by Nichols, TJ
“I don’t know why the demons took him. I’m just as shocked as you.” A truthful answer, though not the one the man wanted. “He was there, and then there were four demons, and he was gone.”
“Did you recognize the demons?”
“Only Dentin’s mage.” It had happened so fast he hadn’t gotten a good look at any of the others. He doubted they were mages, though. Demons were careful, and they needed their mages more than ever if they were to survive.
The man leaned back. “You need to think about your position, Angus. You want to help us overthrow the college?”
“Yes. Of course I do.”
“Then you need to work with us, not against us. The demons are using you. You offer yourself in exchange for knowledge, but they won’t share all their secrets with you. You’re human.”
He knew then that he’d skated too far to the middle of the river. The ice was thin, and no one would save him if he dropped through. “I know I am. We all want the same thing—to stop the ice age here and the dying of Demonside.”
“We lost a valuable source of information today.”
“Hopefully the demons will share their information.” Angus wasn’t sure they would when he didn’t want to share what he was learning.
“Hmm. Hopefully they will.” He looked at his paperwork. “You can go. You’ll be returning to Demonside with the other trainees. You’re to keep to their schedule. Am I clear?”
“Yes.” He wasn’t allowed to go when he wanted. They were watching him. And he would watch them. With college warlocks in leadership roles, could the underground really take down the college, or were they just planning a coup?
Or maybe he was thinking too much about it.
He reached the door.
“One more thing, trainee Donohue.”
He wasn’t a trainee. He was an apprentice. None of the other trainees had a demon. Because of that, he was still a warlock in training, or a rogue, according to the college. He turned and looked at the man.
“We have rules for a reason. If the college were to learn who we are and what we plan, we would all be dead. You don’t think of others. You act carelessly. You’re a danger. For his safety we’ve had to relocate Terrance Erikson. I’m sure you’ll understand. It’s for the best until this situation is over.”
Angus fought for breath. His heart swelled and blocked his airway. “What have you done to him?”
“Nothing, at the moment. We’re looking after him. Let’s keep it that way.” The man smiled. He was nothing but a warlock using any power he had to force others to obey. The warlocks hid their faces and names, so they were never in true danger. Everyone else was expendable.
Angus was numb down to his toes. They weren’t protecting Terrance. They were using him. If he disobeyed the underground, Terrance would pay the price.
That was why mages didn’t have lovers or families.
His fingers curled into fists, and his nails pressed into his palms and drew blood. Magic gathered. But there was so little to grab compared to Demonside.
The man watched him. “Is there a problem?”
He couldn’t rip that stupid mask off his face or demand Terrance’s release. He had nothing to bargain with, and he needed the underground to open the void for him so he didn’t die in Demonside. That didn’t quell his desire to do something.
They were waiting for him to react—to break. Then they’d leave him to die. They didn’t need him, although they acted like they did. All they wanted from him and the other trainees was information on the demons and Demonside.
Angus unclenched his fists, but not his jaw. “No problem. I hope he doesn’t miss the PRA tryouts. He’s hoping to put magic behind him and do what he loves.”
The man stared blandly ahead. “I’m sure we’ll all be cheering him on next season.”
They’d let Terrance play for as long as he was useful.
It only took one lie for his trust in the underground to crumble to dust.
Chapter Eight
For the next three days, Angus kept to himself. He needed to talk to Terrance and find out if he was all right. For all of the underground’s pretty words, Terrance was a hostage because of him. But on his side of the void, he could do nothing. He needed Saka’s help.
He used the time he had to learn more about the world. He logged into the network the way Terrance had shown him and accessed the news from beyond Vinland. It was fascinating and terrifying, as though he were looking at some other world. He struggled to believe what he was seeing. Was it really that different beyond Vinland?
The World Council of Demonology and the Institute for Magical Studies were both arguing for economic sanctions against Vinland. Angus had heard of both bodies. College warlocks sat on both, but what he’d been told didn’t marry with what he was hearing on the news. Angus had always thought Vinland was leading the world in demonology, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
The IMS was calling for a halt to all demon-based magic until the situation on both sides of the void was stabilized—something that New Holland and the Mayan Empire didn’t want to do. The Mayans thought they could improve things, increase their efforts to prevent a full ice age from taking hold. New Holland had dropped out of contact.
There was talk of war between magic users and the countries who viewed all magic as bad. Countries that allowed natural magic but banned demon magic might side with those that outlawed all magic. The rest of the world laid the blame for environmental disaster in the laps of those who used demons—especially Vinland.
It was with great relief that he crossed the void back to Demonside with the trainees. But not all of the trainees shared that feeling. Some were reluctant. Did they not enjoy learning magic, or did they not like demons? He needed to make more of an effort to get to know them.
Saka stood to the side, and Angus couldn’t help but smile when their gazes met. He got a small one in return. “You came back.”
“Of course I did.” Angus wanted to put his arms around his demon, but he didn’t. That weird edge was there again.
Saka quietly assessed him. “I wasn’t sure. You looked so happy when you summoned me.”
Angus took a step back. “I was happy, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be here.” It wasn’t raining, so it was more like the Demonside he knew, only with an abundance of the blue-green plants everywhere. Shrubs and grasses grew in the sand, and trees stretched overhead. The lushness seemed to spill from Lifeblood Mountain and across the plains as far as Angus could see. He breathed in the familiar scents, and absorbed the new ones—the strong, ripe smell of the flowers and the darker, richer scent of the leaves. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.
Around him trainees reconnected with their mages. Angus didn’t know why Saka was being prickly, and he didn’t care. He put his arms around Saka. The relief at being away from the underground washed through him as his bones warmed in the desert sun.
Saka smelled of his favorite dry soap—sweet and salty. His skin was hot to the touch. Angus wanted to kiss him, but he refrained. There wasn’t supposed to be anything between them but magic. Maybe Saka was trying to put their relationship back where it should be. It was the safe thing—the smart thing—to do. Angus resented the distance.
Saka waited a couple of heartbeats and then returned the embrace. When he did, it was a hard squeeze, as though he’d thought for a moment that he’d lost something he valued. Saka inhaled against his neck, and his breath tickled Angus’s skin.
“We have much to talk about,” murmured Saka.
“We do, but not here.” Angus needed to talk about what had happened to Terrance and his fear that he’d never see him again or that he’d be hurt—fears he couldn’t express on the other side of the void. Angus lowered his voice. “We have problems.”
Saka drew back and held Angus’s gaze. “You could’ve summoned me.”
Angus gave a small shake of his head. He didn’t trust any of the trainees. One or more would report bac
k to the underground, a deliberate spy or someone who believed they were doing the right thing. Angus didn’t know which, but the result was the same.
In a voice loud enough for all the trainees to hear, because they would all want to know, even if they weren’t brave enough to ask, he said, “So what’s happening with all of us? Are we to stay at Lifeblood or travel?”
“There will be three groups, and you will travel. The splits have already been made, based on discussions with the mages.”
The mages separated out into the three groups. Jim was in a different group. Angus shouldn’t be happy about that, but he was. He didn’t want to deal with his traitorous ex. But Lizzie would be with Angus’s tribe, along with her mage and another woman called Norah. Angus hadn’t spoken to either of them much.
Jim didn’t look happy with the split, and while Angus couldn’t hear what he said to the mage responsible for training him, it was clear the mage wasn’t going to tolerate the whining of a human trainee. Jim had never been good just getting on with things. If it got hard, he tended to quit. Had the mages already realized that? Were they testing him? If he hadn’t remet Jim, he might’ve kept looking back fondly and imagining they’d had more than what they actually had. Angus turned away. He nodded to Norah and Lizzie.
Lizzie didn’t seem to be bothered and was already chatting to Norah.
He glanced at the other team of trainees and nodded at the group of four. He’d spoken to Dustin a few times in passing. The groups had been split for a reason. By ability or by level of trust? Knowing demons, it would be the latter. He bit back a smile. Was Jim or Dustin’s group the least trusted? He wished he’d made more of an effort to get to know the others while they were at Lifeblood, instead of clutching his stomach and being angry. He should’ve spoken to them after Terrance was taken, instead of locking himself away.
Angus turned to Saka. “When do we move on?”
“Tomorrow. We were only waiting for you to return. They will remain at Lifeblood.” Saka pointed to Jim’s group. “The rest of us will wander. We have a demon with an underground warlock now in our tribe so the underground will be able to open the void in the right place when it is time for you to go home.”
That hadn’t been his main concern, and Angus didn’t want to think about going back already. Something must have shown on his face because Saka’s eyes narrowed.
“You need to learn how to pack.” Saka turned and walked away from the group.
Some things hadn’t changed. He was still meant to do as he was told, but he didn’t mind. Saka was safe and familiar. No one in Demonside wanted to kill him or hurt him, which made a nice change. Angus pulled off his shoes and socks, and his winter coat followed. Beneath them he had on his demon-style clothing. If his visits were going to be carefully timed, he would make sure he was wearing the right clothing. Then he followed his demon to their tent.
It was cool and shady, but the breeze coming through the open flaps was lazy and heavy with moisture. It was a different kind of heat, one that wanted to smother him. He folded up the coat and put his human clothes in a neat pile.
Saka sat near the table and the bready, fruit-filled thing. He’d missed the taste of the sweet water and the simple demon fare.
As soon as he sat, Saka made a circle. It wasn’t the usual crystalline blue. It was darker, more purple. Angus frowned as he studied the structure. Visible magic made it easier to learn, but he’d never seen that kind of circle.
“It’s not for containing magic.” It lacked the resonance he was used to when making a circle for magic. His voice had an odd flat tone.
Saka smiled.
Angus touched the purple wall. It shimmered and bulged but didn’t break. Then he glanced up. It arched over them, sealing them in. Sealing sound in. “No one can hear us.”
Saka nodded. “You wanted to talk without being overheard.”
“We could’ve walked along the river.” Many of their lessons were near the river.
“You need to help pack up the village. We don’t have time to walk.”
“You don’t have to help?”
“I am a mage. I have other duties.”
How hard could it be to pack up? He glanced around the tent. He’d never seen it packed up, only unpacked, and it always looked the same. Everything had its spot.
“What is it you wanted to discuss?”
Angus didn’t know how to say what he’d learned, and there was so much. He drew in a breath and paused. He didn’t need to say everything at once. “We can’t trust the underground.”
“I know.”
“No. We really can’t trust them. After someone took Dentin, I got called into the leader’s office, or at least I think he’s the leader. He seems to be in charge of the trainees. I don’t know who he is because he’s always masked, but he’s definitely a college warlock. They’re watching me. I’ve been told I have to follow the trainee schedule. I’m not supposed to summon you at all.”
“But you did.”
“Only because Terrance knew a place we could go.” They’d acted as though they were on a date, held hands, and gone to a part of the school that the underground didn’t use—the science labs. If anyone was watching, all they saw for the first hour was two guys lying on a blanket on the floor talking about… well, nothing really. They just talked and kissed. They hadn’t done any more than that because neither of them wanted to put on a performance for the spy—if there was one.
Eventually they decided to risk the summoning. The kissing hadn’t just been for fun. Sex magic was still the easiest way for Angus to draw up the energy he needed in Humanside. It took him two goes to make a tear in the void, and Terrance’s hand down his pants. Saka didn’t need to know that. The memory hurt, although it should’ve been pleasant. He hoped Terrance was all right. “The underground is holding Terrance hostage because they know I had some part in you taking Dentin.”
Saka frowned. “Know or suspect?”
“Suspect,” Angus conceded. “But they have him. If I do anything wrong, they’ll hurt him. He wants to go back to his sport.” He sighed. “He doesn’t want any part of this.”
“Except you.” There was that pointed blade again, poking beneath his skin, even though Saka’s expression hadn’t changed.
“He’s a friend.”
Saka tilted his horns. “Be honest, Angus, to yourself and to me.”
“Fine. I’d like more.” Terrance didn’t want him for his magic. As much as Angus would’ve liked Terrance to keep fighting, he also understood why he wanted to stop. Terrance could still have a life. He had a chance to not let magic consume him. Angus had wanted that once, but he was in too deep to back away, and he liked magic too much. Maybe if Terrance had a life, he’d tire of Angus always flitting between two worlds.
“Mages don’t have families. They are a distraction and a weakness.” Saka had told him that before, but the words lacked conviction and they were said by rote.
Angus took a moment to gather his thoughts. “I need someone at home. I can be a mage here, but when I’m there, I have nothing and no one.” He had two very different lives and no idea how long he could keep going. He certainly wasn’t able to keep them separate. He wasn’t even trying to keep secrets from Terrance or Saka.
“You will always have me. We’re bound until death.”
“Here that may be true. There I’m forbidden from summoning you. If I’m being watched closely, I may not be able to even sneak away and call you.” Angus blew out a breath. “I’m sure one of the trainees is meant to watch and report on me here.”
“Who do you suspect?”
“Jim. Maybe. My father paid him to break up with me before.” Saying it didn’t hurt the way he thought it would. “If he’s been bought once, he can be bought again.”
Saka nodded. “He won’t be with us.”
“His girlfriend will be.” Angus had no idea how close or committed Lizzie and Jim were.
“His girlfriend is a far better wizard
than he. The separation was deliberate, Angus. I do not think Lizzie will be a problem. Norah, I don’t know well enough yet. You will get to know them both better. Sometimes you will be taught together. Sometimes it will be as we have been doing. I want you to get better with a blade.”
Angus stared at Saka. He didn’t like the direction of the conversation. “I can do it now.”
“Only on yourself.”
Angus winced. He wasn’t ready to cut someone else. He didn’t even want to think about it. “Can’t we work on sex magic?”
Saka smiled and gave a short laugh. It was almost a chuckle with an undertone of growl. “You need to learn to do other things. You know how to raise power. Now you must use it.”
“To heal?”
“Soon.”
Angus studied his toes. He couldn’t look up as he spoke. “What about Terrance?”
“He is safe, is he not, as long as you appear to obey?”
“They could force me to do things. I’m a liability while they have him.” Saka fixed him with a look that made him want to wilt. “I know. That’s why mages don’t have families.”
“I will speak to the other mages tonight, but do not become hopeful. There are other, more pressing issues than one unhappy ex-warlock.”
Angus got the distinct feeling that, if it were up to Saka, Terrance could stay locked up wherever he was. Maybe he wasn’t imprisoned. Maybe he was fine… and would continue to be fine as long as Angus didn’t screw up. Trouble was, he had a long history of screwing up. Especially when it came to magic.
Chapter Nine
“They actually took Terrance?” Guda sat at the top of Lifeblood Mountain as the sun set. It was the last night the mages would all gather. There were only two apprentices to test that year, and they wouldn’t be ready until the moon was high.
“Yes. He is apparently leverage.”
“Of course he is. They realized Angus needs to be controlled or he will be a threat.”
