Chapter 6: Levenach

Even after eight years, a simple call from Neeve is enough to distract me from the smallest task, futile or of importance. Neeve still has that power over me. Since that famous night. That disastrous night, when everything changed. Not that I regret it, but here I am, in a cloud of black swirls, teleported from the Wiccard Academy. I inherited this power with my position as Amnistral.

I’m walking down the hallway of the BONC when Neeve jumps on me.

"Damn, what were you doing?" she says, annoyed.

I sigh. Even if seeing her still provokes in me feelings that I prefer to repress, I don’t forget what I have to accomplish at her request. She used magic in front of humans, and I’m already about to invoke the laws that govern all magical races when, suddenly, I perceive the reminiscences of ancient magic. Dark magic. The magic of the Nightfalls… But I know that Neeve uses nature magic, she cannot be responsible for this.

"What happened?" I ask.

"They tried to kill me, damn it!"

I frown, instantly doubting her words. Not that it’s impossible, but who could hurt Neeve? An upset investor? A rejected lover? I know her so well. Granted, she’s a powerful witch, like her housemates, but Neeve is different, much to my regret. And I’m not there for nothing.

"Explain to me."

She invites me to follow her down the hall. I then find myself in the open space. Her boss is lying, passed out, on the floor. A young woman is crying. A human holds his head, constantly mumbling that he hasn’t seen anything and that he won’t say anything. The typical reaction of humans having witnessed a supernatural attack.

"Vampires or wolves?"

Neeve turns around and looks at me. His gaze almost strikes me on the spot. She still hates me. She hates me so much. But that wasn’t always the case, and I cling to that memory.

"sorcerers," she says.

"Unlikely," I replied.

"Neeve, I want to go home," the pale young man begged.

She lowers herself to his level and caresses his cheek. Her belligerent expression disappears and takes on a deep gentleness.

"It won’t be long, Bob, don’t worry," Neeve reassures him.

Then she turns to me and gives me an acid smile.

"Hurry up, Levenach. It’s your job," she spits, before turning to the famous Bob.

I watch her soothe the human without saying a word. I won’t give her that pleasure. So I raise my palm.

From my hand escape three nebulae. They rise slowly under the eyes of the humans who are about to receive my fate. The next minute, Neeve’s boss and his employees get up and hurry out, with no memory of what they’ve seen.

"Tell me," I repeated.

Neeve makes sure the door is closed before facing me. Her closeness overwhelms me, so I take a step back. It does not escape her. A jaded smile forms on her lips.

"A man came and threatened me."

"Where is he?"

"Six feet under, I would say."

My gaze drifts towards the patio where the only plot of vegetation in the building is located. I know the power of Neeve. This immeasurable power that she draws from the earth. Neeve looks down and twiddles her hands.

"Thanks for coming."

I’m surprised that she agrees to thank me, but remains stoic. I know her only too well.

"I’m the Amnistral, it is my duty."

"Yes, of course."

The silence between us drags on. Our eyes fuse. I wish I could read her mind, but the magic of the Nightfalls overwhelms me again.

"How are you, otherwise?" she asks me.

I know she asks me this question with as much awareness as I do of the pathos of the present situation. We don’t know what to say to each other, and I don’t even remember when things have been like this between us.

"I’m fine," I answer while a thin line of derision can be guessed on my lips.

"OK."

So. The discussion is over, and we both know it. I nod my head in salute and rush towards the corridor by which I arrived. The portal I created is still open, but before I go through it, my cell phone vibrates in my jeans pocket.

"Hello?"

"Sixine used her powers at the courts. You must go there, and you are expected to provide a detailed report on the circumstances of these… incidents."

I frown and walk back to Neeve. She’s packing up her things and rolls her eyes when she sees me coming back. An idea bothers me, and I prefer to remove it immediately from my mind.

"You forgot your smile around here somewhere?" she says.

"Were there any strange events you witnessed in the company of Sixine?"

"Except in court?"

"Hmm…"

I turn away and walk back towards the portal.

"Oh, and there was a suicide," she adds.

"What do you mean?" I asked, facing her again.

"A woman jumped from a building at the corner of Willsborough. She crashed before our eyes. It was horrible."

Willsborough.

"When?"

"Yesterday."

I take it upon myself to hide the storm that invades my chest. I pick up the phone and ask:

"Anything about Professor Mona?"

"You guess right. Elinor Mona is missing. Her father tried to contact you several times."

"What makes him think she’s missing?"

"Her car was found full of blood. Blood that couldn’t be hers."

My eyes turn to Neeve.

"Flee. Far."

"Pardon?"

I move closer to Neeve, my eyes dark as my thoughts race. I must make her understand the danger that awaits her. Elinor Mona and Neeve Foris used magic to defend themselves. I don’t doubt that Sixine also used hers for the same reasons. These are not coincidences. My hands rest on Neeve’s shoulders, and she immediately tries to free herself from my grip. This contact bothers her. It should not. Still, the current I feel in my forearms burns me. I clench my jaw before managing to say:

"Elinor, Sixine and you must flee very far."

"Wh-what?"

Her hard gaze changes and gets lost a little. I pull my hands from her bare shoulders.

"Go somewhere where no one can find you."

"What the hell are you saying, Lenny? I can’t run away! My mother, my father, my brother… No, no. I can’t!"

"You have to leave town tonight, Neeve. Someone wants you dead and might succeed if you stay here. For once, damn it, listen to me, and run away!"

Neeve slumps in her chair. I notice that what I said to her is making its way into her head. I cling to this belief. I can’t do anything more, so I leave, failing to mention to her that I may know who this someone is.