Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

Coup D'état

HEIDI

Captain Bells and I headed to Jessie's mansion. She wanted to meet him after hearing what Michael Locke did.

If I remembered correctly, Tristan mentioned that he had left a suitcase containing all of his Sage's items to his father before we skipped town five years ago. According to Mrs. Embers, she returned the suitcase to Wynona after her husband died.

"I think she left it in her office at the Academy," Jessie suggested as we walked to the drawing room. "Right now might not be a good time, however."

I tilted my head at him. "What do you mean?"

"The Magic realm is under lockdown. Did you not see the news?"

His red irises darted back and forth between Bells and me. We glanced at each other before the Captain asked.

"What news, sir?"

"President Martin Locke and a few other officials are dead."

"Dead?" I couldn't believe my ears. "Sam's twin brother is dead?"

"Wynona, her husband and my wife were supposed to be there but they got a phone call an hour before the council meeting telling them it was cancelled. Apparently not everyone got the memo."

I wasn't sure why but I couldn't wrap my head around it. "Any suspects?"

"Spellcasters," Jessie replied, eyes on me. "Whoever did it used magic to cause an explosion at the town hall."

Dr. Nicole entered the drawing room, her olive-green eyes bore on Jessie and then stopped in her tracks when she saw us. "Oh, I didn't realise we have guests."

"Are you heading to the hospital, Nicole?" Jessie asked.

"I'm starting my shift in an hour but the road to the town centre is closed. It's madness out there."

"If you want," I shrugged, "I can teleport you there."

Dr. Nicole flashed a quick smile, "Thank you for the offer but I'll be fine."

Jessie leaned in and whispered to me, "She loves driving."

Just as Dr. Nicole made her way to the front door, it burst open and Lady Bernadette rushed in, waving her cellphone in the air. Her eyes were wide and frantic, her tied-up hair dishevelled. She shut the door behind her and yanked Dr. Nicole's arms back into the drawing room. Her face was pale as a ghost.

"We need to leave!" The baroness exclaimed to her husband. "Dr. Pierce and Wynona have been arrested. They're coming for us!"

Jessie stood up to take her by the hands. "Slow down, Bernie, what are you—"

"It's happening, Jessie! Wynona's neighbours called me to warn us. The military is looking for the culprit and they're arresting anyone who are Spellcasters or any townsfolk who might conspire against the President. I am on the list, too."

"That's illegal!" Jessie opposed, aghast. "They can't do that!"

"Sam's orders," Lady Bernadette said with a grave look. "Jessie, we can't stay!"

Jessie turned to me, red irises glowing. "You should leave, Heidi. Go back to Plainsview."

Loud, impatient raps at the door. I moved to answer it but Jessie held me back. His face was grave.

A pair of dark brown eyes bore on him as soon as he opened the door. An unsmiling face of a General greeted us in his heavily decorated uniform. His men were waiting behind him, armed and ready.

"James?" Jessie blurted.

"Sir Jessie White and Lady Bernadette White," the General spoke nonchalantly, "you are under arrest for conspiring against the president."

"By whose order?" I demanded.

The General narrowed his eyes at me. "By order of Sam Locke, second-in-command to the late president."

"James! What's the meaning of this?" Dr. Nicole cried in disbelief. She headed straight to her husband, tension filling the air around us.

James turned to his men and nodded at me. Suddenly, I found myself staring down the barrel of one of their rifles. The others shoved me and the doctor aside as they entered.

"This is illegal, General!" I warned. "Sam has no right to breach the laws of the town!"

The officer ignored me. The soldiers rounded up the butler and maids, even the chef. They cuffed Jessie and Lady Bernadette while Dr. Nicole pleaded to let them go. James showed neither mercy nor remorse.

"They've done nothing wrong, General," I said warily.

"Every Spellcaster," he explained in a hardened tone, "is to be rounded up for questioning. You, on the other hand, are protected by the laws of Plainsview. So count yourself lucky."

"James, please! This is your family! You know they've done nothing wrong!" Dr. Nicole begged but to no avail.

Lady Bernadette, with her hands behind her back, turned to her daughter with a reassuring smile. "We'll sort this out, darling. Do not fret!"

After ten minutes, the soldiers took Jessie and the baroness into their vehicles and left. Bells was holding back Dr. Nicole who was distraught. I pulled out my cellphone to call Tristan. No signal.

"Hey," I turned to the Captain, "are you getting any signal?"

She checked and shook her head. "No. That's strange."

I channeled my energy to teleport out of the mansion but nothing happened. I walked out and scoured the perimeters. On the gates, wedged between the metal grille, was a cellphone signal jammer underneath a carven anti-magic rune. The arrest was thoroughly thought out. I turned off the signal jammer and a message came through to my phone—a voicemail from Tristan.