Graham Strangemore didn’t seem to notice.
When his eyes left mine, I glanced to my left and above, to a different seat, a few rows behind where we sat. A handful of mages and witches talked quietly amongst themselves a few rows higher, but the seat I’d looked at before was now empty.
Caelum Bones had done his usual, and disappeared.
11
Caelum: Twelve Years Old
Ten Years Ago
Victoria Station, London
“You will find these boys on the train,” his father instructed him. He handed Caelum a piece of parchment with three photographs clipped to the front.
Caelum nodded wordlessly.
He looked at the piece of paper.
He memorized the names and the faces he saw, then rolled it all up and stuffed it into a pocket in his coat.
His father stared between his eyes. “I am trusting you. But you know better than most that trust isearned,not free. I would not be so foolish as to think that anything you do there will escape my notice.”
Caelum nodded a second time, his mouth hard.
“You know what is expected of you.” His father continued to stare at him coldly. “Do not be a little fool, Caelum. Do not delude yourself with childish notions. None of these…” Hestared around the platform, a sneer curling his lip.“…Peopleare your friends. Nor should you want them to be. Silly, womanish attachments breed weakness. Vulnerabilities others will exploit. I will not hesitate to impart that lesson as often as necessary, whelp.”
Caelum understood.
He understood so well he scarcely pretended to listen to the words.
His father noticed.
Malefic couldn’t hit him here, notreallyhit him, not in front of so many other Magicals, particularly since a goodly number, at least those with children, were likely there for the same reason. None of the commoners sent their children to Briarwood Wyrm Middle Academy. It would be the wealthier, better-bred Magicals, the ones his father worked alongside as colleagues, as peers, who sent their children to the Cambridge school.
Malefic leaned down, putting his face in Caelum’s.
He gripped the back of his neck, what might look like a loving, protective grip to anyone not watching closely enough. He gripped so tightly Caelum gasped.
The fingers holding him were like cold iron.
“Do not nod at me like my words bore you, Caelum,” Malefic purred. “Remember who you are. Remember the importance of your life… the preciousness of the gifts you were given. The future of our entire civilizationdependson you, so do not waste a single moment in childish foolishness. You are not like them. You will neverbelike them.”
Caelum felt the pain reach his chest.
He met his father’s gaze, but only for a whisper.
“Yes, sir.”
“I do this for you, Caelum,” his father murmured. “But I also do it because this great work of ours is my responsibility, too. If I have to, I will bleed you until you take our mutual commitmentsseriously. I will not hesitate to lock you up and school you away from the prying eyes of the world until yourespectthe immense honor you have been given.”
His father’s mouth moved closer to his ear.
“And if I cannot bleed you directly while you are there, rest assured, I can reach others who will stand happily in your stead. Should you choose to neglect your responsibilities.”
Caelum felt the blood leave his face.
“I don’t only mean your mother, Caelum,” he hissed, softer.
