Page 53 of Messenger of Death
“There’s magic if you don’t want to be overheard, especially in a room full of beings with enhanced hearing. I took care of that as soon as I joined you. I usually would have taught your class that by now, but some of you can’t behave and we need to listen in.”
“Fairies can do it, just not inside,” Saffron said.
“I’ve been doing it whenever you’re with me,” Morgana said. “I was waiting for you to be taught, but it sounds like there’s going to be a delay.”
Professor Gefn just snorted.
“You’re pretty much the best student in any of your classes. You could probably teach here, eventually.I’mnot supposed to teach the freshman class that trick until the threat is gone, but no one saidyoucouldn’t teach friends you trust. I’ve got to get back. I mainly wanted to check in with Ivar and Ari because bad things will happen if anyone tries to get violent with either of you.”
“Hey, does this listening spell effect electronics?” Lucian asked.
“No, just people eavesdropping. The most you can do with your electronics is locator spells if it gets lost or someone steals it and turns off find my phone,” Morgana said.
“Learned that one the hard way,” Petros said.
“I want to know how you stole my guitar,” Liam said.
“Trade secrets. You like stabbing people. Let me have my petty theft.”
“You’re eventually going to steal from someone stronger than you,” Professor Gefn said right before she left.
Petros just shrugged like he didn’t give a shit. The pub was starting to thin out, so we got up to leave. The reincarnations of Hemlock and Harami had some gall. They were here at this vigil for their victims.
I needed to find proof Lola was Hemlock and that should lead me to Harami. But how was I supposed to do that when I’d already asked Lucian and Liam to look and they didn’t find anything?
And no one else had brought up they suspected her.
The next few weeks were quiet. No one went missing, and I didn’t scream again. Morgana said that was the result of her ritual with the witches. They could keep doing it, but eventually, they’d learn to break the bindings the witches placed on them because the witches didn’t have their true name. It should have given us breathing room to research, but we had literally nothing. Khalid and I were looking into any being associated with snakes and there were a lot of them. Lucian and Liam were digging into messages and not finding anything.
Professor Gefn had been working with Khalid and me on traversing the veil. Neither one of us had mastered it. It wasprobably one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Khalid, who wasmuchsmarter than me hadn’t managed it, either.
Professor Gefn was pretty blunt, but I liked her. We were frustrated we weren’t getting it. She told us we were morons who wanted instant gratification, but she also told us how long it tookherto master this and we felt better.
I liked my work study with Headmaster Mykene. She was brilliant and I could tell she loved her job. I was still trying to figure Radames out, but she seemed to be taking a ‘hands-off’ approach with him because he didn’t want help. She had just let him go do his thing again at the start of our work study.
“I can’t get a read on him at all. Don’t you think he needs help?”
“Absolutely. I’m also familiar with men like him. You can’t press it. He’s stubborn and wants to do it alone, but eventually, he’ll get frustrated and ask for help. Sometimes, students’ parents and upbringing get in the way of their future and education and we have to stand back and let them come into their own. Or in some cases, put them on the right path. No one was expecting the Horned God to be raised by the Irish Mafia.”
“Yeah, but he ran away, and he only kills bad people.”
“You know that’s still not okay, right? We have a justice system.”
“He killsrapists.The justice system doesn’t always do its job with those.”
“No comment. How are you feeling? Between you and Alexios and your foretelling abilities, you’re probably our best bet at figuring out who Hemlock and Harami are in this life.”
“This is all new to me. I’m not used to trusting my feelings. Blue Matthews frequently acted like they weren’t valid and my mother always backed him up. I just need a little proof right now.”
Because I didn’t think anyone would believe me without it and I wasn’t even sure I believed me. Ineededit.
“You can use me if you need proof, you know. It’s what I’m here for.”
“You had files on all of us, right?”
“Yes. I’m guessing you want a peek. It’s highly unusual, but so is this situation. I’ll get them to you on a flash drive.”
My new laptop had come in. It was Lucian approved and once he got his hands on it, the thing was a fortress of security. Lucian might like peeking into people’s electronics, but he didn’t like anyone looking into his. He’d borrowed our laptops and phones. It would be difficult foranyoneto get in.
