Magic Vanished (Rise of the Arcanist): More than Magic, #5

By Elizabeth Kirke

The next victim is one of us…

 

We thought we defeated the dark wizard responsible for the mysterious disappearances… we were wrong. People are still going missing and our investigation has hit a dead end.

 

But when the next person to be taken is one of my closest friends, things become personal. Knowing that the victims are never seen again, the clock is ticking. It soon becomes clear that a rescue will be the most dangerous thing my friends and I have ever done; the only way to save our friend is if we vanish too…

 

Getting in was the easy part. Now we just have to regroup, take down the most dangerous magic we've ever faced, and get out again. Probably easier said than done. One wrong move and we're all dead.

Magic Vanished is Book Five in the Urban Fantasy series, More than Magic, featuring witches, vampires, werewolves, and more. If you like your paranormal mixed with a little mystery and true friendship, dive into your copy today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Kirke
• Release date: Apr 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201623180

Book preview

Magic Vanished

Rise of the Arcanist

More than Magic

Book Five

Elizabeth Kirke

Copyright 2020 Elizabeth Kirke

Cover by T.M. Franklin

Editing by Rachael Riches

Formatting by EK Formatting

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

The More than Magic Series

New Adult Urban Fantasy

Semester Aboard (Book One)

Snow Bound (Book Two)

Soul Choice (Book Three)

Magic Betrayed (Book Four)*

Magic Vanished (Book Five)*

Magic Awakened (Book Six)*

Magic Conquered (Book Seven)*

Magic Unveiled (Book Eight)

Magic Sacrificed (Book Nine)

*Listen to my audiobooks FREE on Youtube

Chapter One

Jen

As we walked through the woods, searching for whatever it was the blood casters were trying to keep us from finding, we found a strange hole in a tree. It was more like a doorway than a hole; just big enough for a person to fit through. It led to a stone staircase that we followed down into a cavern. It was empty except for a circular altar in the center, complete with chains for restraining sacrifices.

We weren’t there for long, when he found us: Morgan Fletcher, the blood wizard, our former co-worker and friend. He taunted us and then attacked us, wielding the terrifying magic he gained from murdering people...

~~~***~~~

Even though I lived it, I found my heart pounding as we recounted our harrowing experience in the cavern to Jon. I suppressed a shiver as I looked around at everyone. Mariana, Ember, and Shannon had stayed behind, in case something happened to us in the park and while the three of them had already heard most of the story, they were still listening, wide-eyed, in a mix of fascination and horror. My familiar, Rak, was curled on my lap purring in support, but still feeling alarmed as well.

Magics healed quickly, but it seemed that injuries from blood magic lingered or at least the strange marks it left did. After being struck by a blood magic spell veins swelled to the point it looked like they were bulging out of the victim’s skin, if not sitting on top of it. Even the smallest capillaries turned ink black, covering the person in a strange, frightening web of dark veins.

Thomas and Charlie had both been hit by a spell from Fletcher that caused excruciating pain. After three days the swelling of their veins had gone down and the black faded, but every inch of exposed skin was still marred by swirls of gray. Dani had been hit too, but it seemed that Fletcher had concentrated the spell on his head; his veins were only discolored from the neck up, not that the sight wasn’t just as unsettling.

I shuddered at the memory. All three of them had decades of experience working with MES. Dani and Thomas were even said to be two of the best special agents in the region and Fletcher had taken them both down with a single spell. Even as a vampire, arguably the most dangerous magical being in the world, Thomas hadn’t stood a chance; one flick of Fletcher’s wand and he was down. Dani – not only a special agent, but also ex-military and a master of probably a dozen different martial arts – was just as helpless against the blood magic. I still felt nauseated, remembering getting into the car after the cavern, speeding to the closest source of water while Dani used every ounce of his power to slow the bleeding in his brain until we got there. There were a couple of times I honestly didn’t think he could keep holding it back. The element-based spells I was familiar with could hurt someone, but not kill them. Blood magic was terrifying.

Miraculously, TS and I had escaped being hit by blood magic, although he was far from unscathed. In an attempt to kill him, Fletcher had orchestrated a car accident involving a non-magic woman that TS was soul-pack bonded to; she was still in a coma, leaving TS pale and tired-looking. We all knew that if she died... when she died...

Fletcher did not say anything about Miami? Jon asked.

Thomas shook his head. No. He wouldn’t tell us how any of the other witches and wizards going there fit in either. But we think he was there; he took six months off work a few years ago. The timing and the duration fit the pattern.

Jon frowned. I recall that. It was around when his familiar died. Fletcher never said how it happened... I wonder if he was coerced into becoming a blood wizard...

He seemed pretty committed to it, Dani said dryly, rubbing at the side of his head, which he claimed didn’t hurt anymore.

TS nodded. He also said he has been a blood wizard for a long time. He said that wherever he went four years ago he was... TS narrowed his eyes. He mentioned a mistress?

Yeah, Thomas said. Fletcher said this mistress is going to um... unlock the power of her ancestor... and that she’s going to teach him. He also said he went to be inducted into some group... the uh...

I swear, he said Dewinnos, TS chuckled.

The Disciples of Dewinnos? Jon asked sharply.

We all looked at him in surprise.

Yes, Charlie said. That was it! The Disciples of Dewinnos.

Jon frowned, looking disturbed. Fend, perched on the back of a nearby chair, cawed in agitation.

What is that? TS asked.

You may know more than I do, Jon said.

TS laughed nervously. The only Dewinnos I know is some sort of Welsh bogeyman. My great-grandfather would tell us stories about him to scare us when we went to visit.

Jon nodded solemnly. Yes. They are one and the same. He inclined his head slightly, studying TS.

That’s all I know, really, said TS. He narrowed his eyes in thought. He used to tell us that it took over one hundred magics to defeat Dewinnos. That he found a way to... to steal power from magics and use it against them somehow. TS shrugged. That’s about it. The sun would be rising and he’d tell us if we didn’t get to sleep that Dewinnos would get us and... His eyes widened. Would that translate as... TS began rapidly mumbling to himself, presumably in Welsh. Bloody hell! he cried in English.

You’ve remembered something? Jon asked.

Slowly, TS nodded. My brother Enceladus would say, But Taid, Dewinnos is dead, he can’t kill us. Then, our Taid would say, It doesn’t matter, his disciples are alive and well, they’ll kill you."

Jon folded his hands on the table in front of us with a heavy sigh. If that is true...

Who or what are the Disciples of Dewinnos? Thomas asked.

The Disciples of Dewinnos is an ancient cult, Jon said. Some say they were Dewinnos’ children. Others say they were servants or just like-minded witches and wizards... Regardless, after his death they dedicated themselves to preserving his research. Dewinnos is said to have uncovered a strange type of blood magic. As Tethys said, according to legend, Dewinnos could steal power from other magics, although I have never seen an explanation of what that truly means. Jon shook his head. Both the cult and his research were supposed to have been destroyed when blood magic was outlawed... If the cult has survived and any of the work on arcanism exists...

Arcanism? I asked.

That is what Dewinnos called his style of blood magic.

Is that like arcanist?

Yes! Jon looked at me in surprise and alarm. That is what he called himself: an arcanist. Where did you hear that word?

Fletcher used it.

That’s right, Thomas said. He said there’s a new arcanist! Or... there’s about to be one.

Jon exhaled sharply. If that’s true... He slowly shook his head. I fear we must assume the other witches and wizards who went to Miami are blood casters as well, perhaps even disciples. Now, Fletcher was a MES agent, as is Greyson Turner who is on that list. Neither should be able to make the changes Ember found in the MES database, therefore we must assume that they were not the only MES employees involved. Now, more than ever, it is of the utmost importance we keep this investigation secret. Did Fletcher say anything else that may give us a clue?

I cleared my throat and all eyes turned to me. For a couple of minutes... I was the only one conscious. He... he talked to me.

What did he say? Jon asked gently.

I took a deep breath. He was trying to get me to join him, I said. Thomas hissed and the others gasped. He kept saying I’d be a powerful blood witch and stuff like that and...

And? Jon prompted.

He told me if I want to become a blood witch... I have to find a mystic key.

A mystic key? Thomas echoed.

Jon slowly shook his head. I have never heard of that.

"Then he gave me something and said to tell them Fletcher sent me. But he never said who they are."

What did he give you?

I crossed the room to my purse and fished out the strange stone and held it up. It was shaped like a small droplet and bright, blood red.

Brows furrowed curiously, Jon joined me and took it. He turned the stone around, examining it. I’ve never seen a stone like this. He pulled out his wand and cast a couple of spells. It seems... innocuous. Anyone else?

Thomas came over and sniffed. Smells a bit like blood. It’s not strong, but there’s a faint bloody odor... like the rotten blood magic scent.

It’s warm, Charlie said. Warmer than it should be, even with you holding it.

Dani held out a hand and Jon passed it to him. His eyes rippled with blue as he studied it. I’m no expert on solids but... I think this is blood.

Inside it? I asked.

The whole thing. It’s a stone made out of blood. Here you go. Dani flashed me a weak smirk as he held it out.

What should I do with it? I asked, reluctantly taking it back.

Put it somewhere safe, Jon replied. "Be careful with it and... be careful around it as well. We must figure out why Fletcher gave it to you. Did he say anything else?"

We followed him back to the table. That was it, I said as we all sat. He told me to find the mystic key and gave me that uh... stone. TS caught my attention with a pained groan as he sat heavily, prompting a memory of that night. He did stop using blood magic, I said. That’s why TS wasn’t hit. Fletcher used it on him and it... it didn’t work.

Interesting, said Jon.

He didn’t use it at all toward the end, did he? Thomas said.

Not that I remember, answered Charlie.

Maybe he got tired? I suggested. Using regular magic made me tired, although I had a lot more stamina than I used to.

Possibly, Jon said. It bears further research. Let us... He trailed off and frowned. We stayed quiet as he thought. At last, he nodded once, more to himself than to us. "We must continue your investigation and follow any leads. However, I do not want to pursue Greyson Turner until we have exhausted every other avenue. If he truly is in league with Fletcher, I do not want you confronting another blood wizard if it can be avoided. With luck, we can discover a way to combat it before we encounter him. He bowed his head a moment. I am... sorry. Slowly, Jon looked at each one of us. This is far more than I wanted to ask of you... any of you. The last thing I want is to put your lives at risk..."

If not us, then who? Dani asked softly.

Jon sighed. Thank you.

~~~***~~~

"So, what leads do we have?" Thomas asked.

Once again, we were back in our living room, sitting on couches and chairs. Dani was sprawled on the floor with Ember and her laptop. Rak was curled in his place on the hearth, although it was getting too warm to light a fire.

Ember clicked and hissed for a moment in Sadehic as she looked at her laptop. I assumed she was mumbling to herself, since Charlie didn’t seem to be paying attention.

Okay, she said at last, switching back to English. "We’ve got those three groups of people, right? The first is the ones who all went missing in the park. Since Fletcher was obviously covering up some of those cases and you found his creepy hide-out, I think we can assume those poor people were