Chapter Nine

 

 

They made the three-hour trip to Ritual Space in ninety minutes. Mr. E was growing cool with his efforts to contain the spectres, and she wanted to get it out of him.

Adrea came out to the parking area with a smile that turned into delight. “Benny!”

Benny passed Tremble and hugged Adrea.

Imara undid her seatbelt and carefully carried Mr. E to the proprietor of Ritual Space. “Hi, Adrea.”

Adrea came forward and hugged her as well, her white hair swinging around her face. “Not again. Okay, come this way.”

“If Blueberry is in, he can lead me to the stones.”

“Of course. I will see you when everything is contained.”

Imara nodded and clutched her limp familiar to her as she entered the space. Blueberry was waiting, and he hopped ahead of her at a good pace, leaving her to stride after him and into the space between realities where it was safe to store this sort of spirit.

Blueberry sat next to the open gateway on his hind legs, and his expression indicated that he was willing to wait.

Imara set Mr. E down on the wide stone bench, and she tickled him. He kicked his legs and opened his eyes.

“Hack it up.”

She petted his fur and held him as he started hacking. For a moment, it seemed that it wouldn’t come up, but then, the small crystal dropped to the stone.

She sighed and picked up Mr. E with one hand while placing the stone into the arc above the bench.

“Right. Gentlemen, I want the bossiest of you to come out now.” She sent a trickle of power into the stone, and a torso formed above the containment band.

“I don’t need to talk to a lowly mage.”

“I am not just a mage, but keep insulting me. I will just do this.”

She grabbed his energy and tore it apart, shredding it into particles so small that they were only good for blending with the next wave.

Sighing, she spoke to the stone. “I will return, I will question all of you, and I want to know who you are. If you give me a satisfactory answer, I will put you into a soul stone and give you a second life as a rejuvenated spectre. Think it over.”

She turned and cuddled her kitten while following the bunny down the trail that only existed when she was moving to that pocket between worlds.

Blueberry led her to the rear patio where the garden was flourishing, and some small tables had been assembled so that Adrea could serve tea. The XIA team was sitting around and eating scones.

“Imara, are you done?”

She nodded. “For today. I will still have to come back to conduct interviews.”

“Aside from the one you dispersed.”

“Yeah, that. He was just an asshole.”

Benny blinked. “You destroyed a spectre?”

“Sure. It’s not tricky.” Imara sat in the empty seat that was waiting for her.

Adrea patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t be smug.”

Imara blinked. “It isn’t being smug. Anyone with magical skills can tear apart a spectre. Being a Death Keeper just means I can tear it up really, really small.”

Benny laughed. “Fair enough. So, you have been here before?”

Adrea snorted. “Every two days for the last six weeks. Hyl has been tutoring her for her class.”

Smith looked at her in genuine surprise. “Hyl has been tutoring you?”

“Yes.” She petted Mr. E with one hand while sipping her tea with the other.

Argyle was sitting in the shade, but he asked, “What is your class?”

“Stealth Magic. He taught me how to move and a few spells to assist in my final project, which—thankfully—was completed.”

Tremble arched his pale brows. “Did you pass?”

“I completed the exam. That is a pass.”

She checked her phone and smiled at the text from Argus.

Etta is doing well, Iofer is worshiping the very idea of you, and his team has pledged allegiance to you. Are you home?

She texted back. Ritual Space. Had to drop off the annoying item.

Benny smiled. “The boyfriend. I can tell by your expression.”

“Yeah. He was just checking in.”

Adrea rolled her eyes. “He checks in a lot. I swear, I was almost hoping for a crime spree just to stop her phone from going off.”

The XIA officers looked at each other in surprise.

Smith asked, “Crime spree?”

Adrea grinned. “Didn’t she tell you? She is dating Argus. He has been hanging around here with annoying frequency while she was training, though he did bring excellent ice cream every time, so that says something.”

Imara started to blush. “I like sugar after a lot of magic expenditure.”

Smith was still staring. “Argus? Our Argus?”

Imara grinned. “Technically, I have dibs on him, but that particular claiming is still six months or so away. I have to get my accreditation from the Mage Guild to be a commercial mage, but I inherited a building from a friend of mine, so my offices are set. No romantic entanglements until I have my professional life in place.”

Benny stared. “How old are you?”

“Twenty. I will still be twenty by the time I graduate.”

“How did you and Argus meet?”

Imara chuckled. “I told you. I met him in class. Ethics class. He had to take a course for work, and he helped me out with my shape shifting course.”

Benny was enthralled. “You can shape shift?”

“Yeah. I passed the class.”

Smith challenged, “What is your beast?”

“You are going to laugh.”

Smith held up a hand. “I promise to try not to.”

“Griffin vulture.”

Mr. E perked up at the cacophony of laughter that surrounded them. What is going on?

I said something funny. Are you okay?

He was very strong.

He is a celestial smear now.

Good. When can we go home?

I am hoping that we will be on our way shortly.

Adrea settled and smiled. “This quartet had their bonding ceremony here. It was just after I had taken over and a nice way to start my life in this place. You might want to consider it when you and Argus want to tie the knot.”

“There is no proposal in the air.”

Adrea snorted. “I would have to be blind to miss the bonding with you two; now, eat two scones with cream and jam, and I will let you go. Until then, no one is going to make a move for the door.”

Imara looked, and the other four were frozen in time. “I hate it when you do that.”

“There is no other way for you to gain the skills you did. You got six months’ worth of training in six weeks. I had to slow time here to achieve it. And it was fun. Mostly fun.” Adrea winked and waved at her to load up the scones. “I wasn’t kidding. Two scones with cream and jam. Go. And then, I will let them loose.”

Imara put some clotted cream on a plate for Mr. E and set up her two scones. One was blackberry and one strawberry, both had cream.

She chewed her way through them with deliberation, and when the final bite was in her mouth, the other four were released from time.

Mr. E was sitting on the table and enjoying his cream, and the others looked a little disconcerted at her jam-stained face.

Benny blinked. “Did we miss something?”

“Nope. Just Adrea throwing her weight around.”

Adrea crossed her arms. “Imara doesn’t eat properly, and she burns a lot of energy. She’s the seventh child of a seventh child twice over. She’s got so much luck, it is dizzying.”

“Love you, too, Addy.” After wiping her lips, she blew Adrea a kiss.

“I can give you a ride home, Imara.” Argus’s voice was behind her.

She turned her head, and he set his hand on her shoulder. “That would be great. Mr. E isn’t really comfortable.”

Argus looked over her shoulder at her familiar. “Aw, he looks exhausted.”

Smith cleared his throat. “Argus, when were you going to mention your lady friend here?”

Argus squeezed her shoulder. “When it was any of your business, Smith. Argyle, Tremble, Benny, nice to see you all.”

Smith winced. “Right. Got it. Imara is an incredible choice. She deserves better than you.”

“Yes, I am aware, but she keeps saying that she got lucky.”

“I did. Well, this has been fun, but I have to grab my kitten and go. We both need a bit of rest before I get to meet my family tonight.”

That got everyone except Adrea curious.

Imara held up her hand. “Too long to explain. If we ever meet again, I am sure I will be happy to fill you in.”

She got up and cuddled a sleepy Mr. E against her chest. “Lovely to meet you. Have to run. Have a great day, and thanks for the ride.”

Argus put his arm around her, and he supported her very tired self out to his vehicle.

“So, everybody else is off shift?”

“Yeah, lucky for you I don’t need much sleep. You look haggard but lovely.”

She laughed softly and buckled in with Mr. E on her lap. She poured a bit of energy into him, and he sat up, stretching.

“Thanks, Argus. I want nothing more than my own bed. I have to brace for my family party this evening.”

“Do you need me there?”

“No, but be braced for a call if the Mage Guild can’t manage it. I am pretty sure that there is going to be a riot by midnight.”

She slumped over and leaned against his shoulder.

“You sound like you have had a long day. What happened with Iofer?”

“They came by the house and asked for my help. They used an emergency transport spell that spit us out in their home city. I am guessing that it was their mage component that had touched the stone, the stone started using living energy to propel the spirits, and she went down. I don’t know how long she had been there, but those mages were useless.

“Anyway, I get there, I take possession of the stone, get it contained, bleed off the extra energy and give it back to the XIA team members. From there, I was looking for a ride home. The XIA agents couldn’t manage it with their wounded member, the Mage Guild didn’t want to come near me because I had arrived with the extranaturals. Benny and her team came in just at the right time.”

“They are a solid unit. I don’t know what their assignment was, but I am glad that they were there.”

“As am I. I will get you home in one piece. Just rest. I will wake you when Bara is glaring at me out of the window.”

“Thanks, Argus. It has been a hectic few hours.”

“I gathered as much, but when Iofer sent out the call for help, I knew you could manage the job. Glad you made it, now sleep.”

She breathed in, breathed out, and the world went warmly dark.

 

Low voices surrounded her, and she was carried and settled down on the couch in the common room. She opened her eyes just enough to see Reegar, Bara, and Argus, and she could feel Mr. E.

“Wake me at six, so I can get ready for the party.”

Reegar frowned. “You need a healer.”

“That can wait until tomorrow. Today, I just need some rest.”

Argus sat next to her, holding her hand, and the other two disappeared.

She opened her eyes a little wider and sighed. “Thanks for getting me home.”

“No problem. I am happy to have been there.” He stroked her cheek.

“I still have to write that report on the spectres. Someone seems to be looking for something, and they aren’t waiting for the dissipated ones anymore. They are grabbing some really strong spectres and smashing them together. That isn’t good.”

“I know. I have learned that much from you.”

She sniffed. “Do I smell food?”

“It has been decided that you will get more of a boost from a large infusion of food than simple rest.”

She groaned. “Everybody is trying to feed me today.”

“Adrea?”

“Yeah, and she paused time to do it. That is one scary lady when she wants you to eat a scone.”

He chuckled and gave her a light kiss. “There are a bunch of scary ladies out there; you just have to find their triggers. Apparently, Adrea’s is knowing that you need food after magic.”

“Why do folks fuss over me?”

Reegar came into her field of view with a tray in his hands. “Because you are young, and you are fearless. It makes us worry.”

Argus nodded and helped her sit up.

“Oh, this isn’t for her. Mr. E looks a little weak, so we defrosted a pie. Imara’s food is still on the stove.”

Mr. E perked up and looked around. Reegar reached between them and scooped up the fluffy familiar, setting him on the tray, on the coffee table, next to the pie. It didn’t take long before the familiar and the pie became one.

Imara talked quietly with Argus and Bara while the kitten romped in the dessert; when her food arrived, it did wonders for her sense of reality and connectivity to the universe.

Bara finally asked, “How did the fabric work? I got it out of your room.”

Imara raised her thumb. “It was excellent. It should give you the grade you were looking for as well.”

Argus asked, “What fabric?”

Bara smiled. “It was a speciality wrap that could be worn while shifting. I am trying to find a way to make it in something larger than a five-inch strip.”

“Can’t you stitch it together?”

Bara sighed. “No. That is the problem.”

Imara smiled and felt the ripple of relief that she didn’t have to tell Argus what she was actually using it for. He was in law enforcement, and until she was officially invited into the home of Desmond Demiel, she had committed a crime.

No pressure.