“Your magick is helping to slow it as well. It mentioned that it isn’t draining your magick. That it could have taken more of your life force that night if your magick hadn’t prevented it. Mayhap your magick is being used up fighting against this siphon it created in you. I suspect the ward may still be protecting you as well,” Niven speculates.
Her expression slackens. She sits back in her chair, her shoulders sagging, and wraps her arms around her middle. “I’ve been tired lately. Lacking an appetite. But I figured I was feeling low about living without magick. I’ve never heard of anything like this other than a spell that would just outright kill someone.”
“He wasn’t just trying to kill you. Mark Hansen’s murder was as it seemed, as was his attempt on Cara. But he wanted to absorb your life force for some reason. I suspect the spell helps make the fae nearly immortal. It said the spell can only be cast on Samhain. It must require the natural boost of magickal power that day to achieve such a feat,” Niven says grimly.
“So what do I do?” Ada looks alarming pale, and she clutches her arms tighter around herself.
“I will continue to take care of you and the house, so you have fewer worries. We will take long walks to keep you strong. You will continue to spend time with your friends and family. We will make your life comfortable, so you do not over-exert yourself. Everyone will be happy to lend a hand until we find the right magick to fix this mess,” I describe, having already planned for much of this even before today’s new information came to light.
“I don’t want to be treated like a child,” she whispers.
“No one thinks you are a child,” I instantly reply, slicing a hand through the air. “You have loving friends and family who would do anything to help you.”
Ada exhales raggedly, rubbing her wet, reddened eyes. “It’s hard to accept, especially if I don’t know how long this will go on. Or if it will eventually kill me.”
“As long as it takes, Ada. Please don’t push us away,” Niven pleads.
She nods, a small gesture, but her agreement shows her trust in us. And how immensely scared she must be.
Later that night, I call my brother and tell him to widen his and the elders’ search to include any known magick or artifact that can transfer life force from one being into another.
“Life force?” Elgar says incredulously. “That sounds much more serious.”
“It’s already affecting her. We need something to stave off the effects. Have the elders shared anything from their search?” I already know the answer. He would have told me immediately if they did.
“No,” he grumbles. “They are being as unresponsive to me as they are to you. Something is wrong. They meet in secret, according to my sources. Others have noticed how reclusive they have become. It worries me, Norrell.”
I sigh, running an unsteady hand through my hair. “Ask Mother and Father to approach their families to try to get any information about what they are doing. This concerns me too, but I am not abandoning Ada again.”
“I would not expect you to. They will help me investigate,” he confirms.
Not wanting to miss any possible avenues, I dial Dean Esmeralda Jurado’s number next. I have not spoken to her since she told me about Ada. No doubt she has been kept updated, but she will appreciate hearing this new development from me.
“Norrell!” she exclaims happily. “I’m so thrilled to hear from you again. Are you still attending the safety council? I hear it’s wrapping up.”
“Hi, Esmeralda. Yes, I am still here though I am no longer attending their meetings. They moved onto practical security measures to protect their havens and people. That is no longer my concern,” I explain.
She huffs a laugh. “Well, I’m sure anyone can see you’re not there to discuss the ins and outs of multi-layering wards. How has it been going?”
“It has been complicated, which is surely no surprise to you. I assisted Niven and his team with the fae. They could manage without me, but at much greater risk. Niven needs to be fullyfocused on finding answers. The fae told us some disturbing information today. It is stealing Ada’s life force. Somehow it is still able to absorb it from her while in containment. It is worse when we must bring it out. It sickens her when we do so. This fae is unbelievably powerful. Mayhap even more than the ones we occasionally find wandering the Arctic,” I recount.
“That sounds dire, Norrell. I won’t sugarcoat it,” Esmeralda remarks. “I’ve combed through our archives the past few weeks focusing on the loss of magick. I’ll keep it up. There may be more out there about stealing life force. That is a term used in old texts describing passing through the realms. It’s unusual in our contemporary lexicon. This fae may be quite ancient if it knows such spells. They have probably been long forgotten by witches or hidden away for good reason. It’s a despicable use of magick. I’ll redouble my efforts. The library will have something, I know it.”
“Thank you. You are a true friend to her.”
“Stay strong for her, Norrell.” Her parting words stick with me.
After finishing a few final tasks in Ada’s front lawn, I step inside to find Ada and Aurelia reading quietly in the living room, curled up on opposite sofas, each with a cat on her lap. Aurelia reaches for her mug of tea while she eyes me entering the room. Earl Grey blinks awake momentarily at the movement.
“You look cozy,” I observe as I stand in the doorway.
“They followed us in here after breakfast. Vanny finally wanted my attention again after Aurelia’s lap was already claimed.” Ada scowls exaggeratedly at the cats.
“What are your plans for today?” I ask them mildly. I do not want Ada to feel like I track her every move, though I do.
“I’m just getting my daily dose of this love bug until I’m due at today’s meeting. I should be off soon. If only I could stay here with the boys.” Aurelia pouts theatrically and begins to coo affectionate nonsense at the cats.
Ada sighs. “Nothing much. I took the day off work. But maybe that was a mistake. Work might help me forget everything that’s going on. It might be harder to face it all… here. Being at home… is not the most peaceful place for me right now.”
