But what if I made one of my least favourite spells work for me?

  I closed my eyes and accessed my power. It was strong, today. I could feel it fizzing and swirling, desperate to do some tricks – or maybe that was just the energy drink.

  I looked at the camera. ‘Okay, Erik, I’m going to say everything out loud, so you know I’ve not cheated. I’m not freezing you before you froze me. I’m creating a completely invisible boundary, but it’s a bit of a backwards boundary. You – and the rest of the world – will be in an Insitu spell, and I am the boundary. Anything that’s sent my way will bounce right back to its maker.’

  I drained the last of my coffee and shuddered. It had gone cold. ‘Or at least I hope it’ll work that way,’ I added, preparing to incant. I took a deep breath and muttered:

  ‘I am outside and you are within

  You are Insitu, I am the rim

  No harm at all will come my way

  It will bounce back instead, to where it was made.’

  ≈

  I studied my image in the camera. There was nothing visible around me. Either the spell was working and everyone but me was contained in an incredibly large boundary spell … or I was about to get very, very frozen.

  A few minutes later, I was still in the cell. I waited a little while more before a great big duh invaded my brain. If my spell had worked, then Erik was probably doing a very good impression of a statue right now.

  I hit the button to turn off the bars, and then clicked my fingers and headed to O’Connell Street.

  ≈

  The morning light was just beginning to shine through, but the street was already busy. A throng had gathered around Erik, some throwing coins into the hat he held in his left hand. I held back a smirk. He really hadn’t expected me to do what I did – because if he’d been expecting it, then he would have made sure he was invisible.

  I looked at the crowd, surreptitiously wiggled my fingers, and said, ‘Nothing to see here, go on your way, this day is as boring as any old day.’

  The crowd wandered off – all except for a particularly curious pigeon that came to perch on Erik’s head. I approached him, waving a hand in front of his face. He didn’t even blink. I chewed on my lip, feeling worried. He’d been frozen by his spell. All I’d done was bounce it back at him. Would I be able to undo it?

  I swallowed, and said, ‘Move.’

  Erik shivered, and began to slowly shake his limbs back to life. The first thing that looked fully Erik-ish was the glare in his eyes. ‘I almost wish I could accuse you of cheating right now. But like I already said this morning, neither you nor I are cheaters. So something tells me you didn’t take the easy way out and simply freeze me before I froze you.’

  I shook my head. ‘Nope. And remember, it’s all on camera in your office, just in case you decide to be a sore loser.’

  His face relaxed, and he gave me a small but genuine smile. ‘On the contrary, Wanda. I might not have thought that even you could manage something so difficult on your first attempt, but I’m very happy that you did. I am thoroughly bowled over. This is the kind of stuff that took me … I mean would take a person a long time to learn.’

  I raised a brow. ‘Listen, I’m getting the vibe that the first rule of Mage Monk Club is that you can’t talk about Mage Monk Club. But nevertheless, I think it’s time for you to spill, Professor Shannon.’

  He sighed, then moved over to a nearby bench. ‘Yeah, I figured you suspected me. I saw your eyes light up when you saw this today. You think it’s the wand, don’t you? The one once owned by Seamus, and by the Whisperer before him.’

  I shook my head. ‘I did wonder,’ I admitted. ‘But then Christine told me that she gave it to you, so I didn’t wonder anymore.’

  His face flushed. ‘She told you that. What em … what else did she say?’

  ‘Can’t really remember,’ I lied. ‘I’ve been too busy cackling away like a typical Wayfair all morning, and everything else has left my head.’

  He sucked in a breath. ‘Fair enough. I have been hard on your coven. When I took this job, I thought I’d finally grown up enough to face … to face my past.’

  ‘Well, you haven’t. You’ve been a complete plonker to me just because I’m a Wayfair. That’s not very grown up, is it Professor?’

  He held up his hands. ‘Maybe not. But in my defence, everyone in the college is a complete plonker to you. Also … you’re late quite a lot.’

  ‘I’ve been late twice,’ I corrected. ‘Once because Jessica Berry conveniently forgot to tell me the class had been moved from the afternoon to the morning. The second time because … well … that one was on me.’ On me and on the moustachioed man I’d been snogging in the Hilltop Hotel. ‘But let’s not get distracted, Erik. I really do need to know about this Mage Monk thing. And also … how the heck you know anything about the Whisperer or his wand?’

  He looked away from me. ‘There really is a rule, Wanda. If I was a Mage Monk, I couldn’t tell you about it. Mage Monks protect their secrets, and they protect their own. What I would do if I were a Mage Monk was try some incredibly clumsy and obvious way of teaching you everything you need to know so you can battle whoever is doing all of this. Because yes, I know about the Whisperer. I know about the book, and what it’s called. I know that a certain wand is needed in one of the rituals. I know a lot Wanda, because instead of settling down with the woman I loved with all my heart and soul, I took myself off around the world learning everything I could about the evils in this world, and how to fight them.’ He cleared his throat, crossed his arms, and pretended to be incredibly interested in a nearby cyclist.

  ‘Okay,’ I said softly. ‘Well then, maybe you could tell me – theoretically – whether you think a Mage Monk could have the means to have committed any of these latest murders.’

  He was silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. ‘Firstly,’ he said eventually, ‘I have to tell you that I’m having a hard time accepting that it could be a Mage Monk. The power they cultivate is strong, but it’s rarely used, other than for defence. Magic is respected. Power is respected. Killing is not.’ He took in a breath. ‘But yes. It seems like the only answer. I know how Bess was killed – strangled with the chain that was wrapped around the chest. I know there was no one picked up on any cameras, and no magic picked up on any scanners. But … things like that are nothing to a Mage Monk. We – they – can move like ghosts. Their invisibility spells are astoundingly perfect. Their magical signatures are always scrambled or hidden. Their telekinesis is superior to that of even the Dark Team. So yes, a Mage Monk could have killed Bess and stolen the Whisperer’s Return.’

  I regarded him. For everything he knew, he didn’t seem to know that the stolen book was probably not the Whisperer’s Return. ‘And what about Kilian?’ I asked. ‘Everyone seems to have a hard time believing a death spell could be done through Witchfield’s protections. But that’s what happened, isn’t it?’

  ‘I think so,’ he admitted. ‘As you discovered this morning, distance magic is incredibly powerful. You might have bounced my freezing spell back at me, but the fact that you could bounce it back proves that it penetrated that cell. And I could penetrate the cells at Witchfield too. Any Mage Monk could.’ He looked intently at me. ‘You could too, Wanda. You need to know that. To own how powerful you are. I see how you make fun of yourself. How self-deprecating you are. You need to cut that out, Wanda. Because very soon, you are going to have to fight the Whisperer. It’s obvious to the world and its goddess mother that you’re the only one who can. But if you don’t believe in yourself … then we’re all going to pay the price.’

  22. Rumours of My Education Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

  I made my way to the Wayfarer station with a spring in my step. Well … with a spring in my click, anyway. Somehow, the grumpiest professor in the college had managed to inspire me. I did need to believe in myself. Much as I wished otherwise, the prophecy had been quite clear. Little old me was going to have to go head to head with the Whisperer. But in order to do that, little old me was going to have to grow up and acknowledge where the clues were leading. I needed to tell Finn about the Infernal Candles and, once I’d done that, we were going to have to go and question Will.

  It still didn’t sit quite right with me. He’d seemed so honest last night, and I’d truly believed him when he said he didn’t kill his father. But if by some horrible turn of fate it was Will … then as long as we got to him before the final ritual, everything would be fine. Well, almost fine. There was still the pesky matter of the many dead bodies.

  The station was quiet when I arrived, but it was still early in the morning so that was to be expected. I could see Finn, standing over near the kitchen with a large coffee in his hands. He was talking to someone, but they were obscured by a floor-to-ceiling post.

  ‘Hey there,’ I said, pulling off my coat and slamming my bag on the desk (Terrence had stayed behind at Wayfarers’ Rest to read, but he had promised me that he’d call me as soon as one of his books gave him an idea as to who might have killed Bess). ‘Can I have a word with you, Finn? There’s em … there’s something I should have told you last night.’

  He glanced over at me, a worried look on his face. It was then that I saw who he was talking to: Ronnie.

  ‘You guys okay?’ I asked worriedly. ‘There hasn’t been another murder, has there?’

  Ronnie shook her head, but I could see a hint of doubt in her eyes. ‘Not that we know of,’ she said. ‘Wanda … I think you’d better sit down.’

  Frowning, I pulled out my chair, while Ronnie and Finn sat on my desk.

  ‘Did something happen at Braggs last night?’ I asked. ‘Do you have an idea about who the Whisperer might be, because I–’

  ‘I had no luck at Braggs,’ Finn said, cutting across me. ‘But we can get to how terribly this investigation is going in a minute. There’s something we need to tell you first. Maybe Ronnie should explain.’

  Ronnie gave him a death stare, and then turned to me. ‘My granny’s recipe did the job,’ she said. ‘I’m one hundred percent certain that Emily Caulfield is hyped up on Eau de Wolf. She never stopped using it, after she swore she had. She’s been spraying it on herself so long that it’s built up in her system. She has all the downsides of being a werewolf without actually being a werewolf. It’s bad, Wanda. It’s bad for her health, mental and physical. And as we’ve seen this week, it’s bad for everyone around her.’

  ‘And Max?’ I asked in a tiny voice. ‘Was it the Eau de Wolf affecting him, or something else?’

  ‘Something else.’ Ronnie ran a hand through her spiky dark hair. ‘Something new, dangerous, and totally illegal. The street name is Make Him Meek. This is actually the first known instance of it being used in Dublin, but it’s been around London for a while – used mostly on weredogs and werewolves to turn them submissive. It can actually be used on men or women, despite the name. As to where Emily got it, your guess is as good as mine.’

  ‘Maybe Jasper got it for her,’ I suggested, feeling slightly sick. ‘I know he got her the first bottle of Eau de Wolf.’

  Finn blew out some air and shook his head. ‘Jasper was just as surprised as we were about the Make Him Meek. He’s admitted to introducing Emily to some sellers on Samhain Street, so we’ll be checking them out this morning. I have a feeling we might just discover where she bought that Wreck-Tech, too.’

  ‘I can’t believe she did this,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘Poor Max. Poor Jasper. Poor Wolfie. He’s the one who wound up taking the brunt.’

  ‘Em, actually,’ said Finn, ‘Jasper’s hair sample came up clean.’

  I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to process what they were telling me. ‘But … that makes no sense. Jasper was behaving just like Max.’

  Ronnie shrugged. ‘I’m as confused about the results as you are. I called Jasper a little while ago and, to hear him talk, you’d think that Emily most definitely had slipped him some Make Him Meek. No matter what I told him she’d done, he found some way to excuse it. But he is being honest and upfront, or so it seems. He’s even coming in this morning so I can prod him and poke him a bit just to be sure.’

  I could see the distaste on her face, and I couldn’t blame her. Prodding and poking Jasper was hardly a fun way to pass the time. ‘So what’s going to happen now?’ I asked. ‘You said Make Him Meek is illegal, right? That means we have to arrest Emily. And has anyone spoken to Max yet? Does he need to go see a healer or will this just come out of his system in time, or …’

  I let my voice trail off, noticing that Finn and Ronnie were doing an awful lot of looking-away-from-Wanda. ‘What aren’t you guys telling me? Is Max okay?’

  Ronnie took a deep breath, and then poked Finn on the arm. ‘You’re the boss. You tell her.’

  Finn gritted his teeth. ‘Why am I only the boss when there’s something unpleasant to do? All right, look, here’s the thing. We don’t know how Max is, or even where he is. He’s not at your house, and he didn’t turn up at the Water Bowl this morning, either. He was supposed to be in at six to help Lady with an almond milk delivery.’

  ‘But it’s okay,’ Ronnie added quickly. ‘Gretel and Todge are out looking for him and Emily right now.’

  I stood up, staring at them. ‘Max and Emily are missing? Both of them?’ I pulled my coat back on. ‘Well then I’m going to go and look for them. I have to find Max. Who knows what that crazy chocolate-maker could be doing to him.’

  Finn shook his head, placing a hand on my arm. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Wanda. This is why we were so reluctant to spit it all out. Think about it – who does Emily hate more than anything in the world right now? Who does she think Max is in love with?’

  I swallowed. ‘Me, I guess.’

  ‘Yeah, you,’ said Ronnie. ‘So if Emily is going off the deep end, then the last thing she needs is a Wanda-sized trigger. We need someone neutral to track them down. Someone who won’t get Emily’s hackles up.’

  I sat back down, shaking and holding back tears. They were right, and I knew it, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear.

  ‘Max is in good hands,’ said Finn softly. ‘Gretel and Todge will find them, and they’ll talk Emily down. They’re over at her place now, seeing if her dad can give them any leads. In the meantime, let’s try and brainstorm this case. You were trying to tell me something when you arrived. What was it?’

  ‘Oh. Right. That.’ I gave him a sheepish smile. ‘I em … I think I might have found a very big clue.’

  ≈

  I shivered, staring at the door to Ned’s Necromancy. I hoped I’d never have to come back to this creepy shop ever again. The door was littered with terms and conditions, just like the last time. There were a couple of new signs, though. One said: Workspace to rent.

  And another below that said: Room for rent in the flat above the shop. Non-smoker preferred. Must like dogs and candles.

  ‘Good luck finding someone who wants to live above a necromancy supply store,’ I muttered.

  Finn blew warm breath into his hands and rang the bell. It was just after eight, and the shop wasn’t yet open. ‘I’m surprised people want to live anywhere in Samhain Street. But they do. A lot of them. It takes all sorts, Wanda.’

  I shivered and wrapped my scarf a little tighter. ‘Just two, actually. Normal sorts and creepy sorts. You know, we could save some time by going to the Berry mansion and demanding they tell us what’s going on.’ Kind of like I should have done last night, instead of running home to my mammy.

  ‘We could,’ he agreed. ‘And honestly, this is one of the few times where I wish I was a Peacemaker again so I could do just that. But we need proof, Wanda. We need to know that they were bought recently. They could have been bought by Kilian. Or maybe even Sylvia. I need to know which Berry we’re going to have to deal with before we get to that house.’

  ‘You think it could be Sylvia instead of Will?’

  ‘Right now, I have no idea.’ He rang the doorbell again. ‘Wanda … are you happy? I mean, obviously you’re not happy right now. We could be about to arrest the guy you’ve been secretly in lust with for over a year, so that’s hardly likely to put you in a giddy mood. But the whole college thing. Is it working out the way you hoped?’

  I pressed my face to the glass, trying to see any sign of life inside. ‘I love you, Finn. I love that you’re concerned about me and my happiness. But … are you maybe just as reluctant as I am to discover whether Will bought those candles or not?’

  Finn sighed. ‘Honestly, yes. Because I like Will. He’s never seemed like a typical Berry. And no matter what way I look at it, he’s done some amazing things.’

  ‘He really has,’ I said sadly. ‘But I can see Ned in the shop now, so we’ll soon find out whether he’s a jerk or the man of my dreams.’

  ‘Hi there, Ned!’ Finn called out in a sing-song voice, as Ned pulled the door open and stood aside. ‘And how are you on this unseasonably cold autumn day?’

  The first time I met Ned I’d been struck by how pretty she was. Certainly too pretty for the crotchety old Púca mask-maker who worked in a hidden room behind her shop. Today, she looked prettier than ever, wearing a lovely orange woollen dress, and earrings in the shape of sycamore leaves.

  She gave Finn the sort of look that said she had not yet imbibed nearly enough caffeine. ‘I already told you, Finn Plimpton – I have no idea where my ex went off to. If I did, I’d be there with him.’

  I had the feeling that was true. But as distasteful as it seemed to me, maybe there was a reason. Púca were shape shifters, after all. Maybe Guillermo turned himself into a Chris Hemsworth lookalike when they were alone.