Grim Doyle’s life was now in grave danger, more than it had ever been. He waited for the heat, waited to be burned to a crisp. He braced himself for the agonizing pain.
A sickening feel churned in his stomach. He winced. But there was nothing. Nothing at all.
Grim opened his eyes and the Jinn’s fire enveloped him, incinerating everything on the ground around him. Black and red flames danced along the ground, and all along his skin. Yet Grim felt nothing. He was still alive and not melting. He rolled over, away from the Jinn, and Sinistral’s single eye widened in shock.
“Impossible!”
Before Sinistral could respond a man in a white suit and cloak appeared in the clearing.
Grim froze briefly, unsure of what to do. They couldn’t possibly stand against two of them. He crawled across the ground as the white-cloaked one advanced.
He marched with a limp and a shiny wooden cane. He removed his cloak, letting it flutter to the ground. The man didn’t advance on Grim or Dorian. The man went after Sinistral, limping towards him with a determined stride.
He swiped at Sinistral with his cane and the black-cloaked Jinn shuffled back. Grim scooped up the woman with the umbrella as Dorian ran up beside him.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
Grim nodded, shaking.
“How did you survive that? You should be dead.”
“I don’t know,” he muttered and checked his skin and clothing. All was normal, other than the mud on his garments.
“Come on,” Dorian said. “Let’s get out of the way.”
Grim followed him and dashed towards the edge of the trees while the two men fought with each other.
Thunder echoed from the ceiling as their canes struck. The man in white seemed to hide in Sinistral’s blind spot and attacked from such angles that the man in black had trouble seeing him. Their canes, alight with flame, sailed through the air, slicing at each other.
Then the white Jinn was knocked off his legs and he struggled to rise. Sinistral lunged forward and pounced on him. He tried to sink his fingers into the other man’s throat, but the white one rolled and swiped at Sinistral once more with his cane, slicing him along his face. It was a swipe that scratched the corner of Sinistral’s one good eye.
The black-cloaked Jinn stood. He looked at his opponent, bowed his head, and then swiftly departed the clearing and the forest, his cane tapping the stone alley at a hurried pace.
Then the white-dressed man turned his gaze towards Dorian and Grim. He retrieved his cloak, fastened it and limped towards them.
The Jinn studied them for a time before speaking. “We have not encountered your kind in some time.” His voice was soft.
Dorian stepped forward. “I don’t understand. Our kind?”
“Not your kind,” he said and then looked at Grim. “I am Arabus. Who are you, child, that you have summoned me?”
Arabus!
“My name is Grim,” he said. “Grim Doyle.” He offered his hand and the man took it with an amusing smile. “I didn’t summon you.”
“You are standing in the Mystics Circle and you summoned me with that device. Where did you get it?”
“It’s my Poppa’s,” he replied and held it behind his back.
Arabus chuckled. “No need to hide it. I have no use for it. What is your lineage? The Mystics are lost. Only the Darksworn are left.”
Grim pulled out the pocket watch.
“Ahh,” he said. “Your bloodline is that of the Mystics of old.” He took it from Grim, studying the back of it. “And this is from your father?”
“Well he’s not really my father. I wasn’t born from him.”
The Jinn handed it back. “And why are you here?”
“I was looking for you. The Scourge is spreading through Madam Malkim’s. We think Jinn’s blood will cure it.”
“Jinn’s blood will only help reverse certain conditions if you know its cause. Who sent a child on this errand?”
“No one really sent me, although my Aunt Patrice knows I’m here.”
“Patrice,” said the Jinn with a nod. He almost seemed to smile. “You are either very brave or very foolish to come out here.”
“Does that mean you’ll give us what we need?”
From out of his jacket Arabus pulled three red vials.
Grim took them. Each one sparkled.
“One drop should suffice. Should this spread further,” he said, “you have two more.”
“Thanks,” Grim said. “And thank you for saving us.” He watched where Sinistral had departed and then to the mushroom patch where Marveleous Thingrom had collapsed. The man was no longer there. “I don’t suppose you can escort us back to Madam Malkim’s. Sinistral may come back.”
“You summoned me for only one purpose — to save your lives.”
“Can I summon you again?” Grim asked and looked at the figurine. She had a crack running through her.
Arabus shook his head. “This device will only work once for such a purpose.”
“But what if I need you again?”
“Although you are of the line of Mystics, you do not have the power to summon me again. It is a shame the Tower was closed. One of your blood could be well trained there.”
“Can I find another device like this one?”
“They are rare. But you won’t need it.” He handed Grim a leather-bound book from within his jacket. “This book will teach you what you need to know. I will come for it soon. I suggest you memorize its contents because I give it only once.”
Grim grinned. “Cool!”
“Remember, it is a one-time gift.”
He nodded.
“Until we meet again. Good day,” Arabus said and limped in the opposite direction of Sinistral. They watched him go.
“We should head back,” Grim said.
Dorian lowered his head and scuffed his feet. “Uh, Grim, I’m not going back.”
“What? Why not?” he asked. He could use with Dorian’s help.
“There’s no proof of what happened to Valeria, and I’m meant to face stoning in Gravenhurst. It wasn’t Eevenellin who did it, and if it was Festrel it’ll be difficult to prove. He’s the son of a very powerful Lord and he’s accusing me. No one will believe he did such a thing. I must disappear, for now. Perhaps I can return when things have settled and my name is cleared.”
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know,” he said, looking towards where the Jinn had walked away.
Grim nodded in understanding and had a sudden idea.
“Take this,” he said, and handed him the pocket watch from his dads. “Go and find my parents. Hand this to them and tell them you helped me. Tell them that Grim Doyle of Earth sent you. They’ll know what that means.”
Dorian hesitantly accepted the pocket watch. It shone in the faint lamplight.
“Are you sure about this?”
Grim nodded. “I insist. You’ll be safe with them.”
“Thanks, Grim. You’re all right.”
“You too,” he replied with a grin.
The two then walked together, Grim telling Dorian of Earth and its various technologies to which Dorian listened intently.
After a few hours, Dorian found a sewer that he was convinced would take him out of the city. Grim then eventually found his way to the surface on his own and worked his way back towards Madam Malkim’s. A certain comfort shrouded him as he drew near, like he was coming home.
Curious.
All was eerily tranquil, as if the building had been abandoned. He wondered how he would sneak in without being noticed. He couldn’t go in through the side door of the Library since Madam Tyne would see him. Then they’d know he’d been outside and he’d have a lot of explaining to do.
A few autumn leaves rustled at his feet as he stood there. Then around the corner came Rudy and Aunt Patrice.
His sister supported their Aunt as she walked.
“How did you know I was here?” Grim asked.
His Aunt smiled. “You summoned Rudy.”
“Huh?”
Rudy shrugged. “I knew you needed me.”
Their Aunt nodded to the book in his hand. “Lesson One: Need.”
Grim flipped open the book.
Lesson One: Need
A Mystic’s needs always surpasses a Mystic’s wants. Focus on your needs first, and all manner of things can be summoned.
He closed the book. He wanted so much to tell her everything, to tell her about Arabus and Sinistral, but there wasn’t time.
“I have the Jinn blood,” he said.
“I’m glad you made it back safely,” his Aunt said, and stroked Grim’s face. Her hands were coated in brown splotches, even worse than before. She gripped his shoulder briefly for support.
“It’s good to be back,” he replied.
Master Galan marched towards them from across the grounds. He was out of breath when he reached them.
“I received your message, my Lady, and got here as soon as I could,” he said, puffing. “Hello, Grimwald. Rudolpha.”
Grim pulled one of the vials from his pocket and handed it to Master Galan. “This will help cure the plague.”
Rudy looked like she wanted to say something, but then closed her mouth.
The man took it gently. “I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”
“We think the plague was created with an elixir of Marmorite Blue and the hair of a Changeling. It’s called The Scourge. This will reverse it.”
Master Galan’s face paled. “Who would do such a thing? And where would anyone find the hair of a Changeling?”
“Veerasin,” Grim said. “She was always allowing me to leave early from chores when the moon was full. The last time I went to the kitchens and the full moon was up, she wasn’t there.”
Their Aunt nodded. “Very good. I will leave Master Galan to brew an elixir. I pray that you are right, child. Once we have cured everyone, we must determine who did this. More have become sick since you left, including Madam Phoebe and Finneas Keltin, and three have died. We are doing all we can to stall any more deaths. It is more than good fortune that your siblings have lasted as long as they have. Almost a miracle, really.”
Master Galan patted Grim on the head. “Thank you, child. You have done us all a great service.” He left them to march back across the grounds to his laboratory.
Grim escorted Aunt Patrice and Rudy back to the Academy.
“So you met a Jinn,” Aunt Patrice said.
Grim nodded. “Two of them,” he said, “one called Sinistral and another called Arabus.” He opened the door. “I summoned Arabus and he saved us.”
Rudy looked aghast.
His Aunt put her arm around Grim’s shoulder. “I know.”
Grim paused. “You know?”
Aunt Patrice’s face looked withered and sorrowful. “I must apologize for not telling you before. I wanted to reveal to you that you had this ability running in your veins before, and what that little device your Poppa gave you could do. But what would you have done had I told you that you had the ability to summon a Jinn. You would have either accused me of lying to you, thinking it the most ridiculous thing in the world, or you would have run right out of Madam Malkim’s looking for the first Jinn you could find. I suspect the latter,” she said with a raised eyebrow.
Grim grinned sheepishly back. “My parents must have had the ability to summon.”
“Dad and Pop can summon?” Rudy asked. She looked like she was about to go find a Jinn herself.
Grim shook his head. “No, my birth parents. It must be in my blood.”
“It is,” said Aunt Patrice. “For all six of you.”
Rudy jumped up and down. Grim rolled his eyes.
Aw, man.
“You mean my birth parents could summon too?” she asked.
Aunt Patrice shook her head. “No, that would indeed be some coincidence.” She looked at Grim. “Don’t assume that all the traits you inherit are from your birth parents. Your Poppa and his younger brother were children of one of the last known Mystics. Their children inherit that ability, whether they come to it by birth or not. The simple act of caring for you as one of his own has given you all that ability. He knew that.”
“Cool!” Rudy said.
His Aunt’s hand gripped both of their shoulders. “You must not tell the others about this. Mystics are no longer trusted.”
“Sinistral said he’s their master.”
“The Darksworn are the opposite of the Mystics. They serve the dark Jinn and do their bidding. That’s why you must keep this to yourselves. When people refer to Mystics, they now think of the Darksworn.”
“How will we learn to use it?” Rudy asked.
“In secret,” she said with a wink. She regarded Grim. “I’m proud of you, child. If your instincts are true, you will have saved many lives.” They paused at the door. “I must leave you here and see to the sick. You’ve done well, dear. You have my deepest gratitude.”
Their Aunt hobbled back towards the Infirmary and Grim and Rudy entered the Library.
Madam Tyne stared at him and muttered. “Madam Patrice said she’d summoned you for assistance. I don’t remember seeing you leave.”
Grim blushed. “You must have been in the crapper.”
The woman said nothing and watched him through her monocled eye. As he walked past Grim tried to keep the leather-bound book out of sight.
It wasn’t long before he found Quinn sitting in a remote corner, all by himself. He leapt up at the sight of Grim.
“Did you get it?” he asked.
Grim nodded. “I gave it to Master Galan.”
“Oh, that’s not good,” Quinn said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Quinn looked at Rudy and she nodded her head.
“What?” Grim asked. “Is something wrong?”
“I know who caused the Scourge.”
“Festrel?” Grim asked, anxious to know who to blame.
“No.” Quinn pulled Grim and Rudy back further into the dusty aisle. He checked to make sure no one was around and whispered.