Chapter Nine - Undercover
CHAPTER NINE
Undercover
PROFESSOR GREG DOUGLAS ’ keys jingled ever so slightly as he attempted to silently lock the door to his townhouse, which just so happened to be next door to mine. It was only perceptible because I had already been listening for it ever since the weekday curfew struck.
I watched Mr. Douglas’ schedule after having seen him hanging around the council building, just outside of the city I owned, more than once. It tipped me off that he was probably one of the council’s many informants, and one of my ways into finding out more about their off-the-books meetings. How they used informants was no secret. However, they were secretly lurking everywhere as constant eyes and ears.
It was no surprise there would be a meeting shortly after the start of the school year at Ares-Valentine. They would be scoping out the new students—prospects.
Being on the council required an invite and a demonstration of power, money, with references of education. They had to be voted on by the majority. That invite had never been extended to me, though I knew my power rivaled many of theirs. In fact, they had been ignoring me my entire life after the so-called accident, only growing my suspicions. It would have been easier to try to get an invite, but I didn’t want to draw attention to my investigation, as I was likely on the verge of being their next target if I gave any indication. I doubted that it was the entire council involved, but someone was responsible and the council would lead me to them.
After waiting just long enough, I cast an air shield to step on to prevent even my footsteps from being heard.
The aura professor was completely unaware of me tailing him, despite the nervous glances he cast over his shoulder from time to time. He made it past the iron front gates. Portals weren’t allowed on the academy grounds but could be made just outside the gates.
From under the dark shadows along the walls of the buildings, I watched past the stone pillars. So little actually surprised me from what I’d learned about the council over the years, but it was slightly shocking to see more hooded figures than the few I anticipated rushing so silently toward the front gate from within the shadows—just as I was now.
The larger mass under a dark cloak, Douglas, stepped through his own swirling portal with the others. They were all quick and efficient, no doubt this was carefully planned.
Not so fast.
Once the final person stepped through the portal, I couldn’t let it close and not find out where it led.
Stepping out of the dark concealing me, my magic danced to my fingertips. The rage that fueled me for the past thirteen years, the rage I was always feeling, eagerly waited to be released.
The shadow magic I kept concealed poured from me, falling to the pavement, stretching in tendrils to the portal. Taking a deep breath, I let everything wash over me. It wasn’t just proof I wanted, it was the goal to take down everyone involved in the night that stole my parents from me. Those constant thoughts were enough to fuel me to cast magic that so very few could do. Learning dark magic and shadow magic, so uncontrollable by those who feared it, was something I started early, knowing I’d need every advantage.
Hungry as I was, shadows ripped the portal to shreds immediately, piece by piece, devouring it until I was left with the knowledge of where the magic signature led. Perfect.
If it lingered open a second too long, someone would have known the trace was followed. Turned out, they didn’t go far.
The path in front of me was covered in cobblestone, leading to the nearby town, Deimos Bay. It was only about two strips of shops and a couple of hotels. Some late-night shouts could be heard from the busy bar at the end of the street. I made my way down a dimly lit side street just outside of the town limits and past the building where official meetings were sometimes held .
Private meetings at odd hours was something I had already caught onto, but I needed a better way to figure out their schedule. I also had suspicions that not everyone on the council attended, or they would have been publicly known meetings. Most likely other powerful families, not on the council, would attend these private ones.
The portal I shredded gave me the information that the informants had traveled to the dark alley before me. Two lookouts, wearing the deep gray of the Realm army, stood before a magical barrier. It was a mix of light and air magic. It was obvious to me because I was looking for it and could feel the invisible light sparks emanating from it, just enough light magic to do your bidding but not enough to be seen as it wove with the air magic. It was complex, a very impressive amount of light magic control would have been needed to create it.
I needed more information to get through it.
Behind the charged barrier, a building rested in the dark. Its closed shutters and peeling paint made it appear to be of no significance. It almost looked abandoned, except for the faintest light creeping through the bottom of the windows.
Tonight would require me to once again cross my own boundaries. I was prepared for this.
I waited until the best opportunity I had finally walked by. Tough luck for the poor soul. It didn’t even take a moment of pause, not a second to consider, and what I cast had the obviously drunk passerby crying out in agony.
Down the street, far enough to not be suspicious, the man clutched his stomach before falling to his knees with a crack on the pavement. Screams of pure terror interrupting his gagging cut through the night as he retched the contents of his stomach.
“What’s going on down there?” one guard asked.
“No idea. Drunk probably got in a fight with the wrong witch,” the other answered.
As intended, the lookouts shifted their gaze to peer down the street.
Of course they didn’t bother to go check on him, but it was the distraction I needed. It was enough to shuffle through their mind, a brief moment for them to be caught off guard. This magic was a complete violation.
Mind reading, illegal dark magic, broke their walls. Entering what was at the forefront of their minds showed me their thoughts and memories they found important from just moments ago. The key to unlocking the barrier behind them.
The two lookouts sagged to the floor, blacked out for the next fifteen to twenty minutes from how much I took from them.
I released the hold I had on the man down the street. His form rose to a stand, his mind still swimming with the illusion I removed. It wouldn’t have worked on the lookouts—not on trained soldiers.
The stranger shuddered audibly through the night as his swaying steps led him further down the street. He’d walk it off, hopefully forgetting his mind believed his organs were being obliterated piece by piece. Instead of knowing the worst pain he likely ever felt, all he would remember was being blackout drunk. That was, if the magic worked properly .
Didn’t matter. It was done. My steps momentarily faltered as the complexity of what I cast bordered on too much for one person.
Inches before me, the barrier held firm. Magic burned within me, rising even after how much I depleted, fueled by the fact that not too far from me was at least one of the people responsible for that night. A lot of work had gone into getting this far. I couldn’t risk letting that anger swell more tonight and getting caught.
I nicked my finger, letting two drops of blood fall, as the guard’s mind had shown me. The magic released. In front of me, the air rippled. The static could be felt dissolving and opening enough to let me through as if I had an open invitation. Anyone attempting to touch the barrier without the correct tribute would have set an alarm off to those who set it.
Not long passed since Professor Douglas made his way to the meeting, so I knew I wasn’t too late.
Shadow magic surrounded me, cloaking me completely within the shadows behind the building. I followed the sounds that had previously been hidden until passing through the barrier.
Black stone steps covered with damp moss led down to a cellar, bolted shut. I didn’t need to go far down them before the sounds from the window became clear.
Douglas’ voice spoke up. “-it was best. His parents were awful, they were powerful and going to overthrow the council. It was good timing, though a terrible disaster. His sudden interest in teaching is concerning. ”
A distorted voice rasped out, “I don’t have evidence to believe it is, Greg. Regardless, we will keep a close eye. He hasn’t shown any interest in taking up his parents’ place, and we’ve seen that he studied proficiently for his current position.”
Douglas grunted.
Me. They were discussing my presence at the academy. That was expected. I crouched low.
“I met him as a boy,” said a different distorted voice. “His incredible power is always a threat if he wanted to use it. Better to keep him close, watch to be sure he doesn’t cross any lines.”
Keep me close, that was exactly what I wanted.
Douglas said something that had my breath halting in my chest. “Someone else from one of the families. Harper Solace attends this year. She was in my class, kind of distracted, nothing special.”
My blood boiled.
It shouldn’t have. It only took a mention of her name and I was already losing my cool, wanting to storm in there. After everything I had carefully put into place, I couldn’t let a loss of control jeopardize this.
It was difficult to temper the proactive feeling I got when they mentioned my mate. I barely knew her, though I had been paying closer attention than I meant to. It didn’t even feel like my bond causing it. It was me. She was a victim because of someone in there, and they had taken everything from me. They couldn’t take her too, even if she couldn’t be mine.
The path I was on would only lead to death. I had absolutely no ties left in the world, nothing left to lose.
Another voice I hadn’t heard until now spoke, “And what of her reading? ”
“I couldn’t get much of one, she was blocking. From what I’ve gathered, she isn’t good at pulling her magic to the surface. Still, I broke through her walls and managed to get a vision of a mirror, plants, stress of class. Nothing. I don’t believe she is of magical significance like her parents. Trevor, on the other hand, is showing great promise.”
“Of course he is,” stated a rough, deep voice. “Continue to mentor him. Caleb has been given notice to start practice with you as well next week. We will inform you of anyone with promise to keep our council’s power a priority.”
I ran a hand down my face. That was Trevor’s father, Rufeus Emerson. He had held his position on the council for nearly twenty years. How could he be here, talking about the families from those burned in the fire like they were some sort of risk to the council, if he lost his wife in the fire?
This confirmed what I was already nearly sure of. There was a separate group working with some council members and possibly some others.
“Of course,” Douglas confirmed.
“You’re dismissed,” the distorted voice commanded immediately.
Steps came close.
I ducked back behind the building. The aura professor was completely oblivious to my presence. I didn’t move until he gave his tribute to leave.
Stepping back down the stone steps, I took my spot back by the boarded window. Another voice spoke, but it was hard to decipher past the wards.
I couldn’t hear anything else clearly, as if they put increased magic in place once one of the informants had left. The words I could make out were “warden” and “Cerberus Prison,” named after the mythical guard of the underworld because the prison was buried underground. A date was spoken for almost two weeks from now before the words completely faded into a blur, likely new wards put up after the rest of the informants left.
Cerberus Prison never was much of an interest of mine, with nothing notable about the council’s involvement with it, nor was it profitable for business. Now, learning about the prison’s connections and defenses was my next task.
I decided to leave a bit early, before the commencement of the meeting. The calm night air was a stark contrast to the anger I felt. While making it down the street and into the town I owned, my steps faltered, nearly tripping me. An overwhelming feeling stirred within me. It made absolutely no sense considering the mood I was in.
It took a moment before registering that it was not coming from me. A few focused deep breaths dampened my connection to the bond. One of the many reasons this was a curse and why my lessons would continue to emphasize blocking. As long as I could maintain that wall, my end of the bond would stay blocked. She was another story entirely, as I was currently learning.
Back on campus, I left my raincoat in the townhouse and headed for my classroom, cutting through the library.
Stepping inside the library, I was stunned in place by the image before me .
Seeing her with Caleb, after he was mentioned having tutoring with an informant for a secret society, it shouldn’t have irked me this much, but it did. They were already aware of her. Already watching her magic levels and paying attention to what she did. They sounded uninterested after Professor Douglas’ report, though I didn’t doubt they’d keep an eye on her as one of the families involved.
I didn’t know what Caleb knew yet, or what the meetings he’d be taking with Douglas really meant, if anything. Why did she have to be here with him of all people?
The whole goal of rejecting her was to keep her from being close to me, to keep her out of this.
Her pools of light blue eyes stared into mine as his body pressed into hers. At least I didn’t have to wonder what was happening for her feelings to have projected onto me so strongly.
My hands clenched into fists. Magic danced within my palms.
What was I supposed to do? Go stake a claim on someone I was trying to reject?
My gaze fell to his hands under her shirt. Not him.
There wasn’t anything I could do tonight.
I had things to gather from my classroom down the hall from the library anyway.
Her eyes could still be felt on me before I cut through the library.
A smirk threatened the corner of my lips when I felt her following me.
Curiosity, perhaps. She wouldn’t yet have known it was just a weak attempt at the universe urging us together .
I’d be locking my classroom because a conversation with her would be too much after everything I learned. It would be too hard to keep control of the mate bond with the new information, along with catching my mate with one of the names mentioned tonight.
She thought I couldn’t feel her following me. Too bad, I was done for the day. Some small part of me that I did not want to acknowledge was glad I pulled her away from Caleb fucking Thorne.
Perhaps she was just going this way. After a moment, a realization had me full-on grinning as I headed down the hall of classrooms. While I caught a glimpse of her there, I couldn’t feel her anymore. She was blocking me, not great, not holding it well enough. She was using the magic I taught her against me, and it was one of the only times I felt true pride.
I needed to fully reject the mate bond from my end. I was avoiding giving it attention, avoiding accepting, but didn’t outright reject it. I’ve wanted to, but hadn’t just yet.
I’d had no one who I let close to me since I was a child. It made no sense why I’d been holding onto this when she didn’t even know what she meant to me.