Chapter 22

I woke up in a panic. I was on my feet, ready for a fight.

I quickly realized that I was back in the family room where I had been when Walker and his people had first arrived. My people were here as well as several others whom I did not know. One of them was a blond woman with striking features who raced toward me with what appeared to be harmful intentions.

She reached out to me. If she was a Magus, a simple touch could do any number of things. I had felt some of those things, and I wasn’t willing to go through them again.

I caught her wrist, twisted it around, forced her to turn to face the other direction, and locked her arm behind her back. Her cries drew attention. I used that to my advantage and called out, “I am Lord Connors of House Ursae and Florence Manor. Who are you?”

One of the unknown men sneered and started toward me. He was cut off by a simple touch from an older man. The older man had black hair with a single streak of gray. His face was tanned and leathery, and he looked old enough to be my grandfather. He turned to face me and then glanced at the younger man. The younger man calmed and stepped back.

I had underestimated Walker – by a lot – so I wasn’t going to make the same mistake with this one. I informed them of who I was and made a direct request for their identities. I would get that information one way or another.

The older man looked at me again and then met the woman’s gaze.

She growled her frustration at her situation but otherwise didn’t speak nor attempt to reverse my hold on her.

Were they communicating telepathically?

“Who are you?” I asked. Even to me, I sounded incensed.

The older man looked at me and said nothing for a minute. It became evident that he would speak only when he was good and ready.

I looked past him to the rest of the room. Almost everyone was here and looked to be in good health. Yeah, almost everyone. I didn’t see my mom anywhere.

The woman I held struggled against the arm lock. I let her go with a push toward the old man.

She caught herself, spun on her heel, and I blocked the round-house kick leveled at my head. She didn’t press her attack. I think she just wanted me to know that she was pissed. I didn’t blame her. I was too.

I looked at the old man again and waited. I could be patient at times, but Walker was putting more and more distance between me and my mom with this delay.

Just as I was about to point this out, the old man said, “My name is Joseph Blackfeather.” Then he looked around the room before continuing with, “Before we speak further, we should adjourn to a secured room.”

Walker hadn’t bothered wanting a secured room. Granted, all those who weren’t Magi had been unconscious or under a spell at the time, but I had to guess this guy wasn’t aligned with Walker. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he was a Sheriff Magus and the others were his deputies. I could accommodate that much, especially if it meant speeding up this meeting.

I looked at the others. “Greta, with me. I need the rest of you to wait here. We’ll talk later.” Greta stepped up next to me and the others all nodded in agreement. Then I turned and led the way back to the Den.

The only ones to follow me and Greta were Joseph, the blonde woman, and the man who had been stopped by Joseph. The rest of his people stayed with mine. I trusted Chloe and Michael to make short work of them should they try anything to which I wouldn’t agree.

We reached the Den and I offered our visitors seats. I took the chair behind the desk. Greta stood behind me to my right.

Joseph and his deputies looked around the room, possibly checking on the security of the room. Seemingly satisfied, Joseph sat down, but his deputies mirrored Greta behind him.

Joseph looked at me and said, “I am a Ranger Magus assigned to bring in Walter Kirchhoff. The man you know as Walker.” He waved at the blonde. “This is Deputy Langham.” Then he waved to the man. “And this is Deputy Glover.”

Interestingly, I knew Walker had a different name, Walter Kirchhoff, but I didn’t see any reason to bring that up now.

A Ranger Magus? Tanner hinted at Magi with more authority than Sheriffs, but I thought he was talking about House leaders in the hierarchy. If Joseph had more authority, then anything I said could lead to my arrest, or worse. Maybe it would help if I started with an apology. I looked up at the other two. “I apologize. I could not know who you were or why you were here.”

The blonde sneered and looked away.

I looked at the Ranger. “How can I help you?”

“Help me by telling me why you and yours are still alive,” the Ranger said.

I frowned at the statement because there was a conflict of priorities involved. On one hand, there was the secrecy of the vault, and on the other, there was his need to understand what had happened here. I had no way of knowing what revealing the secret of the vault would entail, however, it would be worth it to help capture Walker. Besides, Walker never told me why he left us alive. Sure, I had my suspicions, but that wasn’t absolute. So, for the moment, I stuck to the truth. “I have no idea.”

Joseph studied me. He seemed to peer directly into my soul. It was an uncomfortable feeling. No, I didn’t believe he was using magic. He simply looked at me as if I had done something wrong, and he was trying to decide on an appropriate punishment. Finally, he said, “You should consider yourself and yours lucky. Walker does not take kindly to fools nor does he leave witnesses.”

For an instant, my anger flared. I wasn’t a fool. There was a big difference between being an idiot and admitting to ignorance of a question posed. However, I also heard the part about witnesses. Witnesses suggested a crime. Walker stole from me and I didn’t mean the items from the vault. I frowned. “You’ve been tracking him for some time,” I said. “He kidnapped my mother.”

“That is unfortunate,” the Ranger said. “Walker has done this in the past and we would eventually find the person wandering the streets of a city or alone in the woods somewhere. They had no recollection as to who they were or how they got there.” Then he shook his head. “Those were the lucky ones.”

“Then we need to find him, now,” I said and turned to ask Greta something.

“Lord Connors,” The Ranger interrupted. “Walker’s trail has already gone cold. Whatever happened here tonight, has allowed him to elude me more effectively than anything I have ever encountered.”

“Are you saying we can’t find him?”

“Not unless you can tell me what happened,” he said.

I almost turned around to look at the mirror behind me but stopped myself. There was no reason to hide the truth. To be honest, if the Ranger wanted to arrest me, he could do so due to me not answering his questions. Mundane police called it obstruction. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a Magical equivalent.

“I...” I started and then drew a blank. I knew we had been in the vault, I knew my mom was with Walker. I even knew he had a copy of Rho, but I couldn’t say what he had done down in the vault. It was like the thought, the idea of what occurred slipped from me while traveling from my brain to my mouth.

I pushed back from the desk as I fought to recount the details. “Walker forced me to...” and again, I drew a blank. It was like every time I tried to tell the Ranger what happened, the thoughts were snatched out of my head. “He took my family hostage. He wanted me to...” I looked up at the Ranger and his deputies. “I don’t understand. Something’s wrong. I can’t say what happened.”

“You don’t remember?” Greta asked, trying to help.

I shook my head. “No, I remember, but when I try to speak it, the thoughts leave my head.” I looked at the Ranger. “I can mention that, but anything to do with what happened tonight is just...” and I shrugged.

“It would seem,” the Ranger said, “that Walker has made you useless as a witness.”

I tried, again and again, to tell them what happened. I couldn’t even mention the vault or anything to do with it. I wasn’t allowed to say that Walker had stolen any items from me. I couldn’t go so far as to name the items themselves, even out of context.

“What if you share memories with them?” Greta offered.

Blackfeather waved a hand. “No, that will not be necessary. Besides, he may have accounted for your ability with his spell.”

I was confused and looked at Greta, wondering where she had come up with that idea.

“Lord Connors, you should still try,” Greta said. “Even if one of his deputies knows what to look for, it could only help them.”

I shook my head and faced her. “How? What you’re suggesting sounds like a very complicated spell.”

She glanced at the others and then looked at me. “It’s not complicated for you. It’s your innate ability.”

I thought about that, but had to shake my head. “We’ll talk about it later. I don’t believe now is a good time.”

Greta looked as confused as I felt, but she agreed and I sat down to talk to Blackfeather and his people again. “Is there anything else we can do to help you with this search?” I asked.

He sat thinking for a moment and then said, “I will assign Deputy Langham to accompany you for some time. It is possible that you may overcome this spell and be able to pass on the information you are offering.” Then he stopped and looked up. “You said he took your mother.” I nodded and he continued, “Do you have anything of her? Such as some of her hair, trimmed fingernails, or even a drop of blood?”

I shook my head. “Nothing I can think of at the moment, but I’m sure my sister will know.”

“Your sister?” Deputy Glover asked. “What is her name?”

“Alyssa,” I said. “She’s not a Magus.” Then I felt a touch sheepish when I added, “She’s my Fonte.”

None of them so much as blinked at that news. Glover said, “I’ll go ask her.” Then he turned and left.

Deputy Langham frowned at me and stooped to whisper something to the Ranger. He looked from me to Greta and back again, and then nodded to his deputy.

She stood up and looked at me. “She says you have the innate ability to share memories. Are you having problems using this ability?”