“I don’t know.” Marielle’s hands shook as she rummaged through the heavy bedding searching for blood and seeing none. “I don’t understand how she did this. Maybe the girl was here alone, and Amelie subdued and killed her and then the parents when they came in. However she did it is not important. Killing the vampire is.” Marielle hastily tossed the bedcovers across the lumpy mattress.
Roland repaired the lamp that had fallen to the floor, leaving no marks or chips. “I think that is everything,” he said as he strode across the room to shrink the victims.
“I want to check one more thing,” Marielle said as Roland shrunk the bodies and laid them gently in his field pack.
“What is it?” he asked as Marielle ambled to the desk covered in scattered papers.
“This abandoned house shouldn’t have so much new paperwork I think,” she said as she read through some of the papers. “I think I shall take these.” She dumped them into a bag. She turned and glanced around the room, which was unrecognizable from when they had first arrived. “I think that is all for here. Now for the police officers in Dinan.”
They snuck back down the stairs, through the cellar and teleported out of town.
*
The cramped conference room could possibly accommodate ten people if necessary, and probably not comfortably. A large table took up most of the space, with small metal chairs stuffed along each side. Annie sucked in a breath as she sat. Though she pushed the chair as far back as she could, she still felt wedged in. She unfurled two maps across the table.
“It would’ve been embarrassing if he couldn’t come up with this list,” Spencer said as he noted a property in Southern Amborix. Bucky Hart had come through for them, sending them an extensive list which Annie and Spencer split.
“I had no doubt,” Annie said. “There are a lot of properties belonging to the Van Alton Family Trust. I think I should have Bucky search for any living family,” she commented. “How many do you have for the Royal Family?”
“There are about thirty locations. I’m almost done. Most of them are around Amborix and open to the public. There’s a few in France and one in Germany. Out of all of them, I’d say there are about ten good hiding locations,” Spencer noted as he circled his last property in green.
Annie held the coffin lining in her palm and wrapped the scrying crystal around her hand. As it hung above the map, it gently twirled. Annie lifted the crystal and let it swing across both maps in wild turns and twists as it searched for the person belonging to the blood. When the momentum was complete, it hung limply from her hand.
“She’s got help. You think you can get Louis to spill?” Annie asked.
“Worth a try. Though now that he’s locked in their prison wing, I’m not sure how helpful he’ll be,” Spencer said. “Just out of curiosity, did you get the impression Marielle knew Louis?”
“I saw the look she gave him. I didn’t see anything from him. Though I might not have watched him carefully enough. If you want to question him, ask if he knows her,” Annie suggested as she watched her scrying necklace hang in her hand. “Her help has to be magical. Someone’s teleporting her from location to location. And now she’s being cloaked. There’s absolutely no proof other than the fact she’s moving around faster than we are. She shouldn’t be able to do that.”
“You think it’s someone from here?” Spencer asked as Annie’s ringing phone reverberated throughout the room.
“Hi,” she answered. “Well?” Her sister Samantha Chamsky was on the other end, and Annie knew it wasn’t going to be a social call.
“Hi, grumpy. If you worded the request as I suggested, you’re fine. It is your case. You are asking for their help in the capture and staking of one Princess Amelie of Amborix, vampire. They have no control over this, and you acted accordingly.”
Annie took a deep breath.
Nothing I didn’t already know. But it’s always nice to have confirmation.
“Thanks, Sammi. I get the feeling they feel we’ve stepped on their toes.” Annie dropped the scrying crystal necklace on the map.
“You know how it is. You’d be a little defensive too. Anyway, it’s your case. How’s your head?”
My head?
“Long since cured. Even my arm feels better. Mostly I’m tired. We just need to find a way to stop her. I think she has magical help,” Annie said, lowering her voice. Her eyes darted across the room as she searched for possible listening devices.
“Really? That’s a serious accusation,” Samantha said.
“It’s a hunch right now. I won’t do anything with it,” Annie reassured her.
The silence on the other end of the phone meant Samantha had more she wanted to say to Annie but wasn’t going to.
Annie sighed. “You’re really quiet. Is there something else?” Silence again. Annie glanced at the phone and then at Spencer waiting for information.
“Just remember, you’re not wrong. International Wizard Law is very specific on how departments should respond to each other. As long as you follow those laws. Put everything in writing, and be clear. You retain the lead; they assist as needed. Just ask nicely,” Samantha said.
“I am. Well, I’m trying. It didn’t start well in either France or Amborix. It’s kinda tricky,” Annie said.
“Annie. If what you think is true, you could be in danger. Please, please be careful,” Samantha pleaded.
Normally at this point in the conversation Annie would make a funny quip and roll her eyes. She didn’t have it in her to do either.
“Annie, if there’s a mole in their department—or in ours for that matter—you need rock-solid proof. If it’s them, I can’t issue an arrest warrant without the International Witches Cooperative’s approval. It takes a serious charge for them to convene. If there’s proof, enough solid proof, France can issue one.”
“It’s still just a thought. Once we kill Amelie, I’m not sure I’m going to pursue it, not unless something becomes obvious. It’s just too stressful here with them.” Annie played with the scrying crystal, wrapping the chain around her hand and letting it slide to the map.
“As a side note, the Amborix Witches Council and their Wizard Guard are deeply saddened by the queen’s death and appreciate your diligence is alerting them and bringing them with. They want to help.”
“Really? I’m kinda surprised they’re taking it that well. The Wizard Guard manager made it perfectly clear we weren’t welcome.”
“They are… conflicted. You were in France looking for the princess. They can’t assist with that. That’s bringing in more people, stepping on France’s toes. You called when you were heading to the grave. But yes, I think they would’ve liked to know when you were first notified,” Samantha said.
The silence was uncomfortable for Annie. She toyed with the cold crystal. “I really screwed this up.” She flicked the scrying crystal, sending it across the table and onto the floor. Spencer glanced at her.
“You didn’t screw up. This isn’t your fault. You did your job. I read your autopsy report. You didn’t do anything wrong. Shit happens. You know it!”
“I made a—”
“Enough! Annie, this is ridiculous. A problem occurred. Screw France if they don’t see how you’re fixing the problem. Do what you always do. Confront the problem and fix it. Follow the rules and they can’t touch you,” Samantha said, ending more calmly than she started. “Be safe and call me if you need help dealing with the legal aspects of this case. I love you, and I have every faith you will stop the princess before the nonmagical world finds out.”
“I should have called a worldwide wizard All Points Bulletin. I should have—”
“No. Don’t do this. You can’t change the past. It’s done. Move on. You know this. What happens in the past can’t be reversed, no matter how much you wish it. Move on, Annie. I hate seeing you beat yourself up like this. Don’t, please don’t.”
“Sammi, I… I’m glad you have my back. I need to go. I love you.”
“We’re fine.” Annie sighed.
*
Marielle and Roland smelled the stink from her field pack; it trailed after them and hung in the air as they strolled through Dinan.
“We need to get these bodies back soon,” Roland advised as they stopped along the street where the bomb had exploded.
“My word. This was larger than I expected,” Marielle said as she pointed to the two houses that were severely charred. Between the houses, the bomb had blown out a large hole in a small yard. “No wonder they believed the Americans had something to do with this. I would too.” She led Roland back down the street toward the center of town.
As Annie and Spencer had done before them, they strolled through town, arm and arm as if a couple, and acted as though they were tourists, stopping at the bakery for croissants. Munching on their snack, they stopped at the curiosity shop and browsed the shelves, listening.
In such a small town, they expected the news to still ring about the explosion, about the Americans who were here and questioned in response. But the talk was of something else. Something less important: the dog that had peed on the tourist.
Marielle and Roland exchanged confused glances, unsure if this was important or not. Shrugging, they left the shop without purchasing anything, though Marielle had found a very attractive medicine box.
Instead, they took up hands while they ate their croissants and continued to the police building, a former one-story residence at the center of town. They peered inside the first floor window and spotted the police officers that Annie had described as “Laurel and Hardy.” Beyond that, the men were alone.
They entered through the open door.
“How may we help you?” the short officer asked.
“We worried when we saw the remnants of the bomb. There was someone lurking by the hole in the ground,” Marielle said. She bit her tongue to keep from laughing when the men perked up, as if excited by the news.
It must be slow here, she thought.
“Ah, yes. Was it a pretty woman with long curly brown hair? She would be with a tall man with light brownish-blonde hair?” the tall officer inquired.
“No. No. She was a redhead. I’m sure of it,” Marielle replied. The men looked dejected.
“And you are sure of this?” the shorter man asked. His jaw was tight and tense.
“Yes, and there was no man fitting your description. We just thought you should know!” Roland said, taking up the tone of an agitated husband. Marielle bit the side of her mouth.
“I apologize. But it is all good. They were just curious onlookers. If she were brunette like you, I’d worry. We have investigated them very thoroughly, but alas, the Americans were not responsible. We will, for you, go back and verify. Just in case. I am sure it is okay though.”
The officers offered condescending smirks and headed to the door, where they were hit with light jinxes. Both men collapsed to the ground.
“Whoops. Maybe I should have caught them,” Marielle said and chuckled as she dragged the tall man back to his chair and levitated him up. She bent him forward so he was sleeping on his cluttered desk, drooling on his paperwork.
Working quickly, she assisted Roland with the other officer, levitating him to his chair. It squeaked with his weight as his body settled down.
“Let’s see what we can see,” Marielle said as she rummaged through the files on the desk. “Anything?” she asked as Roland searched the second desk.
“Yes. Here.” He pulled out the folders and sorted through the material finding all references to Annie and Spencer, the Americans suspected of setting off the bomb. “Yes, they were most definitely prime suspects, and it looks like they talked their way out of it.”
Behind them, the door handle squeaked. In one movement, Marielle shot off a spell, sticking the handle. She waved her hand again so that the blinds flew closed and rattled against the windows.
“Hurry. We must leave now!” she said. “Take the folders. Search over here for anything else. I will do this memory erase.”
With two hands on either side of the officer’s head, Marielle chanted a spell, wiping his memory of Annie and Spencer and replacing them with memories of a new and very fake suspect. The door rattled.
“Let me in! It’s me, Olivier,” shouted the man, pulling on the handle and anxiously banging on the door.
“Anything else?” Marielle said through gritted teeth as she prepared the second memory modification spell.
“Nothing. Finish up and we’ll go,” Roland said. Marielle chanted a spell that wafted to the man’s head, jumbling up his memories and making new ones.
“I’m done,” she said. They headed toward the back of the station.
With a wave of their hands, they shot wakening spells at the officers, who groaned and squeaked as they woke from their forced sleep. Meanwhile, Marielle and Roland teleported through the open window to the French Wizard Hall.
Chapter 20
Why didn’t I pour holy water on her body?
Annie replayed the hours she had spent with the princess’s dead body. The care she had taken to examine Amelie’s wounds, her wrists, her neck. How they had run the crystal over her lifeless body, finding the killing curse.
We found the curse. We thought we were done.
She opened her eyes and stared at the list of properties Bucky Hart had sent. As she knew he would, he had easily found what she was looking for and delivered them quickly by way an ancient fax machine that sat unused in the middle of the French Wizard Guard department.
Annie blinked her eyes rapidly, and the words jumbled before her eyes. It had been one unsuccessful attempt after another to kill the vampire princess, and the stress was starting to bubble over. Annie willed the tears in her eyes to stay put, expending much energy in the process.
The list proved to be useful. A majority of the Van Alton holdings were located in France—though after a second look at the list, Annie realized she had missed two properties: one in Germany and one in Spain, belonging to Louis’s nearly extinct family line. With another quick look, she realized their German property was quite close to one belonging to the Maxillians.
I missed those.
With the scrying necklace around her hand, she scried for the vampire in those locations. Again, the crystal was dull and cold; she was no closer to finding Amelie. Annie sighed.
Maybe she’s done with Van Alton properties and staying with her family homes?
She called her counterparts in Amborix.
Marcus answered on the first ring. “Hello, Annie Pearce.”
“Hey. I’m so glad you are fine. We were worried,” Annie said.
“Ah. No problem. Your window departure was much help,” he said, almost friendly and warm. “How can we help you?”
At least we’ve warmed to them.
“Well. Working on a theory, I had our computer department pull a list of all properties for the Van Alton and the Maxillian families. I’ve scried for the princess at all of them, but there’s this one property that has me intrigued. It’s a Maxillian family location in Germany, just over the shared border with Amborix. Do you know this property?”
“Just a moment,” Marcus said.
Annie listed as muffled voices discussed the question in German, a language Annie knew nothing about. While she waited for them to determine if this was news to them or to discuss her failings, her leg bounced nervously under the table.
“We are not familiar with this location. It might be an abandoned home. I thought all Maxillian properties were in Amborix. We can send someone out to check it out,” Marcus offered.
“I just scried for her there and came up empty. However, we think she has magical help. Someone is cloaking her, and, more importantly, someone is teleporting
her.”
“Are you positive?” Marcus asked.
“No. I have no proof, if that’s what you’re asking. We just believe she is moving around France at an alarming pace.”
He pulled the phone away from his mouth, and spoke anxiously to someone else in muffled German.
“Could we have a mole in our department?” he asked Annie.
“We could have one in ours, or France could. It could be anyone, so I’m not accusing anyone of anything. It’s just something we think might be happening. We’re definitely taking a closer look at all those involved,” Annie advised.
“Amelie was discovered in France.” Marcus didn’t attempt to hide the implication.
He doesn’t trust France?
“I can send the coordinates if you would like,” Annie volunteered, though she worried they’d be walking into a trap. “Be careful if you send someone out to the house in Germany.”
“We would very much like the coordinates and we will be careful. She’s dangerous—that we understand. And Annie, you be careful. It’s not a coincidence that she was found in France and you are now working with the French Wizard Guard.”
He thinks France did this. Why? Does he think they’re trying to get me to investigate down the wrong investigative trail?
After cautious goodbyes, they hung up.
Annie fumbled with the list of properties and found the German mansion. She typed in the coordinates for Marcus. When he messaged to say he’d received them, she pocketed her phone.
“Everything okay?” Spencer asked.
“Amborix doesn’t trust France,” she whispered.
“Interesting,” he said. “And that property?”
“They’ll check it out. She wasn’t there, but it doesn’t mean anything if she’s got help.”
Annie pulled the list closer and read it again, though her eyes crossed and her vision blurred. She was afraid to leave any house uninvestigated, but there were just too many.
But then she noticed another smaller home, this one in the southwest corner of Austria. According to the records, it had been in the family for thirteen generations but had been left to rot a century prior. Annie pulled out the accompanying picture and stared at the home, long past decay.
Wizard War Page 19
