Chapter Nine

Imara sat with the counsellor and seer, N’sha, and stared into her brilliant amber eyes as she learned the path her life could take.

“You are exceptionally bright, Ms. Mirrin. You have the opportunity to join the guild at the highest level. While I understand your need to strike out on your own, I urge you to take a more conventional path.”

Imara held Mr. E in her lap and stroked him to soothe him and herself at the same time. This was her third meeting with the counsellor, and he was unsettled every time. Frankly, so was she.

“I know that the path isn’t one that is normally considered, but it is the one I have chosen. Thank you for the contact information for the Mage Guild enforcement and the XIA. You have helped convince me of the direction I should be looking.”

N’sha leaned back. “If you are sure that this is the path you choose, I respect your decision. I do still have some feelers out for more opportunities for you. May I call you if they come in?”

Imara nodded. “Please. That would be very helpful. Any information can be put to use.”

“I agree. Well, it has been interesting going over your records. I look forward to seeing you again.”

Imara took the hint and got to her feet with Mr. E in her arms. “Have a good day, Counsellor N’sha.”

“You as well. You have a bright future. Take care of it.”

Imara left and walked through the nearly empty halls of the Brokal Building. Named after Heinrich Brokal, it was famous for not being able to keep inhabitants in its halls. No one liked to stay in his building.

When they were outside the building, she inhaled and exhaled slowly. “I wish I knew how to get that feeling out of the walls.”

There is probably a mage who can work the clearance spell, but no one wants to pay for it.

“Right. I forget that magic pays.”

You had better count on it. You are about to throw yourself into that realm.

“I know. It is just hard to imagine that a dream I only developed as a frantic escape is coming true.”

You have earned this moment. Enjoy it.

She nodded. There was still a week to go, but she had made up her mind. She was going to finish her spell and complete her course. There was no putting it off. This was the spell she had been meant to create.

She got into her light SUV and settled in with Mr. E hopping onto the dashboard. The Brokal Building was on the other side of campus from Reegar Hall, so driving her new car had seemed like the best option.

Mr. E enjoyed the new-car smell. None of his previous mages had driven, and if they had, they certainly hadn’t taken him along with them. Imara was happy that she could give him little experiences that he enjoyed. Her happiness was tied to his.

Imara woke up and knew that it was time. After hashing and rehashing what she should use, she knew what she needed. She gathered the ingredients, set up a video camera and went to work.

The notebooks that she needed were next to her, and with precision, she started with her first ingredients across three containers.

The first thing that she added was soil from her mother’s garden. The soil from the site of the most recent wave.

It was done, she had started. Now to continue with words from a friend. Reegar had written the words You can do this on three sheets of parchment. She folded them carefully and set them into the three bowls.

The empty soul was the shattered spectre crystal from the incident where she first met Benny. When she had finished draining the spectres, the crystal had cracked into three chunks. It had offered itself to her at that moment. She thought of it as the empty soul because it had never held a soul.

The ties that bind had been offered by Bara. It was rope that she and Luken had made for this test. Her twin had offered his help, and Bara had put him to work. The rope was cut into three pieces and placed gently in the containers.

The rest of the pieces came together quickly, and by the time the last slip of blunderberry leaf was in, the spell was nearly complete.

She took three matches and lit each group of contents on fire, muttering about blending, binding, and melting together.

Violent purple fire shot upwards with each match touching the ingredients. She focused and murmured encouragement for the fire to give way to liquid.

The blaze turned blue then green, yellow, and finally red before it disappeared and left behind a molten and metallic gold liquid.

The honey from the magic bees was added in minute amounts. The gold liquid began to swirl rapidly, and she took out the final gift from Kitigan’s family. Three orbs of seer glass were lined up, and she used the tiny funnel to fill each of them before she corked them.

The one-and-a-half inch orbs were filled with a golden storm of potential. All the love and support that Imara had gotten for this project had humbled her. Argus had even shifted and clipped one of his claws with his beak before snipping the clipping into pieces. She had her piece of a beast.

She held her breath as she transferred the corked spells to velvet-lined, padded boxes.

When the last box was closed, she nearly collapsed. Instead, she put away the ingredients and set them up carefully on the shelves.

Keeping the lab neat was what she needed to stay sane. Once everything was complete, she checked the video and popped the chip.

She looked at the chip and pressed it to her forehead. “Right. Done.”

Master Midian had agreed to accept a video as she was out of town until late in the afternoon.

Imara gathered her boxes and notebooks, carrying everything out into the common space, and she settled them quickly into the padded and lined box that Reegar had prepared for the occasion.

The moment that she settled in the chair near the library, she heard shouts.

“Surprise!”

Bara and Luken jumped out from behind the stacks, Reegar simply appeared, and Mr. E crept out from under her chair.

Imara’s heart stuttered and then fired up a pounding beat. “Oh! Thank you.”

Mr. E crawled up and sat on her lap, purring up a storm. She clutched him, and her pulse immediately slowed to a more normal beat.

Bara chuckled. “You look exhausted.”

Reegar nodded. “It is the most trying spell she could make, so she put everything in herself into it.”

Luken came up and squeezed her hand. “You did well, sister.”

“Thanks, but we don’t even know if it works.”

Reegar snorted. “You might get partial credit if you misidentified the spell, but you still managed to create something that radiates power. That is a pass no matter the level of it.”

Imara looked at him weakly. “Really?”

“Really. I supervised your procedures, and there is no way that any of your mechanics can’t be replicated. There was nothing shifty about it. That is what they are looking for.”

Imara nodded. “Good.”

Bara grinned. “We have cake.”

“What time is it?”

Reegar cocked his head. “It is just after four.”

She sat up. “What?”

“Yes, you have been working for eight hours without a break. Why?”

“I have to bring the spells to Midian at five.”

Bara grimaced. “Have some cake. You need to eat.”

Mr. E looked up at her with bright gold eyes. I made you a present.

She blinked. “What?”

I made you something to keep your version of the spell on. It is next to Reegar.

Reegar noted where she was looking, and he picked up the box. “Ah, yes. Your familiar made this for you. I confess to being surprised at his dexterity.”

Bara smiled. “I helped a little.”

Reegar handed her the box, and Imara opened it with curiosity burning in her.

A bracelet made of shining steel with a clasp and a kitten engraved on the back of it was sitting on a bed of black velvet.

“Should I put it on?”

Please. I measured it by hugging your arm while you slept.

She grinned and slipped the band over her wrist. It felt comfortable, and then, she didn’t even feel it. She picked him up and got to her feet, walking over to her spells and opening one of the boxes.

“Now, how do I put this on the band?”

Luken piped up, “Just touch your spell to the clasp. It will attach automatically to the nearest link. There are concealment spells on it and comfort spells.”

“Thank you, brother, and most of all, thank you, Mr. E.”

Her little friend squirmed. You deserve more from those around you.

“I have gotten tons of support from friends and family. I am enjoying it for what it is. Affection freely given.”

She checked her phone. “Damn. And now I have to run from this very touching moment.”

Reegar reached in and pulled out her private notebook. “No sense in letting the mages get their hands on all copies.”

“Right. Well, hopefully, I will be back in an hour or so. Mr. E, you stay here. You know how she feels about familiars.”

He sighed and jumped from her arms to the table. You really like it?

“I really do. Talk to you soon.”

Reegar frowned. “Aren’t you going out with Argus tonight?”

“That isn’t until eight. I have time.”

She lifted the box from the table, inhaled, and said, “Wish me luck!”

Luken grinned. “I did. That is why you were born first.”

She snorted and walked out of Reegar Hall, heading for the mage labs.

Midian took the experimental spell and carried it to the testing lab. The lab was designed to mimic a human body and determine the nature of the magic itself.

“Well, Mirrin, this looks good. The spell log is solid, so now, we just have to see what it does or what the potential is.”

Imara nodded, and she stood with her fingers woven together tightly. The sacrificial spell was placed on the table, and Midian left the room, placing her hand on the activation glyph and then chanting softly.

The spell shivered, shimmered and then exploded in the room, shattering and rocketing around the space until it gradually faded.

Imara didn’t see any change at first. When she looked in, she suddenly noticed that everything was better. The wood was darker, the chair was pristine, the blotter had no stains and was made of a fine-grade leather where it had been rough cardboard before.

Midian smiled slowly. “Excellently done. You will be receiving an invitation to the Mage Guild by the end of the week.”

To Imara’s shock, Midian extended her hand. Out of reflex, she shook hands with her instructor.

The slight scratch on her finger came when she withdrew her hand. She looked at the pinprick of blood on her finger and then Midian’s hand.

The snake ring seemed like something Imara should have seen before.

She stepped back and headed for the door. Midian didn’t call out after her.

The main hall was bloated and flexed. The doorway was warped, and it was nearly impossible to figure out the latch to let herself into the fresh air.

The hiss behind her made her turn. To her shock, it was N’sha’s torso riding on top of the serpentine lower body. N’sha reared up to tower over her, grinning and exposing fangs dripping with venom.

The shouts coming from the quad told Imara that she wasn’t imagining the horror that was slashing at her with claws as deadly as the fangs.

The burn of the claw strike on her right arm sent a shockwave through her limb and left it limp. Imara fell to the ground as the toxin spread. She tried to connect with Mr. E, but there was nothing but fury and frustration on that end.

“Oh, you can’t call your little familiar. He is busy with my sister.”

Panic and pain turned to worry. “Don’t hurt him.”

N’sha moved in and leaned over her, her tail snaking around Imara’s body and holding her in place. “We can’t hurt him, but we can hurt you, and we will.”

Paralysis was moving in on her, but there was one thing that she could do. When no one human could help her, she called the spectres. They might not assist her, but it was the only move she had. She gave it everything she could.