Necromancy by Kate Baray

Author:Kate Baray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kate Baray

7

Elin was nowhere to be found.

Lizzie sat across from Harrington in his office and listened as Ewan and Tavish reported on their search of the house. When they finished, she stifled her fifth or sixth yawn.

“If she’s in the wind,” Lizzie said, “then maybe we’re in the clear.”

“She’s not in the wind. She’s simply yet to be discovered,” Harrington clarified. “I suspect she’s still on the property.”

“Agreed.” Ewan stood at attention, looking especially stern and forbidding. Failure didn’t agree with him. “She did this for a reason, and until her motivation is uncovered, we can only assume her plan is as yet incomplete.”

“Tell me again what you saw, Lizzie.” Harrington poured himself a whiskey without offering the others a glass.

“It was brief, but I’m certain the magic I felt was Elin’s, and I’m almost as certain she didn’t fuel the Lycan’s reanimation. Her magic acted as a shield and masked any other traces of magic.”

“Your men are working on a deeper look at Elin’s background?” Harrington asked Ewan, who nodded in reply.

A knock at the door was followed by Matylda’s entrance. Another of Ewan’s staff escorted her through the door, then disappeared after Ewan dismissed him.

Harrington studied Matylda with a grim look. “I understand you want to have a look at the Lycan.”

That was news to Lizzie.

“No. I requested an opportunity to observe Lizzie cast her sensing ward so I might evaluate the results myself.”

Also news to Lizzie, but she had one obvious objection. “My ward actually hurt him. It interacted with Elin’s shield in a way I don’t understand, but it definitely causes him pain.”

Matylda’s eyes narrowed. “If I’m correct, it is not a shield that surrounds this Lycan. I need to observe the effects of the ward before I can say with certainty, but I believe I know who is behind the misuse of the necromancy book.”

“But we know who it is,” Lizzie said. “We can’t find her, but her identity is no secret.”

“You don’t know, child. You don’t have the slightest inkling.” Matylda’s gaze softened, and Lizzie suspected she saw a hint of pity there.

Her aunt’s pronouncement was vague enough to spark Lizzie’s curiosity. But Harrington, being the suspicious sort, asked, “Why should I trust you, when you refuse to disclose relevant information?”

“Because I’m the only one who knows what we’re dealing with,” Matylda replied evenly.

“What we’re dealing with?” Ewan asked. “You’re saying that the sixteen-year old Norwegian intern that we background checked isn’t a spell caster?”

“A spell caster, a witch, Lycan. If she’s who I suspect, then she is all of these and none.”

“I trust her,” Lizzie said. “And didn’t you tell me, Ewan, that the Lycan retains no memory of any pain he suffers?” Not that the wolf’s failure to recall made inflicting pain less morally questionable, but Lizzie trusted her gut, and her gut told her to trust Matylda. “Come on. Let’s do this.”

Except when Lizzie got up and headed to the door, no one followed her, not even Matylda.

A few erratic heartbeats passed before Harrington relented and agreed…and then everyone filed out.

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