“I have had a lot on my mind.”
“Death does not accept excuses, and neither do I.”
Salem let out a sharp burst of laughter. “You are so confident for one so young,” he said as he picked up his weapons.
“What are you doing?” Cord asked him slowly.
“I was going to be hunting for my mother.” Salem grimaced. “Before I got...waylaid.”
“Your mother, I assume she is with her Drakhyn masters.” Cord cared not that his tone was callous, but he did feel a twinge of regret when he saw the Principal wince.
“Regardless, I need to hunt for her.” Salem checked his desk for something before he walked around it. “She has answers I need.”
“I doubt that she has, Principal.”
“What do you mean?” Salem asked cautiously.
“I imagine your mother’s spirit was overrun some time ago by whatever possesses her now.”
“I am not ready to accept that,” Salem told him quietly.
“Whether you accept it or not, does not make it less likely.” Cord turned to the door as it was knocked and strode forward to open it. “Ah, there you are.” He ushered Jameis into the office and quickly explained to him that they needed to cleanse the Headquarters of malignant spells.
“The wards will fail,” Jameis told them both.
“And we will replace them as we go,” Cord told him with exaggerated patience. “Principal, put extra Sentinels on the perimeter. Jameis and I will work swiftly, but if they planned for this, then they will know we need to lower the spells of protection. Your Headquarters will be weak as we cleanse it and restore it.”
“I am getting tired of these Drakhyn messing with my Headquarters,” Salem groused as he hurriedly left the room to go and speak to Commander Bryce.
As Cord ran through the requirements that Jameis would need, detailing what powders he would need to make his spells work, Sloane came into the room with Kallie.
“Where areyourpowders?” Jameis asked suspiciously.
“In my brother’s room,” Cord lied glibly. “You start from here and work towards the kitchens. I will start upstairs when I get my ingredients.”
Jameis considered him for a moment before he turned and walked out.
Sloane was looking at his brother. “She was right, you need nothing? No powders at all.”
“Hush, he can hear like a Vampyre, that one,” Cord muttered. He looked at Kallie. “Are you ready?”
“You’re taking us now?” Kallie asked in surprise. “It’s almost midnight. What are we supposed to do at this time of night?”
“Snoop,” Cord suggested humorously.
“Did you say snoop?” Sloane asked with a grin.
“Research. Snoop. I don’t care what you call it. Find out all you can!” Cord’s patience was running thin. “Whereis Michael?”
“I don’t know,” Sloane answered with a frown.
“Years, Sloane.YearsI have trained you for this,” Cord griped irritably as he marched past him and out of the door. “All wasted.”
“I’m sorry,” Sloane mumbled from behind him.
“You should be.” Cord knew he was being uncharitable, but what ifshehad still been in here? The Drakhyn would have been able to walk into the Headquarters and take Tegan from under her family’s noses. How long had these spells been on the building? Is that how they managed to get in for the attack? Why had he not checked their wards? Why had he assumed someone else would have done it? Like a Prime Castor?
Cord stopped in the hallway as he looked around. His brother almost walked into his back but pulled up in time, his hand catching Kallie from making the same mistake. “Who was the last Prime here?” Cord demanded.