Chapter 19
Tap
“Oh,” Phin gasped, looking up at the massive stone building in front of us. Her breath made a plume of steam, her lips rounded as her eyes traveled up to the observatory.
“Yes, it’s quite something, isn’t it?” I patted her arm and stepped forward, bringing her with me.
“Do you visit often?” She blushed. “Sorry. That’s a silly question.”
“That’s alright. No, I don’t. I was here just over a year ago for Rylan and Calla’s wedding. I don’t leave the crossroads much.”
“You’ve been out several times recently.” Her smile was arresting. She seemed proud. My heart thumped hot and heavy behind my ribs.
“I have. And if Seir asked me, I’d blame him, but realistically, I think I’ve got you to thank.”
Her mouth dropped open and her cheeks turned the most delightful shade of pink. Suddenly shy, she stopped meeting my eye, though to my great pleasure, she didn’t let go of my arm.
As we approached the double doors of the magical collegium’s main building, my sister-in-law Calla opened them for us.
“Welcome! Come in, please, it’s freezing out there. Hailon just arrived too.”
Once we were all inside where it was warmer, I accepted her hug and kissed her on the cheek. “You look well.”
“I have no complaints.” Calla, my brother Rylan’s mate, and a powerful earth witch in her own right, smiled at us. She was on the taller side for a woman and her stride was long as she stepped over to hug Phin. “So nice to meet you! Welcome to d’Arcan. I’m Calla. You’re Phin?”
“Yes, hello.”
“I’ve heard so many wonderful things.” She paused, head tilted as she took Phin in.
“Aren’t you beautiful.” Calla glanced between the two of us, her happy smile impossible not to reciprocate.
“Come on through.” She started down the wide stone hall at a brisk clip, taking us past several rooms. “Students are in, but we won’t be bothered in Vassago’s classroom. ”
“Is he not teaching then?” I asked, slightly disappointed I’d be missing seeing him do so.
“Not today.” She caught my eye and got a devious look. “Specialty instructors are only twice a week.” She held the last of her commentary until she’d opened the doors of said classroom wide and walked us inside. “So your brothers often have free time.”
The brothers in question looked up from where they sat across from one another on plush furniture, one with a book in his hand and the other a ledger, an assortment of snacks and half-drunk teacups on the low table between them.
For such a large room, it felt cozy. The fire was lit and burning heartily, the furniture was soft and plush.
Across the room, two columnar windows made from thick slabs of rainbow glass threw gentle colors over the floor.
My brother’s worktables were a system of organized chaos specific to him, and I was oddly cheered by the familiar items sitting upon them.
“She’s being mean to me again,” Vassago said with a grin as he closed his book and got to his feet. Rylan was only a step behind him. “Have a word with her, would you?”
“I will not. She’s perfect as she is. And she’s not wrong,” Rylan replied, a cagey smirk on his mouth.
Calla crossed behind Vassago, giving him a swift thump on the back of the head with her hand as she passed.
He chuckled. “See? Mean.” Despite his words, his light tone conveyed that this was normal teasing between them, as did the little squeeze he gave her hand when it came to rest on the back of the sofa near him.
“Get your hand off my wife,” Rylan said. Vassago held his hands up as though surrendering, chuckling a hearty laugh.
“You wouldn’t know mean if it bit you,” Greta, his mate, laughed from across the room. She was busily pouring something into tiny vials on her worktop, a cauldron steaming next to her. “Nice to see you, Tap.”
“And you, Greta.”
Hailon stood near her workstation, putting the vials into a wooden device with many little slots so they could be carried all at once. “Nice to see you both again so soon,” she gave a little wave.
“You know how I feel about you threatening me with a good time, Dragonfly.” Vassago smirked, the sharp points of his fangs denting his bottom lip.
He was as fair as Phin, blond hair so light it was nearly white.
Dressed in cream and silver, he was in every way opposite to both myself and Rylan.
“Good to see you, brother.” He pulled me into an embrace, thumping me on the back.
As he released me, he held out a hand. “Pleased to meet you, Phin.”
“Yes, welcome. I’m Rylan. I’m the headmaster here.” He, too, shook her hand.
“Hello.” Her eyes were wide as she looked from one of us to the next.
Calla was quick to reassure her. “Harmless, the lot of us, I promise. Well, mostly.” She winked at Phin, and I could see Phin’s shoulders relax just a little. “Please, make yourself at home.”
“Magnus will be here shortly. He’s speaking with the council,” Rylan said. “He mentioned you’ve been working on a project for him?”
“Yes, I’ve got several things to discuss with him, actually, so that’s good timing.
” I was growing more certain that the disturbances in the long dormant doors were related to the disappearances Magnus had asked me to look into, and what Ramsey had told me corroborated that.
Unfortunately, my daily responsibilities hadn’t allowed time for me to fully look into each one personally yet.
I was hoping that the stone kin would be able to send some of their people through to assist with that part.
Calla had intercepted Phin and was plying her with tea and honey cakes on the sofa.
Greta and Hailon both hustled over, and between them they were doing their best to make her comfortable.
An odd flash of thought had my heart stalling in my chest. It was natural, the way they looked talking with one another.
Like she fit right into this odd little family of mine.
“Tap? Alright?”
“Mm? Yes, fine.” I snapped back to the current moment and found both of my brothers staring at me, identical smug grins on their faces.
“Ah. Well. I should have thought to ask you to bring your mirror. I’ve got a new enchantment that may allow it to work better,” Vassago said, walking toward one of the tables.
The women were all well into their own conversation, Phin giving me a slight nod of reassurance that she was fine as I followed my brothers.
“I’m not sure a scrying mirror will ever work reliably from the crossroads. Most methods of communication like that have a difficult time getting through the energy fields between the planes.”
“Only one way to find out,” he said as he sorted out some supplies. “I’ll make you another with the new method, and if it works, we can update your old one as well.”
He had me pick from several different sizes and shapes and began the task of enchanting it.
I looked at Rylan. “Could I impose upon you for a favor?”
“Of course.”
“I’d like for Phin to be able to go into the city. But she needs to be disguised somehow, if she’s going to be anywhere that’s unwarded or unprotected.” Despite my quiet request, I’d gotten the attention of the women and the room went quiet.
“I’m sure we can manage something.” Rylan rubbed his chin. “Were you thinking a trinket? I could also perhaps use a misdirection cantrip like I often do for myself when I go into the city.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think a cantrip will work.” I didn’t elaborate, but he must have seen enough explanation in my eyes. “I didn’t have anything specific in mind, it just needs to keep her hidden.”
“What about the invisibility thing you can do?” Vassago asked.
I shook my head. “Not only am I horribly out of practice, I have to be touching someone for it to work. That’ll be fine for other situations once I revive my skill with it, but not for enabling her to go without me. She should also have some freedom to move from place to place if she likes.”
“Hmm. Something spelled and worn would likely do the trick. Are we obscuring or disappearing altogether? How potent does it need to be and how soon were you thinking?” He moved toward one of the cabinets near the back of the room.
“Today if possible, so she can visit the glade and go shopping in the city, whenever she likes.”
Rylan nodded thoughtfully. “What are we avoiding?”
“Angels.” Phin’s voice was quiet but clear. Her cheeks pinked as silence swallowed the room.
My brothers both blinked a few times as they looked between us. Relief washed over me when they finally reacted.
“Well, of course.” Vassago nodded, hands still moving over the mirror.
“Naturally. We can’t have a Nephilim just running around unprotected in Revalia.
That’s an invitation for Heaven to pick a fight, and the humans here don’t need to be stuck in the middle of any of their frivolous battles.
” Rylan pulled several things out of the cabinet and brought them over to the table next to where Vassago was working.
“It was bad enough when we had lower level demon hordes popping up.” He sighed.
“I’m so glad that’s done with. Phin, would you mind coming over here for a moment?
I need to know which object you prefer I use. ”
She did as he requested, selecting a delicate bracelet with a small amethyst stone.
It matched the necklace she wore. I had some suspicions about her necklace, and Rylan got a decent look while she was at the table.
She’d mentioned before in passing that it was her mother’s, but it looked far too similar to the ones the other women in our family had come to be in possession of one way or another not to be intrigued.
His eyebrow was raised as he stole a look my direction while fastening the bespelled item around her wrist.
Then everything stopped again as Phin burst into tears while laughing at the same time. Just as she did, Magnus came striding through the open classroom doors, Grace at his side. They stopped, seeing that they’d walked into a tense moment.