Life is… getting better.
“According to the legends,” he continues, “after the Magician vowed his revenge, the other Arcana feared the sacred objects would be forever hunted, so they divided them up, hiding them in four different places around the globe, all at sacred magickal sites.”
“Magickal sites like where the Academies were ultimately built?” I ask, a new spark of excitement flickering in my chest.
Kirin nods. “That’s one theory—that the Arcana Academies were actually built specifically to hide the objects. But another theory postulates that the majors, figuring everyone would expect them to divide up the objects, did the exact opposite.”
“Kept them together?” Ani asks.
“That’s the theory. Either way, now that Phaines has the books, we have to assume he’ll eventually crack the spell. We have to get ahead of that.”
“You think we should look for the objects,” I say. It’s not a question. “Why not leave them hidden? Maybe they’re safer that way.”
“No,” Devane says. “Kirin’s right—we need to find them. We can’t risk it on amaybe. The other academies might already be targets. The legends go back a long way—a lot of people might seek out the objects for their own personal collections.”
“Yep,” Baz says. “Half of them are just treasure hunters. A nuisance, but not necessarily evil. A lot of people just like antiquities and the creepy legends surrounding shit like that.”
“What about the other half?” I ask.
Baz clenches his teeth, the muscle in his jaw ticking. “You had a front-row seat to how that played out.”
We fall into silence once again. I get up and stretch, put on the kettle for—what else?—more tea.
When I rejoin them in the living room, Kirin looks up at me, his eyes serious.
“You don’t have to stay for this, Stevie. We can talk to Trello. Relocate you, set you up with a new identity. That was part of the original offer.”
“Yeah?” I smile, as if I’m actually considering it. “You think you can get rid of me that easy? Well guess what, dickheads. I’m not going anywhere.”
The guys crack up.
“Told you she was one of us,” Ani says.
“Yes, but with better boobs and a cuter ass,” I point out.
Suddenly, the laughter evaporates.
Damn, rough crowd. I really thought that would’ve gone over better.
“Stevie,” Devane says, his energy turning dark and serious. Well, more dark and serious than usual. “When Ani said you’re one of us, he meant that literally.”
I roll my eyes. “Let me guess. More dark brotherhood stuff?”
No one responds.
They all stand up, gathering around me. Closing ranks.
I look into each pair of eyes—Dr. Devane, stern and gray. Ani, warm and sunny like melted caramels. Baz, with the eyes of the devil that can make me weak with a single glance. And Kirin, my sunset behind the saguaros, a man I started to fall for long before I ever set foot inside the hallowed halls of Arcana Academy.
“Whoareyou guys?” I whisper, the question as ominous as the mood.
“We are the Keepers of the Grave,” they reply in unison.
“Whoareyou?” I ask again, my eyes filling with tears, everything about this moment heavy and terrifying and real. Very, very real.
It’s Ani who answers now, picking up the novelty deck from the table. He turns one card over and passes it to Baz—Cernunnos, The Devil, the lovers sleeping in the meadow before the horned god. The next card goes to Dr. Devane—The Moon, a full moon shining down on the ocean, a wolf and a dog howling before a stone gateway and a path to the unknown. The next card is for Kirin, The Tower, a bolt of lightning striking a stone tower, people jumping to their deaths, fleeing the sudden destruction. Ani keeps the next card for himself—The Sun, a child riding a pony, a harp at his side, the sun shining bright overhead.
Then he hands the next card to me. I know without turning it over what it is.
