to Lachlan. “The magic you seek, perhaps.”

  “And the crystal?” I asked.

  “It will help focus the tower’s energy and lead you to where the magic is located. You must climb the tower and place the crystal at the top. Watch out for the guards. When the sun or moonlight strikes it, it will reveal the location of the magic.”

  “Climb the Eiffel Tower.” My voice was weak. I did not like heights.

  “Is that a problem?” Lachlan asked.

  “Nope!” My voice definitely squeaked. “I love climbing big monuments. High into the sky.”

  “Liar.” But his voice was soft. Almost tender. The corner of his mouth tugged up. I couldn’t call it a smile, but I did like it.

  “Whatever. Let’s go do it.”

  Madame Alamedra smiled. “Remember your vow.”

  I saluted. “One dance, coming right up.”

  5

  We left the cemetery the same way we’d come in, but this time, we headed right down the street instead of crossing. When an old-fashioned-looking streetcar passed by, traveling via electrified wires, Lachlan jumped aboard the back, hanging onto the handrail.

  He reached back for me, holding out a hand. It was a snapshot of a romantic moment from a movie.

  But it was real life, and we were hunting bad guys.

  I shook away the silly thought and grabbed his hand. His touch sent an electric frisson up my arm as he swung me up. I gripped the rail of the streetcar and clung on.

  The streetcar zipped through the bustling streets, cutting through the rain. Lights from the shops whipped by, and the day was darker than ever. It was early winter, and the sun was setting.

  I shivered in my coat.

  A few more people jumped on, hanging to the rails. Lachlan was forced closer to me, the warm length of his body pressed against my back. He towered over me, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I was intensely aware of every inch of him, this near stranger who seemed so cold but sometimes looked at me with heat in his eyes.

  Eventually, the Eiffel Tower appeared on the horizon, spearing up through the sky.

  “We’ll get off here.” Lachlan leapt down, and I followed.

  He looked at his watch. “We need to kill an hour until the tower closes and it becomes dark. Are you hungry?”

  My stomach growled. “Always.”

  We found a small, warm cafe and hustled inside. It was bustling and busy, but we managed to snag a table near the window. One with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower.

  We ordered tiny coffees and impressive sandwiches on beautiful baguettes. My first bite tasted like heaven. Lachlan ate his while watching me.

  “Why are you looking at me like I’m a bug under glass?”

  “I’m trying to figure out what you are. What’s so special about you.”

  Great. “I’m a trainee at the Academy.”

  “They don’t take just anyone.”

  “True enough. But I’m not keen on sharing the details with you.”

  “Playing it close to the vest?”

  “A woman’s got to have some secrets.” I wasn’t about to spill my secrets to a guy I hardly knew. Until I knew what pantheon I was—until I had control of my magic—I’d be keeping that info to myself.

  Interest flashed in his eyes. He reached for a napkin, and his hand brushed mine. Heat flashed up my arm, and my gaze darted to his.

  Fire burned in his eyes. He drew his hand back and cleared his throat, clearly trying to get back on track. “Why did your shield falter back at the entrance to the cemetery? I can sense that you’re strong. It shouldn’t have died so quickly.”

  Damn. He had noticed. I shrugged. “Sometimes it’s finicky.”

  Lie.

  “Hmmm.” He finished off his sandwich.

  “Well, what about you? You’re super special. How’d you get so many magical gifts?” Most mages had one. A few were born with as many as four. Twelve? It was unheard of.

  “Just lucky, I guess.”

  I was beginning to hate that word—special. We were both being cagey, though, and it just made me want to learn more about him. He clearly wasn’t used to sharing, and neither was I.

  I’d never met a guy who had me so interested and so on edge all at the same time. I forced myself back on topic. “Your friend was abducted along with the spell.”

  Pain flashed briefly in his eyes, then shuttered. “We’ll get him back. Decker doesn’t deserve this for helping me.”

  I was intrigued by him. By the pain he tried to hide, and the cold front he presented to the world. But he wasn’t cold at all. He wouldn’t let people see what he felt, but he did feel. “No one deserves to be abducted for any reason.”

  “No, they don’t.”

  “Do you regret making the spell?”

  “I will if we don’t get it back.” His shoulders were tight. “Otherwise, it’s my job. I’m one of the few mages powerful enough to create such magic, and in the right hands, it can make the world a better place.”

  “We’ll get it back.” I polished off the last bite of my sandwich.

  He stood and put some money on the table, and I followed him out into the night. It was still early, but the continuing storm made it as dark as midnight and emptied the streets. We hurried across the road to the lawn that surrounded the tower.

  Magic pricked against my skin as we stepped onto the grass. “Another protective spell?”

  “Aye. It’ll alert the guards.”

  “What kind of guards?”

  He pointed into the distance. Three massive figures galloped toward us. I squinted through the gloom, trying to see what they were. Red eyes blazed at us. Through the mist, giant dogs appeared, a hundred yards away.

  “Oh crap! Hellhounds?”

  “The very same.”

  I shuddered. No way I wanted to mess with them. “They must be hell on the tourists.”

  “Tourists can’t see them. Only supernaturals. Because the tower is so magical, all sorts of our kind want to use it for various purposes. The city council put the guards on it to minimize use.”

  “How do we get past them?”

  They were picking up speed, only fifty yards away now.

  “Try to outrun them.” He started to run.

  “Great.” I followed, heart thundering as I neared the dogs.

  The smell of brimstone preceded them, rolling across the ground, and their fangs gleamed in the light. Not all hellhounds were evil or mean—but they sure did make great guard dogs when they put their mind to it.

  And these three hulking beasts were determined.

  Two of them went for Lachlan, which really was sm
art, since he was so big and so fast, and one headed straight for me. One was about all I was prepared to handle, anyway.

  No lie, I liked to be the toughest one in a fight, but I had nothing to prove to Lachlan or the hellhounds. Especially if it meant making it out of here alive.

  I darted left as the hellhound neared, barely dodging his fangs. His growl sent a shiver through me, and I picked up the pace, racing toward the tower. I could feel the thunder of his footsteps through the ground, and my skin chilled.

  I looked behind me, catching sight of his gleaming red eyes just feet away.

  Shit!

  I raced ahead, darting left and right, trying to stay just out of reach of his fangs. This was not going well. The tower was still thirty yards way.

  Something heavy slammed into my back, and I plowed into the grass, skidding on my hands and knees. My panic flared, then died under the cold calm that came when instinct kicked in. I flipped over, kicking up with my legs, throwing the hellhound off of me.

  It took all my strength, but the beast flew through the air, landed against the ground, and scrambled upright.

  I drew my sword from the ether, but hated the idea of hurting the hellhound. He might be a hell beast, but he was still a dog. Killing him would be awful—if I even could. It was nearly impossible to kill the monsters.

  I held out the blade. “You watch it, doggy, or I’ll send you back to hell.”

  The beast growled and lunged. I held out my blade. If he wanted to run into it, he could.

  A flash appeared from the corner of my vision. Three tiny blurs raced at the hellhound, slamming into his side.

  The Cats of Catastrophe!

  They hissed like demons, a frenzy of claws and fangs. Even Bojangles, the goofy one, had his act together. And Princess Snowflake III! She went for the eyes, of course.

  “Thanks, guys!” I spun and ran, leaving them to take care of the hellhound. He was a big beast, but the Cats of Catastrophe were some seriously tough felines.

  Wind tore at my hair as I sprinted for the tower, joining Lachlan, who now ran without any beasts on his tail. I glanced behind to see the two hellhounds lying on the grass.

  “Knocked their heads together.” He panted, moving so fast I could hardly keep up. “They’ll be all right.”