n

n

nThe orange evening sun was sinking past the horizon. Syryn was almost done trimming an ornamental bush that had grown taller than its neighbours. From his spot, the alchemist could see Riha seated by the window of his room. The selkie had his nose buried in a book. One of these days, Syryn would drag Riha out by the hair so the man could get some outdoors.

nThe teenager then spotted Artemus' familiar hound coach pull up at the front of their gate. The anti mage soon stepped out and began a brisk walk towards Syryn.

n

"Have you seen my brother?

" Artemus asked him.

nSyryn hadn't seen Alka in forever. Why was Artemus asking him? The plant mage was never around the manor.

n

"No. Isn't he staying with you? I haven't seen him in nearly a week.

" Syryn figured it was the wrong answer. Artemus frowned before turning to focus on a spot in their garden.

n

"Did he make any mention of travelling?

"

n

"No,

" Syryn replied.

"The only member of the manor taking a trip is Salem. He's been gone nearly a week.

"

n

"I see. I should have known.

" Artemus was looking at the sky as he replied.

nSyryn sent his gaze heavenward and saw a black coloured bird circling overhead. The bird zeroed in on Artemus and began descending towards them. When it landed on the anti mage's outstretched arm, Artemus carefully extracted a message that was inside a cylinder tied to the bird's foot.

nThe anti mage's expression remained neutral as he read what was written on the note. The piece of paper then disintegrated into ash as soon as Artemus lifted his eyes off it. Syryn watched the man close the cylinder with a clicking sound. Having heard the sound, the blackbird took off back into the sky.

n

"Duty calls,

" the anti mage informed Syryn.

"We'll discuss the case tomorrow.

"

n

"What duty? Is it a meeting?

"

nThe anti mage was suddenly in a hurry to get to his coach.

n

"No

"

n

"Let me catch a ride with you mu-mu. Drop me off at the mill, please.

" Syryn fell in step with the anti mage and pleaded.

n

"I'm heading towards the eastern docks.

" Artemus pulled the door open and climbed in.

n

"Then drop me off after doing whatever it is you have to do at the docks. Come on, Artemus, I have to go today!

"

n

"Why? What is it that's so important that it can't wait for tomorrow?

"

n

"I can't tell you because of patient healer confidentiality.

"

nThe anti mage stared at Syryn like he suspected the mage was bull**ting.

"Get in.

"

nAnd that's how Syryn found himself at the Eastern docks, sitting inside the coach while Artemus disappeared into another unsavoury looking alleyway for the fifth time. The alchemist had hopped in with the anti mage in expectation of a quick stopover at the docks before being dropped off at the mill. He was wrong.

n

"One more stop,

" Artemus informed Syryn when he returned. This time, a faint scent of blood clung to the anti mage.

nDani and Luta pulled the coach away from the docks. They were heading towards a more upscale neighbourhood that Syryn hadn't visited before. The hounds stopped at a building tiled with blue shingles.

nArtemus turned to Syryn.

"Since you're here, I might as well make use of your talents.

"

n

"What? You're taking me with you?

" The alchemist's eyes suddenly were shining with excitement.

n

"Do not say or do anything until I tell you to.

"

n

"I won't!

"

nSyryn clambered out of the carriage following the anti mage who was already striding away.

nArtemus entered the blue-tiled building and waited for Syryn to get inside before he shut the door and hooked in the heavy-duty bolt. The alchemist's first impression of the place told him it was a store that sold cosmetics. A counter at the end of the room sheltered a man who was reaching for something under it.

nThe anti mage calmly strode forward and faced the man now pointing a crossbow at him.

n

"Leave the premises, mage hunter.

" His scowl deepened the lines on his forehead. The man was either really stupid to believe that Artemus would give in to his threat, or he was smart enough to know that the situation had reached the highest level of escalation possible once Artemus had locked the door. Syryn thought it was the latter.

n

"Where is Hagen?

" The anti mage asked, unfazed by the threat of a bolt pointed at his heart.

n

"I'm going to shoot you if you don't leave right now Sanguine dog.

" Syryn was impressed by the man's guts. He watched in interest at what Artemus might do.

nA door to the right side of the counter clicked open and another man stepped out. The split second of distraction was enough for Artemus to bury a throwing knife into the crossbow-wielding man's neck. Eyes going wide like he couldn't believe what had just happened, the man fell to his knees.

nThe other person looked at the dead body of his companion and then back up at Artemus. A fawning smile strained tightly across his face and he began to flatter the anti mage.

n

"Sir, we are honoured to have your esteemed presence in this humble shop. Please take a seat while I get you the best selection of wine we have.

"

nArtemus picked up the crossbow that had clattered down on the counter when its wielder fell. The anti mage made use of a white handkerchief as a barrier between his skin and the wood of the crossbow.

n

"Tell me where Hagen is hiding and you won't suffer the same fate as your friend.

" His tone was perfectly level, face as neutral as ever.

nThe terrified man began babbling out the address a location. When he has was done, Artemus nodded, eyes on the counter in thought.

"Is your information to be trusted?

"

n

"Yes sir, he's hiding with three other fugitives, all under the protection of our group.

" He was eager to please.

n

"Thank you,

" Artemus pulled the trigger and Syryn winced. Technically speaking, Artemus hadn't lied. The other guy was killed with a knife, not a crossbow.

nThe man looked down at his chest in disbelief and then slumped down, presumably atop the other dead body.

n

"Was that necessary?

" Syryn asked.

n

"Yes. Come with me.

" Artemus led the way into the room that the man had stepped out of.

nIt was filled with wooden crates that were stacked up to the ceiling. The scent of something sickly sweet reached Syryn's nose. He recognised the smell for what it was - Liberem, a delicious but toxic cube of sugary sweetness that helped the eater ascend to Paradise for a few hours. It was as illegal as they came.

n

"Can you ascertain the grade on these cubes?

" The anti mage held out a testing kit to Syryn. Its accuracy was dubious but the mage hunters hadn't found another fast method to test Liberem.

n

"What do you think you're doing?

" Artemus stared at Syryn in shock. The alchemist had popped a cube into his mouth like he was eating candy.

n

"Checking its purity like you asked. Don't worry, I'm a demon.

"

n

"Syryn!

" It came out in a hiss.

"Spit it out right now.

" The anti mage's onyx eyes were dark with worry.

n

"This is good! Best I've ever had.

" Syryn's eyes were glazing over but he shook his head and snapped out of it.

"Half Liberem. Maybe five per cent more.

"

nArtemus glared at the alchemist for another second before dragging him out of the room by his arm. Syryn's vision was bleeding and merging with another reality.

n

"Mu-mu, I'm okay. The butterfly will leave soon.

"

nArtemus helped the teen into the carriage. There was no visiting the mill now that he had drugged himself stupid.

n

"Syryn, look at me.

" Artemus leaned over the alchemist to examine his eyes. Syryn's pupils were constricted to pinpoints. The anti mage was helpless. There was nothing to do but allow his body to completely digest the Liberem.

nThe alchemist closed his eyes and waited for the effects of the drug to pass. It seemed only a second later that the coach halted.

n

"Syryn, are you able to understand what I'm saying?

" The anti mage hovered over the prone teen.

n

"Yes.

"

nArtemus brushed Syryn's hair away from his face in a gentle motion. The alchemist was squinting at him.

n

"I'm locking the door from the outside. I'll be right back so don't leave the coach.

"

n

"Okay,

" Syryn replied, conscious of his soul floating back into his body.

nAs promised, the anti mage returned faster than Syryn had anticipated.

n

"Done killing Hagen?

" He was feeling like himself now.

n

"No, I merely crippled him. More useful dead than alive.

"

nSyryn hadn't pegged Artemus as the type to do such dirty work. The anti mage could have just sat behind a desk and used his brain instead of legging it around unhygienic places whilst murdering smugglers and busting drug dens.

n

"How are you feeling, Syryn?

"

n

"Fantastic.

"

n

"I'm having second thoughts about keeping you in the caravan case.

" The coach zipped past a patch of forest that Syryn hadn't noticed when they'd arrived.

n

"Why?

"

n

"Your little stunt today has shown me that you cannot follow basic orders. You are a liability in the field.

"

n

"Okay, that's not fair. You asked me to test the cubes and I did.

"

n

"We both have eyes to see the testing kit I was holding out to you. You ignored it and acted as you saw fit. You disobeyed me, Syryn.

"

nArtemus wasn't wrong. Being a member of an organisation that dealt with the most dangerous of criminals, following the rules was kept the mage hunters alive.

"Sorry. Those testing kits are notoriously inaccurate. I thought I could do better by using myself to test its efficacy.

"

n

"I don't know what to make of that, Syryn. Do you normally test drugs on yourself?

" The anti mage's gaze was heavy with concern.

n

"Can we not talk about this anymore? I promise to follow the rules next time.

"

nArtemus doubted that very much but he complied with Syryn's request. He would bring it up another time.

"There's been a discovery that might be related to the caravan murders.

"

nThe change of topic was a relief to Syryn.

"What discovery?

"

n

"We received news about a burial ground that had been disturbed right around the time that the murders took place. Five graves were found emptied of their contents.

"

nThere were two reasons that someone would steal a corpse. Dead bodies made good ingredients in some spells and curses. There was an entire underground market dedicated to providing corpses that satisfied the criteria set up by buyers. The younger the age of the dead, the higher it sold for. The second reason that Syryn suspected was necromancy, which was just as illegal if not more so than the former.

n

"How far was it from where the murders took place?

"

n

"About half a mile away.

"

nIt was close enough.

"What do stolen corpses have to do with a murder scene?

" Syryn asked.

nThe silence that came from Artemus was telling. Neither could think of a reasonable connection between the two. However, it seemed too much of a coincidence for both incidents to occur so close in time and distance to each other.

n

"I read the file you gave me. The reports were inaccurate.

"

n

"What do you mean?

"

nSyryn wondered how to put it without coming off as being too professional in the practice of torture.

n

"Well, the inquisitor's conclusions do not match my own. I disagree with some of the conjectures he's made about the injuries.

"

nArtemus didn't look too happy about Syryn's findings.

"Are you telling me that we have a bunch of incompetent inquisitors on our payroll?

"

n

"No, no, they aren't incompetent,

" Syryn hastily replied.

"Others would have come to the same conclusions. In fact, there were some important points in the report that made me re-evaluate my inferences.

" A lie.

nThe anti mage considered Syryn's words. He closed his eyes in thought and then looked at the alchemist.

"Send me a copy of your notes. It'll be forwarded to the team of Inquisitors that worked on the bodies.

"

n

"You won't leak my identity will you?

"

nArtemus inclined his head at Syryn.

"I won't.

"

n

"We're here.

" The coach stopped outside the gates of their manor.

n

"Syryn,

" Artemus called out to the descending teenager.

"Don't do drugs.

"

nThe alchemist rolled his eyes at the anti mage.

"Yes, mother.

"

n