Potions and Pageants Page 12

  “I don’t,” he said immediately.

  “Yes, you do!”

  “It’s not like that,” he whispered. “You’ve got it all wrong.”

  “What is it like then?” she demanded. “What is it like when two fifteen year olds, underage teenagers, are working with the Eldritch Council to apprehend feral werewolves?”

  “Will you keep your voice down?”

  “My voice is down. The question I have to ask myself is what sort of teenager are you? And the answer, me thinks, is a very odd one indeed.”

  Percy felt bad about doing this to him. He was one of the few people who had been nice to her today, and he clearly didn’t want to talk about this.

  The teacher walked by and Percy had to shut up. Felix looked immensely relieved indeed.

  “Nice work, Felix,” the teacher said encouragingly. Percy pretended that she was contributing by at least reading the notes out to Felix. The teacher did not looked fooled.

  He soon turned his attention to students on the next table, who had clearly put one of their powders into the wrong liquid by the way the contents of their beaker was now sputtering and fizzing alarmingly.

  Percy leaned over to Felix and whispered in his ear, “So, odd teenager, are you going to take me to see Councilor Strickt, or am I going to have to play close attention to finding out what it is exactly that makes you so odd?”

  Felix glowered at her. He spent the rest of the lesson saying as little as possible as was needed to get the work done.

  But when the lesson was over, and Percy followed him out of the door and all the way to his locker, he gave a great huff of frustration, and said, “Fine! If you want to see Strickt, you’d better come with me now.”

  She followed him off the school property, and found a large car with tinted windows waiting outside the school gates.

  Felix went over to it and knocked discreetly on the window, which rolled down, to reveal Octavia sitting in the backseat. She was not alone. Councilor Strickt was with her. They looked like they had been in the middle of a conversation.

  Felix bent over and quietly said something to the councilor, who frowned at Percy, and then gave a single perfunctory nod.

  Felix opened the door and indicated for Percy to get into the very spacious cabin inside the car. She and Felix took the plush leather seats opposite the councilor and Octavia.

  There was a moment of uncomfortable silence when no one seemed to know what to say.

  The councilor broke it. “Well, Miss—” He took out his notebook and consulted it. “Miss Prince. What do you want?”

  Now that Percy was looking at Councilor Strickt, she suddenly didn’t feel like telling him about her theory of sabotage at all.

  And why the heck was the man sitting in a tinted windowed car outside of the school and having a secretive meeting with a student anyway?

  Percy had been so annoyed at Headmistress Glory telling her to sort out the suspected sabotage situation that she had been desperate to dump it on anybody’s lap, including Strickt’s.

  It was just that she wanted so much for anything bad happening at the school to be stopped before Lucifer got wrapped up in it.

  But she had forgotten for a moment how much she disliked Strickt. And that her theory of sabotage rested on the odd black cloud of doom, which was something which only she had seen and could not be proven to exist.

  “What is going on here anyway?” said Percy looking around the interior of the very comfortable car. “Why is Councilor Strickt of the Eldritch Council meeting with two high school students in the back seat of a private limousine?”

  “Are you here to waste my time, Miss Prince?” said Councilor Strickt icily.

  “No, sir, but it’s just that I was suddenly struck by the oddity of this situation. I mean, Felix here is a half-angelus, or so he tells me, and he’s such a good boy that I doubt you’re keeping an eye on him like you’re keeping on a bad egg like me. And Octavia here is a model student it seems, even if she is a half vampire...”

  The tall girl narrowed her eyes and tossed that raven hair of hers again. It was such a haughty and contemptuous gesture. And with her extremely pale skin, it was a surprise to Percy that even the Humble kids didn’t know what she was.

  Octavia smirked. “A daywalker,” she said her eyes glittering. “Humble High is lucky to have me.”

  There was a reason for her to be so proud of it. A freaking daywalker. That rarest of mixed-blood vampires. It was little wonder that Octavia was so lofty and confident and looked at the world like they were all her prey.

  “Wowsers,” Percy said. “I hope you’re not making the school your hunting ground.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped Councilor Strickt. “What do you want, Miss Prince?”

  Percy’s mind had been scrambling throughout all this banter, wondering if Councilor Strickt would believe her about the black cloud of doom. After all, he did work for the Eldritch Council. He was privy to all sorts of eldritch knowledge that she had never even heard of. He might know exactly what the black cloud was.

  And so she threw caution to the wind, and told him her theory about the sabotage that had taken Nilgun out of the running to win the beauty pageant.

  The only thing she didn’t mention was that Bella was her suspect. She did not know why she kept this nugget to herself, but it did not feel right to share it just yet. Nan had been so adamant after all that Bella wasn’t all that bad.

  When she was finished, Councilor Strickt raised a cynical eyebrow.

  “I see,” he said, as if he did not see at all. “You think that this girl whom you refuse to name had some unknown and dangerous dark substance in her possession which she used to spike this other girl, Miss Nilgun Shafak’s, orange juice, which then led to a large object falling on Miss Shafak’s head? Is that correct?”

  Octavia burst into laughter, which she quickly tried to stifle, and shot Councilor Strickt an amused look. Felix just looked very uncomfortable. He was looking like he thoroughly regretted asking Councilor Strickt to make time for Percy.

  “Yes, it is correct,” said Percy irritably. “Why is this so incredible? We live in a world where the vast majority of humans are Humbles, who have no idea about the existence of magic. People who would be horrified to learn that Octavia here is a half vampire, a daywalker, something that they have only ever seen in the movies. But you work for the Eldritch Council. You know that all of this is real. So how can you doubt that I might have been able to see dark magic in the form of a dark cloud? Is that really so ludicrous?”

  “Yes,” he said simply. “According to my records you are a Meek, Miss Prince. Is that not correct? You have no magic? You have been subjected to several tests and failed?”

  “So what if I failed? It doesn’t mean that I didn’t see what I saw,” said Percy sulkily.

  “It is highly unlikely at your age. People do not have car crashes and suddenly develop magic. Brain aneurysms perhaps. Not magic. Are you saying that other recent events have occurred which have led you to believe that you should be tested for wand-magic again?”

  “Any objects flying around when you became angry for example?” said Octavia helpfully. “Any—”

  “I know what the signs are, thank you!” snapped Percy. “And the answer is no. None of that has happened. I am not saying that I have suddenly developed magic. I’m saying that something inexplicable is happening here which warrants further investigation. By you, not me.”

  “No,” said Councilor Strickt shortly. “If that is all, Miss Prince, I invite you to leave my car.”

  “One moment,” said Octavia hastily. “If it will set Percy’s mind at rest, councilor, Felix and I can monitor the beauty pageant and keep an eye out for anything that might be amiss? It might be related to… the thing we were discussing earlier.

  “What thing?” asked Percy sharply.

  “None of your business,” said Octavia.

  Percy felt a jolt of dread. Could creatures like vampire
s sense the presence of darkness in ways other beings could not? Had Octavia sensed the budding malevolence of a Lord of Hell in exile in Humble High? And what would Councilor Strickt do about it if he found out about Lucifer Darkwing?

  Dammit to Hell. Why did Lucy have to have chosen such a ridiculous name for himself? It was asking for trouble! And it was too late for her to tell him to change it now, because she remembered in horror that Councilor Strickt had said that the school librarian – the new librarian – would report to him about Percy’s behavior!

  Councilor Strickt was clearly already acquainted with Lucifer Darkwing already!

  Percy tried not to let the horror of this series of realizations show on her face.

  “After all,” Octavia was saying to Councilor Strickt, “a girl did get hurt during rehearsals. Perhaps Felix and I can prevent any other accidents occurring.”

  Councilor Strickt nodded. “An excellent suggestion, Miss Smythe-Smith.”

  “Hang on,” said Percy angrily. “Isn’t that what I just said? That it would be good to keep a closer eye on things?”

  “No,” said Octavia snidely. “You said that you have a wild theory that a would-be murderer is running amok in Humble High.”

  “I did not say murderer,” protested Percy.

  “You might as well have,” said Octavia. “And believe me, if there was anything of that sort happening at the school, Felix and I would be aware of it. It is our job after all.”

  Percy’s eyes narrowed. “What job?” she demanded.

  She looked from Octavia to Felix and back to Octavia again. Her mind raced.

  “I knew it,” she said breathlessly. “You two with that net — a magical net the likes of which I’ve never seen before — catching that werewolf like that. You two aren’t half Humbles. You two are... you two are…”

  “Sentinels,” said Octavia jubilantly.

  Percy gasped. This was not what she had been about to say at all. The idea that Felix and Octavia might be sentinels had never crossed her mind. Her mouth dropped open in surprise.

  The Sentinel Alliance was an elite and secretive group that hunted down rogue members of the Eldritch Community. Sentinels killed feral werewolves and vampires and other beings that broke their laws and preyed on human beings.

  Councilor Strickt was glaring at Octavia.

  Octavia looked embarrassed. Clearly this was not information she had meant to let slip.

  “That is confidential information, Miss Prince,” said Councilor Strickt sharply. “And if it gets out I will know who is responsible for it.

  “Yeah – Octavia,” said Percy. “Since she clearly can’t keep her mouth shut.”

  “You,” said Councilor Strickt. “I will assume it was you.”

  “Well that’s not blooming fair, is it,” Percy muttered.

  Octavia was looking smug again.

  And no wonder. Half vampire, half sentinel. What a thing to be.

  The sentinels were a force to be reckoned with. They protected non-magical human beings from the witching and eldritch communities. They were humans, but some of their number claimed to be descendants of the mythical valkyries. They fought ferals using magical weapons made by their own witches and wizards, which they wielded using their own elite and very stringent training. They ran schools to train their children in the same methods. Young sentinels.

  Young sentinels like Octavia and Felix.

  “But you’re a half vampire,” she said to Octavia, and then to Felix, “and you said you’re a half angelus. Sentinels don’t allow vampires and angelli into their ranks, do they? I thought they were snobby about that? Don’t they think of all of the eldritch as demon-bloods, even the angelli?”

  Percy knew a little more about the sentinels than most in the witching community did. Her mother had a wide variety of interests and acquaintances, which included a sentinel or two.

  “They don’t usually allow mixed-bloods into their ranks,” said Councilor Strickt. “Which is why we took this opportunity to bring Miss Smythe-Smith and Mr Fiori to be educated and to work in conjunction with the Eldritch Council at Humble High. It’s a new arrangement with the Sentinel Alliance, and one that we hope will lead to a fruitful relationship between our two organizations.”

  “It’s already proved fruitful,” said Octavia smugly. “The feral werewolf that Felix and I apprehended has been sentenced to death by the Sentinel Alliance for a whole string of murders. And he was selling magical drugs to Humble High students! He would never have been caught if it wasn’t for us.”

  She was talking about the werewolf from Luca’s Café, Percy realized.

  Councilor Strickt nodded. “And most excellent work it was too.”

  “Sentenced to death?” said Percy, shocked.

  “Death,” said Octavia happily. “Once a feral has murdered, they get a taste for it. There is no use trying to rehabilitate them.”

  “But how do you know when an eldritch being is feral? What if they killed by accident or if they regretted it?” said Percy heatedly.

  “If they’ve killed once, then they’ll always be a killer,” said Octavia with a shrug. “The Sentinel Alliance isn’t sentimental about such things. The only solution is a death sentence.”

  Percy looked sharply at Councilor Strickt. “And is the Eldritch Council happy about this?”

  Councilor Strickt gave her a condescending look as if she was a very silly young woman. “The Eldritch Council and the Sentinel Alliance have long since agreed that feral members of the eldritch community who kill Humbles fall into the jurisdiction of the Sentinel alliance. And they are well within their rights to decide what the sentence should be.”

  “But… but you’re supposed to protect the eldritch!”

  “We do, including protecting the community from its own rogue and feral members.”

  Percy’s heart was pounding. And what would they do to a Lord of Hell in exile if his mere presence was corrupting student minds and making them do things they might never usually do?

  Councilor Strickt skewered Percy with a look. “Which is why we at the Eldritch Council do our very best to make sure that young members of our community don’t go astray.”

  In shock, Percy gave a high-pitched shriek of laughter. “Are you really comparing me, a kid who crashed a car, to a murderous feral werewolf?”

  “Let’s hope it never comes to that,” he said sniffily.

  Octavia was beaming at Councilor Strickt as if he was her hero. She looked so smug that Percy was surprised that she wasn’t preening herself.

  “And that’s why it is that Felix and I will be keeping an eye on the pageant,” she said proudly. “And we have no need whatsoever of your help. Oddball,” she added under her breath.

  “What did you call me?” demanded Percy.

  “Oddball,” Octavia said casually. “That’s your nickname among the student body, isn’t it? For good reason, I hear. Perhaps you ought to pay more attention to your education and less attention to whatever ridiculous notion comes into that head of yours.”

  “Octavia!” said Felix, looking shocked.

  Percy saw red. Her temper exploded. “You smug smarmy git,” she shouted at Octavia. “How dare you? Who do you think you are? You think you can say whatever you—”

  “That is enough,” snapped Councilor Strickt. “We have already established who Miss Smythe-Smith is. She has proved her capability and maturity and resourcefulness to me several times over. I was very impressed that despite her work keeping an eye out to ensure the safety of students at the school, that she also organized a quiz party, dedicating her time and efforts for a noble charitable cause. You, Miss Prince, would do well to look to Miss Smythe-Smith as an example and a mentor.”

  “Mentor?” Percy snorted. The concentration of snootiness within this car was beginning to make her feel nauseated. “The wonderful Miss Smythe-Smith can knock herself out with playing the hero. I don’t care. I did my bit telling you something was going on and now it is your job t
o stop it.”

  “Oh good,” said Octavia laughingly. “I thought for a minute you might actually try to challenge me and Felix. As if we need your interfering idiocy messing up our investigation.”

  “The investigation I told you about,” Percy reminded her.

  Councilor Strickt was glaring at Percy as if he was finding her increasingly unpleasant with each passing moment.

  “I’ve written to your mother, Miss Prince,” he said, “demanding for her to come home. Clearly you cannot be trusted to be sensible, despite the headmistress’s assurances.”

  Percy glared at him. “But you said… but…”

  She didn’t want her mother coming home. Not until her father promised to behave himself.

  “But nothing. I will not tolerate any further impertinence from you, Miss Prince. I’ll be in touch with the librarian about that report.”

  “Some people!” snapped Percy. “You try to help them and this is the thanks you get!”

  She yanked open the door, stepped out, and slammed it shut behind her. Then she rapped sharply on the window until Felix opened it.

  “And you Felix,” she hissed. “You’re nothing but a big fat disappointment!”

  Before he could reply, she stomped off.

  11. The First Round

  By the time Percy got home, she was in such a seething fury that she wanted to do nothing more than stomp around the house and smash things.

  When she got in, she slammed the front door behind her so hard that she was sure that the wall should have shaken and the windows should have broken, but they didn’t, and this only made her more mad.

  The Sentinel Alliance had sentenced that poor waiter to death.

  They had only caught him yesterday. How could they have given him a trial so quickly? How could they even be sure that he had killed all the people they said he had killed? Or that he was selling magical drugs to school kids?

  Café owner Luca might be a grumpy old soul, but he had a good heart and he would never have hired anyone he thought was dangerous.

  Did Luca even know what had happened to his waiter? Percy wondered if Luca had gotten into trouble for hiring the guy. She hoped not. She should have asked Felix, but she was mad at him too for sitting in that car and not saying anything to back her up at all.