by John Corwin
"W-what happened? I saw you die." I reached over and touched him to be sure I wasn't hallucinating.
"An illusion trick." Kanaan helped me to my feet. "As you said, the way of the monkey relies on trickery. I could not reach the portal without diverting him."
My body sagged with relief. "I thought you were dead."
"Not yet." Kanaan headed out of the omniarch room where the others waited.
Ambria and Max ran up and hugged me.
"I didn't know what happened to you!" Ambria said. She kissed my cheek. "Conrad, I thought you were dead."
"Lot of that going around today," I said.
Shushiel cut the web from her back and Harris rolled off onto all fours. He sat down and looked miserably at the floor.
"You okay?" Baxter asked him.
Harris nodded.
"What happened to you two?" Lily asked me.
"Victus," I said.
Gasps sounded all around me.
Asha came to my side. "You saw our"—she swallowed hard and grimaced—"father?"
"Yes." I looked at the dejected Harris and wondered if Victus had told the truth about his parents. "We escaped."
Ambria hugged me again. It felt so comforting that I wrapped both my arms around her and leaned my head on top of hers. For a moment, everything else went silent and all the demons in my head went away.
"How many coffins did we leave behind?" Asha asked.
"A dozen," Desmond replied.
I let go of Ambria and gathered my strength. "Let's find out who we have." Everyone drifted toward the makeshift healing ward in the gauntlet room.
Percival already had one person on a table that I instantly recognized. "Galfandor!" I ran over and touched the headmaster.
He groaned and blinked weary eyes. "It appears I'm back among the living."
"How did Victus get you?" I asked.
Galfandor tried to shake his head, but it barely moved. "I am as much in the dark as you, Conrad."
Max stood on the other side of the bed. "Zarin must have taken him from the healers and taken him to the foundry."
Ambria's eyes widened with worry. "Do you think they made a copy of him yet?"
"They have not used the foundry recently," Kanaan said. "I do not believe they did."
Max pushed through the crowd around Galfandor. "Where's Ivy? Why isn't she out of her box yet?"
"Will you give me some space?" Percival shooed everyone to the sides and administered a potion to the headmaster. He pressed a hand to Galfandor's forehead and grunted. "This is promising."
"What is?" Max asked.
"Liquid aether fortifies the torn soul and helps it heal faster." He swirled the blue concoction in the vial. "It's just very time consuming to make."
"How do you make liquid aether?" I walked around the bed and looked at the glowing liquid.
"It took me four days just to make this using the instructions I found inside the demonomicon." He put a cork in the vial. "Apparently it's much easier for someone who can channel aether than for casters."
Max peered inside the other ruby coffins lining the back of the room. "Ivy is Seraphim. If you heal her, she can channel all the aether you want."
"And Max can have a new girlfriend," Baxter said. "Right, Harris?"
Harris flinched and looked up from the floor. He looked at Galfandor and blinked a few times, then stormed toward the headmaster. Leaning in close, he said, "Who killed my parents, Galfandor?"
Galfandor's forehead wrinkled. "What do you mean, lad?"
"Victus said my parent worked with him. That the Arcane Council sent Blue Cloaks to kill them." Harris's fists clenched. "Is that true?"
Galfandor sighed weakly, his eyes toward me.
I didn't let him off the hook. Galfandor had kept things from me before, and I hadn't liked it. "Well, did he tell the truth?" I asked.
A long moment passed in which everyone seemed to hold their breath at the unfolding drama. "Yes, I'm afraid it is true, Harris."
Harris deflated like a balloon, folding in on himself and backing away. "Why wasn't I told? Why would my parents work for the Overlord?"
Lily and Baxter exchanged horrified looks. Max and Ambria gaped at the revelation.
"What's this about?" Max looked back and forth between me and Harris. "The Ashmores were evil like our parents?"
"James Ashmore was elected to the Arcane Council after his opponent mysteriously died," Galfandor said weakly. "He was the first Victus supporter elected and worked to get Victus elected as Arcanus Primus. When the opponent of another Victus supporter died, the remaining council members started a secret investigation and discovered James was killing them."
Harris shuddered. "No," he moaned.
Galfandor continued. "Victus overthrew the council not long after, but not before a secret order was given to a covert squad of Blue Cloaks to hunt down the Ashmores and kill them, making it look as if Victus had done it." He closed his eyes and seemed to rest for a moment, then drew a deep breath and spoke. "I know all of this because I gave the order."
Harris gasped. "You were on the council?"
"I am a member of a secret order of Arcanes, formed in the aftermath of the Seraphim War to prevent another such event." Galfandor squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "Despite all our precautions, we were too late to stop the Overlord."
"This is awful!" Ambria gripped my hand. "Why did you keep this a secret from us, especially after all we've been through?"
"Because we thought Conrad might be the next big threat." Galfandor gave me an imploring look. "We decided to keep an eye on him until we decided for sure."
"That's why you've always been hesitant to help me?" It felt like someone punched me in the gut, but it should have come as no surprise. It made sense why Galfandor always listened to what we had to say even if he didn't directly help us most of the time. He was spying on us.
"I recommended we trust you, Conrad. I told the others we should nurture you more, but they wouldn't listen." Galfandor wheezed and tried to speak, but his eyelids fluttered and he sank back into the bed.
Percival set his hands on his hips. "You've overextended him." He motioned us away. "Give the old man some space, or you'll kill him!"
Harris stared at the headmaster, warring expressions twisting his features.
Lily patted him on the shoulder. "Harris, everything will be all right."
He jerked his arm away and shook his head. "No, it won't," he said in a rough voice. "All this time, I thought I was someone special. I thought I was born to be a hero." Tears poured down his cheeks. "I was just born to be a joke!" He stormed out of the room, never looking back.
Baxter looked around like a trapped animal, suddenly uncertain of his own place in the world. "I can't believe it. It can't be true!"
"Welcome to my world." Max looked adoringly through the glass on one of the coffins. "Thankfully, we have the answers to our prayers right here."
"Careful about placing people on pedestals, Max." Ambria looked toward Baxter. "It makes it so much easier for them to disappoint you."
Baxter's shoulders slumped.
I joined Max at Ivy's box. She looked so young, so pretty, even in this state, though her white-blond hair had been cropped down to almost nothing and her face was pale and gaunt.
"Victus must have really hated her to cut her hair like that," Max said. "I just don't understand how he captured her."
"Maybe she can tell us." I looked at the other ruby boxes, peering at the unfamiliar faces inside. "Who do you suppose these other people are?"
"No telling." Max ran a hand through his hair and looked at Percival. "Hey, Percy, when will you have a dose ready for Ivy?"
Percival spun on his heel and glared at him. "When it's ready!" He threw up his hands. "Now, will everyone kindly leave me alone to tend to my patients?"
Kanaan headed out. "Clear the room."
We reluctantly drifted out into the corridor.
Sonia stood near the door to the
omniarch room, tapping her foot on the stone floor. "Now that we've single-handedly saved the day, will you kindly return us home?"
"Of course," Kanaan said.
I took Sonia by the wrist before she could leave. She bared her fangs, but didn't pull away. "What do you want?"
"I just want you to take a minute later and think about what you did here today." I felt uncomfortable holding onto her, but forced myself not to let go. "Sonia, you saved a lot of lives. You don't have to be a miserable person who can't let go of the past. You can be someone who helps us win back the future."
Her mouth dropped open, eyes blinking rapidly, but she quickly recovered. "I'll leave the heroics to the fools, Conrad." Despite her harsh words, her look softened. She gently pulled away from me and walked toward the portal Kanaan opened.
Desmond shook my hand and grinned. "I haven't seen an emotional reaction from her like that in ages, Conrad." He hugged Ambria. "Keep up the good fight, and let me know if you need my help again."
"We probably will," Max said. "Don't leave town."
Desmond chuckled and followed his sister through the portal.
Natalia prowled around the group. "This has certainly been an exciting day."
"I need a nap," Stan said. "Can I go inside the mansion?"
"I'm hungry." Natalia took the old man's hand. "I'll go with you."
Asha watched them leave then turned to us. "What happened with Victus?"
Max nodded eagerly. "Yeah, how did it go down?"
I gave them all the awful details.
"I don't like this one bit, Conrad." Ambria tapped her bottom lip with a finger. "Victus wanted you dead, but now he doesn't. After all you've been through against him, why would he suddenly change his mind?"
"There's no way Conrad would switch sides," Max said. "Victus has to know that."
"He's devious and twisted." Ambria's forehead pinched. "I'm sure he knew Conrad wouldn't switch sides, but he had a reason for trying."
"Perhaps he wished to plant seeds of doubt." Asha pressed her lips together. "Or maybe he thought it was worth a try. In any case, what we did today should cripple his plans."
"Oh, he's done for good." Max rubbed his hands together. "We've got all his valuable prisoners. I'm so excited I could burst."
Ambria groaned. "Ivy again?"
"Yes!" He pumped a fist. "We've brought back a hero of the Overworld. Once she's back in action, Victus can't stop us."
"Perhaps you should temper your enthusiasm until we've actually revived her," Asha said.
"Conrad!" Percival appeared in the corridor, his face tight. "I need you in here right now."
We looked uncertainly at each other and then went back into the room. Two more of the ruby chambers had their lids removed. One of them belonged to Ivy.
Max's eyes grew wide. "How is she, Percival?"
"I—I don't know how to tell you this." Percival's eyes flicked back and forth between us and the coffins. "I'm not even sure what's going on, or why Victus would do such a thing, but—"
Max's face twisted with fear. "Oh, god. Is she dead?"
Percival gripped Max's arm to keep him from running to the coffin. "The beings in those chambers are alive and well, but they are not real." He held up the orb Kanaan used to verify Asha was not an infernus. "Ivy and the woman in the other chamber are infernus."
Chapter 29
Max sagged and staggered, as if a great weight dropped onto his shoulders. "No." He shook his head. "It can't be. Why would Victus keep infernus in those preservation chambers?"
"What about Galfandor?" I asked.
"He's the real one." Percival held up his hands helplessly. "At this point, I have no idea who's real and who's not. I'll have to test everyone as I go along."
"Are the infernus awake?" I asked.
"I put them to sleep until we decide what to do with them." Percival ran a hand down his face. "My god, was all of this for nothing?"
"Can we spot test people from the black and white boxes?" I asked.
"Yes, but first I'll check the rest of the red ones." Percival shook a fist in the air. "Curse you, Victus Edison!"
It seemed a bit melodramatic, but I was so angry, I wanted to scream. Max looked on the verge of tears, and Ambria stared blankly at the red coffins.
Asha's face hardened with anger. "Victus is more devious than we thought."
I couldn't process the enormity of Victus's treachery. Why would he plant infernus in those coffins?
Percival methodically removed the lid to each red coffin and held the infernus orb to the skin of the occupants. None of them were the originals. A spot-check of the black chambers found no infernus, as did an investigation of the white ones. Aside from Galfandor, none of the red coffin occupants were genuine.
Harris and his friends came into the room as we finished our work.
"What's going on?" Lily asked. "Why do you look so worried?"
"Where is Kanaan?" Percival said. "I need him here."
"The mansion," Harris said. "What's going on?"
Shushiel descended a thread from the ceiling. "I will get him."
"Yes, please." Percival dropped onto a chair and put his face in his hands. "This is a disaster."
Harris raised his voice. "What's going on?"
Percival held up a hand. "Please wait for Kanaan."
The magitsu master showed up a moment later, his calm face betraying no signs of worry.
"Aside from Galfandor, there isn't an original soul in any of the red coffins," Percival said without preamble. "The other chambers are authentic."
Kanaan turned to Shushiel. "Quickly, get Stan and Natalia from the mansion." He looked at Percival. "Can Galfandor and Ansel travel?"
"Yes, but—"
"Take them to the omniarch room at once." Kanaan glanced at the other preservation chambers and shook his head. "We must evacuate immediately."
Asha gasped. "You think Victus tracked the coffins."
"No, I think he can track the infernus within them."
Percival transferred Galfandor and Ansel to a flying carpet and ferried the unconscious patients out of the makeshift healing ward. The rest of us gathered our equipment and ran for the omniarch room.
"Why are we in such a hurry?" Max said. "There's no way Victus can get all the way from the States to here in a couple of hours, unless there's an Obsidian Arch in Montana."
A strange whispering noise cut off all conversation. We turned around, looking back down the corridor where it led into the Burrows. The susurrus grew louder. Kanaan closed the circuit around the omniarch and looked at it. Nothing happened.
"They're using a portal blocker," Kanaan said.
"How did they get here so fast?" Max said.
"The mansion," Kanaan said. "Hurry."
We piled out of the omniarch room and back toward the mansion, nearly colliding with Stan and Natalia as they ran to join us. Kanaan appeared a few seconds behind us. The wall at the end of the corridor exploded. Dust and rubble flew inward, quickly followed by a stream of Blue Cloaks on flying carpets.
"Get inside!" Kanaan shouted.
The rare display of emotion removed the paralysis gripping the group and everyone burst into full gallop. Natalia scooped up Stan and carried him bodily toward the house, her petite size belying felycan strength.
"The Blue Cloaks are coming!" Max shouted. "The Blue Cloaks are coming!"
We filed through the door, pushing Galfandor and Ansel through first. Kanaan shut and barred it after us.
"Why in the world are the Blue Cloaks coming?" Ambria said. "I thought they were the good guys."
Even before I looked through the window, I knew why Kanaan had been in such a hurry to get us inside. Agatha Grint and Esmerelda Quiff hovered before the small army of Arcanes robed in blue, their faces glowing with unholy delight as they moved toward the mansion.
"By decree of the Arcane Council, Conrad Edison and his co-conspirators are to surrender themselves to us," Grint cried out.
<
br /> Kanaan traced a symbol on the back of the door and a low hum vibrated through the floor. A shield shimmered into place between the mansion and the Blue Cloaks. He opened the door and stepped outside, the magical barrier blocking the intruders a scant few yards away. "On what charges?"
Quiff reached a tentative finger toward the barrier and scowled when she found it solid. "We know the boy is working for Victus. We want him to answer some questions."
"The only people working for Victus are you," Kanaan said. "The only question is whether or not you are infernus."
Quiff and Grint recoiled at the word, surprise flashing across their faces. The twenty or so Blue Cloaks with them remained stony and silent. Either they didn't know what Kanaan meant by 'infernus', or they would follow orders no matter what.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Grint said. "I demand you surrender yourselves this instant."
"How could they be infernus?" Percival said. "I didn't see them in any of the chambers."
"Because Victus has been a step ahead of us all this time and the originals are probably buried in that trench near the foundry." I stepped outside next to Kanaan. "There's only one way you could possibly know where we were, Grint. It's because Victus gave you our location." I looked imploringly at the Blue Cloaks. "These Arcanes are following the orders of the Overlord. You need to arrest them, not us!"
Quiff cackled with laughter. "I'm afraid you won't find a true Blue Cloak among them, boy." She raked her fingernails down the shimmering barrier holding them back from us, leaving scars of red light that vanished an instant later. "Each soldier was hand-picked by Garkin to form the new security forces for the Arcane Council." She held up a statue with a multi-pointed star on top of it. "Your portal access is blocked. You have nowhere to go. If you don't surrender now, these fine soldiers will camp here until you starve yourselves out."
Kanaan twirled a wand in his hand, seemingly unconcerned by the threat. "Now I understand how Xander Tiberius won the election for primus. You two are not the only infernus on the council."
"You are mistaken if you think we're infernus," Grint said. "We were loyal to the Overlord during his first reign, but remained unknown to the authorities. For years we worked our way onto the council, knowing that he would rise once again as he promised us the night before he died."
