The Bronze Key (Magisterium #3)(63)

“Hopefully she’ll write that off as incredibly strange boasting,” said Call. “Did Alex hear?”

“No. He was passed out.”

Thinking of Alex reminded Call of Kimiya. He tensed all over again. “We have to find Tamara. We have to tell her that Jennifer said something about her sister.”

“Kimiya didn’t murder anyone,” said Aaron scornfully. “Also, it’d be pretty weird if she was suddenly the greatest Makar of our generation. Way to overlook that, mages.”

“No — I don’t think she did it,” Call said, trying to make sense of the jumble of his thoughts. His head had started pounding. “I mean, if Jennifer was calling for Kimiya or wanted to call for her around the time that she died, then maybe Kimiya knows something. Maybe something she didn’t think was important before.”

Aaron nodded. “I wish we had answers, but at least we’ve got a clue.”

“Aaron?” Call asked. He had another question about that night, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to have answered. “Is Jasper’s dad okay?”

“See, you do think Jasper’s our friend!” Aaron said.

“Not if his dad got hurt because of us, I don’t.”

“Jasper’s father is fine. We made sure he was okay before we tied him up and blindfolded him. I heard him swearing just before we drove away.” Aaron was grinning, though, as if he’d won some bet. Call was glad one of them could still smile.

They made their way to the Infirmary, but there was no Tamara there, and no Alex, either. His bed was empty.

Master Amaranth, remaking one of the cots with air magic, gave Call a stern look.

“I wish someone around here would listen to me when I say to stay in bed until I tell you that you’re well enough to go,” she said.

“What happened to Alex?” Aaron asked.

“I killed him,” Master Amaranth replied, and gave a dry chuckle at the looks on their faces. “I actually gave him permission to go — I checked over his wounds and they’d healed. He was just fine when he went. Unlike you.”

“Have you seen Tamara Rajavi?” Call asked.

“Yes, she came to tell me that you’d moved back to your own room because you don’t like the Infirmary. I don’t know what’s wrong with you boys. The Infirmary is the safest place in the whole school. The elementals here make sure that’s the case.”

Call looked around uneasily. He’d never realized there were elementals watching him when he was in the Infirmary. Considering the number of times he’d left it, he guessed that they weren’t commanded to prevent people from coming and going. He didn’t know what they were watching for — illness, maybe — but he felt better about being unconscious knowing that someone couldn’t have just come in and attacked him, at least not without setting off an alarm.

“Did she say where she was going?” Aaron asked.

Master Amaranth gave him a puzzled look. “It’s very early in the morning. I assumed she was going back to your rooms so that you all might get some sleep before classes start. Now, Callum, since you’ve returned, maybe you should consider spending the rest of the night here.”

“No,” he said, pretending away his headache. “I feel fine. I am fine.”

“Well, neither of you should be roaming the halls this late at night. Go back to your room. Callum, come see me tomorrow after classes so we can see how you’re holding up. And no more chaos magic for a few days, okay?”

Call, thinking of the magic he’d already used that night, nodded guiltily.

They headed back to their rooms. They’d reached the door and Call was moving to open it with his bracelet when they heard pounding feet in the corridor. Both Aaron and Call whirled around to see Alex racing toward them. He looked wild-eyed and had a fresh bruise on his face.

He slowed to a stop, bending over with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

“Tamara,” he choked out. “He took Tamara!”

Aaron and Call looked at each other in confusion. “What are you talking about?” Aaron demanded.

“The spy,” Alex said. “He grabbed Tamara.”

Call went rigid. His heart was pounding in his throat suddenly.

“What are you talking about, Alex?” he said.

“Tell us exactly what happened.” Aaron looked as upset as Call felt. “Exactly.”

“I left the Infirmary when I woke up,” Alex said. “I saw Tamara heading toward the Mission Gate with Havoc. I went after her because I wanted to thank her for helping me out last night.” He straightened up. “I yelled after her, but she didn’t hear me. She headed outside, and it was already dark. I thought I saw something moving in the trees so I ran toward her. But I didn’t get there in time. Someone grabbed her. I wasn’t close enough to see his face, but it was definitely an adult. I sent magic after them, but he sent a huge bolt of something at me. It knocked me back, and by the time I could go after them, I lost their tracks in the woods.” Alex’s blue T-shirt was stained red where the bandages bunched under it, around his shoulder. He must have reopened the wound.

“I need you two to go after them with me,” he said. “Whoever that guy is, he’s powerful. I don’t think I could fight him on my own.”