by Antara Mann
“Along the course of time, other magical species have appeared and developed, such as vampires, shifters, dragons, faes, and all other types we know today. However, the primordial strife has always been between the Courts of Heaven and Hell.
“Right after Kai assumed power at his Court, he created the prime, or also sometimes-called celestial demons — supernaturals who basically had the qualities of both sorcerers and demons. But unlike common sorcerers, they need neither a ring nor any other magical object to materialize their chi or magical force. Plus, they have demons’ stamina and ferocity.”
Chi was the life force or vital energy for both supernaturals and humans. However, for us magical beings, it sustained our magic, it was the mysterious force our powers came from — it was part of our DNA, of our very nature.
Awen paused. He waited for me to process the information, and then added, “To end the lecture, prime sorcerers usually have command over one or more elements, such as air, fire, earth, etc.”
I furrowed my brows. “Holy magic, that makes them hellishly powerful!” Suddenly all pieces of the puzzle fit together: Garrett’s religious fanaticism, his citing of demoniacal scriptures, the way he talked about humans serving demons and the total reign of the Court of Hell — supremacy of the evil forces.
“So, Garrett is that powerful?” I said more to myself than to Awen. Sure, I thought he was an insane, drunk on sorcery bigot, but now… he seemed freakishly powerful and scary.
“He is not that powerful,” Awen yet again interrupted my thoughts. “Don’t forget, you are not an ordinary supernatural. You are the daughter of Andred, a warrior goddess, the one who Brighid prophesied would "kill the dark one that would rise.” Remember this, kid,” he said and patted me paternally on the back.
I nodded and silently let his ancient magic come to me, engulfing my body and senses. It soothed my jagged nerves. The more I was thinking about Garrett and his ally, the more frightened I got. Then, suddenly, I remembered.
“Holy cow, I almost forgot to ask you. Is it common practice for sorcerers to block other supernaturals’ powerful objects? The guy we fought off blocked the necklace I have from Anumati. How is that even possible? I mean, an item enchanted by a goddess has to be stronger than a sorcerer’s ring or whatever tool he used.”
Your boyfriend has warned you once before, my inner voice chimed in.
Now is not the time!
The voice kept quiet, and I directed my attention back to Awen. I saw he had knitted his brows. He was deep in thought. After a moment, he said, “Each sorcerer’s abilities vary and are strongly individual. But let’s say Garrett gave this character a stronger ring — that way he could have blocked Anumati’s necklace. You’d better not rely on it in a fight against a sorcerer, let alone a prime one.”
“Now I see why most supernaturals hate sorcerers,” I said. Suddenly, I had become their opponent and intensely hated their kind. I knew it was childish and unfair, but I wanted them dead, finished. Off my shit list, where they occupied the top spot.
“That’s a pity, because one of my best friends is indeed a sorcerer,” Awen said, his voice sad. An awkward silence followed.
“So, I’d better get the hang of my own goddess power and stop relying on a necklace,” I muttered when I’d thought it all through. “Can’t there be a goddess weapon or item to block a sorcerer’s magic? Something like their rings but in reverse?”
“Well, there is,” Awen said leaning toward me. “That’s the goddess magic itself, Alex. You have to let go of your fears, doubts — everything that holds you down — and believe in yourself.”
I heard myself laugh out loud but my laugh sounded strange to my ears. Easier said than done, I thought to myself.
“No need to freak out. You’re there, kid,” Awen reassured me and took my hand in his. “Kagan told me you’re doing great. Especially when you’re under pressure.”
I didn’t know how to respond to this. Before I could muster a reply, Kagan’s masculine, sonorous voice broke through the thoughts inside my mind, “Hello, sweetheart.”
“Hi. I’m learning some interesting new stuff. How about you? Did you see or hear about… the guy we fought earlier?”
He chuckled inside my mind, which gave me a tingle of a headache.
“Nothing new. Olaf has come to replace me. Let’s go and interview the last missing mage’s family. They might tell us something important.”
“Now? It’s approaching nine p.m. Odd time for a visit.” Honestly, I’d totally forgotten about it. The new stuff Awen had filled me in on had me completely engrossed and distracted from the missing mages.
“We can try, at least, and then call it a night.” He chuckled inside my mind.
“Umm, okay. Do you know the address?”
He recited it to me and I memorized it.
“Is everything okay?” Awen asked me once the mental conversation with the fae was over.
“Yes, sure,” I replied and filled him in briefly.
“Go and catch the bastards. They are a disgrace for all of us. Even for Kai, if you could imagine that.”
I laughed. I was about to take out Naomi’s fairy dust and sprinkle it in my usual fashion when the image of the inverted triquetra symbol popped before my eyes out of nowhere.
“Umm, there’s one more thing I should talk to you about,” I said tentatively. I couldn’t shake the feeling of importance that had emerged in my mind, so I knew it was imperative to discuss it with my mentor right now. He nodded and I went on.
“Over the investigation, when I touched one of the missing mage’s items, I had a vision. Suddenly I appeared in a dingy room and saw Garrett standing over one of the missing mages. The poor guy was bound, tied up to a ramshackle chair, and Garrett was siphoning off his magic. I spotted a glowing necklace on Garrett’s chest; there was an intricate etching or drawing on it, a triquetra, but inverted. That same inverted triquetra we’ve seen on the Egyptian scrolls when we learned about the sacrificial ritual we thwarted more than a month ago, and on this very same ring drawn from the inside. This can’t be a coincidence.”
My mentor’s face darkened, his expression as cold as ice. I’d never seen him so furious before, not even when I told him what Garrett had said to me during our last encounter.
“So he had a glowing pendant on his chest and was siphoning off one of last year’s winning mages’ powers?” he repeated to himself, his eyes gleaming in a dark greenish color. He resembled a big wild cat ready to pounce on his prey. “Alex, you and Kagan had better hurry up. I believe Garrett and his inferni ally are again trying to release the gates of Inferno. But this time they might actually succeed.”
I wished there was a way to get Awan fighting alongside us, but that was not possible. I’d just have to step up my game. This was my fight. My responsibility. I had to live up to being a goddess.
Chapter 15
When Awen uttered the last words, I felt a bit dizzy, as if someone had slapped me forcefully in the face. I cleared my throat and said, “Well, then better roll up my sleeves and get back to work. Kagan is waiting for me.” I shifted nervously and Awen hugged me. His strong, manly hugs always soothed me.
Without delay, I teleported through Naomi’s charm.
The silver shimmering cloud delivered me to a fancy, affluent street in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Providence, RI. The lights from the street lamps above my head illuminated the space, giving it a preternatural feeling. Judging by the buildings here, this had to be the residence of the wealthy, well-off supernaturals.
The neighborhood was visible only to non-human eyes due to an invisible spell; humans perceived it as an ordinary district. There were quite a few such magical neighborhoods, though most of us lived in human surroundings.
I took a look at the buildings. They looked like pictures from Forbes and somehow resembled the plush houses in Belgravia — the most expensive district in London — white stucco, big balconies, expensive cars. Ensigns of noble famil
ies waved in most front yards. I recognized the family crests of dragons, of werewolves, Seelie and Unseelie fae, even of vampires along the street.
Kagan’s tall muscular body cast an aura that strangely blended with the vibe in here. This place suited him better than the previous two houses we’d visited.
I’d made my way over to Kagan when the inner voice chimed in.
FYI, we’re soon going to stop having this type of convos. In a few more days it will all change. Forever.
What?! I practically shrieked inside my own mind.
When you turn 25, I will be fully integrated in you, just so you know.
How are you going to be “fully integrated in me”? Will we merge, or what? I asked the question, but no replay whatsoever followed. I was stunned and baffled.
“Are you okay?” the fae asked me, concerned. I quickly put up a protective spell to prevent him from reading my thoughts.
“Yes, sure. Everything’s fine,” I replied.
“You just seemed a bit spaced out,” he said.
“Nothing to worry about; my own goddess issues.” I managed to crack a smile.
“Hmm… How did it go with Awen?”
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, that’s what I wanted to discuss with you. Have you heard about prime sorcerers? I don’t know why I ask. You must know about them.”
He frowned, thinking hard. “It does ring a bell, but I’m not a hundred percent sure. Aren’t they the arch sorcerers who don’t need magical objects to channel and use their magic? I call them almighty sorcerers.” He chuckled.
“You sum it up pretty well for someone claiming not to be so sure,” I teased him. A smile danced at the corner of his lips, and with one swift motion he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me toward him. His breath was fresh, his lips tempting and juicy. I didn’t need to second-guess my need — I kissed him hard, urgently. He responded with passion. His kisses tasted better than nectar. Magic pulsated in the air around us, sizzling across my tongue. The touch of his hands set off mini fireworks throughout my body. Suddenly, all the tiredness was gone and new energy surged within me, intoxicating me. As quickly as we’d started, he pulled away from me, panting. Our kisses died in the air. That reminded me we had business to do.
“We’d better interview the mage’s family,” I said as he smoothed a lock of my hair.
He nodded. “Let’s go. It’s getting late.”
Kagan strode toward the middle door of the fancy stucco houses before us. The number 12 was written in exquisite figures upon it.
“As you can see, Samuel is extremely well-off. Only top CEOs and managers have been hiring him. Those who could afford his prices, anyway.”
“I see… What did he do for a living?”
Kagan chuckled. “Fixing and improving one’s fate, even companies’ fates.”
“So this Samuel was basically playing God? Nice job!”
Kagan nodded absentmindedly and rang the doorbell.
“It seems very profitable,” I noted. “I’m in the wrong business.”
Then and there, I wanted to ask the fae so many questions, but in that moment the door opened and a young blond woman in her late twenties peeped out. She possessed a natural, dashing beauty; even I held my breath for a second.
“Yes? What can I help you with?” Her voice was polite yet distant. Small wonder, given the late hour and our attire — me, clad in black leather jacket, gray jeans, dark boots, and with my weapons tucked in my inside jacket pocket protruding at a closer look; and the fae in his black jeans, gray t-shirt and jacket. I’d be suspicious, too, if these types of guys appeared before my front door in the middle of the night.
One thing surprised me, though: I didn’t register any magic in her. My magical sense told me she was as human as they come. That was both curious and alarming. Had Samuel Hendricks married a mere human? And the irony was, she lived in a magical district! I hoped the Magic Council had allowed this union, because otherwise it was going to be a major issue.
“Hello, ma’am. Mrs. Hendricks, I presume?” the fae took command and stepped closer to her. I was too stunned by her human nature to be able to string even a few words together.
“Yes, that’s right.” Her uneasiness and suspicion grew and I felt her stiffen.
I glanced at the fae, the million-dollar question at the forefront of my mind: Did she know about our world? Given that her husband was a powerful and filthy-rich supernatural, and furthermore, they lived in a magical area, chances were she was aware. And yet, if she didn’t know and we told her we were from the Magic Council, would she freak out or think we were crazy?
Kagan gave me a silent sign; he had the situation under control. “Umm, we’re investigating the disappearance of your husband, Samuel Hendricks. May we ask you a few questions? Inside, please?” The fae called on his fairy charm, applying it to her, and I felt it, too. Light and tempting, it relaxed you and made you trust him.
The lady before us relaxed, too, and asked us in a more laid back tone, “Are you from the Magic Council? May I see your ID cards, please?”
Kagan and I exchanged glances — so she knew.
“Oh, I see,” she continued, scorn tinting her voice. “You are surprised I know about the existence of the supernatural. Always happens. Most of your kind judge me for my lack of magic.”
“This is indeed a very interesting discussion, but may we have it inside?” I said, flashing her my Council’s ID card. She took my ID card in her hand, scrutinized it for a while, and returned it to me.
“Yes, sure — please come in.” She made room for us to pass. As I walked past, I noticed she was clad in her nightgown. Oops, we had come too late, after all.
“But please tell me, is my husband in danger? Where is he? Do you have any news?”
“We’re doing everything possible to track him down and find him. I’m sure we’ll make a lot more progress once we’ve had a chance to talk,” I said, trying my best to make my voice sound as calming as possible.
She nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll answer your questions, but first I’ll need a moment to change my clothes. Before that, though, I have to know, is Sam in danger?”
“Mrs. Hendricks, do not worry. We will find him.” Kagan applied another wave of his fairy magic, this time a stronger one, and even I felt a bit dizzy and unusually giddy.
Mrs. Hendricks relaxed, too, and said, “Please do take a seat while I get ready.” She gestured at the light-grayish sofa with fluffy cushions that was situated in the middle of the room. We sat down, and she went to get dressed. A moment of silence and unusual calm followed.
I turned to Kagan. “Have you researched Samuel Hendricks further besides what we read in the Magica World Center’s files? As last year’s winner, his magic ought to be really extraordinary and breathtaking,” I mused aloud.
Kagan chuckled. “It surely is. He’s a first-tier blood mage.”
Blood mages were rather rare in our community. Theirs was a specific kind of magic that passed through very old family lines. Usually their ancestry dated back thousands of years. Rumor had it that these magical family lines originated in ancient Babylon and Egypt.
They were, just as faes, either dark or light. White blood mages used their powers for healing and helping others while the dark ones often harmed and used their magic for killing, though the distinction wasn’t that clear-cut. At any rate, no matter their affiliation, blood mages were quite powerful supernaturals. Through blood, they could work many wonders.
Before reading about Samuel’s accomplishments, I’d heard there were some blood mages who could alter destiny. Blood magic was an extremely rare talent that those mages had inherited from the Egyptian gods themselves many centuries ago, before the Celtic dynasties took over.
Great, just friggin’ great. I recalled Awen’s most recent warning and anxiety washed over me. I was in trouble, we were all in trouble. Big time trouble with capital T.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Kagan scratched his few-days stubble — a
habit he had when he was tense — and continued, “Blood mages are indeed very rare and can do wonders. For example, Fearghus Netter is the arch blood mage. He has the ability to alter fate through his blood. Because of his intervention we enjoy the current peace. He was employed by the Morrigan and Kai to rewrite the world’s fate in the Book of Prophesies.”
“So why can’t Netter just step in and fix all this stuff?” I asked him.
“Well, because he can only act in conjunction with the Morrigan and Kai, and Kai is stubborn and refuses to see the danger — he believes he has the situation under control.”
“Oh, fates!” I exclaimed and mentally cursed the leader of the Court of Hell. “This means Garrett and the inferni took Samuel so that he could rewrite the fate of the world — to release the gates of Inferno. Oh, my!” I gulped.
“Now, now, sweetheart.” He took my hand in his. The touch sent calming, relaxing waves of his fairy magic my way. “That’s not possible. Only Fearghus can alter the world’s fate, not this Samuel mage. As much as blood mages are potent and rare, this guy’s power has its limits. Besides, even Fearghus cannot alter the world’s fate just like that — Kai and the Morrigan themselves must task him with this duty. The chiefs were careful to put in place systems designed to avoid the abuse of his power.”
His logic sounded ironclad, yet something gnawed at me.
“What is it, sweetheart?” he asked me, his voice concerned.
“Awen thinks Garrett and the inferni are again trying to break the gates of Inferno.” I skipped the part about them succeeding — it was too melodramatic. And foreboding. The painful knot in the pit of my stomach ached.
Kagan sighed heavily. “Yes, I know. I am worried, too. Dark, wicked energy is brewing in the air. It affects everyone. Just look at all the vampire and demon attacks in the last few weeks. I’m sure even humans can feel it.”
I chuckled despite myself.
