I shake my head, guiding both her and her husband back to their seats. “Please sit down and explain to me what’s going on.”
Over the next half hour, Edwin tells me the horrifying story of how their son, Kaleb, was kidnapped in front of them about twenty years ago. A witch named Trumble from a rival coven cast a spell that temporarily paralyzed Edwin and Lyra. The spellkept them frozen in place while this witch stole their six-year-old son and bound the child’s magic.
By the time the paralyzing spell wore off, the witch was gone, and so was Kaleb. Eventually, they were able to track down and capture Trumble, but he only laughed, telling them he’d abandoned Kaleb somewhere amongst the humans. The witch was crazy and sick with a magical illness that affects the brain quickly. He died a few days later. No one ever found out his true motives or the reason he kidnapped Kaleb, or if it was the illness that made him do it.
Lyra leans across the table and reaches for my hand. “Please. He’s our only son, Darius. We won’t stop looking for him until he’s home safe.” The emotion and determination in her voice have me choked up. The Dumas’ are good parents. How long have I craved having a family to call my own? My mother’s cruel words replay in my head. As soon as I was born, neither of my parents wanted me. My mermaid mother tolerated me and kept me with the pod until I was old enough to go out on my own. I never knew my father. According to my mother, he didn’t want a child either.
And here’s this beautiful witch family who have been searching for their son, loving him and his memory, and never giving up.
Halfway through Edwin’s heartfelt story, I already knew I wanted to help this family. “I’ll help in any way I can; however, I need to ask some questions first.”
Edwin nods eagerly. “Anything. We can pay you, of course.”
I wave them away. I might have them pay expenses, but I can’t take money from this family, who are only looking for their son. “This first question might seem insensitive, but any little detail can help. How do you know your son is still alive? It’s been twenty years; that’s a long time to hold out hope.”
“We would never give up. Edwin and I have been casting tracking spells since the moment Kaleb was kidnapped. We can sense him,” Lyra replies.
Interesting. They’ve been casting spells, but I’m curious if they’ve tried other methods as well. “And have you ever hired a magical tracker before? I mean, someone other than a witch?”
“Thanks to our name in the paranormal community, The Elite Guard took on our case for the first two years, but when the trail ran cold, they weren’t able to help.”
I purse my lips together. That’s what I assumed, but it still doesn’t explain how or why the trail went cold. What happened to Kaleb’s magical signature? The boy might not have had his powers yet, but that signature would still be present. Zero peers over at me. He’s just as intuitive as I am; it’s why we made such a great team, so I’m sure he has realized some of the same things I have.
A family as powerful as the Dumas’ should have been able to track down their son easily. “As I’m sure you know, every witch and every bloodline leaves a magical signature. I might be able to sense it differently thanks to the ocean magic inside of me, butsomething else is going on here. If you can sense that he’s alive, why haven’t you found him yet?”
Rook’s eyes widen, as if shocked I would ask such a horrible thing. It might sound cruel, but I need as much information as possible. Solving cases and working on missions for so long has taught me to look at something from every angle. Leave no stone unturned.
Edwin doesn’t hesitate; he answers immediately. “When Trumble bound Kaleb’s magic, he also hid his magical signature, essentially making him human.”
I suck in a deep breath. “That could make things very difficult if I find him. Kaleb was so young when he was taken, he might not even remember that he’s a witch. And he might not remember either of you,” I say gently. “There’s a good chance that he might think he’s human and won’t come back with me.”
Edwin shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. Please just find our son. Once you find him, if he refuses to come back here with you, then we can travel to him. We can work at convincing him he belongs here with his family.”
“Okay, fair enough. But why now? Why hire a magical tracker twenty years later?” I ask. “Why hire me?”
“We heard you were the best.” Edwin grins, hazel eyes sparkling. “And for the first time ever, we have a solid lead.”
Chapter three
Darius
There has always been something enchanting about Halloween. Regardless of whether you’re observing the Day of the Dead or celebrating All Hallows’ Eve, this day has always been quite magical in the way it brings people together. There’s a reason the paranormal community celebrates the day just as equally as the humans.
-Article by Agatha Perry, Magic This Weekly
Of course, thissolid leadmust take me away from the ocean on the day that magic is at its most chaotic. My tentacle tattoos squirm against my skin, changing positions as my inner kraken whines. I would have preferred to travel by ocean and stretch out my tentacles, but unfortunately for me, Kaleb is in the opposite direction.
Not to mention, time isn’t on our side. The tracking spell Edwin and Lyra cast showed a strange surge of magic pulsing through the connection they made. After listening to the Dumas’ heartbreaking story, there are only two conclusions as to why something like this would be happening: Kaleb is either just coming into his magic, or the binding spell that was placed on Kaleb all those years ago is finally bursting at the seams.
Yeah, something tells me that a witch from a magical bloodline as strong as a Dumas wouldn’t be a late bloomer.
The drive down the highway is a winding, scenic route through the forest. Unfortunately, I don’t get to enjoy the view. The magic is leading me to a small town only about two hours away from home, and let’s just say I’m grateful it isn’t further away.
About an hour and a half into my drive, my phone rings. Through the screen on my dashboard, I can see it’s Rook. I’m tempted to let it go to voice message since I’m on a job, but my magic can still detect I’m going in the right direction. Unless Kaleb decides to up and leave town or his magic winks out completely, I’ll be fine to chat for a bit.
“Look, buddy,” I answer in a joking tone. “I’m already on one impromptu mission. If you’re looking for another favor, you’re going to have to ask Zero.”
Rook chuckles. “No, no favors. I just wanted to call you and thank you for helping Mr. and Mrs. Dumas. My mate’s family is close with the Dumas coven, and Autumn can relate to them since his brother was missing for about a year.”
