Grim Echoes

Chapter 85 - Ander

Ander stared at his laptop unproductive. He could effortlessly narrow down the objects to two if he considered the data again. However, Will's reaction troubled him. He still did not trust him. Ander's eye twitched when he recalled Will's refusal to leave as he dismembered the angel. In the past, Will would not have bothered. Only Ander found dissecting bodies interesting. He had not suggested spellcasting anything except a simple reveal spell.

Ander's stomach wrenched. He had just cast that exact spell last night and was much more adept after doing so. He raked his hair back. Will had no reason to trust him. He already broke his word to Will and Mason twice; there was no justification for his annoyance. Defeated, he slumped in the chair.

"Is there anything I can help with? Or something I should do?" Maeve's voice sliced into his thoughts and pulled him from the dark spiral.

He wanted to hold her again, craved the peace, but this was not the time. He nodded. "It is important to understand the abilities of shades," he started, and glanced at Will, who studied the banishing spell. Unnecessary for Ander to memorize the spell, he already knew it. Standing, he placed the empty chair beside his. "Most of the time we do not know what capabilities the individual shade has until we encounter them,"

"That seems to be true for most monsters you go after."

Ander grinned at her. She learned things quickly. "Yes, so we attempt to have extensive and current knowledge about most creatures. Some of us are better at keeping up than others." he winked at her.

She giggled, but stopped when Will looked at them with a scowl. Will detested studying. When they were in school, Ander used to aid Will for exams by replacing the lyrics to Will's favorite songs with facts he was required to learn. It was the most efficient method for Will to memorize information; tempted to tell Will to sing the incantation but recognized he would not receive well it.

"Some shades can fly, move objects, induce fear to the point of death, attack or posses humans," Ander paused and pushed the sorcerer to the outer reaches of his mind. Drawing a slow breath, he gazed at her soft face and concentrated on last night, how he fell asleep in her arms. He would mange the mission. Everything had improved, been more stable since her arrival. Out of habit, his hand drifted to his knife, picked it up, and flipped it around.

Maeve's brow creased. She moved her hand to his leg. His heartbeat slowed, and the pain developing in his chest disappeared.

"All of them can move through solid objects, unless they think they are alive. Of course if they believe they are alive they interact as typical humans do, some even going to work."

"Wait, how can they go to work? They're a spirit, they can't touch things and no one can see them." she reached for the base of her neck.

"There is much debate in the community regarding this, but the current theory is that their belief and will are responsible. Similar to if a human thinks positively, they can create a positive outcome or how some believe magic to work."

"Do you mean like people who are terminally ill and believe they'll get better so they do?" Maeve leaned forward, closer to him.

Her scent of rosemary and mint filled his nostrils. His body felt light. "That is a good example, yes."

"What do you mean that's what people think about how magic works?" she tilted her head to the side.

"The general populace does not believe in magic but those that do most often think it is a matter of willpower or that someone wills a spell into being,"

"Like a wish?"

"I suppose that would be comparable. It does not quite work like that but there is a certain amount of will that is needed."