Nash shrugged. “All I can tell you is the victim was human and likely dead before the fire. There is evidence of sharp-force trauma on some of the ribs.”

  “So homicide.” Not surprising, but it did beg the question, who killed them?

  “If you and Wayne want to come by, I can show you the injuries.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Funny you should mention Wayne. He told me to tell you he says hi.”

  Nash raised an eyebrow. “Did he?”

  “He would’ve been here, but he’s stuck at HQ on a top-secret, can’t-leave-the-building assignment.” I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Ah. Well in that case, pass on my greetings.” His cheeks went slightly pink.

  “Oh, I will.” And I’d get some information out of Wayne while I relayed the information about the fire victim. “I have to go. Smith wanted an in-person update on the call that resulted in those remains.”

  The glimmer faded from Nash’s eyes. “I’ll see what I can find.”

  “Be careful. I don’t know what spell could do that to a creature.” But one way or another, I had to figure it out.

  The drive back took longer than it should’ve because of two accidents. By the time I parked, I was ready to deliver the bad news to Smith and get on with my day. As soon as that case was out of the way, I needed to put together a real kit so I could do my job to my standard. I locked my car and glanced up toward my lab.

  The wall exploded out, chunks of block work thudding onto the pavement.

  I ducked down between two cars, unable to take my eyes off the brand new window into my lab.

  The spells were holding, but that’s all that was going right in the building. Two men in military uniforms faced the window, with Wayne standing between them and the opening.

  Wind rushed past me, heading for the building. It knocked the hat off the guy on the right. He reached for it and slid back a few feet. The uniformed man to the left tossed his hat to the side and leaned into the wind. Harris seemed unaffected by the wind, though I credited that to his sylph heritage.

  Yanking my wand out of its sheath, I raced toward the building. If Harris could hold on for a few more seconds, I could help.

  The wind stilled.

  “Remove the spells and give us the case.” The bellow rolled over the parking lot.

  “I do not have that ability.” Wayne’s voice carried enough, though it didn’t have the same volume behind it.

  I reached the sidewalk running along the length of the building and hesitated. If I went inside, I wouldn’t be able to help until I reached the lab. But if I stayed out here, I could see into the room and cast.

  Shouts and a revving engine had me spinning around. Three big SUVs were barreling through the parking lot, with guns poking out of the windows. Like the attackers in the lab, they were in military uniforms too.

  “Harris! More incoming!” From what I could see, the uniforms looked the same. Maybe they were all here to steal the case. Or maybe not, I didn’t know. Either way, Wayne and I were about to be in the crossfire.

  I couldn’t think of the runes, so I visualized the spell I needed, focusing on it to the exclusion of everything else. Resilient enough to stop bullets, invisible to the humanoid eye, and porous enough for the wind to cross. Channeling magic through my wand to amplify it, I poured power into the spell. It firmed up just as the trio of black SUVs pulled up to the curb.

  “Secure the case. Neutralize the impostors.” A gruff voice shouted orders. “And find that witch!”

  The shield wall between them wouldn’t stop them from going around the edges. And I wasn’t eager to find out if they wanted to find me so I could help them or to remove the spells so they could steal the case.

  “Harris, we need a plan.” I shouted as I backed closer to the building.

  “Stay away from bullets.”

  “That’s not a plan!”

  The barrel of a gun appeared over the top of the middle SUV.

  “Will the spells on the case hold?”

  I shot a confused look up, not that he could see it. “Yes! They aren’t getting that case.”

  Harris landed lightly next to me. He appeared solid enough now, but from the three bullet holes in his shirt and the lack of blood, he’d been using some of his unique skills to manage the situation. He looked me over and then studied the three vehicles. “This’ll be resolved soon. We should move to the side.”

  I didn’t like moving closer to the edge of the shield wall, but being directly under the missing section of wall wasn’t a great idea either.

  Four men got out of the SUVs and trotted to the building entrance.

  “Do we have a plan? Do we know if either group is supposed to get the case?” I didn’t want to get any more in the middle of the fight than I already was, but I’d promised to keep the case safe. Not to mention my co-workers who didn’t deserve to be caught in a firefight at headquarters of all places.

  A gunshot obliterated my hearing. It didn’t do either group any good either. The bullet flattened against the shield wall, fell to the ground, and bounced under an SUV.

  I pointed my wand at my head and whispered, or thought I whispered, a healing spell. The pain faded away and sound came back, which would’ve been better without all the yelling.

  “I told ya to shoot him!” A door on the lead SUB opened and a stout, beardless dwarf in the blue Air Force dress uniform stomped out of the car. He jammed a hat on his head and and marched around the SUV to the serviceman wielding the gun. “What in the name of Syed happened?”

  I leaned closer to Wayne. “Does that sound like Maj. Friel to you?”

  He nodded. “And the uniform matches.”

  “Not the introduction I was hoping for.” I dismantled the shield wall and carefully hedged around the lead SUV. The two men in the lab were in the middle of the room, and I had a clear view of them. Perfect. “Fehu.”

  Ice solidified around both men, fully encasing them.

  Maj. Friel turned and marched toward me. “Are you the witch? Oaks? No. Pine?”

  “Special Agent Kelsey Pine.”

  “Why did you block my man’s shot? Are you on their side?” He jabbed a finger in the direction of the lab.

  This was one problem I didn’t need. “The shield was in place before you arrived. Besides, for all I knew, you were with those two.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You’re a plucky lass, I give you that.”

  “Thank you.”

  One bushy eyebrow raised. “And sassy. How many were there?”

  “Agent Harris?”

  Wayne moved shoulder-to-shoulder with me. “I only saw the two of them. If there are more, they’re elsewhere in the building or waiting in a car.”

  Friel pivoted on his heel to his subordinates. “Check for their vehicle. Secure and detain it, and anyone you find with it.” He turned back to us. “Take me to the case.”

  I didn’t move. “Major, I’d like to, but I need to verify your identity.”

  “As you should.” He handed over an ID badge.

  I passed it to Harris, who’d know better than I would if it was actually military issue. While he inspected the ID, I redialed the number the case had projected. Just like last time, someone answered and then said they’d put me through to the major.

  Friel’s pocket buzzed. He stared at me as he answered. “Maj. Friel. Are you convinced now?”

  “Good enough for me.” I hung up.

  Wayne returned the ID. “This way.”

  The three of us made our way past a lot of confused and concerned looking people. Smith was barking orders between talking to someone on the phone. In the hall leading to the lab, we passed two of Friel’s men carrying the frozen form of one of the impostors.

  “Can ya unfreeze him?” Friel asked.

  “Yes, Major.”

  “You’ll have to do that before we leave.”

  “Of course.” I held open the lab door for Friel and Harris before following them in. Glass and paper crunched underfoot. With the exception of the hole in the wall, the structural elements like the lab benches and wall were intact.

  The same couldn’t be said for everything else. Anything that had been on a bench top was on the floor, and most of it was broken. Including the brand-new centrifuge. It had a crack down its casing, and its control panel had popped off.

  “Pine, unfreeze him so he can be detained,” Friel ordered.

  I pointed my wand at him. “Orzu.”

  The ice melted away. He blinked and shook his head, briefly struggling as Friel’s men cuffed him. Once the cuffs were on, he clenched his jaw and stared past us like we were invisible.

  Friel watched his men escort him out. When the door swung shut behind them, he turned to me. “Remove the spells.”

  “This will take a few minutes. Please don’t interrupt.”

  The major nodded.

  I got started on the outer spell. All of them had been designed to recognize me, but I still had to unmake the spells. That sounded easy, but they were complex, and parts of the magic had to be removed before I could easily access other sections. The upside to methodical work like this was that I could reabsorb some of the expended energy. After casting the shield wall without any runes, any extra magic was a welcome boost.

  The last spell came down, and I stepped back.

  Friel rested his hand against the case and whispered a few words. The lights faded as the spell powered down. He checked the lock and picked it up. “You have my thanks. I suspect your superior will want to talk to me.”

  “Yes, Major. This way.” Harris lead our group back to where we’d last seen Smith.

  It turned out Smith’s boss wanted to talk to Friel. While we waited for him, I took a field trip out to the line of SUVs and defrosted the other bad guy. I returned to the group in Smith’s office. There weren’t enough chairs to go around, so I joined Wayne and made myself comfortable against the back wall.

  Assistant Director Shea closed the door behind her. Her graying hair had once matched her celadon green skin, not unusual coloration for a fey. A braid intricate enough to make Nash jealous held it back from her face and left her pointed ears bare. Her tan slacks had been pressed until a crisp line ran the length, and she’d traded the usually blue TBI shirt for the white version. She introduced herself to Maj. Friel before moving the remaining chair so she could see everyone in the room. “Tell me, why is there a hole in the building?”

  I kept my mouth shut. Partly because I didn’t really know, and partly because I’d met Shea during training. She liked clear direct answers. Mine wouldn’t qualify on either count.

  Harris cleared his throat. “That would be my fault. After the two men claiming to be from the Air Force fired at me, I needed an escape. I only intended to blow out the window, but due to more bullets, I miscalculated.”

  Shea’s eyes narrowed. “That is one Narzel-enhanced miscalculation.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Why were two Air Force impostors shooting at you in the lab?” Her eyes cut from Harris to Friel.

  Maj. Friel cleared his throat. “Ultimately, I am responsible for this situation. This case and its sensitive contents were being transported by dragon. I believe the dragon crashed after being attacked, and the individuals responsible were unable to recover the case. They attempted to recover the case, at which point they encountered Agent Harris.”

  “Is that so, Agent Pine?” Shea asked.

  “If there’s been a development as to why Jolly crashed, I haven’t been informed.” I outlined my history with the case and the major.

  Harris got the pleasure of telling his part next.

  “There. Ya got a full picture now,” Maj. Friel cut in. “As this incident was the result of an Air Force matter, we will cover the repairs. I must see this case delivered and find whoever attacked the dragon and this facility.”

  “We,” Shea said.

  “Pardon?”

  “You left this agency out of your statement.” Shea’s voice could’ve cut glass. “Believe me, we will be investigating what led to the dragon crashing and the destruction at our facility.”

  “Then there are matters you and I should discuss after this case is secure.” Friel stood up, case gripped with both hands.

  “I look forward to it.” Shea held the door open for him.

  Friel thanked her as he left.

  Shea closed the door behind him, and her eyes cut to the two of us. “Is there anything you need to tell us about this incident?”

  I shook my head.

  “No, ma’am,” Harris said.

  “Then you have reports to work on.”

  I made it out of the door in record time, with Harris right behind me. If that was the end of our interactions with Shea and Friel, I’d be properly grateful. That briefcase was nothing but trouble, and I had plenty of that without borrowing his.

  The entire event had left me with one lingering question. “How did you blow out a wall?”

  The corner of Wayne’s mouth turned up. “Sylph and disciple of Kaikias, remember?”

  “I don’t remember you exploding walls.” I wouldn’t have thought there was enough air volume in the room.

  He rubbed a hand across his hair. “That part was an accident. I’d wanted to blow out the window. The rest of the wall went with it.”

  “Oh.”

  Wayne sighed. “I’m surprised the Director wasn’t there.”

  “Pure luck. He’s out of town at a conference, and the Deputy Director is in East Tennessee right now.” For once, I was caught up on my email.

  We finished the rest of the trip to our desks in silence. He dug a spare shirt out of his desk. The shirt with bullet holes went into an evidence bag.

  I sat down and got to work ordering more supplies with rush delivery. I went over-budget, but Smith wasn’t going to give me any grief since my lab was a crime scene now.

  My phone rang. “Agent Pine speaking.”

  “It’s Nash. I finished the necropsy.”

  “And?”

  “The bird has been dead between twenty and forty-eight hours. Best I can do.” He sounded frustrated.

  “I appreciate it. The remains weren't in the best condition.”

  “And I’m not an animal expert,” he said. “My report will be available by the end of the work day.”

  “Thanks for getting it done so quickly.” I hung up.

  Harris spun around in his chair to look at me. “Who was that?”

  “Nash.” I opened up a report and started entering the information. It was the first time I’d had to list HQ as the crime scene.

  “What did he say?”

  “Case update.” I passed along the relevant information.

  Wayne shifted in his chair. “Oh, good to know.” He spun back to his desk.

  My head tipped to the side as I studied him. There was something going on, but today wasn’t the day to poke at it. Not when we both had mountains of paperwork.

  Finishing our reports took the rest of the day, which was blessedly quiet. I headed home, Fabian’s engine rumbling cheerfully. Tomorrow was Friday. Maybe we’d be able to solve enough problems that we’d actually got the weekend off. Maybe.

  Chapter Eight

  Home was a welcome sight, as was the Chinese delivery. I dug into egg foo yung and flipped through my necromancy book. I needed to give Randolf an answer soon, which meant I had to finish my research.

  Deyr: The study and secrets of the dying, death, and undeath was a charming tome. It tried to kill me the first time I opened it, though we were on better terms now. I went down the list of chapters, passing The Basics of Making a Necromancer, The Foundation of Raising the Dead, The History of the Nekro, and down the list to Uncategorized Spells and Rituals. Below that, the last chapter taunted me. The Truth of Your Death was one chapter I had yet to open.

  I flipped to Uncategorized Spells and Rituals. The first section was an introduction, but after that, they were arranged in alphabetical order by creature or topic. Near the end of the chapter, I found a section on vampires. Compulsion and Control were larger spell sets than I liked to see. A few pages over, I found a vitality heading.

  I skimmed through the text as I ate. It matched what Randolf had said. The book went into more detail about the spell itself and how it was possible for a necromancer to infuse an animated and self-propelling undead with an energy boost. It also had a list of things to avoid because it was, according to the Deyr, “occasionally” possible to make a vampire your servant.

  Delightful.

  After reading through the spell information twice, I closed the book. Randolf was both right and wrong. There weren’t many risks to the vitality spell, but a mistake could drastically change the outcome. That was true for most spells, but seldom was someone’s free will on the line.

  My phone rang and flashed Jamie’s name across the screen. Our last conversation hadn’t been good, but he was still my contact with the clan, and maybe even a friend. “Hello.”

  “Kelsey?” Jamie hesitated. “Are you there?”

  “Here. What can I do for you?” He was going tell me to take the protection detail, I was sure of it.

  I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, I was standing in his apartment. And it was his apartment with the marble floor and intricate crown molding. Neither of which were as interesting as Jamie.

  When we were young and I thought we were in love, he’d been cute. Time had only added to his appeal. His sandy-blond hair was long enough to give the casual windswept look. His bare chest drew my eyes down to the sweatpants riding low on his hips. The only thing that didn’t match were the lines of strain at the corners of his mouth.

  I really needed to date more. It would keep my imagination in check. Besides, Jamie was too close to the clan. What I needed was a man who I could enjoy without the complications.

  “Well, this is awkward,” Jamie said. The blush darkened on his cheeks.

  “Oh no, no. this isn’t real.” My hair was in one of those lazy buns knots that women loved and men loved to hate. Even without reaching up, I knew this one was particularly messy. All three of the buttons were open on my polo, which was fine for at home alone, but not for meeting Jamie, even like this.