(x) Irregular Magic

chapter 12 - these painful goodbyes

Mattie nearly fell over in shock.

"H-how?" she spluttered.

Inness didn't even look over at her. "These transport boxes won't expand because of just five occupants."

"But Spade said I don't have a magical signature," she murmured, trying to keep up with her brother's lengthy strides. "How would it—"

Inness cut her off. "It's by weight, idiot."

Fuming, Mattie fought the urge to kick him.

Her brother spoke, barely moving his lips. "You shouldn't be here, Matthia. You should be as far away from the House of Orange as possible. I wish the chief would have stressed that more."

"I just... I wanted to see Ren before leaving..."

"I surmised as much."

Mattie rolled her eyes, annoyed even by her brother's vocabulary. "Who the hell says surm—"

"Keep quiet and follow me. And don't do anything that will draw attention."

In her mind, Mattie rained down a storm of cuss words on her brother she wouldn't dare say out loud. Her hands balled up into fists at her side. Inness could be insufferable sometimes. No wonder he didn't have a girlfriend.

Inness presented his High Wizard badge to a red-robe at the post. "I wish to enter the cell of Ren Mizuno."

"Just a moment, High Wizard." The guard left his post, holding multiple old-fashioned iron keys. "This way."

Inness and Mattie followed the guard through the twisting corridors of Base Level 6. This floor was very different from the second base level, where she had been kept. It was dimly lit and completely silent. She suspected there were silencing spells so the detainees' shouts from inside couldn't be heard. They stopped in front of a door made of some sort of welded black metal.

The guard inserted four of the keys its allotted lock just below the sphere of the Smart Magic plate. The ones installed here were similar to the ones on the second floor but evidently more heavy-duty. The scraping of shifting gears sounded from the door. When the silence fell again, the guard tapped the sphere briskly and motioned for Inness to enter. Mattie, filled with trepidation, hurried in after him.

"Just use magic on the door when you're finished with 'im, High Wizard," the guard said, stepping back. "That'll alert us back at the post."

Inness nodded once, and the door closed with a slam.

"Who are you?" Ren demanded, rising from the corner of his cell. His hair was dull and matted, not at all like the sleek raven locks she remembered. His eyes were sunken from exhaustion and lips chapped, but he was still the Ren she loved.

Mattie felt like running up to him and hugging him but resisted. Just seeing him was good enough. It was better than anything she could have hoped for. She probably wouldn't even have been able to undo the magic on the door if she hadn't run into Inness.

"I am a High Wizard of the House of Orange. Are you Ren Mizuno, Zero-Affinity Magical?"

These were the words Inness said, but it was clear her brother was occupied with something else. He released the tablet he had been holding so that it hovered in front of him.

"What are you—"

Inness held his forefinger to his lips, silencing Ren. Her boyfriend looked at once afraid and indignant. Mattie herself wasn't sure what her brother intended. The tablet was positioned so it obscured his hands from view.