Guardians of the Boundary (Book 3 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 5

Valerie was used to not being believed after years at various foster homes, but Henry's fists were clenched.

"That murderer is walking around, free? Valerie is a vivicus! Everyone's always talking about how that makes her pure and good. Shouldn't her word have enough weight for them to believe her?"

Valerie, too, has been absent for several weeks. Perhaps if the Grand Masters hear her story from her own mouth, their hearts may change.

"Let us go to them. My daughter will win their trust," Oberon said confidently.

Valerie was less sure, but she followed Azra into the enormous room filled with the Grand Masters. They all floated in their own bubbles that they directed with their thoughts.

Azra, Henry, Oberon, and Valerie floated toward the center of the room, Valerie saw that they attracted stares from many of the Grand Masters. Some grumbled defensively, but a few, like Dasan, the Grand Master of the Empathy Collective, nodded sympathetically at them.

When they reached the spotlight in the middle of the room, the general bustle died down. Azra stood with her head erect, proud and beautiful.

Valerie and Henry have come today, at an enormous risk to their safety, to share with you the threat that they have witnessed from the Fractus.

But before Azra could continue, a pinprick of light from the ceiling above pierced the room, bouncing off of Azra's silver horn. Everyone looked up, and Valerie watched with growing unease as the hole grew in size, as if the domed ceiling was dissolving.

Through the opening, Reaper descended on a platform, for all the world like an angel coming down from on high. There was no bubble around him. He was entirely unprotected, and he stretched out his arms as if he were pleading. He didn't wear the black robe that Valerie associated with him when he had attacked her as Reaper, but neither did he pretend to be the bumbling fool he had played as the Grand Master of the History Guild.

"My friends, hear me," Reaper said, his voice booming. All eyes were on him, stunned. Oberon raised his hands, which sparked with lightning.

"Dad, no," Valerie whispered urgently. "They'll never believe our story if we attack him now while he's defenseless."

Oberon lowered his hands, but his eyes still burned. "If he so much as makes eye contact with either of you, I will bring down the full power of my wrath upon his head."

Reaper continued. "I come to you today with all of my masks put aside. I come as a friend you have trusted for many decades, and I hope you will all believe that your trust is not misplaced after you hear my words."

The Grand Masters nodded, and Valerie knew that his appeal was working.

"Centuries ago, when the Globe was still new, I was a child on Earth."

There was a collective gasp from the Grand Masters at these words.

No one knew he's been alive this long. Azra explained to Valerie.

"My mother was brought to the Globe, her powers too strong for her to survive Earth's rules. This was a time when magic was still rife on the planet, and many were born with the power in their bones. My father and I were forbidden to follow her, told that we did not have enough magic to allow us to come to the Globe," Reaper explained, unable to hide the derision in his voice.

"And so I was left alone with a man who beat me daily and starved me into submission. My mother could only watch from a universe away, helpless, as her son wasted away. And did the Guardians of the Boundary make an exception for me, and allow me to come to my mother? No. The Grand Masters turned a blind eye to my plight, to the plight of all of the children left behind by magical parents."