Of Water & Fire Ch. 04

It wasn't my favourite place to be at that moment in time. I was shuffled into my father's study along with several other members of the ESNC. Everyone was buzzing with conversation about the girl that had been found at uncle Johns.

'We are just waiting on Elder Greene to begin.' My father announced with an air of royalty. I was tempted to roll my eyes but persisted.

When he spoke people listened, I admired my father for his constant resolve and ability to calm and defuse most situations.

I glanced over at Jasper who was in deep conversation with the vampire representation of the council, A tall, broad scot by the name of Conrad. No one knew his surname. Hell most were so scared of him, the just referred to him as Elder. Jasper caught my eye and flattered in his speech. His eyes undressed me and I knew he was reliving something. I shivered and bit my lip. Conrad looked over and gave me a wink. I hadn't seen him in a while but he'd always been someone i could talk too.

I hoped council business didn't drag on too long. I was sobered by the thought of why we were all meeting up together and felt guilty. That poor girl.

Uncle John entered the room with an A4 envelope, no doubt it contained all the information on the evidence found. The loud booming laughter from the hall wall announced Elder Greene's arrival.

His son entered before him, Daniel Greene. I'd never spoken to him much but he was always polite. We exchanged a nod and smile as he greeted my brothers and other members.

Damien Greene entered afterwards, he nodded to all while sucking an a cigar. At 6'6 he was a big guy, like a defensive player on a rugby team and also the wolves alpha and their representative. He was as broad as he was wide. He looked to me and his gruff exterior became more so. If he didn't have few manners, I swear he would growl when we met.

He addressed me with a sneer, with which gave a dazzling smile and offered refreshments to everyone.

My father soon got down to business, he laid out all the information on the desk, everyone was handed a copy. As he spoke everyone fanned through the sheets.

'We know the girl's name is Katie Morgain, 13 years old and just going through he first magical burst, such as is with puberty. Her magically testing refers to an inclination towards water. Which is highly unusual in the female of our sex. Only a few each generation are born.'

Conrad spoke up in a thick accent, 'Do we know anything about the ritual yet?'

'No,' Elliott responded, 'This is just the preliminary meeting, some elders couldn't attend and so we hope to take advantage of you who have gracious attended to conduct a full investigation.'

'Who is going to be leading the research end of this investigation.' Elder Greene asked.

'That would be Eva' My father answered with a smirk.

'I find I must object' Elder Greene scoffed.

'Why's that?' Jasper asked

'She's not experienced.' He smirked.

'Nah, I think you'll find Eva's been researching for the council since she was a Teen' Conrad spoke up. 'She's more than competent.'

I shook my head, 'I'm more than comfortable if Elder Greene wishes to replace me. The main focus should be getting to the bottom of this, whoever is researching what doesn't really matter.'

Damien huffed and sat back. Score one for Eva.

As the majority of the occupants of the room filled out, I hung back to speak with my father.

'Eva?' He said, without looking up, scanning the maps on his desk.

'Is this everything you can give me to start researching?'

He removed his glasses and cleaned then on his tie. He nodded, 'Still waiting on the autopsy report.'

I moved to the glass cabinet that covered nearly a full wall to the right of his desk. The history and text books of magic where lined up chronologically and alphabetically according to my own system. My father and I where the main people who accessed them, it made things simpler.

I pulled out a few history texts and curled up the sofa. The leather squeaked beneath me as I settled in. As I made my own notes and scanned the photos attached to the report. The sound of my father scribbling and shuffling papers sounded in the background and the occasional outburst of laughter coming from the conservatory. I smiled to myself.

One photo that caught my attention had some scribbling marks on the 'alter' in one photo. It was untidy but I also didn't recognise it. Several things marked it as strange.

For one, No pentagram, which surprising is one of the few things that usually is still used in sacrificial killing. The fact is, for some reason, people still can't connect the fact that sacrifice is all about power. And anything coming through a pentagram is no going to want to share jack shit.

Two, a circle seemed to be surrounding the area and from the reports it wasn't made of salt, which seals a circle, this was made of something else. The guy's at ESNC where still analysing partials.

I stood as my feet started to fall asleep. I wander to the laptop open on my father's desk.

Elliot had been compromising a data base for the last few years. Entering crimes, pranks and other stuff committing into a single type of search engine. We'd completed something similar together that compromised of people's information within each individual district. It saved time and resources.

I typed in a few key words and watched the timer flicker over and over. 1320 results found typical.

I paced round the office. Ginger had been found at the scene and the victim strongly smelled of it. I knew what this meant but my brain wouldn't work.

Ginger, ginger. I pulled a spell book from the cabinet. It was outdated but useful. My father was busy scribbling away in a journal as I paced and skimmed the book's pages. Aha!

Ginger was used in a sleeping draft to dull the sense and induce sleep. I made a note of the book and spell page. So that gave me something to work on. Katie could have been induced into sleep and taken to site in the photos.

The circle, The circle. That is what next started to tickle my brain. If not salt what else? I started to look into protection spells and the components.

I looked up to stretch my neck, surprised to find the sun had set and the evening was upon us outside the window.

My father appeared beside me with two cups of coffee and sandwiches on a tray. He sat beside me and slide the tray onto the coffee table. I took a long drink and nodded.

'Anything?' he asked.

'So far a few tit bits, nothing enough to present to everyone.' I nabbed a sandwich and took a bite. 'Not yet anyway.'

'I was puzzled by the circle' My father pointed to the photo on the table.

I nodded as I chewed. 'I know, only thing in the books is salt. I'm going to try the data base before I humble myself to ask Elder Greene for one of his wolves'

'To re-examine the site.' My father nodded as he took a napkin and a sandwich.

'It's already compromised with the time lapsed but it can't hurt to try and get what we can.'

We ate and drank in silence, it was never an awkward or uncomfortable experience with my father, most of the time we where just lost in our own thoughts.

'Some of the boys have gone down to the boat house.' My father said breaking our reprieve.

The boat house was a ten minute walk from the main Collingwood house, It consisted of two rooms, an open plan kitchen seating area and one double bedroom. Whenever people came to visit. We'd have a few drinks at the boat house to avoid the scrutiny of the elders.

'Yeah' I answered with a yawn. I picked up another book and some notes, starting to flick the pages.

My father took the book and literally scooped up everything on my lap. 'It'll still be here in the morning. You've been at this hours, go relax or get some sleep.'

As I got up, Uncle John and Damien entered the room cigar box in one hand and brandy glasses in the other. I raised an eyebrow at my father.

He winked and kissed my cheek. 'Go On.'

* I could hear the music coming from the boat house from the back door of the house. I briefly changed out of my formal wear and into a pair of jeans and a checked shirt. Slipping on a pair of converse and pulling my hair back into a pony, I strode down the slight slop to the lake and boat house.

The sound system was pumping an arrange of eighties hits and rock music. As I neared the door the remnants of a smiths song was being butchered by Conrad and Elliott.

As I neared, Jasper was sat on the small patio area with Daniel Greene sipping from corona bottles. They where laughing over something. Suddenly Jasper's head turned and he locked onto my position.

That intensity used to scare me, initially it always reminding me of a hunter watching prey. Now, it just made my insides tingle. He clasped Daniels shoulder and he nodded. He gently place his beer on the wood floor boards and jumped the three steps down, striding towards me. The lanterns in the trees cast an errie glare onto the lake but made making out people a little easier that totally darkness.

'Hello' He said as he got closer, offering me a hand and smiling broadly.

'Hello yourself.' I took his hand and we briefly kissed in greeting. he tasted like Jasper and light beer.

The music flared up again, this time the sound of Madness tracks blasted through the windows.

'How come you're not inside?' I asked as we strolled to the main house.

'Daniel seemed a bit on edge, I don't think he's used to the freedom we have here.' He said with a chuckle.

'Figures.' I added with a nod.

'Drink?' Jasper pulled me up the three stairs to the front door, I nodded in response.

*

As we entered inside, a roar of approval sounded at the change of track, by the light, they were drunk, not just merry, drunk.

As I scanned the room, a few of the local girls where huddle on the leather sofa, clearly engrossed in something Max was explaining with animated hands, spilling most of his drink each time.

Elliott was fiddling with a stack of CDs, Conrad was refilling his drink. A few others littered the space.

Jasper handed me a bottle of beer, over the other arm was a blanket. 'Let's head outside.'

I shook my head, 'You can stay, I'll have one or two and head back to the main house.'

Jasper smirked, 'I can tell you're not really feeling it.' He held open the door and we moved outside.

On the patio I snuggled against him and took a drag from my bottle. I felt uneasy, normally I could distract myself from most things I read, but the images I'd seen bothered me. I looked out over at the lake.

'You want to tell me what's bothering you?' Jasper asked playing with the edge of the blanket.

I twisted round to look at him, I looked over his face before turning back to the lake and taking a drink. I shrugged. I just couldn't settle.

'Come on Evie.'

'I can't disconnect.' I said quietly. 'I keep seeing those images in my head and thinking of that Katie girl. Its just so...sickening, sad. She was so young and a water bearer. What was done to her is wrong.'

'It is, but things like this happen all the time, in our world and the norms.' Jasper pulled the blanket round us a little closer. 'Some people's brain's just don't connect right.' He chuckled, 'does that make sense?'

I nodded and yawned. 'I'm just tired, I just feel like something is staring me in the face...' The thought trailed off and I moved to stand. 'I'm going to make my way up to the main house.'

'I'll walk with you.' He folded the blanket.

'No.' I touched his arm, then his cheek. 'You stay, relax. This is my issue.'

The door creaked open and Conrad stepped out. 'I'll accompany her home Di Angelo.'

Jasper considered that for a moment, I could almost see the wheels turning in his brain. He didn't like it. He liked Conrad but he didn't like how Conrad liked me.

'Thanks Conrad.' He offered his arm and I took it. As I looked back at Jasper who was frowning unhappily. 'I'll see you later'

*

Conrad and I didn't speak for a few moments. 'I've missed you.' He said quietly.

I smiled up at him, 'You know where I am, and I know you can use a phone.'

'Aye you're right.' He sighed, 'I heard what you said to Di Angelo.'

'She was so young Con and I feel like I'm missing something major.'

'In this case or in life?'

I frowned, 'Maybe both. You analysing me?'

'Always, I like to use every opportunity to my advantage.'

Conrad was one person I'd always had an easy relationship with, he wasn't family by blood but pretty close. I found myself being reminded of what he was all too soon and that scarred me sometimes.

I realised at that moment we where alone and half way between the main house and where we had been.

'Think of something else.' He said quickly, 'You heart rate has increased.'

'Sorry.'

He shook his head. 'You're right to feel that way sometimes, I am what I am.'

As I neared the main house, we could see my father, John and Damien through the bay window of the office.

'What are they discussing?' We hit the gravel with a crunch.

'I'll never tell.' he smiled and pushed open the front door. As I neared the stairs I turned back.

'Night Con.'

'Night Eva.'

* I slept a fitful night's sleep. I couldn't settle into the land of nod, for what felt like hours. When I did I was plagued with strange images and dreams.

I was running through the woods, everywhere time I turned around to follow the sound of laughter that echoed behind me, there was nothing there. I lost of sense of direction and found myself twisting this way and that, all could see was trees and the cold wind against my skin. The laughter got louder, I could see light in the distance so I turned and ran for it, a bolt of magic blocked my way. The remnants of which caught my hand sending a burning sensation running up my arm. As I gripped my forearm and frantically turned in the opposite direction, I nearly missed a bolt to my feet skidding to a holt. This time the laughter had a voice.

'Where are you going princess?'

I eyed the trees, glowing pairs of amber eyes followed and tracked my movements. I could hear the growl and rumble of bodies belonging to the wolves. I turned and viewed the figure striding towards me.

Holding an orb of green light, a figure a good foot taller than me stopped inches away from me.

'Who the hell are you?' I asked breathless.

'Your worst nightmare, I'm coming for you princess.'

As his hand stretched out to grab me, I screamed and shot up upright in my bed.

The room was still in darkness after I turned off my lamp. As I scanned the room. The LCD on my digital clock flashed '00:00' at some point the second floor must have lost power.

I reached over to the lamp and switched it on with a shaky hand. I took a sip of water from the glass on the bedside table, managing to get more on my vest than in my mouth. Shit, I was spooked.

I reached across to the foot of the bed too grab Jasper's hoodie and recoiled as pain shot through my hand. On my right palm a jagged line marred the area as blisters started to form.

I could hear the sound of footsteps heading my way as I tried to analyse what had just happened. The door flung open and Damien Greene and my father entered.

'Eva what's going on?' My father asked his brow worried.

I lifted a shaky hand and showed them the wound.

'Dream.' I mumbled, 'Thought it was just a dream.'

*