The Nightmare Dilemma

18 Vejovis

Typical of my life experience, the more I wanted something to happen—like an important e-mail popping up in my inbox—the less likely it was to happen. Even worse, the likelihood decreased with every press of the refresh button.

When I wasn’t obsessing over my inbox, I spent the day reviewing The Atlantean Chronicle, but I didn’t find a single thing of note. Selene’s detection spell was a bust, too.

Finally, an hour past curfew, a message came in from my dad:

So sorry sweetheart. Just got your voice mail but I figured it’s too late to call. I was at a symposium all day. I’ll call you in a pass first thing tomorrow. Love, Dad.

I sent him a quick reply and closed the eTab. I texted the news to Eli and then asked if he’d heard from his dad, but he texted me back saying no. He also told me to get a new phone because it was changing every other letter of my texts into symbols, making it nearly impossible to read. The symbol-changing was new, but the crappy phone wasn’t.

Tell me something I don’t know, I texted back, but Eli didn’t reply. Maybe my phone had been offended and eaten his response.

Eager to be off tomorrow, I turned in early. Selene came in not long after and lay down. I was a little surprised at her arrival. She’d gotten a phone call from Lance an hour before and had gone out to meet him.

Selene cleared her throat and then announced into the darkness, “So Lance just told me there’s a little more going on with Eli than him being tired.”

I rolled over, focusing my gaze on her vague outline. “What do you mean?”

She exhaled. “Some witchkinds have been giving him crap about being a Conductor.”

I leaned up onto my elbows. “Like what?”

“A couple of threatening notes left in his locker and some anonymous e-mails calling him a cheat and a fake.”

“Why on earth for?” My voice echoed loudly in the still room.

Selene exhaled again. “It’s stupid. But I guess a lot of the witchkinds aren’t happy about an ordinary using their magic. They’re acting like he stole it or something.”

I gasped, outraged. “That the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I know,” Selene said, a dark tone to her voice. “And it gets worse. Lance told me that his dad and the other witchkind politicians are unhappy that he’s being allowed to use magic at all. They tried to stop it. They say it’s dangerous to let an ordinary do magic.”

“What? But that’s so unfair.” I wanted to hit something, but the only thing available was a pillow, and that would be less than satisfying. No wonder Eli was so distraught. He’d been so happy to discover his magic, but now he was getting heat for it. My heart hurt for him. I wondered why he hadn’t told me.

“What does Lance say about it?” I asked, bracing for the worst.

I heard Selene shift on her bed. “He’s angry. More angry than I’ve seen him. He had a big fight with his dad about it on the phone. Senator Rathbone wants him to put in a new roommate request, but Lance refused. He’s no plans on ditching Eli.” Something like awe, or maybe pride colored Selene’s voice.

My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe it. I never would’ve expected Lance to stand up to his father. I guess this meant he wasn’t quite the total jackass I’d always taken him for. “I’m glad to hear it,” I said.

Selene didn’t respond for several long seconds. Then she said in a soft voice, “Me, too.”

We fell silent after that, each of us no doubt thinking about the boys in our lives as we drifted off to sleep.

Despite our good intentions, Selene and I both slept in late the next day. We hurried to get dressed. The cafeteria would be closing soon, and as much as I wanted to eat a Milky Way Midnight bar for breakfast, I figured it was a bad idea. Maybe afterward.

I opened the door to leave but froze when I saw my mother standing in the hallway, one hand raised as if she were just about to knock. I stared at her a full thirty seconds before registering that it was really her.

Moira put a hand on her hip, her vivid red fingernails flashing. A scathing look crossed her face. “I haven’t possibly been gone long enough that you’ve forgotten me.”

A huge smile spread across my face. “Mom!” I jumped forward, grabbing her so hard around the waist that she grunted.

But she hugged me back and kissed my cheek. “I missed you, too.”

I pulled away from her, a dozen questions on the tip of my tongue, but Mom held up a piece of paper, distracting me.

“I just got in this morning, but I hear you’re looking for a day pass,” she said, grinning smugly.

I grabbed the paper and examined it more closely, confirming it was legit. “You’re the best, Mom.”

Moira tilted her head, her blond hair—longer than it had been the last time I saw her—brushing against her shoulder. “I know.” She waved. “You two ladies go grab your coats. Let’s head out now.”

Fifteen minutes later, I climbed into the passenger seat of my mom’s neon orange-and-black pin-striped Dodge Challenger. Magickind were supposed to blend in with ordinaries whenever they traveled out in the ordinary world, but my mother tried to blend in more with teenage boys and old men with too much money and too little hair.

I looked over my shoulder at Selene sitting in the back. “Put on your seat belt.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Oh, you’ll see.”

Mom shot me a look as she turned the key. “My daughter is implying that I’m a bad driver.”

“I’m not implying. I’m saying it outright.”

Moira opened her mouth to argue as she started to pull out of the parking spot, but she dropped the clutch too soon, and the car gave a huge buck as the engine revved and then stalled. Magickind should never be allowed to buy stick shifts, especially not my mother. I couldn’t figure out how she’d convinced the dealer to sell it to her. With magic, no doubt.

“Whoops.” Moira put the car back into first and started the engine.

Behind me I heard the click of Selene’s seat belt as she fastened it.

Mom had better luck the second time, and once she reached cruising speed we were out of danger of stalling. For the time being, at least. But we weren’t safe by any means. Right away Mom pressed me for information on Britney, Paul, and Eli’s latest dreams. I told her everything, but it wasn’t easy as she insisted on looking at me while I talked. Consequently, she kept drifting left of center or driving up on the curb.

“Watch the road, Mom!” I said as I finished. A horn blast and the screech of tires drowned out the sound of my voice.

My mom jerked the car back seconds before a collision. Then she smiled over at me, perfectly at ease even though I was trying to convince my heart to go back into my chest.

“Honestly, Dusty,” Moira said, patting my hand, wrapped around the emergency brake so hard my knuckles were white. “You’re far too uptight.”

“Right, because dying is nothing to get uptight about.”

She waved me off.

“So how was your trip to England?” Selene squeaked from the backseat. “Did you discover who let Marrow out of his tomb?”

I glanced back to see she’d gone completely white. Poor girl. But I had warned her.

“No,” Mom said, for once keeping her eye on the road. “But whoever it was is no longer in England.”

I looked at her profile, trying to gage her level of worry. “Then where is he?”

Mom glanced at me. Her longer hair made her look younger than she really was, but her eyes looked old. “I’m pretty sure he or she is in Chickery.”

I exhaled, not entirely surprised. It only made sense that whoever had set Marrow free would’ve followed him here. But why hadn’t the person been there when Marrow tried to reclaim his ancient, powerful sword, the Excalibur of legend? Not that I was complaining. If he had been there, things might’ve turned out differently.

“But don’t you worry,” Moira said. “I’ll find him sooner or later.”

I nodded and then pulled out my cell, remembering I needed to text Eli. I sent him a message that we were on our way to visit Britney, and I asked about his dad. Fortunately, the text must’ve gone through without being garbled this time, because he replied right away, telling me that he’d spoken to his dad and that everything was fine. Funny how easy it was to sense his relief even through a text message. He finished up by giving me a couple of reminders for the interrogation.

Against all reasonable likelihood, we made it to the hospital in one piece. Vejovis was located on the waterfront. To ordinaries it looked like some kind of warehouse, a big brick-sided building with only a couple of windows. Hospitals were one of the few institutions magickind kept completely separate from ordinaries. There were just too many kinds with strange anatomies to treat them anywhere else. A glamour charm could hide those differences, sure, but doing so would make it impossible for a physician—ordinary or magickind—to treat them successfully.

We checked in with the receptionist first, a thin, frail woman with gray scraggly hair and ashen skin. At first I thought she was a newly made vampire, not yet fully decayed, except vampires always disguised their corpselike appearance with a glamour. But then the unpleasant keenness in her voice gave her away as she told us Britney’s room number. I’d heard banshees were a regular fixture at magickind hospitals—their ability to sense encroaching death a useful tool in helping the doctors prevent it—but this was the first time I’d ever seen one in person.

“Only two of you can go in at a time,” the banshee said. “And only if the patient gives permission.”

My mother winked. “Oh, I’m sure she will.”

The three of us climbed into the elevator, and Mom hit the button for the fourth floor. I was a little concerned about using the elevator. None of the buildings at Arkwell had them and for good reason—it was too risky with the animation effect.

As the elevator lurched into motion, I grabbed hold of the rail and clenched my teeth, hoping we wouldn’t plummet to our deaths.

Mom must’ve sensed my concern for she gave me a knowing smile. “Don’t worry. They’re not run on electricity. Everything in Vejovis is run on magic.”

Selene’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes. It’s one of the few magical institutions that does.”

“What are the others?” I asked, relaxing a little. Magic could be unpredictable and dangerous, but most of that depended on the skill of the person working the magic. Whoever built this place was probably the skilled of the skilled.

“The only other place nearby is Lyonshold,” Moira said.

My eyebrows climbed up my forehead. “The entire island?”

“Hypocrites,” Selene muttered under her breath.

It was a fair point, but I didn’t comment, even as an uneasy feeling came over me. Marrow wanted all of magickind to turn away from ordinary technologies. When he’d said it, I’d assumed such a thing would be impossible. But apparently I was wrong.

As the elevator doors opened, we stepped out and made our way to Britney’s room. A werewolf sheriff’s deputy stood guard outside her door. In seconds, my mom convinced him to allow Selene and me inside to see Britney. I had a feeling the normal protocol would’ve been to ask the patient if she wanted any visitors, but my mom had a way of making people forget normal stuff.

When the deputy stepped aside giving us clearance, my mom waved us on without her. I didn’t question her actions. Talking to Britney would be easier without her.

The room looked nothing at all like an ordinary hospital room. Thick green tapestries embroidered with gold and silver runes and other magical symbols covered the walls, and the bed was made of wood with more of the same symbols carved into its frame. I guessed they were there to promote healing. In one corner of the room sat a massive porcelain tub with clawed feet. It looked big enough to swim in, or at least big enough for a mermaid to fully submerge.

My eyes turned to Britney, lying on the bed. With a pang of guilt, I saw she was asleep. The black stitches still marred her face, but her color had lost its zombie-ish hue.

I glanced at Selene. “Should we wake her?”

Selene sighed. “I’m afraid we have to. We came all this way and might not get another chance anytime soon.”

“Right.” I took a step nearer the bed. “I’ll do it.” I leaned over and gently touched Britney’s shoulder. She reacted at once, her eyes snapping open. For a second she looked like she might jump up and run away. She was staring at me like some kind of monster that had come to eat her.

I took a step back, my hands raised in an attempt to calm her. “It’s okay. It’s just me, Dusty.”

Britney frowned, her eyes narrowing. “I know who you are.”

“Oh, I thought … never mind.” I smiled. “How are you?”

She pushed herself into a sitting position. “What are you doing here? Nobody’s supposed to be here.”

Selene clucked her tongue. “Good to see you, too, Brit.”

Britney’s gaze wavered between Selene and me, as if she couldn’t decide which of us posed more of a threat. She’d always been on the flighty side, but this was downright paranoid. I wondered what kind of damage the spell had done to her.

“I mean it,” Britney said. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“We just, uh…” I broke off as my cell started ringing. “Sorry.” I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. Glancing at the number, I felt my stomach flip over. I’d deleted Paul’s contact information off my phone ages ago, but it didn’t matter. I had the number forever memorized.

I debated answering for a second, but then I pressed the END button and the phone fell silent.

“We just need to talk to you about what happened the night you were attacked.” Selene came forward and sat on the foot of the bed.

Britney recoiled away from her, drawing her legs up to her chest. She was wearing a green robe, thicker than an ordinary hospital gown, but not by much. More runes and magical symbols had been stitched around the collar and the hem of the sleeves. “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t remember what happened.”

Right away I knew she was lying. Eli had drilled the signs into me during our last “case” when we’d gone together to interview one of the suspects. Britney was displaying all of them—rapid blinking, short responses, defensive behavior, and so on.

“It’s okay, Britney. You can tell—” My cell sounded again, this time alerting me to a text message. Of all the times for the stupid thing to start working properly. “One second.” I pulled the cell from my pocket. It was Paul again:

Are you with Britney Shell?

Now my stomach contracted into a tight ball. How did he know I was here? The idea that he was spying on me made all the hairs on my neck and arms stand at attention.

I closed the text without responding and slid the phone back into my pocket.

I returned my focus to Britney. “You can tell us anything,” I continued. “Selene and I are here to help. We want to find out who did this to you and make them stop.”

Britney’s mouth fell open, and for a second, she looked at us like we were insane. She shook her head. “You can’t help. You can’t.” She sounded half-angry and all-the-way scared.

“Yes, we can. Eli’s helping, too.” I said, stumbling over the words in my embarrassment. “You heard what we did, right?”

“You defeated the Red Warlock,” Britney said in a low, desperate voice.

I nodded vigorously and then brushed back the hair that had fallen into my face. “That’s right. So whoever you’re afraid of has got to be easy by comparison.”

Ice crept into her expression. “You have no idea what you’re saying.”

I winced, because it was mostly true. I was trying to make it sound like we’d gone into the fight with Marrow with a clear plan of victory. In actuality, we’d just gotten lucky. Me in particular when I delivered the blow that killed him—well, his current incarnation.

“Then why don’t you tell us what’s really going on?” Selene pressed.

My cell went off again. “Crap.” I yanked it out, getting annoyed now.

So was Selene. She turned a stony gaze on me. “Who is it?”

I didn’t answer her. I couldn’t.

Leave now, Dusty, Paul’s message read. It’s dangerous. Don’t talk to her. Don’t do anything except get out.

An automatic jolt of fear went through me at his words. But doubt followed quick on its heels. What kind of danger could we be in inside a hospital? I glanced back at the door, which we’d left open. My mom was right there, peeking in on us every couple of seconds as she kept the police officer busy.

“Nobody,” I finally answered, closing the text once more. Selene returned her attention to Britney. “We know that Lance was in the alcove. Do you remember that?”

Britney paled. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“You do remember, don’t you?” I said in a soft voice.

Tears filled Britney’s eyes. “Is he … is he all right?”

I tilted my head, surprised by her answer. It wasn’t what I was expecting. “Mostly … but he’s been cursed and we’re not sure what it was or how to take it off.”

Without warning, Britney let out a huge sob then burst into tears. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I did it. I didn’t mean to. It wasn’t supposed to be him. I messed up. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to. I had to.”

Selene and I exchanged a look.

“Wait, slow down.” I raised my hands. Britney sobbed again, her words disintegrating into garbled cries.

Selene reached out and touched Britney’s leg. “Shhhh. Try to calm down.”

A few seconds later, her cries died away.

“Okay,” Selene said, exhaling in relief. “Are you saying that you cursed Lance?”

Britney didn’t respond, just sat there, red-eyed and frozen.

“You can just nod if you want,” said Selene.

I sucked in a breath as Britney did. It didn’t make sense. If Britney attacked Lance then who had attacked her?

“Why did you attack him?” Selene said. The sound of her voice made my skin tingle, and I realized she was invoking her siren magic. Not much, just enough to lure Britney out of her paralyzing fear.

“I didn’t mean to.” Britney’s voice quavered. She pulled the bedcovers up over her arms.

Selene patted her again. “It’s okay. So you didn’t mean to attack Lance. Your target was someone else, right?”

“Who?” I said, and Britney flinched.

Selene didn’t glare at me, but I got the feeling she wanted to. It seemed of the three of us on the Dream Team, Selene had the best knack for interrogating. With her siren skills, she should always play good cop.

“Who did you mean to curse?” Selene said, her voice almost singsong now.

For a second I didn’t think Britney would answer, but then she said, “Eli.”

A weakness struck my knees and I grabbed the bed rail to steady myself.

Without any prompting, Britney went on, the words spilling out of her. “I left the message in his dorm room, knowing he would meet me in the alcove. But when Lance showed up instead, I panicked.”

“Why did you want to curse Eli?” I said.

Britney looked at me, clamming up once more.

“Who wanted you to do it?” Selene said. The question took me by surprise. It seemed Selene had made far more sense out of Britney’s crying fit than I had.

Britney bit her lip.

“Come on,” Selene said. My skin tingled again, and I could almost hear the hum of magic on the air. I half-expected Selene to start singing. “Tell us who wanted you to do it.”

“I can’t,” Britney cried. “You don’t understand. He has something on my mother. He knows—”

My cell chimed again. I closed my eyes, fury heating my skin. I yanked it out of my pocket, determined to shut it off this time.

Please, the message read. Please, Dusty. Don’t do this.

My hand lingered over the END button. If I held it down long enough, the phone would shut off.

“Who knows?” Selene said, not bothering to ask me about the cell this time. “And knows what?”

Britney shook her head, tears in her eyes again.

“Who is it?” Selene pressed.

“I can’t tell you.” The tears spilled over.

“Yes, you can.” The definite hum of music sounded in Selene’s voice, and the room filled with her siren magic.

I could see Britney struggling against it, caught between her terror and the desire to give into the siren’s call.

“Stop it, Selene,” I said.

She didn’t hear me, but asked her question again, the music-magic intensifying.

“Stop it, Selene,” I said again, louder this time. I knew what it felt like to have that power used against you. It wasn’t right to do it to Britney.

“It’s—” Britney’s voice cut off. For a second nothing happened. She just stared at us, frozen in place.

But then the mermaid began to shriek.