"Well, I must say, that's the first time I've ever heard of a suggestion spell ending up in a death."
As Miss Kelly and Oscar exchanged a chuckle, I could help but feel small. And I'm not sure whether you picked up on it or not, but "small" is not a way I like feeling.
"So do you have the spell or not?" I blurted.
Miss Kelly raised her eyebrows at me, fanning her hand. "Wow." Oscar said. "What's your name?"
I straightened. "Cass. Cass Landry."
"Landry...your Mom is on the city council, right? Elenor Landry? Running for senate in the upcoming election. I wonder what she'd have to say about your extracurriculars."
A pang in my chest. I felt my eyes widen as I took in a sharp breath.
Her chest moved with another one of her silent laughs. "Don't worry. I'm not going to tattle on you, Ms. Landry." She stood at last, walking around her desk and perching on the edge of it. Oscar moved forward with her, to be in a convent space to translate for her. "To answer your question," he continued for her, "I do have a necromancy spell just for you. But...it's going to cost you."
"How much?" I asked.
"Well..." she squinted over at Oscar. "I'm guessing a considerable amount more than your lunch money."
I grit my teeth, but another one of Mallory's elbows in my ribs reminded me to keep my choice of words civil. "We can afford it."
"Twelve hundred."
I blinked. "Um."
"Done!" Rebecca exclaimed brightly. I turned to her to see the worry collecting around her eyes.
I looked forward again.
Miss Kelly eyed us before nodding to herself slowly. She raised her hands, in the middle of signing something, when the picturesque view outside her window flickered, before being replaced with a swirling purple vortex.
Powerful blasts of glowing purple magical energy shot out of the vortex, narrowly missing our heads. I dropped to the ground, dragging Sofiane with me.
Miss Kelly moved her hands through the air in a way that I was able to understand—signed magic—and the walls around the room fell away to reveal an expansive, concrete space that heavily resembled an empty parking garage.
The vortex widened, and through it stepped people of various heights and sizes, all with spells readied in their hands.
Miss Kelly signed a powerful spell that I felt right to my bones, closing off whatever portal had just been opened.
"Here!" Oscar yelled out.
I turned to see a group of ten or so people running toward us, their own spells readied, right before a couple sent theirs flying over our head aimed at the unwelcome visitors.
I held my hands over my ears, trying my best to not be too excited about the raw energy that filled the space.
"Over there!" Sofiane hissed in my ear above the various violent noises that filled the air.
I looked in the direction he pointed, a wide concrete pillar, and nodded, crawling toward it.
Rebecca and Mallory followed in suit, and before long, we were all cramped behind it.
"What the hell is going on?" Mallory asked.
I made a face at her. "My best guess? Gang violence."
She narrowed her eyes at me. "Har har, Cass. I can see why you have so many friends."
"How are we supposed to get the spell now?" Rebecca asked.
I turned to Sofiane, but the best he had to offer was, "Wait until it's over?"
"Great suggestion, Sof. Really, five stars!"
He rolled his eyes. "Do you have a better idea?"
I didn't.
Rebecca squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head back against the pillar, mumbling something to herself silently. A spell? A prayer? All I know is that soon after, she grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.
I swallowed, hard, looking from our clasped hands and then up at her pinched face for a clue of what exactly she thought she was doing. But her eyes stayed closed and her expression unreachable.
We sat behind the pillar for a good fifteen minutes, flinching at the sound of a blast that got way too close for comfort, wincing at the sound of someone crying out in pain, breathing through the weight of the magical energy that pulsed through the space.
"Please...please, don't—ah!"
The sizzling sound of magic died out, and the yelling simmered down to mumbles and whispers. And then, there were footsteps approaching us.
Before us was the purple leg of a pantsuit, singed at the hem, under which a pair of brown feet sported black stilettos. I looked up, slowly, to see that in front of us stood a very angry looking Miss Kelly with her hands on her hips.
She signaled impatiently for us to stand up, and looking around, I saw that the room was full of bloodied bodies, most of whom I recognized to be the ones who had come through the vortex. My hands shook with the gruesomeness of the sight, but also with the latent magical energy still present.
I brought my gaze back to Miss Kelly as an equally disheveled Oscar came to stand beside her.
"Congrats." Rebecca dropped my hand (was I still holding that?) to sign out the word.
Miss Kelly narrowed her eyes at the girl.
Rebecca's eyes widened as she looked from me, to Miss Kelly, to Oscar and back as she struggled to explain, her hands moving haphazardly through the air before loosing energy near the end. "You know, because you...won...the...fight...?"
"Why the fuck is she still here?" Oscar translated as Miss Kelly turned to face him. "All these kids...why are we doing business with kids?"
She turned back around to glare daggers at Sofiane. "You want to know something, Mr. Clarkson?" She continued on before he could speak. "The lovely people that broke into my office just now? They got past my wards because someone told a stranger on the street their security clearance code. Now do you have any idea who could have done that?"
Sofiane paled.
"Because of you, some of my best colleagues are going to be going home with some pretty nasty abrasions, if they even go home at all. The ones that are okay are going to have to be working overtime to redesign the wards and dispose of all these bodies. You must be able to see, Mr. Clarkson, why I'd be upset about that, right?"
He nodded slowly, looking at his shoes.
Miss Kelly snapped her fingers, causing us all to collectively flinch. "Look at me when you're talking to me!"
His head jerked up. "Yes, Miss Kelly."
"Good. So you'll understand why my price must go up, then."
I looked to Rebecca, just as pale (if not more) as Sofiane. "To how much?" I asked.
"Don't worry. You can keep your allowance." She smiled. "Our...visitors just now reminded me of something that was taken from me a long time ago. Something very valuable–truly worth the emotional distress you've brought upon me."
"What is it, your hospitality?" Mallory grumbled.
It was now my turn to elbow her.
"By the look of your uniforms, I'd guess you went to Our Lady of the Black Veil Academy, correct? Such a prestigious Witch School...surely you were taught about the Old Stones, correct?"
I swallowed, nodded slowly. Of course I knew what the Old Stones were—you didn't have to go to a Witch School to have heard of them. Highly volatile magic condensed into rocks which held astronomical amounts of power. They were the reason humans found out about our existence, and why they believed the only way they could be safe in our presence was the create the Witch Laws.
"But they were all destroyed, weren't they? Years ago, on Breaking Day." Rebecca asked.
Miss Kelly's eyes sparkled as she took a step closer to us. "Poor, sweet, innocent Ms. Temple."
"Uh...my name is—"
"How cute. Tell me, do you just dumbly believe everything your history books tell you? I wouldn't be surprised. I mean look at you."
What was there to say to that? Rebecca's face was tomato red and she looked down at her flip flops.
"To answer your question, while yes, most of the Old Stones were destroyed, one remains. And it used to be mine before it was stolen by Felix and his people. I need you to steal it back for me."
I shook my head. "Felix?"
She raised her eyebrows. "You should know him, his son goes to your school. Felix Fletcher."
Fletcher? As in...
My eyes widened as I turned to Mallory.
She caught my gaze, her eyes just as wide. "Max?"
Miss Kelly nodded. "Yes, I believe that is his son's name."
"Oh god..."
"To my knowledge, he keeps my Old Stone in his house. But his wards are too sophisticated for us to crack, and he would never let any of my people in willingly. But you three..."
"You can't really expect us to break into this guy's house and steal a stupid powerful magical artifact from him. Right?" I asked.
She blinked at me. "You know what?" She smiled. "You're right. That price is far too high for a simple necromancy spell. So, here's what I'll do for you. In addition to the necromancy spell, I'll throw in the life of your friend."
"What?"
"Wren!" Oscar barked.
A large woman came running over, looking to Oscar expectantly.
He pointed. "Grab him."
The woman nodded, reaching out and pulling Sofiane to her side, restraining him from behind when he was close enough.
"Wait—" I reached out for him, but he was already gone. I looked to Miss Kelly, fists at my sides. "Let him go."
"Now, I know that you can't put a price on life..." Miss Kelly continued to sign, "but I think a simple stone would be a pretty good deal, wouldn't you say, Ms. Landry?"
I felt magic building up inside of me once again, making my ears ring and my arms shake. I took a step, a spell half–cast. "You—"
"Cass." Sofiane's voice stopped me in my tracks. He shook his head. "Please."
I looked from him, to the woman holding him, to Miss Kelly and back. The magic was in my chest now, seizing my heart, giving every beat double the weight. It was behind my eyes, a sting that sent the empty threat of tears but never delivered.
I felt Rebecca approach me from behind. She rubbed my arm reassuringly. "It's okay, Cass."
A deep breath. I turned to Miss Kelly. "We'll do it."
"That's the spirit." She checked the dainty silver watch on her wrist. "You have until...three o'clock. The Witching Hour."
"A little cliche, isn't it?" Mallory sneered.
"Perhaps." Miss Kelly conceded, sliding a hand into her pocket. "But also wondrously fitting, don't you think?"
***
It was six thirty three.
Rebecca sat beside me on the curb, rubbing circles into my back as Mallory paced in front of us.
Mallory had been (expectedly) taking circles around herself, but the vastness of my problems was enough to drown her out, and I was able to stare despondently into the distance in peace.
"That's actually a good idea, Mallory." Rebecca chirped from beside me.
Mallory being useful? That was enough to snap me out of my doom spiral. I looked up. "What's a good idea?"
"The party." Mallory repeated. "It's at Max's house. His Dad is out on drug business or whatever, so he's hosting.
"Mallory..." I sighed.
"There'll be no need to break in, and all the people will provide the perfect cover." She finished.
I blinked. She raised her eyebrows at me.
I looked back at Rebecca. "...That actually is a good idea."
"I know, right?"
"So..." I said, staring to stand up. "So...that means..."
"You have plans tonight after all, Landry." Mallory flashed me her teeth, and for once, I was able to smile back.