The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3)

The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3) Page 39

“What's wrong with it?” Jack asked Ellen.

“The name is fairly literal,” Ellen replied. “Mind-Burner. Wizards get addicted to it to the point that they can't function without it. Use it long enough, and you go insane.”

“How do you know so much about it?” Jack asked.

“Paige and Wylie were into performance enhancers. They used to dope me a lot when I was in training.” Simon Paige was warriormaster for the Red Rose, and Ellen's old trainer.

“It's just till the war is over,” Seph said, leaning against the wall.

“When exactly will that be?” Ellen demanded. “It's been going on for centuries.”

“Does Hastings know about this? Or Linda?” Jack asked.

“No. And they'd better not hear it from you. They're counting on me to handle this, and I will. Whatever it takes.” Seph never raised his voice, but it was clear from the set of his shoulders that this issue was nonnegotiable.

Usually wizard power, when it was noticeable at all, was a subtle thing. Seph was so hot, the air around him shimmered and his arms trailed flame, like iridescent wings.

Ellen shook her head. “Doping will ruin your body, you know that? That's one of the reasons the Weirlind died off.”

“Look. I'm not an idiot. I won't use it unless it's absolutely necessary,” Seph said. “It's just that … I haven't been entirely…myself…ever since that thing with the painting.”

“Painting? What are you talking about?” Jack asked.

Seph looked like he wished he hadn't opened his mouth. “I ran into a hex. In a painting. That's all.”

As if he thought that would shut off the questions.

“What painting? Where?” Jack asked.

“What kind of hex?” Ellen wanted to know.

Seph sighed. “I thought Nick would've told you. It was in one of Madison's paintings. It kind of knocked me out. Made me really sick. But I'm getting better. I just need … a little help right now.”

“How would a hex get into one of Madison's paintings?” Ellen sat down on the swing, kicking off with her feet. “I never heard of that.”

“Who knows?” Seph said.

“How could a hex work here in the sanctuary?” Jack asked.

Seph shrugged. “Nick thinks it might be some kind of elicitor thing.”

Ellen planted her feet, bringing the swing to an abrupt stop. “Hold on. He thinks Madison did it?”

“He's just throwing out possibilities. We don't know.”

“Madison wouldn't hurt you,” Ellen said with conviction.

I hope you're right, Jack thought. In wizard politics you always have to watch your back.

Seph rose and began pacing. “I still don't get it. Madison says Jason never showed. Something must've happened to him on the way down there. But we're the only ones who knew he was going.”

“Well,” Jack said reluctantly. “He has Linda's car. Is it possible he might have just…taken off?”

Seph swung around. “What?”

“It's no secret he's been wanting to go back to England, you know, and…”

“Jason wouldn't do that,” Seph said dismissively.

Okaaay, Jack thought. If Madison had hexed Seph, was it possible she had something to do with Jason's disappearance?

Jack knew better than to voice that theory aloud.

“What about Maddie?” Ellen asked. “Is she coming back?”

Seph shook his head. “She says she can't. Not now, anyway.”

Jack thought it best to change the subject. “So what do you think we should do? About the assassins, I mean?”

“Everybody seems to know about the Dragonheart,” Seph said. “I can watch for magical activity, and do something if I see it, but anybody can walk into my house and try and kill me. Or walk into St. Catherine's and walk out with the Dragonheart. There's always the chance they'll get away with it.”

“That'd be a trick,” Jack said. “None of us can get near the stone without getting slammed. Plus isn't the crypt totally warded?”

“Too many things I didn't think could happen are happening,” Seph said. “Like the hex.”

“Not that it's done us any good so far,” Jack pointed out. “The Dragonheart, I mean.”

“And the sanctuary is open to everybody, technically speaking,” Ellen said.

“That's going to have to change.”

They both turned to look at Seph.

“We need to change the way we handle security in the sanctuary.”

“How do you mean?” Jack asked.

Seph released a long breath. "Wizards are collecting like vultures. The White Rose, the Red Rose, the unaffiliated. The Dragonheart must be drawing them here. It's like something woke it up—and now it's sending out a beacon. Wizards are constantly in and out of town, like they're looking for something. I'm using mind magic to keep them away from the church. Like when Leesha was poking around in there today.

“It's delicate, though. If I'm too heavy-handed, it'll draw their notice. If I lose focus, they'll be into the church in no time. Meanwhile, I always have to watch my back. Nobody wants to close the perimeter, but I don't think we have a choice.” He ran his tongue over his cracked lips. “I just … I just can't do this much longer, and there are other things that need attention. As long as there was hope that no one knew about the loot from Raven's Ghyll, fortifying the boundary would've only tipped them off. I think we're past that.”

“But how can we do that?” Jack asked. “It's a town. Not a fortress. I mean, people commute to Cleveland and everything.”

“We still let the Anaweir come and go. It's risky, but we can't help that. We build a Weirwall that will keep the gifted out. We'll get the sorcerers involved. Mercedes can be in charge, she's good with materials. We establish a gate, with gatekeepers.” He looked up at Jack and Ellen. “That would probably be the warriors, living and dead.”

“Isn't Mercedes tied up with the artifacts at the church?” Ellen asked.

“We've catalogued everything we've been able to classify. There are still a few mysteries, but we've kind of run into a dead end.”

Jack eyed Seph. “I still don't see how that would work.”

“I'm responsible for security within the sanctuary,” Seph snapped. “And I'm going to do whatever I have to.”

Jack spoke into a dead silence. “You're in charge of security? Says who?”

“Hastings. He handed the responsibility to me, and I'm going to do my best to see it through.”

“Why you?” Jack raised his hands in preemptive surrender. “Not that I'm disputing his choice, or anything.”

“He's been working with me all summer,” Seph said. “Well, when he's been here. Him and Nick. Teaching me how to monitor magical activity within the sanctuary. And now that Linda's gone …”

“No offense, but why not Nick?” Jack asked.

“He and Hastings talked about it and decided it should be me. Nick's got other things to worry about, I guess. He's acting chair of the sanctuary board since my mother left, and he's still working on the things in the church.” Seph glanced up at Jack and down at his hands. “I … I don't really want it,” he whispered. “I … feel like it's an impossible job, but if I mess up…” He shuddered.

Jack shifted in his chair, remembering how Aunt Linda had handed him the knowledge of his warrior destiny, then left him to sort it out on his own. “What does Nick say?”

“We talked about the wall, if that's what you mean, and he's on board with that. Especially after last night.” He hesitated. “You know, Nick doesn't look so good. I'm wondering if his age is catching up with him. Or if his staff breaking had some kind of effect on him.”

“Nick's okay,” Jack said, too quickly. “He's just working too hard, lately.”

“It'll be way easier once we get the wall up. I won't have to do so much scanning. And we can boot out and keep out violators.” Seph flexed his hands. “I just wish we had more wizards to help. We could really use Jason back again. If…” Seph's voice trailed off, as if he didn't want to make their worries come true by speaking them aloud.

No wonder Seph's so stressed, Jack thought. “I know Madison's been writing to you and all. But maybe we should send somebody else to Coalton County. You know, to see what's going on,” he said. “Except it's kind of like one of those horror movies, where they keep sending people to check on the missing guy, and they keep disappearing.”

“Can't we wait on the wall until Hastings comes back?” Ellen suggested. “By then we'll be out of school.”

Why are we talking about high school? Jack wondered. At this point, it's pretty far down on the list.

“We can't wait any longer,” Seph said. “Like I said. There are fifteen wizards in Trinity at the moment. Any of them could be spies or assassins. And only three are on our side.”

Chapter Nineteen Boundaries

The doors and windows of Trinity College's McAlister Chapel shimmered with magical wards designed to exclude the uninvited. The portraits of James and Mallory McAlister frowned down from the walls, as if disapproving of the proceedings.

There were probably three hundred people spread among the pews—disappointingly few, Seph thought. And they were mostly Anawizard Weir: sorcerers, seers, enchanters, and warriors. The elected board sat down front— the wizard Iris Bolingame, the seer Blaise Highbourne, and the sorcerer Mercedes Foster, of course. Plus the enchanter Akana Moon, who'd been with them at Second Sister. After her experience there, Seph was impressed that she was willing to sit as representative again.