here.
“I can scan the buildings for signs of the fae, as I did when I checked your residence,” Nathaniel said.
“Seems almost as inefficient as knocking on doors,” Beezle said.
“What if,” I said slowly, thinking it through as I spoke, “instead of scanning for signs of the fae, you scan for dead space?”
Nathaniel looked at me, recognition dawning as he figured it out. “I understand.”
J.B. glanced between us. “You think that because they hid his magical signature, he just won’t appear?”
“It makes sense,” Beezle said. “Unless Titania was with them—which is unlikely—the kidnappers would be using a bottled, quick-and-dirty spell. Titania wouldn’t be able to put a lot of complexity into that kind of spell.”
“Like when Nathaniel protected Bendith by hiding his magical essence with his own,” I said.
“Exactly,” Beezle said. “That’s complex magic. Titania wouldn’t be able to throw that kind of spell on a charm and hand it off to one of her flunkies. She could, however, put a more limited version of that spell on or in an object that a soldier could use to cast it.”
“Like a cloak,” I said. “Just enough to cover him up, make it harder for us to track him.”
“Yes,” Beezle said. “So, for a change, Maddy actually has a good and sensible idea. Look for dead space. All of you can do it, and we’ll be able to get this over and done with quickly.”
“Do you have a pressing appointment?” I asked.
“Yes, with a pumpernickel bagel, cream cheese and lox,” Beezle said.
We all stared at him.
“What? It’s breakfast time,” he said.
“Spread out a little,” I told the other two, ignoring Beezle. “Then we can each take a section. You can help, too, Beezle. You can look through the layers of reality for signs of a magic spell.”
Beezle flew off my shoulder, grumbling something about overworking an old gargoyle.
“I’m sure that old gargoyles shouldn’t be eating exciting things like cinnamon rolls and sausage pizza,” I called after him. “If you’re that infirm, I should probably limit you to porridge and prunes.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Beezle said.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Help, and stop complaining.”
“You might actually be sincere about this,” Beezle said. He flew a little distance away, glancing back over his shoulder like he wasn’t sure whether to take me seriously or not.
J.B. and Nathaniel had already flown a short distance away, spacing themselves out so they could cover the whole area. I concentrated hard, sending my power out as I did when I was searching for the portal on the alien world.
To my surprise, I found what I was looking for almost immediately. Directly below me was a nondescript brick building with a few grills on the roof, indicating that it was a residence. And on the top floor, I could sense the presence of exactly the dead space for which I was searching.
“Hey,” I called to the other three. They all looked up at me, and I pointed at the spot I had found.
“Are we still under the veil?” I asked Nathaniel. His magic was so light and nonintrusive, it was hard to tell.
He nodded. “Although it may not protect us from the fae. They are likely to see through it.”
“It’s not the fae I’m worried about,” I said. “It’s early, and people will be getting up for work. I don’t want anyone to see us landing on their neighbor’s roof.”
J.B. nodded. “And we have to make sure that the people in the building are unharmed.”
“So that means no tearing around, smashing and burning,” Beezle said pointedly to me. “I’d like to see you manage that.”
I decided it was best not to rise to the bait.
Nathaniel concentrated hard on the place I had indicated. “There is no need to worry. There are only two in the room besides Bendith, and no one else is present in the building.”
“Really?” I asked. “Isn’t that weird?”
“Perhaps they made sure that the humans were sent away before Bendith was kidnapped. It is an easy thing for the fae or the fallen to do. Human minds are very malleable. You simply set a spell so that any person who crosses the threshold suddenly decides to take a vacation, or stay late at work, or spend several hours shopping.”
I frowned. “I’ve never known a fae to care that much about the safety of humans.”
“Hey,” J.B. said in an insulted tone.
“You’re about as much fae as I am fallen,” I said impatiently. “You know and I know that we’re more human than anything. But you’re missing the point. Why would they send the humans away?”
“It might not have had anything to do with their safety,” Beezle pointed out. “Maybe they just didn’t want anyone to notice that they’re holding Bendith there. Humans might be very malleable, but they’re also very nosy. And they have a tendency to ask questions.”
I shook my head. “Yeah, but a fae would be able to glamour a human so that they would be distracted, or forget. They wouldn’t need to remove the people altogether. And I know that somebody must live in that building, because I don’t think faeries are that fond of barbecue.”
“So what are you thinking?” J.B. asked.
“There’s something going on here besides Bendith’s kidnapping,” I said. “I can’t put my finger on it. But there are all these little things that aren’t adding up. This can’t possibly be as simple as Titania wanting her son back.”
“Wouldn’t you do anything if you thought your son was taken from you?” Beezle asked.
“We will approach cautiously,” Nathaniel said. “I cannot leave my brother there. He will expect me to come for him.”
For a moment I thought Nathaniel was Gabriel, and that he was talking about Samiel. They seemed so similar in that moment that my heart ached.
“Okay,” I said. But something was nagging at me. This didn’t feel right.
Beezle snuggled into the front pocket of my flannel shirt, which flopped loosely around me. Just his eyes and horns peered out over the edge. J.B., Nathaniel and I flew to the street level, landing on the sidewalk in front of the condo.
“I do not sense the presence of any special magic,” Nathaniel said. “Only the two inside with Bendith.”
He moved toward the front door. I halted him with a tug on his sleeve.
“What if it’s not Bendith?” I asked. “What if it’s something else?”
“Madeline, I must see,” Nathaniel said. “If it is him, I cannot leave him.”
“I understand,” I said, but my entire body tingled with tension.
I didn’t know why the others weren’t as concerned as I was. Usually I was the one rushing forward, heedless of danger. But everything about this felt like a trap. We had tracked Bendith too easily. The magic used to conceal him seemed clumsy, more of a lure than an effective cover.
Nathaniel climbed the steps to the front door. I think we all expected it to be locked, but it opened when he tugged on the handle.
I shook my head from side to side. “Uh-uh. That’s an invitation. Whatever is in there
“How many times have you gone into a dangerous situation because you felt you must?” Nathaniel asked. “And I have always stood at your side.”
“I know,” I said. “But this is different. There’s something larger at stake.”
“What is at stake?” Nathaniel asked, moving through the lobby and up the stairs. I followed him, with J.B. taking up the last position in line.
It was too quiet. There should have been the sounds of people moving around inside their residences, the smell of the morning’s breakfast cooking on the stove. It seemed a haunted place, and cold passed through me like a shade.
“I don’t know,” I said, frustrated. “But we shouldn’t go any farther. Once we do, all the dominoes will
