(x) Irregular Magic

chapter 10 - it's dangerous, but you can handle it, right?

Mattie paced the length of her cell, feeling like her head was going to explode. At Spade's revelation, Inness had gone white and sent her back to the holding cells in Amaranto Sector. Whatever his reason had been for doing it, Mattie couldn't think of anything worse. If she was left alone to ruminate for another hour she was sure she would be on her way to Emistrus' Institute for the Mentally Unsound.

The room Inness had sent her to was a slightly larger one than before. Here, there was slightly taller ceilings and a marginally more comfortable bed. It was still in essence the same. Given mages who specialized in architecture had built this place, Mattie could only guess that making things uncomfortable inspired more repentance from its occupants.

The only light came from the hall, shining through the cracks of the door frame. No one was telling her anything. Inness had taken one look at the contents of the stained memory-prism and gone white. It had been six hours since she had been sent to Amaranto.

Mattie had never been the type to scream and throw a tantrum, but two hours in, she had resorted to every single trick Tara had ever used on her parents. But no matter how much she begged and cried, the warden in charge of this sector hadn't even blinked.

Frustrated and exasperated, Mattie paced the cell, over and over again.

It was ten steps one way, fifteen another. She counted these steps for hours.

A soft knock sounded at her door. It was so quiet Mattie thought she had imagined it for a second. The knock came again, a little more insistently. Could it be Inness?

Her heart hammering, she quickly rushed to the door, putting an ear flat against it. "Who is it?" she murmured, feeling stupid talking to a door.

"I'm sure you have many questions," a voice murmured from atop her bed, only a few feet away.

Mattie jumped, her head hitting against the metal door with a bang. Her eyes watered as she rubbed the sore spot. She squinted at the voice, unsure if she had recognized it correctly.

"Don't speak. I don't want to be surprised by a visit from the warden. Just listen. Nod if you understand."

No, she had been right. The voice unmistakably belonged to the Chief High Wizard. Mattie nodded quickly, stepping closer.

"The identity of the body found in Halkyra was confirmed to be that of Michaelo Somerhall. The magical signature found was a perfect match to what is on file with the Ezradi Database. Matthia, I'm sorry but your father is no longer with us."

Mattie swallowed and slid onto the floor, her arms falling limp at her sides. In her mind, her dad's pained look as she asked whether or not she had been adopted flashed. Brunhildt Spade pressed on. "That's not all. I know Inness would rather me to keep this from you, but I think it's important you need to know. Especially because it relates to the reason I came to you tonight." He paused.

She looked up from her spot on the floor, her vision slightly blurred by her tears. "What else could there be?"

"There was evidence of peri-mortem torture. Both of magical and physical natures. Usually in these cases we are able to trace the culprit through the residual magical traces found on the body. However, none were found on Michaelo. I can think of at least two explanations why this may be the case. It has been a significant amount of time since he died, or the person—or persons—responsible is skilled enough to remove all traces."

Tears slipped down her cheeks. It was unimaginable. Her parents had been getting on in their years, but neither of them had shown any signs of aging in the slightest. They had always seemed so alive.