Death Incarnate: Aegis of Merlin Book 7 (The Aegis of Merlin) Read online

  “How did it get destroyed?” one of the seniors asked.

  “The Society of Magic leveled the place during the Great War six hundred years ago. The Kingdom lost a lot of promising students that day. We’ve since increased our defenses considerably.”

  Conryu had never heard of the Society of Magic and judging from the way Maria screwed up her face as she tried to think, she hadn’t either. Finally, a light in her eyes flashed. “The Society of Magic, that’s what they called themselves before the Le Fay Society, right?”

  Jemma pulled the van in front of the castle and turned off the ignition. “That’s right. They took the new name after losing the war. The leadership and most of the strongest members were either killed in the fighting or locked up. The powers that be saw no reason to stop them from making a new group as long as they didn’t make the same mistakes as the original.”

  Talk about a stupid idea.

  She opened the door and they all exited the bus. It was pretty clear to Conryu that they’d made exactly the same mistakes as the original group, but since there were two separate sections, it gave the more destructive part of the group cover. If he’d been in charge, he would have banned the lot of them.

  They collected their bags and followed Jemma through tall double doors into the entry area of the castle. A short hall with a Ministry-red carpet ran down to another door. On either side of the hall were three suits of armor that glowed with magic. More defenses, he suspected.

  Beyond the next set of doors was a large, sprawling room filled with comfortable furniture that very much resembled the lounge back at the dorm. Four sets of steps led to the higher floors and several doorways led deeper into the building. The lounge was empty save for four girls each in robes of a different color.

  “These young ladies,” Jemma said, “will show you around and get you settled. You will begin classes tomorrow. Much like the Academy, we have classes six days a week with Sunday off. I’m sure you will have no trouble fitting in.”

  Looked like the Ministry planned to give them a few days to settle in before sending them off to study the mystery door. That was fine with Conryu. After the flight, all he wanted was food and a bed.

  2

  Reforging

  Conryu found the first four days at the Kingdom magic school immensely tedious. After working directly with the department heads back home, having to go at the pace of the other students bored him to tears. They were working on spirit summoning, a skill set he’d mastered last year. When Sunday rolled around and he could get on with his real task, it came as a huge relief.

  He’d been summoned to the headmistress’s office almost immediately after breakfast. The school remained a maze to him. All the stone halls looked the same, the carpet was all red, and he couldn’t keep which painting was where straight in his head. At this point the novelty of living in a castle had worn off. Fortunately, his summons came with a pixie to guide him, so he had no trouble finding his way to the office.

  Unlike back home, the offices and the secretaries were in separate portions of the administrative area so he didn’t have anyone to glare at him as he made his way to the waiting room. When he arrived he found Maria sitting in one of the leather chairs, legs crossed and toe tapping in the air.

  He glanced up at Prime as they approached. “What do you know about magic doors?”

  “Without having seen it, I can only guess it’s a portal of some sort. To where, I can’t begin to guess given the information available.”

  Since Prime had been on his best behavior since they arrived, Conryu didn’t give him a hard time about his less-than-useful explanation. He didn’t know if the Ministry was being deliberately vague or if they really had no clue what was happening.

  He dropped into the chair beside Maria. “Been waiting long?”

  “No, I just arrived a few seconds ago.”

  Further conversation ended when the headmistress’s door opened. They both stood and stepped through. The office featured the same furniture as every other office Conryu had been called to. Tables, chairs, bookcases, and a file cabinet. Every time he entered one of these rooms he hoped for something cool and magical and so far he’d been disappointed.

  Behind the desk, instead of the stern, middle-aged woman in red Conryu expected, Jemma sat waiting for them. The door closed and she motioned them into the empty chairs in front of the desk.

  “So are you settling in okay?” Jemma asked.

  Conryu nodded. Despite the fact that they were covering stuff he already knew, the teachers and students had been very pleasant. No glaring or staring like he was some sort of monkey on display. He could get used to that.

  “I’ve arranged transport for the three of us into the city. They’ll take us straight to the nearest tube entrance, from there it’s a modest walk to the door.”

  “I need to make a quick side trip back to the Academy,” Conryu said. “This is the day I take Anya to spend time with her mother. I shouldn’t be ten minutes.”

  “No problem,” Jemma said with a strained smile.

  He hadn’t expected her to argue. After all, he was doing this to help them. “Can I come and go as I please or do I need to know something to deactivate the wards?”

  “You’re good to go. The way the wards are designed, they recognize anyone leaving from within them as being allowed to reenter. We’ll wait here until you return.”

  Conryu nodded and left the office. He didn’t want to open the dark portal too close to Maria. The trip through the borderlands took only a moment. Anya was ready to go when he arrived; she’d packed the night before since she wasn’t exactly sure when he’d show up due to the time difference. After a quick trip through Hell, he dropped her off in the Land of the Night Princes. Conryu returned to the waiting room five minutes after he left. His dark portal had barely closed when the office door opened and Jemma and Maria exited.

  “That was quick,” Jemma said. “The car just arrived. Shall we head down?”

  The Ministry head led them via quiet back halls to the front of the school where a sleek black limo waited. A driver wearing a red security officer uniform opened the door for them and the three wizards climbed into the back.

  Conryu settled into the soft black leather and grinned. “This is awesome.”

  Jemma smiled back. “There are perks to being in charge.”

  The car started up and they were on their way down the road. Jemma gestured with her right hand. “There, now no one can listen in on us. I’ll get straight to it. We know very little about the phenomenon we’re going to study. We can’t even identify what specific magical energy is coming from it. I’m the strongest dark magic user in the Ministry, and my Cloak of Darkness wasn’t enough to protect me from whatever effect keeps wizards from approaching.”

  “Did you try Reaper’s Cloak?” Conryu asked.

  “I’m afraid I’m not powerful enough to cast that particular spell. That’s one of the reasons you’re here. I remembered seeing you use it during the tournament. I figured if anyone could penetrate the barrier, it’s you.”

  “I appreciate the vote of confidence. Assuming I succeed, what exactly do you want me to do?” he asked.

  “If you can get through, you should also be strong enough to dispel it. Once that’s done, our analysts will be able to approach and handle the research aspect. With any luck we’ll have it all sorted out by the end of the semester and you can return to the Academy and your normal course of study.”

  “And if we’re not lucky?” he asked.

  “We’ll deal with that if or when it becomes necessary,” Jemma said.

  The traffic was light on Sunday and soon enough they pulled up next to a subway entrance. It was cordoned off with yellow tape and a pair of security officers stood on either side of the steps down. The three of them climbed out of the limo and Jemma flashed some sort of identification at the two men on duty. They both saluted and lifted the tape out of the way.

  The lights flickered as the
y descended the stairs. At the bottom, a wide path ran alongside the tracks. Conryu didn’t sense anything yet and when he mentioned it to Jemma she said the edge of the barrier was still half a mile away.

  Walking through the empty tunnel gave him the creeps. He expected to see glowing eyes peering out from every shadow, but so far all he’d seen was a handful of rats. Only their echoing footsteps broke the silence as they walked under the city.

  Conryu marched along as easily as you please when suddenly beside him Jemma and Maria both flinched and came to a dead stop. He glanced over at them. “What’s wrong?”

  “We’re here,” Jemma said. “Can’t you feel it?”

  He looked all around but saw and felt nothing. “No. Maybe the barrier isn’t for wizards, but for women.”

  A deep frown creased Jemma’s face. “That’s not it. One of the workers that discovered the door was a woman and she had no difficulties. You’re already on the other side of the barrier. We can’t go any further for now. You’ll find the door right around the corner. Whatever the ward’s purpose, do what you have to in order to bring it down.”

  Uncertain and more than a little anxious, Conryu continued his way down the tunnel. He rounded the sharp bend and stopped in his tracks. Jutting from the wall ahead of him was an ornate door surrounded by carvings, the central of which appeared to be a bearded man. The door was illuminated by three heavy-duty industrial lights. Standing between two of the lights, his white hair sticking up every which way, was Angus.

  “What are you doing here?” Conryu asked.

  Angus started and then spun to face him. “A better question is what are you doing here, my boy? Wizards aren’t supposed to be able to approach the door.”

  “As far as I can tell, the barrier doesn’t affect me,” Conryu said.

  Angus positively beamed. “You really are special.”

  “Thanks. How about answering my question?”

  “Ah, of course. Well, when the Ministry saw the design of the door they immediately thought of Merlin which of course brought them to me, seeing as how I’m the world’s foremost expert.”

  Conryu restrained a sigh. “I don’t suppose you figured anything out?”

  Angus managed to look sheepish. “I’m afraid not. The stonework is done in an old style, but it doesn’t appear to be weathered or at least not as weathered as something in this style should be. I dated it at pre-Elf War, but other than that I have no idea.”

  He glanced at Prime. “What do you say, pal? Any insights?”

  The scholomantic flexed his cover. “It’s powerful, but the energy is muddled. I see now why the others failed to determine its type. I’m sorry, Master, but I have nothing to add.”

  Great, so much for the experts. What really interested Conryu was why the barrier didn’t affect him the way it did all the other wizards. Whatever the reason, it didn’t change what he was supposed to do.

  “Move back a little,” Conryu said. When Angus had put a little distance between him and the door, Conryu chanted, “Darkness dispels everything.”

  A sphere of dark energy slammed into the door. It burst and splashed over everything, blotting out the stone for a second. When the magic dissipated, the wall looked exactly the same.

  “Did that do anything?” he shouted back down the tunnel.

  “I can’t sense any change in the barrier,” Jemma called back, her voice echoing weirdly in the tunnel.

  What was he supposed to do now? Conryu blew out a sigh. A simple iron ring hung from the door to serve as a knob. With no better ideas he grabbed it.

  A blinding light filled the tunnel. An endless passage of white light appeared in front of him and an overwhelming urge to step forward enveloped him.

  Conryu lifted his foot and leaned toward the opening.

  Lady Dragon stepped into the ritual chamber at the Le Fay Society’s headquarters. The simple circular chamber housed an unadorned stone altar upon which rested the two pieces of the artifact. From a skylight far above them, soft sunlight filtered down. Not a sound disturbed the air. Lady Dragon could almost hear the heartbeat of the four other Hierarchs arrayed around the altar.

  Lady Tiger’s recovery had taken far longer than she would have liked, but there was nothing to be done about it. Yesterday Lady Bear proclaimed her fit and ready to cast. Joy filled Lady Dragon at that announcement. They were ready now and nothing else mattered.

  As she gazed on her subordinates, each dressed in simple robes appropriate to her aligned element, so did four masked faces stare back at her, assessing, judging, wondering whether she still held the strength to lead them or if one of them might be better suited to the final task. It was ever thus. She constantly had to remind them why she led the Society.

  Best get it over with now.

  With an effort of will, Lady Dragon conjured the Scepter of Morgana. The crimson crystal at its tip sparked with magical fire. The warm, smooth crystal felt right in her hand. It would pain her to hand it back to their mistress when the time came, but hand it back she would.

  One by one the other Hierarchs looked away. Only Lady Wolf held her gaze for a second longer than the others. That one held a bit too much ambition for her liking, but this wasn’t the time to give her overeager minion a proper reminding of her place in the world.

  The scepter flashed once and Lady Dragon said, “The time has come at last. You all know your tasks. Lady Tiger, let us begin.”

  Lady Dragon and Lady Tiger chanted in unison. Over the course of ten minutes the ragged ends of the artifact began to glow, first dull red, then orange, and finally white.

  Lady Lion took up the casting, working in the language of earth. The two pieces were drawn together like a magnet to iron. When the glowing ends touched, the tone of her spell changed and the molten metal fused, becoming a single piece once more.

  Behind her mask Lady Dragon struggled to breathe. The strain and heat combined to render her breathless. She focused through her discomfort and kept the chant smooth and steady.

  Lady Bear began then, weaving light magic into the casting and using it to bind the two halves into one in the magical realm just as Lady Lion had done in the physical realm.

  Now the tricky part. All four of them fell silent at the same moment and Lady Wolf cast alone, her water magic quenching the heated areas. Steam exploded outward, turning the ritual chamber into a sauna.

  When the moisture cleared the artifact sat whole once more, as perfect as the day it was first forged. Lady Dragon nearly slumped with relief.

  Nearly, but not quite. The clock was ticking now. There was no way the Ministry of Magic would fail to notice an invocation as powerful as the one they just performed.

  Lady Dragon snatched the artifact off the altar. “To the boat, now.”

  They hustled out of the chamber and up a narrow stone staircase. At the top a hidden door slid open and they stepped out into the entrance room. No luggage waited. Everyone had removed their possessions while Lady Tiger recovered.

  Lady Wolf led the way out the door and across the lawn. Lady Dragon allowed herself one last look back. The old house had served them well for many years. Now it was time to move on to bigger and better things.

  She pointed the scepter and chanted a short incantation. The wards activated and would provide an unpleasant surprise for anyone investigating their casting.

  The group marched through field and forest for half an hour, none of them using any magic lest they draw attention best avoided. The forest opened up revealing a beach and, a little ways out in the water, Lady Tiger’s sixty-foot cruiser resting at anchor.

  Lady Dragon grimaced as she walked through the sand. She despised traveling on the water. Not that she had another option. At least Lady Tiger had an amulet that lessened the effects of seasickness. With that active the journey would only be miserable rather than unbearable.

  Hiking was one thing, but wading through the surf another. None of them would suffer that indignity. A variety of magics crackled to l
ife and moments later everyone was aboard. Lady Tiger fired up the motor, winched up the anchor, and they were off, to the Lonely Rock and Morgana.

  When the blast of energy washed over her, Maria knew something had happened to Conryu. The invisible pressure that had held her back vanished and she ran for all she was worth down the tunnel. Angus stood off to one side staring at the white light pouring out of an ornate doorframe. Maria ignored everything but Conryu. He was halfway through the door, a slack expression on his face as though he were in a daze.

  She leapt and grabbed his hand. Before she could catch herself and pull him back, she fell through the opening behind him.

  Maria blinked and stared at her surroundings. The light wasn’t gone, more like it had lost its intensity. That single stride had carried her into a library. Shelf after shelf held more books and scrolls than she’d ever seen in one place. The entire Academy library would fit in one corner of this room. It was like she’d died and gone to heaven.

  The oddest feature was a staff of pale wood standing upright in the center of the room. It glowed faintly with the same diffused light that filled the library.

  Conryu staggered and groaned. “What the hell?”

  That described her feelings as well. “Are you okay?”

  “Sure, I just sort of lost awareness for a second.” He started. “Where did you come from?”

  Before Maria had a chance to respond an awed voice said, “How remarkable.”

  She hadn’t even noticed Angus kneeling on the white stone floor beside her. He scrambled to his feet and spun in a slow circle, trying to take everything in.

  “When the barrier vanished I ran to check on you,” Maria said. “When I saw you stepping through the door I didn’t think, I just followed.”

  He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thanks. Now how do we get out of here? The door’s gone.”

  She whipped around and stared at the blank wall that stood where the door should have been. “I have no idea.” Her voice trembled when she spoke.