Source Fire: A Young Adult Fantasy (Arcturus Academy Book 5) Read online

  The van slowed. I leaned forward to glance out the windscreen. “We’re almost there.”

  Davazlar turned the van into the academy’s driveway, to the familiar sound of the gates squeaking open. We braced the crate as the van took the steep, curving driveway and came to a stop in front of the manor.

  Davazlar and Ryan carried the crate from the back of the van, and up the front steps as Basil unlocked the doors and held them open. Tomio and I stepped into the lobby after them and shut the doors.

  “Where to, boss?” Davazlar asked.

  Basil turned to address us as a group. “Before we secrete her away, I want you to consciously decide whether you want to know where she is, or not. I won’t keep her location from anyone in this room who wants to know, but don’t go into this knowledge lightly. Remember that it could make you valuable, not to mention, a target, if anyone were to find out.”

  His statement jarred me unpleasantly, and my skin prickled. I was suddenly very glad Georjayna wasn’t here to greet us. It was better if she didn’t know where the statue was to be kept. “Are you suggesting that this knowledge might be… tortured out of us?”

  Ryan shot me an eye roll. “Duh.”

  Basil gave Ryan a weary look but went on to reiterate another point. “Also remember that she won’t be here indefinitely. Her hiding place is temporary, until I can arrange something else. You’ll only have to carry this knowledge for what should be a matter of days.”

  “I want to know where she’ll be,” Ryan said. His look darkened. “And, I would welcome an encounter with Nero.”

  Ryan had already shown that while he was more competent than the average Burned mage, he didn’t stand much of a chance against Nero. If he ever did face Nero, I didn’t think he’d come out of it as the victor, but I didn’t say so.

  Tomio nodded. “I want to know, too.”

  Davazlar didn’t need to answer, it was already clear that this was why he’d come with us in the first place, to see her well-hidden with his own eyes.

  All the men looked at me, waiting.

  I frowned. “If all of you know, I don’t want to be left out.”

  Basil jerked a nod. “Right. Step carefully, gents. This way.”

  “What do we do about Janet?” I asked as Georjie, Tomio and I snagged slices of the pizza we’d had delivered from our favorite place in Dover.

  After Davazlar had left and Basil had retreated to his suite to make phone calls, we’d ordered pizza and taken it to the first-years’ lounge to eat. Ryan had grabbed a slice and left, his phone in his hand.

  Tomio took a bite, grabbing the gooey string of cheese running from his mouth to his food. He was so hungry that he barely chewed it before he swallowed. “I’ve been thinking about that, too. I don’t know. She could be anywhere. She could even be de—”

  “Please don’t say that,” I said, around my bite. “I refuse to believe he killed her.

  “Why would he?” Georjie asked with alarm.

  Tomio lifted a shoulder in an elegant shrug and took a sip from his glass of water. “Maybe for betraying him? For bringing a radio into his hiding place to tell his enemies what he’s up to?”

  I swallowed and waited as the lump of food made a slow, painful descent down my throat. When he put it that way…

  Tomio didn’t seem to notice my dismay, and continued. “What use is she to him now? The last idle has been located and moved. It’s not like he’ll bring her more artifacts to demystify.”

  “You’re making me lose my appetite.” I put my half-eaten slice in the box and fell back against the couch. Georjie put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

  “Sorry,” Tomio said. “Just trying to think the way Nero might think. It’s a principle of combat.” He crammed the rest of his slice into his mouth and picked up another one, his own appetite clearly unaffected.

  “We have to keep looking.” I stared at the ceiling, not seeing anything but Janet’s huge eyes as we closed the door to her cell.

  “Of course, you do, sweetie.” Georjie was all empathy. She’d put down her own slice now, too.

  Tomio talked between bites. “Where do you suggest we start? Not that I’m disagreeing with you, I want to find her, too. Just… Nero is an international traveler. Where do we look first?”

  I rubbed my face. I had no answers. I could fill a library with the questions I had no answers to.

  The hinges on the lounge door squeaked, and we looked over. Ryan had returned. He approached and held his phone out to me. “Gage wants to talk to you.”

  I took Ryan’s phone as he picked up another slice of pizza and sat in a chair across from Georjie.

  Tomio leaned over so he could see Gage’s face on the screen. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

  I smiled and waved at him. “You look much better. Wait. Are you… standing?”

  On the screen, Gage seemed to sway, then sit down on his hospital bed. He smiled. The sight of it lifted my spirits. “Yeah, now that I’m awake, I’m healing really fast. We are flying home tomorrow.”

  “That’s great,” I said, blinking with surprise. “No, that’s amazing!”

  Gage’s grin faded a little, but a crooked smile remained. “Yeah, I’m really missing my dad. I’m worried about him, you know.”

  “Of course. Seeing you will be so good for him.”

  “That’s what we’re hoping.” Gage’s gaze flicked from side to side, from my face to Tomio’s and back again. “Hey, do you mind if I talk to Saxony privately, Tomio?”

  “Oh. No, not at all. I’ll go.” Tomio made to get up.

  “No, I’ll go.” I got to my feet faster. “You finish eating. I’ll go down the hall.”

  Tomio nodded, expression inscrutable.

  Leaving the lounge, I went to the nearest landing and took a window seat. With a quick glance into the front yard, I sat against the pillows and brought Gage into view. “What’s up?”

  “Listen, I just wanted to say a few things before I arrive home and get distracted by my dad, and old friends, and stuff. You know how Saltford is. Home town, and all that.”

  “Sure.” My heart was pounding and my palms felt damp.

  “I wanted to say thank you for everything you did for me, after… after Nero took me. Ryan told me that you and Tomio were kind of abandoned by the police, and even by the agency, but you never gave up.”

  “Oh.”

  Gage had already said thank you, he really didn’t need to say it again.

  “It’s nothing you wouldn’t have done for me. Plus, Basil did all he could, considering what was going on.”

  Gage dimpled and nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure he did.”

  “Now that it’s just us, I want to know… are you sure you’re okay? I mean, you look great. But, how do you really feel?”

  He looked down momentarily, thoughtfully, then up. “Have you ever lost anyone close to you?”

  Goosebumps swept across my legs and back. I didn’t trust my voice, so I just nodded.

  “It’s like that,” he said. “It’s like a death. Maybe that sounds stupid, because no one died, but—”

  “No, it doesn’t sound stupid, Gage. It makes perfect sense. After all, a part of you did die. And I am sorrier than I can say.”

  “Yeah. Thanks. There’re pros, though. Don’t forget, it’s good for perspective. I don’t have pain. I never realized before just how much pain I was enduring until it was gone. So that’s a silver lining.”

  “That’s good. And have you thought about what’s next? Besides healing, obviously.”

  “My dad is my priority now. He’s not doing well. Mom said that Basil told her that some mages handle the loss really poorly, while others are mostly fine. Maybe I fall into the latter category, though I think it’s too early to tell, since I’m still in shock. But my dad… he’s taking it really hard. So I want to help him get well. I guess I’ll figure out what’s next after that.”

  “That sounds like a plan. When I’m in Saltford next, I’ll come see
you.”

  Gage hesitated, and my heart gave an ache as I realized that he might not want that. I added hastily. “Only if you want me to.”

  His eyes and nose scrunched up for a second. “No. Yeah, of course, I would love to see you.”

  But he had hesitated.

  I couldn’t tell if his words were genuine. Given what he’d been through, both with Nero and with me, maybe Gage didn’t really know how he felt. That would take time.

  “So, you think you’ve saved whoever is left?” Gage set himself back against the pillows on his bed, shifting the phone to look up at it.

  “I hope so, but we still have to find Janet.”

  Gage nodded, then yawned. “Ryan told me about her. Poor lady.”

  “I should let you go, you’re yawning.”

  He nodded again, but his expression shifted gears. He looked pensive, uncertain. “Yeah. I am tired. But there’s one more thing. I feel really weird saying this, but, here goes.” He cleared his throat. “You and Tomio—”

  My gut twisted.

  “—it’s okay with me. I mean, I’m okay with it.” His expression cramped again. “Not that you need my permission, you can do whatever you want, but— Wow, this is so awkward.”

  I felt as though my chest was filling with helium. No, I didn’t need his permission, but his words still had a remarkable effect on me. “Do you mean that?”

  “Of course, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. What happened between us sucked, but I don’t blame you, and I’ve already forgiven Tomio. My mom thought I shouldn’t go home without telling you that.”

  My eyes widened. “Your mom?”

  Gage laughed. “Yeah, she’s… she’s kind of a fan of yours. She said that we’d both feel better if we talked about what happened and you’d feel better if you knew I wasn’t angry.” He shrugged. “And, I’m not. It seems pretty clear that we weren’t meant to be together, Saxony. And I don’t want to stand in the way of your happiness, if being with Tomio makes you happy. I mean, it’s not my business, but just saying. My mom also said…” he paused, looking for words.

  I prompted him when too much time passed. “What did the regal Angelica have to say?”

  He spoke slowly, as though trying to make sure he paraphrased his mother well, which was probably exactly what he was doing. “She said that it’s not universal, but almost everyone leaves their first love. And that it’s that heartbreak that helps form the adults we become. It gives us a deeper capacity for love. She says, sorrow and loss are essential to growing up, and so is learning to forgive and let go.”

  My vision blurred and I ran a hand across my eyes. Yes, those were definitely Angelica’s words, either that or Gage had matured considerably while he’d been comatose.

  “Wise lady, your mom.”

  “Yeah.” Gage let out a big breath. “We’re lucky we have her. Speaking of we, I should talk to Ryan again before I sign off.”

  I got up and headed back toward the lounge. “Sure. Thank you for the talk, Gage. I’m really happy to see how fast you’re healing.”

  “Thanks. Talk to you again soon, I hope. Or not. I know you’re busy.”

  I smiled at my friend, feeling lighter and happier as I said goodbye and handed the phone back to Ryan.

  “So, do you really think it’s over now?” Georjie asked as she grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it to her stomach. “The remaining magi are safe?”

  Tomio got up to stack the empty pizza boxes and take them over to the garbage bin behind the door. There was a cold slice sitting on my plate, but I didn’t feel much like eating it.

  “Basil seems to think so, although he’s still taking a lot of precautions, which I say there can’t be enough of.” I took a drink of water as Tomio plopped into the sofa beside me.

  “It would be foolish to think Nero is going to give up just because the statue isn’t where he expects it to be,” he said, letting his head lay back against the couch.

  A sky dark with the colors of twilight peeked through the gap in the drapes. It was getting late. Ryan had excused himself, either he was still talking to Gage, or he’d gone to bed, or he was off doing mysterious Ryan stuff. Basil hadn’t emerged from his suite since dinner. The academy was dim and still, save for our lounge where the sconces flickered with amber light and the air still smelled faintly of cheese and olives.

  “How much power does one mage need?” Georjie wondered.

  I took Tomio’s hand and began to massage the fleshy pad between his thumb and forefinger absent-mindedly. My imagination went back to the rainbow-hued creature we’d glimpsed with Georjie’s magic.

  “I’m not sure he is just a mage anymore. What we saw was something new, something magedom hasn’t seen in living memory.”

  “He’s one idle away from possessing all of them,” Tomio murmured, his eyes half-lidded with sleep and a full-stomach.

  Georjie yawned. “What do you think would happen if he got the last one, too? He’d be like the original god from the legend?”

  “Now, there’s a scary thought.”

  My body felt flushed with heat, maybe from sitting too near Tomio, or just from wearing a thick sweater. I paused massaging Tomio’s hand to pull my hoody over my head and set it over the back of the couch.

  Tomio yawned and stretched, his back crackling audibly. “I don’t know about you, but I’m bushed, not to mention screwed up from all the travel.” He glanced at Georjie, then to me. “I’ll let you two catch up. See you in the morning?”

  “Good night, Tomio,” said Georjie, smiling with her chin propped in her hand.

  “Sleep well.” I turned my face up as he leaned over to kiss me. It wasn’t a lingering kiss, because of Georjie’s presence, but it still made my toes curl and my belly unfurl like a stretching cat.

  I watched Georjie watch him go, one fine, pale brow arching appreciatively as he disappeared. Her brown eyes flicked to me. “He’s pretty dreamy, Saxony.”

  I couldn’t stifle the grin that took over my face. “Right?”

  “I’m happy for you.”

  “Thanks, I’m happy for you and Lachlan, too.” I was about to tell her what Gage had said, when her forehead pinched into two shallow lines.

  “Do you think Basil will go ahead with the school year? Given everything that’s happened?”

  I sighed. “I don’t know. We’ve lost a lot of students. I don’t know how many, exactly. No one ever made a point of talking about idle fires before, so I don’t know who is left unless I’ve touched them. Except for Tomio, of course.”

  “So weird that he still has his fire, but the two of you don’t share a mage bond. Do you think it’s because you love him?”

  I lifted my head in surprise, feeling lost. “How did you get there?”

  Georjie shrugged. “Love is the most powerful force on Earth. Maybe the fact that you—being part of the remaining green-idle family—love him, is enough to protect him.”

  “There’s a thought I never thunk before.” I didn’t agree with Georjie’s theory, since I hadn’t been in love with Tomio when the red fires were snuffed, as nice a theory as it was. But she could put out any conjecture she wanted, I’d listen.

  “You do though, right?”

  “What?” I was feeling lost again.

  Georjie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Honestly, you need to go to bed too. Love him, of course.”

  “Oh.” I smiled crookedly as Tomio’s features and character swam before my mind’s eye. His beauty, his kindness, his strength, his calm demeanor but quirky sense of humor. “Yes. Yeah, I do. A lot. I never saw it coming, but what I feel for him makes me realize that what Gage and I had was on the juvenile side.”

  “He sounded nice too. But yeah, I guess we have to go through the juvenile ones to find the real deal. I sure did.” Georjie yawned again. “I guess… should I book my ticket back to Blackmouth?”

  “You missing Lachlan?”

  “No,” she answered quickly, then laughed. “I mean, yes.
Yes, I miss him, but that’s okay. Missing someone is good. I don’t want to leave if you need me.”

  I didn’t want Georjie to leave. I felt better with her here, but I had no idea if her powers would come in handy again. It didn’t look likely, and she had a life to get back to. “You should book your ticket.”

  Georjie got to her feet and stretched. “Okay. I’m glad I came. Not just for the remote viewing, but to see where you’ve been living and what you’ve been up to since we left Saltford. I’ve seen where Targa lives, but your life was a mystery. It’s nice to be able to picture your surroundings, and meet the people in your life. Especially Tomio.”

  I got to my feet, grabbed my hoody and tied it around my waist as we headed for the door. I was feeling incredibly tired. More than tired, I felt downright sluggish, and my eyes didn’t seem to want to focus. I rubbed them, trying to clear them, then reached for the light switch to turn off the sconces.

  “Saxony,” Georjie’s voice drifted into my ear like a whisper, though she was right beside me. “Look at your arm.”

  Her features fuzzed then came into focus, her brown eyes concerned as she looked at my bare outstretched limb as my finger hovered over the light switch.

  I pulled my arm closer to my face for a better view. All of the little hairs were standing straight up. I felt warm and exhausted, but I hadn’t felt the goosebumps which usually accompanied hair spindling upright.

  “Weird,” I breathed. Twisting my arm and watching the way my blond hairs stayed perfectly perpendicular to my body.

  “It’s like that on your face and neck, too,” Georjie said with a mix of amusement and concern.

  “I have neck hairs?”

  She laughed. “Of course. They’re fine, but they’re there. I’m looking at them. Did you get a shiver?”

  “No. Maybe it’s the effluent leaking from the statue.” I looked up at her, gaze sharper now. “How do you feel?”

  “I’m fine.” She pulled back the sleeve of her cotton t-shirt to show me. “No hackles here.”

  I flicked off the lights. “Maybe its static from my sweater. I’m fried. Let’s go to bed.”