by Nichols, TJ
“Terrance showed me how to….” How did he explain computers and hacking into news from other countries? “How to access news from other places around the world.”
He’d never realized how restrictive the media was and how much the college controlled. But then why would he know unless he’d been shown there was more?
Angus drew the continents in the sand between him and Saka. He dug his finger into the place where New London was. “This is where I live, in Vinland.” He pointed to the southern continent. “Here is where the Mayan Empire is.” He didn’t bother pointing out the smaller nations.
He pointed to a few more countries and indicated the ones that banned all magic and killed wizards and warlocks by dragging them through the streets so everyone could see what evil looked like and then burning them. Angus didn’t feel evil, but he could understand how one run-in with a bad warlock could make people think they were all up to no good. And then there were the people who hated that someone else had magic when they didn’t.
“So people pray for magic to happen in that place, but they will not actually allow the use of magic?”
“They have this religion that says demons are bad.” But that wasn’t the point of the conversation. “In the Mayan Empire, they work with demons. They offer sacrifices and were one of the nations who started up the World Council of Demonology. They’re worried about the changes on both sides of the void. There was a feathered demon in the news. Where are those demons? The ones who work with the Mayans?” If anyone would help break Vinland free of the college it would be the Mayans.
Saka was silent for what felt like an eon. Stars died before he finally spoke. “I don’t know.” Saka always knew everything. “Why do you want to find them?”
“I think it would be wise to have an ally beyond the underground.” He wanted to know about the world beyond Vinland and to learn what other countries knew about demonology.
Saka brushed Angus’s back with his tail. “You worry about Terrance.”
“I worry about me. About us. About here. About there and yes, about him. I think it would be a good idea to find the feathered demons. I don’t know if the Warlock College can be stopped from the inside the way the underground thinks it can. There are too many warlocks in what was once a place for wizards to train.”
“Or you are seeing shadows where none exist.”
Lizzie felt the same way, or she’d been lying so she could report on him. There was no way to know until he went back—until he got in trouble, and Terrance paid the price.
“Are you not curious? How far does Demonside stretch? Does it match the continents? Where are we?”
Saka looked at the map Angus had drawn. “How long would it take you to walk across here?” He pointed from New London across to the west coast of the Nations.
Between the Nations and Vinland was a no-go area. No one traveled between the two countries. Not that the Nations was a country, not exactly. It was many nations that operated under one political body. At school he’d been told that they hated Vinland and sought to make war at every opportunity. And he’d been told the Mayans were brutal. But he was beginning to think his entire schooling was little more than propaganda.
“I have no idea. Months.”
Saka scowled. “I will have to talk to Miniti. Study her maps. It won’t happen while we are traveling.”
“But you think it’s a good idea?”
“I did not say that. I said I would investigate.”
And he’d do the same when he was home. He’d get better maps and pictures, and he’d bring them back.
Saka lay back on the sand. “Perhaps tonight we do nothing. I don’t want to see more color bleed from your eyes.”
Angus stared at his demon. “What?”
“That’s how I could tell that Demonside had started to drain you.”
That was why Lizzie and Norah had been looking at him like he was some kind of freak. It wasn’t about his magic at all. He was going to have to bring a mirror to Demonside to monitor the change in his eyes. Although Miniti seemed like the kind of demon who might have one—not that he was going to ask.
When the void opened for the trainees to go home, no one was ready. They’d barely stopped walking, and the underground was a day early. Even the demon who had the connection to the underground was surprised.
Angus carried his winter clothes in his arms, and his face echoed the shock on Norah’s and Lizzie’s faces. He wasn’t ready to go—even though he needed to. The thirst hadn’t gone away, and he’d stopped doing all magic, and having sex of any kind. Which wasn’t any fun.
He wasn’t sure Saka was ready for him to leave either. They hadn’t spoken about Guda again, but when Saka was out of sight of the rest of the tribe, he appeared to be made of glass. Guda’s death had taken something from him that couldn’t be replaced. Angus hoped the internal wound would start to heal while he was away.
He didn’t know what Guda’s death would mean when he got home. She’d been Ellis’s demon, but also a voice of reason. Angus was pretty sure that, without Guda, he’d have been sacrificed on Lifeblood Mountain. But her death didn’t hurt him the way it did Saka. Instead it filled him with dread.
He clasped Saka’s hands. “It’s not that long.”
“I know, but you need to go.” Saka’s face was unreadable. He was very good at looking as though nothing were the matter. “Be careful.”
Angus nodded. One wrong misstep and Terrance would pay. It was too easy to forget about Vinland when he was in Demonside. There were other things to worry about, more immediate problems, like learning how to feel the magic in the ground to find the herds so the hunters would know where to go, or squeezing one more drop of rain from the sky. Would they still be able to do that when he came back? How fast would the rivers sink? He glanced around at the blue-tinged leaves and shrubs. Demonside had never looked so alive. And Saka’s eyes had never looked so dead.
His own eyes were pale. He’d studied his face in a bowl of still water. It was clear enough for him to see the changes—the sharp edge to his cheekbones and the darker freckles. He hoped that the blue would return to his eyes. Or would they forever be like blue-tinged snow?
On a whim he embraced Saka, even though they didn’t usually touch so intimately in public. Angus wasn’t sure why they made that distinction because he was sure everyone knew exactly what was going on behind the thin cloth walls of the tent. “Don’t let Usi cut you up while I’m not here.”
“I will do what needs to be done.”
Angus shook his head. “What’s wrong with working with Lizzie’s mage? He’d be happy to help you out.”
Lizzie’s mage had let it be known he liked sex magic.
Saka drew back. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to.
“It’s okay. I’m okay. I get it.” And he knew that even if Saka did work with the other mage, they wouldn’t have what he and Saka had. At one time, even the idea would’ve worried him.
He wanted to say more, but he didn’t want anyone from the underground to see him kiss Saka. It was enough that the warlock standing near the tear had seen them hug. They would assume. He would deny.
No one needed to know. He would tell them that he’d learned blood magic. They’d approve of him cutting his demon. The lies were already starting to form, and he hadn’t even crossed the void.
Angus had two separate lives. Neither would approve of the other. Demons didn’t like lying. It was one of the worst things a demon could do. Yet he was becoming an expert.
It was for the best, for both worlds—for Saka and Terrance and everyone he cared about. He pulled his cold-weather clothes over the top of his lightweight demon attire and immediately started to sweat.
With a final glance, he stepped across the void.
The cold was a slap in the face and a pinch to the lungs after the heat of Demonside.
Lizzie hissed and stamped her feet. Norah swore.
One underground warlock stood in f
ront of them. They were in a snow-covered backyard. Angus had no idea where they were—not the main building, the old school. Was that how it was going to be? Always moving and no place to truly call home?
The soft crunch of snow behind him was the only warning he got. He half turned, but before he could do more, he was pushed to his knees and a spell dug into his brain. It clawed through memories that he couldn’t hide fast enough. It was not the first time a warlock had torn through his mind. Last time the college had tried to erase his memories of Demonside. They’d failed, but only because Miniti had anchored them.
Angus didn’t want to lose anything he’d learned or seen. The first time he’d been in Demonside, Saka had carved a mark into his skin. Now it heated as Angus anchored everything he knew. He couldn’t stop the warlock from looking but he could stop him from taking.
He was released, and he tipped forward. The snow bit into his hands and was already wetting the knees of his pants. He drew in several breaths before he even looked up. It wasn’t just him. The underground had invaded the minds of Norah and Lizzie too. But the warlock hadn’t tried to take his memories.
“Skitun,” the warlock behind him spat. He had seen exactly what kind of magic Angus had learned in Demonside.
Angus looked up at the warlock in front of him, and the warlock’s lip curled in disgust. “Maybe you shouldn’t go poking around in people’s heads if you don’t want to see certain things.”
“She’s clean,” another voice said.
“This one too.”
Whereas he wasn’t. He was unclean—a demon fucker. That was not acceptable in any of the books he’d read. Sex magic with a human was one thing. Screwing a demon was another. “Magic has to be rebalanced. What is taken here must be returned, or we will freeze in an ice age of our own selfishness.”
Angus sensed the kick behind him before it could connect. He rolled to the side and stood in one smooth motion.
“We sent volunteers and criminals for rebalancing. Your demon has tricked you,” the warlock in front said, so brave behind his mask.
“Blood, soul, and sex. Three ways to rebalance. But I’m sure a warlock of your standing knows that.” They just didn’t like anyone to practice it. He tilted his head as though in respect. Lizzie made eye contact. She’d want to talk to him later. He didn’t know if he could be bothered.
“We had to search your minds to see if you were part of the attack. Was Angus involved?” the warlock demanded.
“What attack?” Angus glanced at Norah and Lizzie. They looked as puzzled as he felt.
“It’s none of your concern. You’ll stay here, under guard for your own protection.” The warlock acted as though he believed that was true. Angus thought it was so a closer eye could be kept on them.
Angus put his cold hands in the pockets of his coat. He was still cold. He needed a hat and a scarf. “What progress has been made? It doesn’t look like the early winter was halted.” If anything, it had settled in. It wasn’t a dusting of snow on the ground. It was a couple of inches.
“These things take time. We can’t rush and kill every warlock loyal to the college. Some know no better and don’t question what they’re taught,” the warlock said, defending the college.
“Doing nothing lets those in power gather more magic and do more damage,” Lizzie said as she picked herself up from the snow. “We need more trained wizards. We need to show them that demon-free magic can be powerful.” It was almost a convincing argument.
Angus nodded. “And what of the Institute of Magical Studies? Surely you can look to other countries to back up that claim? Not all magic users have demons. We have become too dependent on demons for magic, instead of using what we have.” Textbooks from a hundred years ago had talked about the increasing laziness of magic users. That was true. Being a wizard required more effort, but it was also less dangerous.
The warlock took half a step back. “It’s not your concern.”
“Then what is?” Norah ventured.
“To learn demon magic from the demons. So we can prove that we can work together without the bond,” the man said, as though they should be grateful.
Or was it to learn the demon’s secrets? Angus couldn’t be sure. Where were the wizards in power? Had they all been removed and replaced by warlocks? He didn’t ask. He wouldn’t get a word of truth from this man. How nice it would be to look in his head and rifle through his memories to get to the truth.
A headache bloomed at the base of Angus’s skull, but the thirst that had plagued him for the last two days was gone. His tongue didn’t feel like it was swollen and coated in grit, but he was still tired.
He planned to do very little walking—or anything—for a few days. But he did need to study. He wanted to get the old books, the ones that talked of giving demons a gift like a rabbit or goat after using their magic. He wanted to read about the Mayan Empire.
He wanted to see Terrance.
“Your personal effects are inside. I’ll talk to each one of you later. Eat and rest. I’m sure you need it.” The warlock in charge dropped his gaze to Angus, and he could almost hear the man say “Skitun.”
Chapter Fifteen
The farther the tribe walked from Lifeblood, the smaller the river became. It was still too big to step across—big enough that Saka didn’t worry that it would dry up or sink overnight, but not big enough that he thought it would last until the next gathering, the way the rivers had when Guda was young.
She’d never tell him anything again.
He was still angry about her death. But the anger was at himself for not doing what was right. With Angus at home, and no doubt with Terrance, jealousy poisoned Saka’s sleep and gnawed at his days. It wasn’t pleasant.
Part of him hoped Angus would summon him just so he could see him. He wanted to know what was happening across the void. Was the college close to being defeated? What was the underground planning? Without Guda, he had lost the source of his knowledge.
He dropped back to fall in step with Miniti. He would wait for her to speak before he raised the question that Angus had driven into him like a thorn. Where were the other demons?
Miniti had local maps, and he had them memorized. Part of his job was to know where they were and where the wells were. But did she have others? Ones that covered more distance? He had no idea what the tribal leaders discussed at their meeting, and he wouldn’t until she decided to share… if she ever did. There were probably things she couldn’t reveal.
“How goes it with the humans?”
“They are learning.” He’d spoken to Tapo and Wek, the two mages who had joined his tribe with Lizzie and Norah. Usi had been left out of that meeting because she wasn’t teaching a human. But she had not been impressed. He’d hoped the humans assigned to Lox and Becha would come with him, but sometimes it was better to have friends elsewhere.
“Good. They are not demons. Angus isn’t a demon.” Miniti glanced at him as though she expected him to disagree.
“I know. But we fight for two worlds.”
“Do they?”
Angus did. “Yes.”
“And now you have a few days with no humans. Your skin will be glad for the rest.” She glanced at him, and he inclined his head. She knew that he’d been teaching Angus blood magic. “Will the others get so advanced?”
“Not unless they prove themselves. They will learn basics.” He wasn’t going to explain to Miniti, and she wouldn’t expect him to. The humans would learn how to draw magic from their surroundings and how to heal, how to hunt and how to find water. “It is more important that they learn about us and see us as equals and not things to be used.”
“Or they learn ways to destroy us.”
“And we learn about them as they learn about us.” It was time to raise Angus’s revelation. “Their world is more complex than we suspected. Different countries… giant tribes… treat the use of magic very differently. Some countries ban it and kill users. Some ban the use of demon magic and only
use what they call natural magic.”
“So we are unnatural?”
“We are not of their world, so perhaps that is true in a sense.” He paused to see if she had anything else to say, but she only nodded for him to continue. They had been working together for long enough that she would know there was a point to the information. “But there are countries who also support demon magic and who practice the old ways.”
“The old ways?”
“When Guda was an apprentice, humans would give demons a creature from their side of the void in thanks, to rebalance after a magical working. Some countries still do that. They honor their connection with demons.” He didn’t know much more than that. “They are called the Mayan Empire, and their country borders Angus’s. But they aren’t friendly. There was a war.” Vinland seemed to not get on with anyone, from what Angus had said. That was no way to exist.
“And what does this have to do with our current situation? The humans there must be in winter too?”
“Yes. If their whole world is affected by the cold and ice, all of Demonside must also be affected.” He looked at Miniti. “It would be useful to talk to the tribes who work with these other countries.”
“Why?”
“To see how their area of Demonside is faring. To learn about the humans they work with.”
“How does that learning help us now, when we must deal with the humans we work with? We clearly cannot change which country we work with. That must be set somehow.”
He thought of the map Angus scratched in the sand… and the way the moonlight had illuminated his skin and the paleness of his eyes. He needed to protect Angus better, teach him how to avoid rebalancing when he wasn’t willing. That was something he had never wanted to teach, especially not when Demonside needed as much magic returned as possible. But he knew it would take more than one warlock.
