Phony Potions

Chapter 43

"We're going to go in there, tear down the Divinis, expose his evils to the world." Freckles paced, energy bouncing off him. He began to pull off his armor. He had to get dressed for the dance too.

"You could sound less excited." Osoro's eyes followed him like an irritated cat.

"Oh, it bothers you that we're going to arrest your friend? Sad there's going to be fewer parties?"

"I regret, yes, but because the city needs him. And when they discover his indiscretion with the Giant—"

"Then they'll discover the true crime, finally," Freckles said. "It's time innocents stopped dying!"

"Up until now, less innocents have died by us not acting on the sacrifices. But it seems that the lack of punishment has emboldened the Divinis, and now all of Blythe is at risk." Osoro sounded like he was convincing himself again. He wasn't fully on board with this plan even as he buttoned up his lacy undershirt.

"Sacrifices? Who was the Divinis killing before?" I asked, admiring myself in the mirror in spite of the serious circumstances. So this is what I'd look like with magic. I was fine.

"You don't need to know that," Osoro said, standing.

"You might as well tell him. The Divinis will be arrested and charged either way, and it is his fault you've finally been moved to take action." Freckles' pauldrons hit the ground as he snapped them off. They echoed, and I felt the metallic ringing in my teeth.

"If the people find out what we've been ignoring, they will not only lose the Divinis and Winsor, but all trust in us as an institution. The price is too great," Osoro argued. "We will arrest him, but only official channels need know."

"Only officials? Like who, the Arcana Agents who are in on it? Or the BROS? For justice to work, everyone needs to know the truth. It makes you sick to admit what you've been witness too!" Freckles addressed me now. I lowered my hands from the sides of my head where they'd been keeping the ringing of the metal out. "The Divinis kills to keep his boy alive."

"What?" Those words seemed sudden. Maybe it was the ringing in my ears...

"Be silent!" Osoro pleaded. "You're only making things more complicated!"

"What, afraid to strike me because you know I am saying what is right? You know if you force me to stop, you will lose your powers for assisting in a great evil?" Freckles sneered.

"If I haven't lost them yet, then obviously what I have been doing is in the interest of the greater good!"

Freckles shook his head in disgust.

"Winsor died on Bernard and Azeria's wedding day. Not nearly died. He did die," Freckles said. "Bernard ran away from the wedding. Winsor chased him. He caught up right before Bernard reached the teleporter cage, and they fought. Winsor died by the teleporter cage when Bernard shoved him into it while casting. The teleporter cage had a reaction, and Winsor was left nothing but a smoking husk. Bernard fled. Winsor's mother, Naobe, had been chasing the boys to stop their fighting. She acted instantly. She used her powers to keep Winsor's soul tethered to the teleporter cage long enough for her husband to get there. A neutral action, not good or bad. But then, when Wenrick was there, she saw the crowd of gawking townspeople, and ..." Freckles stopped speaking. He grew thoughtful, then continued. "Magic is inherently a process of loss. To sustain one body takes a dozen, as it takes so many beasts and birds and plants to keep us from starving. To restore, even more. She cast, and the energy and materials of the bodies standing around were siphoned and stitched to the lingering soul."

"What? But Winsor's mom was an Avalon—"

"Yes, she lost her powers that moment. The father finished up the rituals. Winsor was kept hidden away for weeks afterwards. Of course, we didn't know anything about it, but whenever an Avalon loses their powers permanently, another team is sent by the Avalon Academy to see what happened. We should have come, found out about the initial murders, arrested ex-Avalon Naobe and the Divinis, put Winsor out of his misery, and gone back to the Academy."