To Catch A Sorcerer

121. And You Need A Protection Detail


There was a scattered crowd behind Killian.

Someone was trying to press a drink into Killian's hands. Someone else was tugging at his uniform, trying to get his attention. A dishevelled Jessica Pruitt was some way behind him, partially obscured by the crowd, refusing to be plied with left over cake.

There was a tumult of voices, explanations of what had happened.

'We didn't want Jude alone, Major-'

'We took care of your boy-'

'The officer just kidnapped him!'

Killian's cool fingers tapped under Gray's chin. 'I'm sorry to get you up, kid, but you'll get a crick in your neck if you sleep like that.'

The tumult of voices continued.

'I alerted the guards, Major-'

'Can I get your autograph?'

'We didn't know your nephew was a mage-'

'I've never seen such a brazen attempt!'

'Thank you,' said Killian. 'Helena, Sinno, thank you.'

Killian was peering in Gray's eyes, pulling them open.

Gray struggled to open them. His eyes were heavy. Killian's hand was on his side, preparing to haul him upright, and Gray felt him pause, his fingers digging into the borrowed sweater and soft undershirt underneath.

'The officer just took him, Killian,' said Sidney's mother.

Killian was silent.

'He left the note?' said Jessica.

Her voice was edged with steele. It was so sharp that it made the party pause.

'Note?' said Sidney's mother. 'We left you a note on Killian's kitchen bench.'

'I mean the note pinned to Killian's front door,' said Jessica.

'We didn't - no one here pinned a note to Killian's front door, Colonel,' said Sidney's mother.

Then, softly, dangerously, in Gray's ear, Killian said, 'Can you wake up for me, hm?'

'I'm awake,' Gray mumbled.

'Who was it?' said Killian.

Gray felt his breath slow. Deepened. He was getting pulled back into the irrepressible lull of sleep.

'Kid, who was it? The officer they're talking about? I don't know this scent.'

'I don't know.' Gray forced himself further into consciousness, to keep his eyes open a slit.

'What did he look like?'

'Brown hair,' mumbled Gray. 'He said the General had given a decree …'

'Yeah,' said Killian. 'OK. Up.'

Gray extracted himself from Sidney, who continued to snore.

'What note was pinned to your door, Killian?' said Sidney's mother.

Killian's fist tightened around the scrunched-up note. 'Never mind. I'm sure it was a mistake.'

Killian hauled Gray upright.

Gray swayed. His eyes were half closed. Slurred a thank you that might've been too heartfelt, considering the way Sidney's mother - Helena - flushed, and Killian's grip squeezed Gray's shoulder.

Gray was following Killian and Jessica out of Sidney's house. Down the front steps of Sidney's house. And then up the steps to Killian's home.

Gray waited as Killian unlocked the front door. Cool night air brushed his face.

It was waking him up.

Gray could feel Jessica standing silently behind him, hear her sharp breath. She was adjusting her swords on her back.

Killian wordlessly gestured Gray inside.

Gray waited, silently, right inside the threshold, as Killian locked the door. Jessica strode in, giving Gray a hard, sweeping stare.

She was covered in soot and dust. It covered her usually flawless, dark hair. It smeared over her face, her precise uniform, her broad shoulders. Her bearing was more rigid than usual.

Jessica muttered something in Killian's ear.

There was the smallest moment of hesitation from Killian before he pushed the note into Jessica's demanding hand. Wordlessly, Jessica strode over to the living room, glancing down at Killian's work there, and sat stiffly onto the couch. She dropped her head into her hands.

Forbording flooded Gray. He turned to Killian.

In contrast to Jessica, Killian was clean and immaculate. Though, still pale and recovering. He moved slowly. Carefully, he pushed his hand against Gray's ribcage.

'No vest,' said Killian softly.

Gray couldn't bear to hold the dark gaze. He examined his bare feet, which he needed to wash, after the scuffle in the street. At the hem of the borrowed, hand-knitted sweater from Helena.

Killian moved, he made some sort of gesture, but Gray didn't dare lift his eyes to see.

'Dangerous,' said Killian.

This tone, this soft disappointment, was awful. It was worse than the rising beat of anxiety about going to Krydon tomorrow, worse than the tremor of realising Gray was still so bad at fighting, and they were fucked.

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'You understand,' said Killian, 'you neglect your vest in the field, you do this with Jessica, she will discipline you. Deservedly so. You always wear it.'

Gray nodded. Tried to get the words I'm sorry past his tongue.

I'm sorry, I forgot. I'll never do it again. I understand what it means if I lose control.

'What happened to the street, Gray?' said Killian.

Gray chewed the inside of his lip.

'What happened?'

'I,' said Gray, 'don't know.'

'You don't know,' Killian echoed softly.

'It wasn't you?' said Jessica from the living room.

'It.' Gray licked his lips.

Jessica raised her head from her hands.

Killian must've made face at her, or made a gesture, because her gaze narrowed and she abruptly strode over and hovered over Gray.

Killian had a gentling hand on her wrist.

'Something has messed with the air,' said Killian, utterly calm, 'it's burned it. The street is a huge mess. The neighbours have been jabbering at us the second Jess and I set foot at the end of the street, talking about how strangely my wards behaved. And no shit. It wasn't the wards, was it?'

'Oh. Uh …'

'My alternative is to think it was some alchemy stunt you've pulled,' said Killian, 'or it's Conor, because this could be air magic shit, hm?'

'It was me,' Gray said.

Jessica made a sharp sound.

'Good,' said Killian, even more softly, calmly, 'because if sorcerers and other nasties are getting past my wards, I'm going to get a little concerned. But-'

In on swift move, Jessica unfolded the scrunched-up note and slammed it down right next to Finola's proposal.

'Jess, don't show him that, we need his head clear for tomorrow-'

The note was one symbol.

A large red X.

The world narrowed. That had been on Killian's front door? The door they were inches away from, standing right next to?

Wilde is here? Gray wanted to ask.

Words tangled. He dragged his eyes away from the X, checking the locks on the door.

Jessica and Killian were arguing, they were hissing at each other, Jessica was raising her voice, but Gray he was too busy processing that Wilde's mark was right there.

'What happened?' said Killian, prodding at Gray.

Gray swallowed.

'You awake?' said Killian.

Gray nodded.

'You look like you've been slammed into a brick wall,' said Killian.

To be fair, Gray felt he'd been slammed into a brick wall. But then, so did Killian and Jessica.

'You look,' said Killian, 'like an idiot mage who's done more magic than they've been trained to handle and now you're damn wiped.'

'Should we sit?' said Gray, working his dry tongue. 'Your leg. You should probably sit-'

'Where's your wand?' said Killian, unmoving. 'You left it over at Sidney's?'

'No,' said Gray. 'No, it's upstairs. I didn't have my wand.'

There was a long pause.

Jessica was rigid.

Killian let out a breath. Paced away.

Came back.

'I'm sorry,' said Gray, stumbling over his words. 'Look, please sit down. Is Wilde here?'

'Of course he'd not here,' said Killian, dismissively.

'Uncontrolled?' said Jessica. 'With no vest?'

Gray hesitated. Killian's lack of concern about Wilde's mark on his door was causing a jam in his thinking. And Jessica was rattled, he could see it edging through her steely resolve, it was colouring her movement.

'None of the neighbours said you lit up,' said Killian, 'and you displayed some great control in Baldwin's office today, so I'm already leaning strongly towards no, it wasn't uncontrolled magic, Gray.'

'Uh,' said Gray. 'No. I …'

'So, alchemy?' said Jessica.

'Look at him,' said Killian. 'It wasn't alchemy.'

There was a tense beat.

'Wandless?' said Killian.

'I,' said Gray, hoarsely. 'It was defensive. I was trying to-'

'Oh, for the love of sweet Clochaint,' Killian murmured. 'Gods. I …' Killian paced away again, favouring his left leg.

'Holy fuck,' said Jessica. She pointed towards the street. 'You did that? On purpose? With no wand?'

Gray kept his head bowed. From the corner of his eye he saw Killian gesture at Jessica.

'How the damn did you even do that, Gray?' said Jessica.

'I don't know,' Gray rushed out, thrusting his trembling hands into his pockets, pushing down residual panic from how fast his magic had come up, 'I've never done that before, I said words and it just happened, my magic's never done much, gone anywhere …'

Words caught in Gray's throat.

'What? Who taught you the words?' said Jessica.

Gray chewed the inside of his lip. 'I know …'

Gray faded out as Jessica's hand settled near the sword on her hip. The clock on the wall ticked.

'He,' said Killian, 'knows some of the mage tongue. He's done something similiar before. A couple times. Not quite to this - ah - extent.'

Jessica rounded on Killian. 'When were you going to mention this?'

'I mentioned it,' said Killian, his tone getting an edge. 'I mentioned it and I mentioned it. I was calling him a sorcerer. Conor Griffin. That is one of the many reasons why.' He snapped his attention to Gray. 'Breathe. It's fine,' said Killian. 'Vest. Now.'

Killian's voice floated up the stairs as Gray took them, three at a time.

'It's OK, his base stat is stupid-high, I'm sure it's normal. We're going to circle back to that later, because I have no damn clue how to approach …'

Gray shut the door to his bedroom, and took a second to lean his hot forehead on the cool timber, his hand on the doorknob. Got his vest down, from where he'd hung it on the hook on the back of the door.

Shrugging out of his borrowed sweater and sleeping shirt, Gray laced up the vest, and then layered his clothes back on top.

He hesitated by the door. He could hear Jessica and Killian arguing.

It was tempting to stay upstairs, in the safety of his bedroom. But he didn't want Jessica and Killian traipsing up the stairs, looking for him.

Quietly, Gray made his way back downstairs.

Killian and Jessica were close to each other. Killian was leaning against the kitchen bench, his shoulders slightly hunched, and Jessica was less than a foot away from his face.

'Why you asking me?' said Jessica. 'Because I'm a woman? I don't know. You've had kids.'

'OK, fine,' said Killian, his tone hard.

'I've only worked with trained professionals,' said Jessica. 'Master mages. They don't do accidental wandless. Do you know how long it's been since I've had to work with a rookie mage?'

'He's probably simply close to a ryece,' said Killian. 'It's fine.'

'Close to a ryece?' said Jessica.

'Baldwin's had him running drills with Mali for three days, from what I saw he's being pushed pretty hard-'

'Control drills,' said Jessica.

'We're getting off track,' said Killian. 'That is so far from relevant right now.'

'If he goes into a ryece while we're in Krydon, that's not fine,' said Jessica. 'It's terrible timing and it'll cause a whole lot of problems.'

'You've not got him using magic in Krydon. He's not going into a ryece there,' said Killian. Killian glanced over at Gray. 'Because you're not going to do that ever again, are you, Gray?'

Gray felt a horrible flush of heat creep up the back of his neck.

He'd been stalled on the bottom stair, uncertain if he should give them privacy or not.

'No,' said Gray.

Killian waved him over into the kitchen. Jessica moved away, giving Gray an odd, hard look, her arms folded.

'You've not gone through our military training,' said Killian, 'but you know how to obey an order, yes?'

Gray nodded.

'Don't do that again,' said Killian.

'I won't.'

'And I've told you, more than once, you don't leave this house. You don't go anywhere without me. Hm?'

'Yes.'

'Look at me.'

Reluctantly, Gray made himself raise his gaze.

'Jessica gives you a direct boundary, she gives you a direct order, she'll expect you to obey. It's better you learn this here, now, than in Krydon.'

Gray had a sudden flash of Killian in Krydon, ordering Russet to clean all the toilets in the Hall for disobeying an order. And the brutal thumping of Codder for trying to take Gray from the prison cell. Throwing the chalk duster at the soldier who'd talked out of turn in the old Captain's office during lessons. Throwing Emwell out, with an acidic, public rebuke.

'In Krydon?' said Jessica.

'Jess,' started Killian.

'I'm on the verge of going back out this door and back to Baldwin to tell him Gray shouldn't go,' said Jessica.

The ground dropped out from underneath Gray's feet. 'No.'

'It's too dangerous,' said Jessica. 'There's too many elements out of my control.'

This was not happening.

'He's being watched,' said Jessica. 'Wilde's agent turns up and he walks right into his hands.'

'That,' said Gray, alarmed, speaking directly at Jessica, 'that wasn't Wilde. It wasn't Conor. It was just a man. An officer. It wasn't Wilde's agent. I can feel magic, it wasn't - I'm being tracked is kind of the point of me going to Krydon, that's good for a sorcerer fight-'

'A fight between Longwark and the vampiric sorcerer is one thing,' said Jessica, stepping forward. Gray was struck by how tall she was. How powerful her shoulders were. How carefully she maintained her swords. 'We don't want Wilde or his supporters here,' said Jessica. 'Krydon is too close to the Othoan border. The wards are vulnerable. It could end up being an unholy disaster.'

Gray stared at her, words flying away as his insides crumbled.

'We prepare the apprentice Champion,' said Jessica. 'And you need a protection detail.'

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