Magic University Book One: The Siren and the Sword (25 page)

Bell nodded. Then got down on one knee, turning Michael to face him with his fingers on his chin. “Are you willing to help us restore Frost? I make no promise of leniency if you do.”

Michael nodded. “I would. I will.”

“Wadsworth, we’ll need your help, too, since I do not believe Candlin here can be trusted. His intentions are trustworthy, but his appetites are not.” Bell turned to look up at Brandish. “You know better than I what other assistance we will need.”

Master Brandish’s hand tightened on her sword. She spoke quietly, leaning toward Bell, but Kyle could hear the words perfectly where he was. “You’re talking about a
resartum
of soul and body...”

“When his heart’s broken. I know.” Bell sounded grim. “Let’s discuss this further in my office.”

She nodded, then with a word cleared a path to the door. Bell barked more orders and Kyle saw Master Zoltan urging the musicians to resume playing.

Kyle pulled Michael to his feet and followed, not letting go of his hand. He kept his eyes fixed on Brandish’s back, not completely sure what they were supposed to be doing next, only that they needed him to keep Michael in line. Perhaps once they got there, he could give the amulet to Bell and leave them to do whatever it was they needed to. There were people walking with them. Jess and Alex. Marjory. Dean Bell.

To Kyle it felt like a dream, this strange parade across the campus to Peyntree Hall.

When they arrived, Kyle was not surprised to see Ms. Finch and Master Lester standing on the stairs waiting for them, nor to find that inside Bell’s spacious office, Frost was laid out on the couch, unconscious and looking paler than ever. There was a whole sitting area, large enough for Dean Bell to receive a dozen guests, and beyond that the imposing desk, and more room behind that, of which Kyle got only a vague sense.

Master Brandish unbuckled her sword and then knelt by Frost, stroking his forehead. “So you were draining him all along,“ she said to Michael. “Were you giving him back knowledge, or was your exchange one-sided?”

Michael didn’t need to be compelled to answer. “He didn’t need my help! He’s brilliant on his own. He loves me...”

Brandish turned and fixed him with a glare. “You were attracted to him because of how powerful he is. You figured you could feed from him often without anyone noticing.”

“At first! I didn’t think we were going to fall in love. I thought we’d just...you know.” Michael’s shoulders slumped. “Once I fell in love with him, I didn’t want anyone else, either. I only stalked the library because I had to. He wasn’t enough.”

“Callendra, let me have a look.” Ms. Finch took Master Brandish’s place and put her hand on Frost’s forehead.

Dean Bell looked Kyle up and down. “How are you doing it?”

“Oh, um, this. It’s actually meant to work on Sphinxes.” Kyle pulled the amulet out from under his shirt. “I read about it first in a book of Bessarion’s. Well, a translation into English, that is. Which Bessarion supposedly had passed down from Xenophon’s era...”

“Yes, yes.” Bell waved him to silence with an annoyed look on his face. “Sphinxes. Why didn’t I think of that?”

Brandish put a hand on Bell’s shoulder but he shrugged it off before she could speak. “Callendra,” he said, “please tell me this
resartum
is doable.”

Brandish spoke quietly. “We won’t need the siren, but we will need both partners to be virgins, ideally a madonna or a brigid, and a lightning rod.”

“I’m a brigid,” Kyle heard Jess say from behind him in a timid voice. He turned and there she was, her mask gone but still in her green gown, as Nichols’s hands tightened possessively around her waist.

He stared. “Jess, what...?”

“And Kyle’s a lightning rod,” Alex added, his hand on his chin.

“I am? What...?”

Several people were all talking at once then, and near as Kyle could tell they were arguing over whether he and Jess could, should, or would do what was necessary to save Frost. “Hang on, hang on!” Kyle found himself shouting. “Nobody is doing anything until I get an explanation that I can understand!”

“Sit.” Bell rubbed his eyes with the fingers of one hand. “Everyone sit. I certainly hope Frost will last long enough for us to bring Mr. Wadsworth up to speed. Wadsworth, I believe you may let go of Candlin’s hand. Now, he will obey you.”

Kyle sat in a chair next to the couch where Frost was lying and let go of Michael’s hand. Michael sat at his feet, which Kyle thought was weird, but he had enough other things to worry about that he didn’t say anything. Master Brandish took the chair by Frost’s head and glared at Michael.

Kyle looked back at Jess, who had settled between Nichols and Marjory on the opposite sofa, her hand held tight between both of Nichols’s in his lap. She looked around at the people there and shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, Kyle—this wasn’t how I wanted to tell you. But...it’s happened. My dream. He’s the one.”

“Oh.” Kyle felt the floor shift under him, as if the entire building were being jolted sideways by an earthquake. No one else seemed to notice, though, so it must have been just him. “Wow. That’s really...huh.”

“Kyle had a feeling you were going to find your true love at the Masque,” Alex said helpfully to Jess. “Fate’s a funny old thing, isn’t it?”

Master Brandish spoke. “Whether Wadsworth and Torralva are romantically involved or not doesn’t really matter to me, except as it pertains to whether either or both of them would participate in the
resartum.
”

“A sex magic ritual,” Bell clarified, examining Kyle critically. “One that will require intercourse. ‘Brigid’ is a term used in Healing Arts for a female practitioner who has the gift of healing touch. I understand, Miss Torralva, that you have done this before?”

“She has,” Nichols spoke up. “She healed me on Halloween. From a serious head injury.”

“This is Timothy Frost’s heart we’re talking about, though,” Ms. Finch spoke up. “His soul, his mind...”

“We’re aware of that, Madeleine,” Brandish said. “I’d normally say the chances of us finding a brigid who was still a virgin were one in ten thousand, yet we have one here in the room. Miss Torralva, the question is whether you are willing. I understand you are going to declare your major in Healing Arts, in which case you needn’t preserve your virgin state any longer...?”

Jess cleared her throat, and Kyle felt his own ache. She looked so beautiful sitting there. “I’m willing. I’ve been thinking for a long time I should go into Healing Arts, but honestly, I’ve been holding off, you know, just in case something like this might come up.”

“If only more families would imbue that kind of respect for the rites of passage...” Bell said, mostly to himself.

“So, yes,” Jess said, her neck looking very long and regal as she sat up straight. “I’m willing.”

“So what is this, Mr. Wadsworth, about you being a lightning rod?” Dean Bell’s voice lilted with skepticism.

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” Kyle said. “But when I made the amulet, I, um...I...”

“Brought down a hailstorm from wanking,” Alex finished for him.

“There wasn’t any hail!”

“Okay, no hail. But there was thunder and lightning, and Michael here can attest the amulet works.” Alex crossed his arms. “What odds would you give, Master Brandish, on a half-trained magic user stumbling through Bessarion’s instructions on a hunch, and succeeding? One in ten thousand?”

Kyle didn’t wait for her answer. “I get it. I had to, um, touch myself to conjure, too. So the theory is...I’ll call down the power, and it goes from me to Jess so she can heal Frost? Does it have to be me?”

Master Brandish frowned. “It can be any lightning rod, so long as he’s a virgin.”

Kyle turned to Nichols. “Are you...?”

Nichols shook his head. “But I can’t really be too jealous of you, can I? I mean...she’s your girlfriend, you clearly arranged the entire Masque because you love her, and here I am stealing her from you. I can’t really object to you having spell sex with Frost’s life on the line.”

Jess turned to Nichols and put her hands on his cheeks. “You can’t be my first, but you’ll be my last. There’ll only ever be you after this, forever and ever.” She pulled him into a kiss.

As Kyle looked away from the pair quickly. He thought he heard someone make a very quiet but disgusted sound, but when he looked he couldn’t tell whether it had been Alex or Dean Bell. Bell caught his eye. “I take it you are willing, as well? I know Timothy Frost was not exactly a close friend.”

Kyle looked at him lying there. “Yeah, but...I don’t think my virginity is worth more than his life.”

Brandish and Marjory Ransom were sharing a meaningful look. “Does the lightning rod really have to be a virgin?” Marjory asked.

“It could work with one who isn’t, though the energy is purer if he is, and given how Frost got the way he is.” Brandish brushed his hair back from his forehead. “But I see what you’re saying. If Kyle gives up his virginity now, if he decides to go into the Esoteric Arts, some disciplines will be closed to him.”

Marjory looked at Kyle. “If you really are a lightning rod, then Esoteric Studies is a good place for you.”

“It sounds like I could still study Esoteric Arts, I just...wouldn’t be able to do as much as some?” Kyle asked.

“Well, that’s true,” Marjory admitted. “There are complications, but...”

“I want to do it,” Kyle said. “If Jess wants me, that is. I don’t want it to seem like I’m doing it just for one last chance with her.”

Jess shook her head. “It’s you or nobody. I’m not doing it with some grad student from Nummus House just because he’s a rod. Ew.”

“How much time do we have to prepare?” Bell asked.

Ms. Finch got up and checked Frost over, though Kyle wasn’t sure what all the things she did were. Checked his pulse, looked at his eyes, put her hand over his heart. “He’s very weak. We could lose him at any time. He’s in much worse shape than Alex was.”

“That’s because he didn’t break my heart,” Alex said, causing Michael to burst into tears again.

Kyle stood. “That’s enough. What preparation do we need? If he really could die any time, I don’t see any good in waiting.”

Bell nodded. “I agree. I don’t even think we should move to the Sassamon chamber. Callendra, you’ll oversee.
Ransom, you may need to assist Torralva and Wadsworth. Everyone else out, including Candlin. And myself.” He stood and the others stood with him.

“Jess, I’ll wait for you back at your room,” Nichols said.

“You’ll have the place to yourself,” Alex added, his arm around Monica’s shoulders.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” said Ms. Finch.

Kyle didn’t have time to think about any of that as the others were ushered out, until only Bell and Candlin were left of those who were supposed to leave. Marjory began moving the furniture around. Kyle wanted to help, but he didn’t know what was supposed to go where. He found himself suddenly hugging Jess instead, though over her shoulder he watched Michael.

“Quilian, I really think you ought to oversee...” Master Brandish was arguing to Bell.

“Nonsense. Someone has to keep watch on this one.” He had his hand around Michael’s upper arm.

“Shouldn’t you wear the amulet?“ Kyle called out.

Dean Bell shook his head. “I believe it will work only for you, or at the very least, more poorly for others.”

“You’re the ritualist,” Brandish argued back. “I can handle the siren.”

“I’m only part siren,” Michael said miserably. “Isn’t there anything I can do to help?”

Kyle felt sorry for him, not for the first time that night, as Brandish and Bell both turned the hardness of their glares on the poor thing.

“We only get one chance at this,” Brandish insisted. “You need to oversee the preparations at the very least.”

“Very well. Wadsworth, please reinforce the need for Candlin here not to interfere, though.”

Kyle let go of Jess and put a hand on Michael’s shoulder. “You need to be quiet and stay out of the way, okay? If you want to help Frost, that’s the only way.”

“Okay.” Candlin’s answer came back a whisper as he sank into a chair.

Master Brandish led Kyle a few steps away then. “You and Miss Torralva...”

Kyle threw up his hands. “Look, I know what’s about to happen. I’m about to have sex with my very recently no-longer girlfriend right in front of everyone. Could we at least be on a first-name basis for now?”

Master Brandish’s eyes widened, but he thought he heard a suppressed laugh come from Dean Bell’s direction. The master cleared her throat. “Of course, Kyle, if you’re more comfortable that way.”

“Yes, yes, I am.”

“Good. What I was about to say is about your comfort, partly. If the two of you wish to be alone for a while, there’s a bedroom through the door here.” She gestured to the far back of the room.

Kyle found his usual wait-and-see reaction to baffling information was not working just now. “Why is there a bedroom here?”

“Because Quilian is a workaholic who doesn’t have the good sense to go home half the time,” she said. “It’s a bit utilitarian, but you’ll have some privacy. Do what you like, just please don’t penetrate her until you rejoin us out here, and please do make sure you’re both quite aroused.”