Magic Rising (29 page)

By the time I was changed into a sleeveless knit dress, sheer tights and flat shoes, I grabbed my shoulder bag, and made my way up to the meeting room. It was where the candidates had revealed themselves days earlier, and I was the last one to arrive judging by the crowd. The atmosphere was tense, despite the rhythmic noise of conversation. I craned my head, but Etoile was nowhere to be seen. However, Seren raised her arm and waved. Grabbing a glass of orange juice from the refreshment table by the door, I crossed over to her.

“Is it just me or is it…”

“A little tense?” Seren finished. “You just missed the entertainment.”

“There was entertainment?”

“Ignore her.” David stepped closer to give me a swift hug. “She means Georgia and Mary just had a screaming fit and had to be physically separated.”

A smile spread across my face. “No kidding?”

“It was beautiful,” sighed Seren with undisguised glee. “Georgia went so red, I thought she would pop.”

I was sorry I missed it. “What were they arguing about?”

David inclined his head away from the group of three witches and a vampire who had drifted closer. We moved closer to the empty stage and Seren placed her half full glass on it. “Georgia accused Mary of sabotage, said she knew she was behind the shootings and that she was being set up.”

“Georgia thinks everyone is setting her up,” said David. “She cornered Etoile and told her the first thing she would do after she was sworn in would be to have her indicted for treason.”

“Maybe I missed something, but has Etoile done anything treasonous?”

“No,” said Seren with a snort.

“I imagine Georgia will think of something,” David added. “There she is now.”

“Ugh,” grunted Seren. “Who let her back in?”

“She’s still a candidate,” David observed as we watched Georgia stroke the arm of a warlock and laugh at something he said. Given the way his eye twitched, and how he looked over his shoulder three times in the space of a minute, I didn’t think the warlock looked particularly comfortable. She seemed to have a knack for making everyone twitchy. I looked closer. Georgia wasn’t just stroking his arm, she was very subtly layering magic.

“Did you see that?” I asked. “She’s using magic.”

“She’s trying to influence him!” Seren’s tone was furious. “God! Watch this.”

The glass in Georgia’s hand promptly exploded. She shrieked and looked around, which coincided with everyone picking a spot on the floor, wall or ceiling to stare at.

Seren grinned. “Where’s my sister?”

“Astra said she was coming here.”

“I know. Sister number one?”

“She had meetings. You weren’t invited either?”

“No. Where’s Micah?”

“What am I? A map? Actually, I have no idea. I’m sure he isn’t far. I can barely shake him off. Not that I want to,” I added. “I like him, I just don’t need a babysitter.”

“We know about your Evan problem,” said David.

“I don’t have an Evan problem!” Seren and David exchanged looks. “Okay, maybe a little problem. But it’s only been nine days. We aren’t joined at the hip. It’s okay for him not to call back.”

“How many messages have you left?” asked Seren.

“Do texts count?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m not sure. But it’s okay. I know I’ll see him when the Summit is over and he can tell me where he’s been and why he couldn’t call back.” I injected more confidence into my little speech than I felt.

David put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. “I’m glad you’ve got it under control. Do you have your voting slip for later?”

“Yes. It was pushed under my door this morning. Is that Anders with Astra?” I watched the couple make their way to the coffee urn, laughing and talking.

“She says he’s the only one who doesn’t treat her like she’s made of glass,” Seren said softly. “Where’s your cousin?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to find him. Georgia keeps pestering him and I’m afraid he’ll develop a nervous tic before the Summit is over.”

“Don’t forget to vote,” David reminded me. “Voting opens at two p.m.”

“We just stick our ballots in the box and it’s done?” I confirmed. “It seems too easy.”

“Appearances can be deceiving. Etoile needs to win this…” Seren trailed off.

“I know. I’ll catch up with you later.” I sent Micah a text message letting him know where I was going, in case he decided to show his face. I went in search of Daniel, hoping that we would finally get some peaceful catch-up time. He and Anders had rooms on the fourteenth floor, so I went to get the elevator, thinking I would probably find Daniel there. As I stepped into the car, Shazia Halpern followed me. She didn’t speak until the doors closed.

“I’m on my way to the seventeenth floor,” she told me as I reached for the buttons, pausing over the fourteenth. “Go ahead. I’ll just go up when you step out. Drew Freeman called ten minutes ago and said they’re waiting for me.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. Still interested?”

“Of course. I wish I could see it too, but I don’t think they’ll be too happy that I know about it. Noah is only interested in it if it’s magic. Apparently it can be used offensively as well as defensively.”

She gave me an alarmed look. “Should I be worried about this?”

“Only if he decides to test it on you.”

She considered my warning thoughtfully. “Point taken. I’ll make sure I’m protected.”

My floor arrived and I stepped out. “Are you sure about this?” I asked.

“Of course. This is what I do. See you later, Stella. I’ll let you know if the talisman is real.” She gave me a wave as the doors slid shut. I took a long hard look at my reflection in the closed doors and made a decision. I didn’t want to wait as I hurried towards the stairs. I wanted to see the talisman for myself.

SIXTEEN

It didn’t take me long to find the werewolf contingent and Shazia as I exited the stairwell onto the seventeenth floor a few minutes later. All I had to do was pass by the library and follow the angry voices. Peeking inside the room where I thought they came from, I saw no one, but I could hear them though not clearly. I pushed open the door, grateful the hinges were well oiled and slipped inside. The room had a twin set of folding doors on a track that could be pulled back to create one larger room, or two smaller ones when they were shut. The middle part hadn’t been fully closed, and evidently, there had been a party in here the night before as several sacks of garbage awaited collection in my section. From the slight smell, it had sat there a day too long. From my point of view, that was just fine. The wolves probably wouldn’t scent me.

I hesitated at the folding doors, fully aware I was snooping, but unwilling to leave.

“Let the woman hold it,” came Noah’s voice against the backdrop of a growl. “I want to be sure I’m not purchasing some lump of wood.”

“You know me,” said Shazia. “I have to hold it to authenticate it. Otherwise, what’s the point of asking me to assess it?”

There was a small pause, then a woman said, “Fine. Just be careful.”

“I always am.”

After some shuffling, I assumed that the object had changed hands because Shazia said, “It’s quite remarkable. Look at the carvings. I’ve seen similar pieces, reputedly created by the same craftsman, but this is something else.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Noah. “Is it from the right time period?”

“I’d estimate it to be around two hundred years old.”

“I’ve told you this already,” said the unidentified female.

“And I want to hear it from someone else, okay? Is it the talisman or a fake?”

Quiet descended over them.

“I can feel its power,” said Shazia, “and it’s considerable. The magic is definitely from a witch, and it’s very powerful although it appears contained. I believe there is a way to unlock it, but I don’t know how. Yes,” she said finally. “Yes, it’s real. This is the talisman you’re looking for.”

“How do I know you’re not lying? Maybe she paid you,” said Noah.

“I speak the truth. I have no interest in it, other than that it’s a fascinating object and I’d like to study it more,” replied Shazia. If she were insulted, I couldn’t tell.

“How does it unlock?” asked Noah.

As he spoke, I edged closer to the opening. I stopped when I noticed one of the folds on the doors held a hole the size of a penny, making it just large enough for me to peer through. I saw Noah, with his back to me, and Drew, with his arms folded. Gage stood a little way off, close to the door to the corridor, which he checked periodically. Caroline stood opposite Noah and another woman stood next to him, with her back to me. Shazia still held the talisman, her head bowed as she turned it over in her hands, studying each side with a fascinated expression.

“I don’t know,” said the woman whose back was to me. It wasn’t Caroline, who I could see, so this had to be the witch and the current owner of the talisman.

“What about you?”

Shazia looked up. “I’ve seen something similar that needs a sequence pressed on the talisman, but I haven’t found any mechanisms on this. It could be a spell.”

“A spell?” Noah shook his head and turned to the woman. “Do you have the spell?”

“No. Just the object.”

“It’s worthless without the spell,” he growled.

“So? Why do you need to activate it?” the woman asked. “You know what it can do!”

“So do you and you’re still prepared to sell it; so get off your high horse!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t sell it. This was a bad idea.” The woman reached for the talisman and Shazia started to hand it back to her, casting a worried glance at Noah. Noah lurched for it.

“You can forget our support!”

“Let go!” the witch snapped.

“It’s ours!”

“It’s mine!” They both grabbed an end and Shazia had to leap away from the fray as they spun around, each refusing to let go.

I almost spoke the woman’s name out loud when I got a look at her face.
Mary Richardson?
My friend’s rival was trading a harmful talisman to the wolves in return for money? Or was it now in exchange for their votes? Either way, this had to be a treasonous act.

Noah and Mary continued to tug at the talisman. Then Noah let go with one hand, lifted it and aimed a blow to her abdomen, wincing as his hand hit her protective magic. Retaliating at his attempt, Mary began to whisper an incantation and Noah’s hand shot to his throat, his face turning red. He rushed her, throwing them both to the ground and the talisman flew from her hand, skidding across the floor. It landed in the narrow opening between the rooms, but was ignored as Drew and Caroline moved to separate the fighting pair, getting knocked over in the process.

“I’m out of here,” said Shazia, throwing her hands into the air. She jogged past Gage, who moved towards the squabbling pair, and a moment later, her footsteps sounded in the corridor as she hurried away.

With the rest of the room occupied by the fighting duo, I tiptoed forwards, picked up the talisman and hurried out of the room, closing the door softly behind me. Hardly believing what I’d just accomplished, I gaped at the talisman as the shouting continued. Slipping it into my purse, I took Shazia’s lead and hurried to the stairwell without a moment to spare.

“Stella, where have you been?” Seren jogged to catch up with me as I reentered the floor, less than ten minutes after leaving. I decided that it was best I showed my face here. With luck, no one would know I’d ever left. “Do you have your voting paper? We can cast our votes now.”

“Right now?” The talisman seemed to get heavier by the second, and I shifted my bag from one shoulder to the other. All I could think about was taking it back to my hotel room until I could work out what to do with it.

“Stella? Voting? C’mon.” Seren hooked her arm through mine and tugged me forwards. I took one last pitiful glance towards the elevator and allowed her to propel us on. “This is it,” she carried on. “The Council is going to undergo major changes. Where’s your slip?”

I unzipped my bag enough to shove my hand in and grope for it, until I felt the thin sheet of paper under the talisman. I dislodged the carved wood and pulled the slip out, waving it at her. “Here.”

“That way,” she said, giving me a push towards the booths. Daniel stood in another one, his back hunched over as he made his mark. “I’ll be over there with David and Astra when you’re done.”

I took the booth next to Daniel. It was a surprisingly simple procedure. Squares of white paper with each candidate’s name printed in a box. A stubby pencil was provided at the booth and I simply crossed through the box with Etoile‘s name before slipping it into the ballot box. I expected something more extreme, magical even, but apparently the age-old method of voting still counted for something here. What was really interesting were the four empty boxes lining one wall of the room. Apparently, all witches, regardless of whether they attended the Summit or not, and despite their level of interest in the proceedings, were allowed to vote. Their slips dematerialised as they cast their votes, and while I was watching, they begin to reappear and fill up the waiting spelled ballot boxes.

The vote over, for me anyway, and my chest feeling tight, I went outside to find Seren waiting, her face tense. I spotted Shazia a little way off, looking flustered.

“I’ll be back in five minutes,” I told Seren. “Can you get Daniel? He’s just inside.”

“No! You can’t go now. We have to wait.”

“Bathroom,” I lied. “Really gotta go.” Without another word, I walked out, forcing myself to keep at an even pace and neatly dodging anyone who might try to talk to me. I took an empty elevator down and ran to my room, my bag cradled in my arms.

Inside, I shut the door with a sigh of relief and sank onto the bed, my hand tight around the handles. Taking a deep breath, I unzipped it and pulled out the talisman I’d just stolen. I dropped the bag on the floor. The talisman was heavier and smaller than I’d expected, and the wood was very smooth. I turned it over, running my fingers over the exquisite carvings. It was beautiful. No wonder Shazia became so intrigued. I could only imagine the level of skill it took to create something like this and, more interestingly, how much magic it took to spell it. I could feel it, but like Shazia, I couldn’t work out how to activate it, which was probably just as well, given that it would probably hurt me.