Call of the Raven (16 page)

“Asher it’s late and that explanation is far
too deep for me to decipher.” Ari grinned at his choice of words,
and then let it fade. “But this is mage stuff and Grant wasn’t a
mage. He seldom even used magic unless he had to. So what’s his
journal got to do with all of this?”

“He may not have been a mage but he took an
interest in learning to write and understand coded messages a year
or so before he was called.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound like him at all.”
Ari rubbed his eyes and then waved the spell book at him. “This
nonetheless, I most definitely see Ross wanting to get his hands
on.”

He sat the spell book on his knee and picked
up Grant’s journal and flipped through the pages. “But what would
Ross want with Grant’s journal. It’s his personal thoughts, the
thoughts of a lonely man and the thoughts of a man in love by the
looks of the last few pages. Wow, I don’t believe it. He actually
drew a red heart with their names inside.”

“Did you know that Grant was in love?”

“I knew he had a girl,” Ari said. “He did
accept the call Asher.”

“I know that,” Asher snapped in frustration.
“I just didn’t know how much you knew about their situation.”

Ari shook his head, “I remember him
mentioning she worked at the corporate office. He had me watch the
kid’s a few times while they went out. But what does that have to
do with anything. Grant was in love, so what?”

Ari looked even more confused than he did
before so Asher explained further. “I didn’t mean to imply that
Ross wanted Grant’s journal but it is the matter of the solution.
There’s a spell in the back of that spell book that I believe Grant
used, and in order to reverse the spell you need a solution and a
key, but the last few pages have been torn away where the solution
should be. I always believed that since Grant left me his journal
with the spell book, he did so for a reason, other than the words
he wanted me to read. I believe he rewrote his own solution and
hide them in the pages of that journal, but in order for me to
solve the coded message, I need the key. I’ve searched this manor
and I’ve wracked my memory trying to remember something, anything
that was exclusive to Grant, but after ten years I’m still
clueless. Nothing ever made me think of the bookends.”

“So the key is not a key that turns a lock
but a key to a solution…to an ancient spell?” Ari flipped to the
back of the spell book. “And now it’s gone because someone took it,
but not Ross?”

“That appears to be the problem.” When he saw
Ari scan over the contents of the page, he shook his head. “Never
read the spells Ari, just the descriptions. When you do you commit
the spell to memory and some of them I fear learning, and I’m a
mage master.”

With that knowledge Ari tossed the spell book
toward him and it landed on Asher’s stomach. He returned the book
to the chest. “The night Grant left he told me he was going to try
and use a spell he found to break the Raven’s curse. The solution
and the key are needed to reverse the spell that he used. That and
this spell book is what I believe Ross was after, but I’m not sure
what he wants with either yet.”

“You never told me about Grant mentioning a
spell before?”

“Ari, I have tried but whenever I talk about
the possibility of Grant still being alive you shut me down.”

“What does Grant being alive have to do with
the spell?” Ari said, sounding exasperated.

“Ari it is the spell. The spell that I
believe Grant used would have allowed his spirit to remain behind
and in Grant’s case, in his wolf body. That’s why I’ve always
looked for him. That’s why I believe he’s still alive and I saw a…”
Asher allowed his words to fade when he not only saw his brother’s
skepticism taking form in the narrowing of his eyes, but when he
started adamantly shaking his head as well.

“Asher, Grant is dead,” he pointblank
said.

Asher realized he could tell Ari about the
wolf he had seen near the cabin but the fact wouldn’t change
anything. He lifted his arms over his head, totally relaxed now
from the tea, as Ari carefully studied him. Asher had expected his
brother’s reaction and Ari had expected him to argue his point but
they had reached an impasse. The difference now was Asher no longer
wished to argue his case anymore in regard to Grant. His brother
would either choose to believe or he wouldn’t.

“Just read Grant’s journal Ari. I think it
will become clear to you that you’ve had reason to hate me all
these years. You’ll soon learn the secret I’ve kept from you.”

“Asher, I’ve never hated you and again I
believe you’re being affected by your magic drain.”

“Doubt me if you must but the truth remains,
whether or not you believe me,” he grumbled. “I’m weak because that
blind Raven freak drained my powers.” Quickly before Ari could
dispute his words, Asher added, “Did you know the Gothi were being
taught death magic?”

“How do you know they were?”

“The gloves and chanting are notable signs
Ari, which I know you’re aware of because of me.” Asher cocked his
head sideways to look at him, and Ari nodded. “By chance did you
see the red aura surrounding the Gothi?”

Ari shook his head back and forth in answer.
“But you think they were draining your magic…somehow?”

“I know they were draining my magic somehow.
I’m just not sure how they were doing it. I may not practice all
the spells in that book, but I do know them, and there isn’t one
for sucking the life out of a mage.”

Ari scratched the skin beneath his bandage.
“I think Vince mentioned the Gothi were learning magic but I didn’t
realize that it was death magic until tonight.”

“Ari, I was led to believe that a person
can’t learn death magic without the spell book, and as far as I
know I’m the only one in possession of such a book. That’s why I’ve
never been all that concerned, and why I discounted Vince Donavan
and the other Watches when they brought the petition before me. I
may be a Keeper but I don’t care if those in the Union learn magic.
I find the idea a complete contradiction.”

“I’m surprised to hear that Asher when you
rebuke us enough about the matter if you think we’re using.”

“I don’t care that you do Ari, I care if you
get in trouble. I may ignore the Council but they do not ignore
me.” Yawning, Asher peered up at him. Ari was doing some serious
thinking, but Asher had no plans to elaborate or explain his words.
Talking to Ari about his feelings of the Council wasn’t much
different than the subject of Grant still being alive. Ari had
never believed or supported him on either.

“That strange man tonight with the freaky red
eyes was a mage,” Asher said, “and a skillfully trained one. The
other Gothi didn’t sport the red eyes that come with mastership,
just the gloves so that meant they were mere apprentices, just
learning the trade, and already I could sense their powers. Not all
of them had magic though. The Asian one didn’t, along with the
majority of the fowlers. I tend to wonder if they weren’t recruits,
and that was the purpose of their meeting at the cabin.”

Ari exhaled loud and deep. “If that is true
Asher, we should probably learn everything we can about this
uprising.”

“In the morning,” Asher sleepily yawned
again. “We both need sleep.”

“I’ll give Vince a call.” Ari tucked Grant’s
journal into the back pocket of his jeans. Picking up the empty mug
he crossed the room and switched off the light, plunging Asher into
complete darkness.

“Arimus,” Asher said on the verge of sleep,
“what of the child?”

There was a momentary pause before Ari
answered, “There was a lot more damage to her in rat form, but Doc
Garret was able to patch her up well enough for her to transform
back. She has a broken arm. He was able to heal her cut but he was
pretty much drained by then and couldn’t repair the bone. He’s too
old to be much good anymore.”

“Ari, I don’t trust Doc Garret. He knew who
took you and chose to say nothing to me.”

“Well, I didn’t know about his involvement
until you told me, and it’s not like I had a choice anyway. She was
hurt and he’s the only healer around other than you,” Ari paused.
“Too bad Ren’s not here. We could use another healer.”

“When I’ve regained my strength, I will
repair the damage.” Asher didn’t want to think about his old
friend. Ren Rollins was the only one that he felt he could give
that title to.

“You would do that?” Ari asked. “But I
thought you said it drains you?”

“She’s such a small girl. She can’t take up
too much magic,” Asher groaned.

“Okay then, I’ll let Linn know. She’s
insisting that both twins stay with her for the time.” Ari opened
the door and a faint light in the hall cast a dull shadow on his
form. “Linn’s even angrier with you now for involving the twins and
frankly so am I. They could have been killed.”

“I was only thinking of you,” Asher said.

“Thanks for coming for me.”

Heavy with sleep, Asher closed his eyes and
soon he was dreaming of her. He could see her standing before the
tombstone softly crying. The sound of her lonely tears tore at his
heart, causing him to feel things that he had long forgotten, love,
hope, joy. Reaching out, Asher took hold of her hand and looked
into the eyes of the child that would someday become his wife.

Chapter Ten

The promise

Ari returned Asher’s
empty tea mug to
a messy kitchen and went in search of Nixon. After knocking on his
door and getting no answer, he headed straight for the studio.
Dressed in black sweats, Nixon had just finished a series of slow
graceful movements when he noticed him coming.

“I thought T’ai Chi wasn’t your thing,” Ari
said.

“Yeah, well tonight I needed something to
help me get my mind off
things.
” Nixon turned and walked to
the bench. Sitting down he pulled on socks and shoes, in a hurry to
leave.

“Kennedy told me what you did,” Ari said.
“How you set off on your own to find me. I just wanted to thank you
for that.”

“You would have done the same for me,” Nixon
grunted.

“Probably,” Ari nodded, “but that wasn’t the
point. Nixon, we need to talk.”

“Look, I know Kennedy more than likely let
you in on my behavior but let me save you the hassle. I’ve been
having those dreams again about my dad. I must have sensed he was
back. No biggie. I don’t need some big brother talk. I’m going to
be okay.” Nixon glanced up, and then back down again, when Ari
stopped in front of him.

“I made a promise to Grant,” Ari said, “that
I would
never
let him hurt you again and I plan on keeping
that vow.”

Angrily, Nixon stood before him. “I said I
don’t need your help!”

Quickly reaching out Ari snagged Nixon around
the neck and pulled him into an embrace, and then held on tight.
Sometimes that was the only way with Nixon. For a brief instance
Ari thought he would have a fight on his hands but Nixon’s tense
rigid body swiftly relaxed against him, as though he had been
waiting for the precise second to vent. Lucky for Ari, the boy no
longer felt the need to bite.

Nixon rested his head against Ari’s shoulder
and when he spoke his voice was full of raw emotion. “I thought
they were going to kill you and I hid like a coward.”

“It’s all right, I understand and I won’t
tell anyone.”

“I know Ari.
I
know!” Nixon cried. “I
was supposed to pick off the fowlers and if I wouldn’t have hid
like a baby,” Nixon pushed away, “then maybe they wouldn’t have
come here!”

“Asher’s a little drained and I have a bump
on my head. I think things turned out just fine. Let it go. There’s
no point in beating yourself up.”

“Don’t do that to me.” Nixon stepped away.
“Don’t treat me like I’m some nine-year-old kid who doesn’t know
anything. You don’t know what my father’s capable of.”

“No, I don’t Nixon, but I plan to find
out.”

“Then do me a big favor, leave me out of it.
The only thing I want is to be as far away from here as possible.
Distance from my dad is the only way to keep me and everyone else
safe.”

“Distance didn’t stop the dreams from
coming,” Ari’s said to his retreating back. Left alone, standing in
the darkened studio, and eager to put the long day behind him, Ari
decided to turn in. He started for the door when a strange
sensation overcame him.

“Ari, Ari.”

Swiftly Ari turned around and scanned the
room. Darkness fell in the corners of the room which his human eyes
couldn’t access, so he shifted into his dog form. He sniffed the
air and caught nothing but dust and a faint hint of mildew probably
coming from the laundry room across the hall.

“Ari, Ari,” his name repeated and Ari turned
in the direction he thought the voice was coming.

What is that?

He dropped down and crawled forward on his
belly, ears back and head lowered. The creature standing outside
the studio glass wasn’t giving off any signs at all, and he found
that strange, ghostly strange. Far more mysterious was the way the
brilliant blue eyes gave off a luminescent glow.

What are you?

Laughter immediately followed his question. A
question that Ari realized he had been thinking. Rising up, Ari
prepared to run.

“Ari, don’t be afraid. You have to help
me.”

“Help you? Who are you?”

Ari moved closer, four paws clunking across
the spongy mat, and then in the moonlight he saw what he believed
to be a wolf. But how? There was nothing outside the window. The
studio was built on an embankment.

“Asher must fall in love. It’s the only way
to call the Raven.”

“But then he will die,” he argued.

“He must call the Raven or my sacrifice will
be in vain. You need to help Asher before it’s too late and he’s
lost to himself. Don’t forget the promise you made to me. It’s more
important now than ever that you find her.”