Blood Debts (The Temple Chronicles Book 2) (9 page)

“How about we just sniff around for the source of the Brimstone then?” He asked with a hungry sneer.

“Please. Be my guests. I’m just as curious about it as you are. I’ll set up an appointment.”

Jafar smiled a dark smile. “No need for the appointment. Do you not recognize where we are?” His smile stretched wider.

I blinked, finally scanning the room we were in. It was a warehouse. No, a laboratory. Several orbs of light filled the room as one of the Justices cast them against the far walls to stick like giant lightning bugs. Then I saw the symbol on the wall. We were at Temple Industries.

Shit.

“We have sensed Demon-craft all over St. Louis, and think it might have something to do with you or possibly this Armory. The fact that you smell so strongly like Demons after admitting to researching this endeavor seals the deal. Now, show us the entrance to prove you are not consorting with Demons.”

“I can’t.” I answered softly.

“Can’t, or won’t?” Jafar asked with a disgusted snarl. Before I could reply, he continued. “No problem. We will just follow the scent of Brimstone.”

Huh. I hadn’t thought of that. But then again, I also hadn’t sensed the Brimstone in the first place. If it seemed to be centralized here, it made sense why I stunk of it so strongly. I had been here almost every day trying to get into the Armory. But why did my company smell like Demons? Were there Demons imprisoned in the Armory? I shivered. That was a sobering thought.

I had no choice but to follow them. The female Justice who had spoken earlier drifted out of the laboratory and down the hall like a dog on scent. Going straight for the room I had seen in the video footage. Could they be on to something? After a few minutes, we found ourselves in the fated hallway, staring at a blank wall. I bit back a smile. None of us could see anything unique about this section of hallway, as the room had apparently been spelled invisible by my parents. The first time I had realized anything was here was when I had seen the video footage of the attack, as the camera had shown through all magical energies, revealing the door behind the spell. The wizard waved a hand and a blast of hazy heat seared the protective spell from the air, revealing the giant
Omega
symbol above a worn, ancient door that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

She smiled back at my surprise, and then placed a dainty hand on the door handle. After a deep breath, she yanked the door open, and instantly let out a yelp of surprise as a broom handle struck her in the mask where her eyebrow would be. I laughed. I couldn’t help it.

Jafar strode forward, peering into the closet angrily. “This doesn’t make any sense. This is where the Brimstone smell is the strongest. A mighty being manifested near here and spent a great deal of time on this spot. Repeatedly, in order to be this pungent. This must have to do with the Armory.” I laughed even harder.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I mean, that mop is kind of dangerous, but I doubt it’s been spelled. You can have it for ten bucks.” Even though we were standing directly in front of the alleged Armory’s entrance, it was nothing but a broom closet. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I had of course already tried this. The broom must have been spelled because I had been armed for bear and had still also been hit in they eye. I didn’t know how it was possible, but the room was guarded somehow. It hadn’t been when Peter had broken in, but perhaps the spells had been ignited upon my parents’ murder. Without warning, Jafar slammed me up against the wall. “Give me the Key to the Armory. It belongs to
us
.”

“I will tell you one time to let me go. Exactly once. Then I will knock those fucking dentures out of your ancient mouth.” I spoke softly. His grip tightened. “Don’t think I can’t. I’ve already shown you my strength. Do you really want to look a fool in front of your crew? If so, I’m your Huckleberry.”

Jafar’s arm quivered. He was strong for an old man, but he finally let go. He turned away and took a few deep breaths to calm down. Then he turned back to face me. “Hand over the Key to the Armory.” I had no idea what he meant by a
Key
. He must have noticed this from my blank stare. “Magical crossroads like the one required to keep something like this secret for so long require a
Key
. You must have it. Your power is double what it should be, what it was last time you and your parents stood before the Academy on your Name Day.” That brought back the terrifying memory of meeting the Academy for my first time. The Name Day was an initiation day for young inherent wizards to be accepted for training. I hadn’t gone to their school as the majority of wizards did, having instead been ‘home schooled’ by my parents. They hadn’t been too big of fans of the Academy and the politics that were indelibly imprinted on her students.

“Give us your information on the Armory and we will help you. Refuse and we will take it by force. It belongs in our hands where it is safe, not with one family. Until you see the errors of your ways, we are assigning you a caseworker. One of our best detectives. He will shadow you at all times. Gavin?” the Justice who had seemed to agree with me stepped forward. I merely stared at him, refusing to aid him. Jafar nodded after a few seconds. “You leave me no choice then. Akira?” I flinched, having anticipated an attack from Jafar or Gavin. They didn’t move. Instead, I suddenly found myself set upon by the entire ring of wizards simultaneously. I struggled for a moment but they were too quick for my drunken reflexes. A warm blanket of energy began to settle over my shoulders, and then it turned to a tingling, icy pain as it was yanked away. I roared, feeling as if the skin was being torn from my bones. Darkness and a swirl of sparks filled my vision as I crashed to my knees.

When I came to, I was still on the floor, heaving through a raspy throat. Jafar’s face appeared before me. “You brought this on yourself. You have been cursed. From this day forward, your power will no longer restore itself. As you use it up, it is gone… permanently. This curse will remain in place until you choose to comply. You have three days. Then we will be back to hear your answer. I’m interested to see what happens if you use up all your power between now and then. Logic leads me to believe that if you use up your magic, it will be gone for good, but of course we have yet to test it out. Regardless, the longer the curse rests on your shoulders, the higher the risk that the power loss will be permanent. This is fitting, as the extra magic you briefly wielded was not truly yours, and could have only been granted through black magic or Demon-craft.” His smile mocked my fear. Was this really happening? What was I without my magic? Who was I if not a wizard?

I was about to find out.

“The only way we will remove the spell is if you comply. Or beg Gavin’s aid. It most likely won’t replace what was already taken, but will halt the continuous of deterioration of your magic. Again, all we demand is your compliance — your pledge to serve the Academy, and access to the Armory. It’s past time for renegade wizards to do as they please unchecked. I think we are done here, unless you have something to add?” He asked with a leering grin. The other Justices looked troubled, but resolute. This was all they knew. They didn’t know me. They knew their indoctrination into the Academy, and wholeheartedly believed the creed enforced upon them from such a young age. This was why my parents hadn’t let me train at the Academy. At least Gavin looked uncomfortable. That was a plus, right?

One fear plagued my thoughts. “How am I supposed to rid my city of Demons if my power is waning and you aren’t helping? You told me I should have asked you for help a few months ago, well, now I’m asking.”

Jafar looked at me with the cold eyes of a bureaucrat. “Of course… right after you give us what does not belong to you. Or when you come crawling back to us in three days, powerless. It’s up to you. In the mean time, Gavin will be there to make sure you break no further laws. Despite his insolence earlier, he’s a firm believer in order and justice. He’s a tough task master.”

I growled under my breath. “I’ll figure it out on my own then. Like I usually do. You know, this is the kind of action that makes wizards rebel.” The words hit me as doubly true after my conversation with Hemingway at the bar. He sympathized with the Fallen Angels… sort of.

With a rustle of fabric, everyone disappeared except Gavin and I. “So, this blows.” I muttered. Gavin stared at me through the mask that resembled a frowning face, offering nothing. “Are you not allowed to talk to the criminal?” I asked him.

He cocked his head slightly, and then tore his mask away. It disappeared in a puff of vapor. Huh. Fairy make? “My job is to make sure you don’t break the law. We aren’t friends. I’m not here to
help
you, but to
watch
you. To make sure you don’t cross any more lines. I’m not saying that I agree with the Captain, but I also don’t believe that what you did was right.” I simply stared at him, curious. Silence brought on the best answers, I had found, so I waited. “Order is important. Laws are in place to keep the greater good safe.” He said vehemently.

“I guess the
greater good
doesn’t include Regulars then.” I said softly, watching his face. He looked torn.

“Apparently not.” He answered with a sigh. “Look. The current system is broken. I agree, but without a system we are animals. Something is better than nothing. What can we do?” He asked with a helpless frown. “You want to find your parents’ murderer. I understand. I won’t stop you. But let’s get one thing clear. I won’t let you hurt anyone in your effort to do so. Jafar was right. You caused a lot of trouble with the dragons. The Academy should have helped you. But even though they didn’t, it didn’t give you the right to take the law into your own hands. If all it takes is an ideal and the power to enforce it, how is a vigilante any different than a criminal?” He asked me with all the passion of youth. I sighed.

“Fine. Stay out of my way, and we won’t come to blows.” His shoulders stiffened. “Easy, kid. That wasn’t me picking a fight. You can tell by the fact that there isn’t a Gavin shaped dent in the drywall over there.” I waved at the wall with a wry grin that seemed to diffuse the situation. I tried to ease the tension. “About that curse… Was he literal? If I use up my power between now and my trial date, will I become a Regular?”

He studied me for a few moments, judging how much to say. “Jafar doesn’t joke. Or exaggerate. He’s old school. Very old school. When he says something, he means it. But he was also right when he said he’s interested in finding out what would happen. Theoretically, the effects would be permanent. It was either cast the spell or arrest you. He did give you an option, if you recall. Now he can justify his actions to his superiors on the Academy Council. He’s a thug, but an efficient and necessary one. He genuinely believes everything spouted to him from on high. And he’s in charge of the Justices, so they believe as he does. Most of them anyway…” he offered with a shrug. “Enough to matter.”

I nodded, turning back to the door. One problem at a time. I’d figure out the magic thing later. Perhaps I wouldn’t need magic to fend off Demons and Angels while I tried to hunt down my parents’ murderer. Yeah, right. I tried the handle and got bopped in the head with the damned broom, just like Akira. I bit back a curse as I heard Gavin muffle a chuckle. I turned abruptly, casting out a hand behind him as if we were suddenly under attack. He bought it, turning with his own hand cast out defensively.

That’s when I gathered my power around me like a cloak in a corny opera, cackling for good measure as I prepared to apparate back to the bar, using my memory of how the Justices had kidnapped me.

“Muah-ha-ha!” I pulled the room around me like a blanket, reaching for the darkness hidden in the air at all times, and grasped it like my life depended on it, all the while firmly imagining myself back outside the bar from earlier. I hoped I had gotten it right. I heard Gavin curse as he realized my ploy. Perhaps it was my evil magician stage laugh that gave me away.

The spell wrapped around me before I thought about how much magic it might use. What if it used up all my strength? But it was too late. I was hurtling through space at an alarming rate like a plate of Jell-O on a roller coaster.

Chapter 8

M
y feet landed firmly on the concrete just outside the alley where I had been whisked away from not too long ago. Confident that I wasn’t about to throw up again, I cheered. “Boo ya!” I fist bumped the air in triumph. It had worked!

The chill hit me fast after the warmth of the warehouse at Temple Industries. I took a deep breath of the frigid air, trying to sober up a bit. The street was quiet. I scowled in the general direction of where Tory’s Mini Cooper had been parked. Since Gunnar and Tory had rabbited, I would just have to call her back and ask her to pick me up. Again. Hopefully there wouldn’t be any more bar fights. I dared not go back inside. Even though it was warmer. I was sure Achilles wouldn’t be pleased to see me.

The alcohol sloshed uncomfortably in my belly as I began to walk, but I let out a deep laugh. It took me a few seconds to truly comprehend the fact that I had just teleported. How freaking cool was that? But I was too scared to try it again until I got a better grasp of the curse that had been placed on me. What if I burned myself out? I shivered, nothing to do with the cold this time. Right. Dwell later. Get home now. With the important decisions made, I reached into my pocket and whipped out my cell phone.