33. The New Order #2
In any case, it is extremely likely Malefic will claim these territories and countries under his control, as well.
Part of the Magus Imperius’s “confession” included a long screed about how Magical leadership should be determined by Magical ability, and outlined a system of “territories” for the strongest sorcerers living in various parts of Magique.
I fought to breathe, my heart thudding violently in my chest. I re-read the last few paragraphs twice as I tried to make sense of them. My hands felt cold, despite the warm, late-spring breeze, and I struggled with light-headedness.
England had fallen to Malefic? Just like that?
What had he done to get them to agree to give up all of their power to him?
But the letter wasn’t finished, so I forced myself to read on.
It is the unanimous opinion of Golden Sun that Malefic planted a number of his agents inside the Central Magical Authority months ago, true believers of Dark Cathedral who laid the groundwork for this move.
We do not know if the person who ceded control is even the real Magus Imperius, or if he or she is one of the Resurrected.
Unfortunately, the transition has already occurred, either way.
As for how this will effect us here at Malcroix Bones Academy, that is apparently already under discussion, despite the large number of areas that will face either destruction or transformation under the new regime.
Malefic has made it clear our Academy is a priority for him, and a number of edicts are currently being drafted that will impact us directly.
The board of the school, perhaps understandably, is already panicking.
They have been contacted by the Central Magic Authority in the last hour, and there is already talk by some of either locking down the school from any outside incursions, closing it altogether, or removing “controversial” faculty, staff, and students in advance of Malefic’s edicts going into effect.
This is all in an attempt to stay in the good graces of the new regime, and to avoid seeming to support anything known to be “viewed with disapproval” by Malefic and his people.
The thought is, if they can remove such persons in advance, they might avoid an attack that would put lives at risk, or force them to close the academy altogether.
My name, it will not surprise you to learn, is on that list.
So are the names of several of your friends, including Mr. Greythorne, Ms. Minh, Ms. Rook, and Ms. Harringbone, along with Professors Underwood, Dominion, and Wragnus, and a number of our student teachers.
Others will have their work scrutinized, I’m told, but may not be expelled altogether.
Dark Cathedral has a particular interest in the research being conducted by your friend, Lucifer Mocking, and his faculty advisor, Professor Corvid Blackstone.
I am told this had already been discussed in the Central Authority as part of the “reorganization” under discussion.
They wish this work to be placed directly under an “advisory” council headed by one of Malefic’s inner circle.
I’ve only heard rumors as to the names being floated for this.
I felt sick and had to pause for a moment, swallowing.
Somehow I very much doubted Luc would be getting the better deal out of that arrangement, or even Corvid Blackstone, for that matter.
I also found myself wondering about the Magicals who hadn’t been named in Forsooth’s list. Why Miranda and Jolie, but not Draken or Darragh?
Why Wragnus and Underwood, but not Quicksilver?
I forced myself to read on before I let myself think too hard about these questions.
As for you, dear Leda, I’m afraid there is a much more specific demand.
Malefic Bones has officially acknowledged you as a member of his blood family, via marriage.
He has demanded that you be returned immediately to his son and heir, with the very strongly-worded and explicit accusation that we have been holding you here, at Malcroix Bones Academy, against your will.
His proof of this is that you have not been seen in Bonescastle or anywhere else in England for months, and that the tower where you live, “his family’s own property,” has been spelled to prevent any member of that family from visiting you or speaking to you directly.
This is a fiction, I am told, that the major papers, including the London Twilight, are being instructed to push aggressively in the coming days and weeks, likely for a number of reasons.
I am told these stories will escalate and become darker and more graphic until you are “delivered safely” to the family home in Exmoor.
I am sorry to relay this news via a letter, but I wanted you to be prepared, as I said.
I also would like us to be able to jump immediately to discussion of solutions and responses to these new development. For that reason, I admit I am sending this in an attempt to jumpstart that process while your tower is being assessed for immediate danger.
Please come with your cousin to see me as soon as they complete their security sweep, so that we can begin making those plans.
You probably now understand why I wish to ensure your safety before you leave your rooms tonight, despite the short timeline with which we are faced.
With both things in mind, please come to me as soon as you are safely able.
Yours regretfully and affectionately,
Headmaster Gideon Forsooth
Malcroix Bones Academy
I stared down at the letter, breathing harder.
I gripped it so tightly in my hands, I’d scrunched the sides of it inside my fingers.
The sick thing was, a part of me was tempted.
Malefic’s offer actually managed to tempt me, at least in the short term.
I desperately wanted to be with Bones, and to see my brother, alive and healthy, face to face.
I wanted to see Varya and know she was all right.
I could feel the deliberate cruelty of this, to dangle all of them in front of me, and pretend all would be forgiven.
My mind could know it was utter, delusional fantasy to think it would do anything but put everyone I loved in even more danger, but it didn’t stop the longing in me from festering, and making my chest hurt.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
If Bones was watching any of this, or feeling any of this, he didn’t answer.
I could almost see Malefic in the darkness behind my eyes, smiling.
I could feel Bones there more strongly, though, and I knew exactly what he would say to this “offer” being put forth by Malefic, whether he chose to voice it aloud in my mind or not.
I’ll kill you myself, he’d growled at me, glaring into my eyes.
Knowing what I knew about Malefic and how he might use all of us against one another, I don’t know what worried me more––that Bones might mean it, or that he might not.
I was still sitting there, staring at the sheets of parchment gripped between my hands, when the first explosion went off outside the tower window.