30

“GOOD AFTERNOON, THIS IS CHIEF CROWE SPEAKING. Earlier today, the
Department of Supernatural Investigations suffered an unprecedented attack
by hybrids somehow capable of teleporting directly into our facility. It is
still unclear exactly how our various security systems were breached, but I
can assure you that we are in the process of a most thorough investigation.
For now, all training activities are suspended until further notice. All
trainees and junior personnel are to remain in their dormitories unless given
express permission to do otherwise. Dinner will be delivered directly to
your rooms.”
“Will you please tell me what’s wrong?” Elsie asks again once the
announcement is over. “You’ve been pacing nonstop since you got here.”
I don’t answer her. I can’t. I wish so badly that I could’ve knocked that
stupid smirk from Maria’s stupid face.
“Hey!” says Elsie, jumping into my path. “You’re scaring me, okay? I’ve
never seen your aura go this red before. Tell me what’s wrong!”
So I do. I tell her what I’ve hoped wasn’t true for weeks—my brother
was stabbed in the back by the person he trusted most.
“Are you sure?” Elsie’s voice goes soft. “But that would mean she’s a
magician too. That can’t be right, can it?”
“She is a magician,” I say. “And Moreau must’ve given her the same
choice he gave me—Bureau or magician. And she dragged my brother
down with her.”
A loud knock makes us jump.
Elsie hops up and opens the door. It’s Bertha.
“Your presence has been requested by Special Agent Magnus ASAP.”
I’m up and out the door in seconds.

Lucy the elevator asks me a million questions I don’t have answers for,
but she goes quiet once we arrive at the lobby of the Department of
Supernatural Investigations. An agent steps into the elevator. “State your
business,” he says in a stern voice.
“I’m supposed to see Agent Magnus.”
The agent taps his earpiece. “I’ve got Peters here to see Agent Magnus,
confirm.” I start to worry that maybe no one will answer, but then the agent
nods and asks, “Do you know the way?”
“I do,” I say.
“Go straight to his office and then come right back to this lobby,
understand?”
“Yes, sir,” I say.
He steps aside and I head through the lobby and into the main hallway.
The whole area is a mess. Papers are everywhere, and big chunks of the
walls are either dented or missing entirely. It looks like a bomb went off.
There isn’t a person in sight.
I’ve never heard it so quiet in here. A heavy, sad feeling settles over me
as I walk around the U and turn into the hallway where all the offices are.
This place belonged to my brother, and I’ve worked this summer to make it
belong to me too.
Director Van Helsing is in the hallway surrounded by other agents. He’s
changed into a different suit, but his face still looks haunted. He does a
double take when he sees me. “Peters? What on earth are you doing up
here?”
“I was called by Agent Magnus,” I reply.
The Director frowns. “Whatever business you have with him, make it
quick. We’ll be locking down the entire Bureau within the hour.”
I move a little faster as I squeeze past them all.
When I knock on Agent Magnus’s door, he rushes me inside and shuts
the door.
The office looks like a hybrid got loose in here too. File folders are
scattered across his desk, the floor covered in loose papers.
“Maria,” I say. “It was her all along.”
Magnus’s face flushes. “I won’t lie and tell you it don’t break my heart.
But there’ll be plenty of time later for the cursing and the shouting. Right
now we need to focus on our next move.” He places a briefcase on his desk.
It looks just like the one Quinton sent me weeks ago.

“Is that—”
“It is.” Agent Magnus waves me over to his desk. With a few taps on his
keyboard, my Bureau of Supernatural Affairs webpage pops up onscreen.
“Good,” he says. “All four of us judges submitted our marks before the
hybrid attack.”
Amari Renee Peters—Junior Agent Trainee
First Tryout: Pass
Second Tryout: Pass
Finale—Supernatural Knowledge Score: 91% Pass
Finale—Stun Stick Duels: 2 Wins 0 Losses Pass
Finale—Supernatural Demonstration: (3/4 passing marks obtained)
Pass
Magnus—Excellent
Fiona—Excellent
Kozy—Satisfactory
Van Helsing—Fail
Trainee Peters has met all requirements for promotion.
“Don’t worry about that Fail,” says Agent Magnus. “You only need three
out of four to pass this year. Fiona put in that rule change early—she
thought the Director might not give you a fair shake.”
“I really did it, then?” I’m so relieved.
“You done good, kid.” Magnus types his name beside Promoting Agent
and taps Enter. Then he puts a finger to my moonstone badge and says, “By
the power vested in me as a training agent, I promote you, Amari Peters, to
Junior Agent.”
My moonstone badge warps from a circle into an oval, Department of
Supernatural Investigations engraved above the image of an evenly
weighted balance. Bureau of Supernatural Affairs is etched across the
bottom.
Despite everything, I can’t help but smile at the sight. After all the hard
work, and the bullies, and the doubters—especially myself—I actually
made Junior Agent.
Agent Magnus points to the briefcase. “Quinton’s things are yours now.
Go on and grab the handle.”
The moment my fingers make contact the locks click open.

I lift the lid to find several folders inside. Magnus and I take them out
and set them down on his desk. It’s not till we reach the bottom of the
briefcase that we find a manila folder so thin it looks empty. It’s marked
Key Holder.
I pull it out and open it up. There’s a single sheet of paper inside.
“Dag gummit,” says Magnus in an awed voice. “Quinton actually did it.
He tracked down the Key Holder.”
KEY HOLDER
Name: Dr. Henry Underhill, MD
Shapeshifter
Location: Boonies Medical Clinic
“I’m putting in a formal request to be allowed to retrieve the Black Key
and bring it under our protection,” says Magnus.
“A request? Maria already has the Black Book! She could be on her way
to the Black Key right now!”
“The honest truth is she could have the Black Key already,” says
Magnus. “And if that’s true, the supernatural world is in a lot of trouble. We
can only hope that’s not the case.”
“I’m tired of hoping. I’ve been doing that since I got here. Quinton went
missing trying to stop this!”
“Our hands are tied,” says Magnus. “As caretakers of the Black Book,
the Bureau was founded on the oath that it would never pursue the Black
Key. The Black Book and the Black Key are never to be brought together
for any reason.”
“But they won’t be,” I say. “The Bureau doesn’t have the Black Book
anymore.”
“And we’ll be sure to make that point clear when we ask for permission.
Rules are rules, Amari. If an emergency session is called, we could
probably have an answer in about twentyfour hours.”
“That’s a whole day!” I say.
“It’s time we can spend gatherin’ as much info as we can,” says Agent
Magnus. “Maybe we’ll try Moreau again, see if we can’t get a sense of what
Maria is planning to do next. It’s a long shot but he’ll probably be in the
mood to gloat.”

I start to protest but Agent Magnus has already pulled out his phone. “I
need to be connected with the chief immediately.”

“Now entering Blackstone Prison.”
I’m back on Lord Kensington, the elevator, only this time it’s with Agent
Magnus. While the Bureau waits to hear back from the Supernatural World
Congress for special permission to go after the Key Holder, Chief Crowe
agreed with Magnus about questioning Moreau again.
Maybe he won’t tell us anything helpful but I guess it’s worth a try.
Better than sitting around doing nothing.
“Heavens,” says Lord Kensington, “how did those nasty hybrids even get
in?”
“Somebody shut off our shields.” Magnus crosses his arms. “But only a
few people have access to those codes, and I’d trust any of ’em with my
life.”
“Did Maria have the shield codes?” I ask.
“Yeah, every Special Agent does in case of emergency,” says Magnus.
“But her codes would’ve been deactivated the moment she and Quinton
were declared missing in action. The main computer would’ve done that
automatically.”
That’s when I realize something. Back in the vault, Dylan said the thief
was a technologist. “Maria is a magician, like me. So she wouldn’t need
codes to shut down our defenses.”
For a moment, Agent Magnus just stares, incredulous. He shakes it off.
“You’re telling me magicians have the power to control computers with
their magic?”
I bite my lip. “It’s called tech magic.”
“And how do you know this?” When I don’t answer, Magnus’s
expression darkens. “This ain’t a time for secrets, kid! How do you know
this?”
“It’s just . . . something I’ve learned,” I say.
Magnus groans and turns away from me. “Then we’re still vulnerable,
even now. We’ve gotta get you kids home and away from danger.”
“You can’t send me home,” I say. “Not until I’ve found Quinton. You
said you’d let me help with the search.”

“That was before the Bureau got turned into a war zone! I owe it to your
brother to keep you safe, Amari.”
“But—”
“No buts,” he says. “After we speak to Moreau, I’m gonna personally see
to it you and your mother are placed in a safe location until this is all sorted
out.”
I’m so annoyed I could shout. It’s so unfair. I don’t need protecting.
Lord Kensington races us down the spiraling rail to the level Moreau has
all to himself.
Just as he was the last time, he’s sitting in a chair facing away from us.
Agent Magnus steps out of the elevator first and I follow.
The moment my foot hits the smooth black floor of the prison, the inside
of Moreau’s glass cell transforms into a scene of a fancy party full of people
celebrating. Moreau appears next to the glass.
“Is that Agent Magnus?” asks Moreau. “My, it has been a while, hasn’t
it?”
Agent Magnus’s face turns serious. “I take it you know why I’m here.”
Moreau’s thin lips curve into a small grin. “I’ve heard talk from the
guards about your precious Bureau being attacked. And by hybrids no less.
Such pests. I do hope you called the exterminator.”
“Enough with the games. We know Maria is trying to resurrect Vladimir
for you!” Agent Magnus pounds the glass. “Tell us how to find her!”
“You know nothing!” snaps Moreau. “I do, however, confess myself
disappointed. I warned you when you captured me that another would take
on the mantle and return us to our former glory. You laughed then at the
idea that other magicians existed outside the Bureau’s knowledge. And
today you show up with your brandnew magician in tow. It seems it’s my
turn to laugh now!”
Agent Magnus turns and starts toward Lord Kensington. “This is a waste
of time.”
Moreau is eyeing me now. “You had your chance to choose the winning
side. Perhaps we can teach you to be less trusting. But then, maybe all
Peters are gullible.”
“Just shut up, okay? I told you, I’m on my brother’s side.” I turn to
follow Agent Magnus, frowning at Moreau over my shoulder.
But Moreau just shrugs. “Ah, well. I do appreciate your stopping by.
Even if it amounted to little more than giggles and grins.” My whole body goes stiff. Giggles and grins.
I hear Madame Violet’s voice in my head. “An illusionist should never
trust that which giggles and grins . . .”
I swallow. The words suddenly make sense. What’s the most obvious
reason for an illusionist not to trust? Because we know that eyes can be
tricked. It’s the very first lesson in her spell book: Never trust. Take
absolutely nothing at face value. In viewing anything, assume its
appearance is false until otherwise proven.
The rest of what she said comes back to me. “When I was living, I would
cast my magic far into the future and marvel at the scenes my illusions
would show me. I saw who you were speaking to, Amari, and the spell you
cast.”
But she couldn’t have meant right now, could she? That’s when I
remember what Moreau told me, the very first time we met. “There will
only be one lie between us.”
Right after he introduced himself.
Slowly, I raise my hand toward Moreau, lifting two fingers. “Dispel.”
The party scene vanishes. All that’s left is Moreau and his rocking chair.
He tries to stand, his body shaking violently. Still he moves closer, limping
on his left side . . .
Agent Magnus steps up next to me. “What did you do to him?”
But I don’t answer. Because I can already see the wrinkles and gray hairs
begin to fade away. A shorter, paler, much younger man sneers at us . . .
This can’t be happening.
“Good!” the man grins darkly. “Very good. For now you truly understand
the danger you are in. My master—a magician whose magic dwarfs your
100 percent—now possesses the Black Book!”
“Who are you?” Agent Magnus demands.
“I am but a lowly servant who has played his part in the grand scheme,”
the man says. “Join us, girl. You won’t want to find out what we do to those
who betray their fellow magicians!”
It takes a second for me to process what it all means. Moreau was never
captured. He’s the one behind all this.
The most dangerous being in the supernatural world has the Black Book.
Agent Magnus grabs me by both shoulders and crouches. “How did you
know?”
Voice shaky, I tell him about my trip to Madame Violet.

“This changes everything,” says Agent Magnus, his eyes wide and
panicked. “If we don’t get our hands on that key, the world might not last
another twentyfour hours.”
We dash to Lord Kensington. Agent Magnus shouts, “Take us directly to
the chief!”