41. Damian

Chapter forty-one

Damian

M aking the golem was unpleasant, and I could understand why Elias said it wasn't of the light. It felt off to create such a creature, but since I wasn't using my powers as a wizard, it wasn't like I was doing dark magic.

Golems themselves were benign. Made of the earth, in most ways, they weren't much different from humans. I think the neutral energy required to create it was the only thing that saved me from doing the dark's bidding.

I collected the clay just as the day broke. I knew instinctively where to find it. Luckily, a store just around the corner from where I lived stocked it. I wouldn't have to dig this particular clay up from the ground.

As soon as the sun set, I began to form the man. Feet first, then the mouth and head. I slipped in the parchment required for the act. Luckily, Elias had stored a few sheets in one of the drawers in the attic for a spell such as this one .

I wrote the appropriate message, then slipped it into the mouth, chanting the words necessary to activate the spell. I waited to see if my powers rebelled, and when they didn't, I left the golem lying on my dining table and went into the backyard. There had been three people buried here. Long ago, before the houses had been built. Luckily, none of them were the spirits that occupied the house, but when I'd searched internally for a graveyard near me, I'd felt the graves. Luckily, that's all I could say because the spell required a good chunk of graveyard dirt that sat above the long-decayed corpses beneath.

I rushed back into the dining room and spread the grave dirt around the golem, something I knew instinctively to do.

I applied Owen's hair to the head and wrote the words to animate it. "You will become a proxy for Owen Lloyd, you will have his memories, you will be like him and will not know that you aren't. You will serve until Owen is safe and the darkness threatening him is dispelled."

I cut my palm and let the blood drip into the golem's mouth and onto the parchment. I felt dizzy but knew that was part of it. I was putting my DNA, my life force, into the being. Luckily, it was not enough to be afraid but certainly enough to be reticent. The golem would be a powerful tool, but one that could do damage as well.

Before the golem was animated, I placed an X over its heart. "With harm to none, so I will it be. With good and light, you will provide service for me!"

I placed my still bloodied hand over its forehead, then said, "Wake, golem. Wake and take your form."

The clay figure didn't move at first, but then I saw it twitch. Its eyes opened first and slowly transformed from clay to the eyes I recognized as Owen's.

The rest of him formed, one feature after another, until it appeared my beloved Owen was lying on the table. "Are you aware?" I asked, and he nodded. "And do you know your mission?"

"I'm a proxy for Owen Lloyd. I'm to protect him if I can."

"You are ready," I said, then stood back. I wrapped my hand, knowing I couldn't use my powers to heal myself, although I knew intuitively that would happen before morning anyway. I sat with the golem and questioned him, and when morning finally broke, I was confident the golem was enough of a stand-in for me to get my friends back.

I called Cary and told him to meet us at the café we'd met at before. Might as well do what we could to expose this golem and see if he was up to the task. If he couldn't fool Cary, he wouldn't fool the vipers either.

When Cary saw Owen, he gasped. "You're back? Owen, what's going on?"

The golem sighed and, just like Owen would've done, flopped down into his seat. "I… Cary, it's all too much."

Cary reached over and took Owen's hand. "I'm glad I didn't submit that letter of resignation. Can you come back to the office today? I know the partners are worried about you. "

The golem chewed on his lip for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I can come in."

I watched Cary, and when the two of them left, the wave of relief that washed over me was almost indescribable. Maybe now, provided they didn't get wind of where Owen actually was, I'd have time to do all I needed to do.

I walked into Molly's apartment and sent magic into the few remaining connections between the vipers and this space. "So, you've changed your mind?" the disembodied voice asked.

"Who do you want? I need specifics."

"You know who we want and why. If you don't, then you are a piss-poor wizard."

Images came to my mind, a man who'd dated Shadow a few months ago. He was short and a little pudgy, not who you'd expect someone like Shadow to date. Now I knew who was behind the disembodied voice from before, that would help me in the future.

"There are conditions if you want to trade."

The man laughed. "I don't think you have the power to negotiate."

"I have the light source. You have a couple of wannabe witches. I think I'm the one with the power here."

That shut the idiot up. I just hoped he didn't have more than two people.

"I'm restricting how much energy you can pull from the light source. He has to choose to go with you too. It can't be me giving him to you. I will allow him to be taken, allow him to make the choice, but if I don't see my friends released, I will blow you and your little club to ashes, and you know I can do that, do you not, viper?" I asked and spread the name of the gang out like it was the most disgusting thing I've ever said.

He was silent, and I got the feeling he was talking to someone . "Shadow will not come with you. She is committed to me, but your friend, Molly, will be released as soon as the light source is taken."

The way he said light source, I had to assume he didn't know exactly what Owen was. That was good. Shadow—she was one of them. That helped, so I didn't have to worry about her. Of course, they could be lying. My gut told me Molly would be able to shed some interesting light on this question though. We just had to get her back.

I left Molly's apartment, then cast a spell that hid me from all creatures, both the dark and light. It was a powerful spell most magical creatures had no idea wizards could cast. With my staff, I could maintain my invisibility indefinitely, which for now, I needed.

My first stop was the house, where I summoned Orville and found out we'd been correct, and Molly and Shadow were both with the vipers. Molly was the only one who was bound. Although Orville said she appeared concerned and kept going back to check on Molly, Shadow was definitely part of the group who'd kidnapped her.

I went to Owen's law office after asking Orville to let the ghosts know I would attempt to rescue Molly that afternoon and planned to follow the vipers to their lair tonight if they took the bait.

I stayed well out of range of the law office. I had faith in the cloak, but the witches there had known my predecessor and were themselves very powerful. It was better to be safe than sorry and stay on this side of the street.

At five, Owen and Cary came out of the office, and I could tell Cary would accompany Owen back to my house, which I'd planned for too. I picked up the phone, called the office, and asked for Cary to be called back so I could tell him something important.

Mrs. Patterson showed up before they could get to Cary's car and pulled him back, leaving Owen's golem standing vulnerable as I'd hoped. "Hello?" Cary answered.

"You will have to trust me, Cary. Don't go back outside. Owen is safe, but the vipers are about to take him."

"What? No, I won't let you…"

"Cary, there is no other choice, and Owen is not in danger. I swear on my honor and word as the Legacy Wizard. Do you understand?"

Just then, a van swerved into an empty space in front of Owen's golem, and I smiled as they pulled him into the vehicle before disappearing down the road.

"Okay, the trap's been set. Please stay close to your phone, if I call, answer. I-I might need your help to pull this off."

Cary made a noncommitted okay, but I couldn't linger. I needed to follow the van. I closed my eyes and magically caught a ride in the wake of the van. It was a strange spell that almost caused me to lose the cloak, but my staff was powerful enough to maintain the two massive energy-sucking spells.

It only took fifteen minutes for us to arrive at the viper's lair. Owen was pulled out of the van, and they were about to take him inside when I magically stopped them in their tracks. "Come out, come out!" I called as I walked up to where I'd frozen the men and the golem.

A moment later, the man I'd recognized in the vision came out smiling. "What an honor to meet the great Legacy Wizard," he said and bowed ironically.

"Honor your agreement, or I will honor mine."

"Now, now, there's no need for such aggression. Bring out the girl," he yelled, and a moment later, Shadow came out, pushing Molly in front of her.

"Now," he said, not even glancing back at where my friend stood, looking the worse for wear. Luckily, the fog that covered her eyes told me she was in a trance. "Owen, dear boy, if you'll agree to spend some quality time with me, I will be happy to let your little friend here go."

The golem turned toward me, and I nodded. "I will stay."

"Before he does, show me your sign. Can you be trusted, witch?" I asked.

The man laughed. "So demanding." He lifted his hand, a wand appeared, and he sent the light toward me. Usually, when two magical beings made an agreement, they did so with a gentle light exchange. There was nothing gentle about this one. However, I lifted my hand and let the dark light absorb into my palm as my own light flowed out and into his.

"Owen, if you need me, just call."

"Oh, that won't be necessary. We will treat our guest with the utmost respect, won't we?" he said and then slapped Shadow on the ass.

The look she gave him was pure hatred, and that made me feel a little better. Maybe it wasn't all her idea after all.

I watched as they released Molly and took the golem into the building behind them, leaving Molly and me standing outside. I rushed to her and, using my powers, transferred us back to my house with a wave of my staff. Thank the gods for the staff. With all the energy I was expending, I'd be dead if I were using my own. I was just about to walk her through the gate when all the alarms sounded in my head.

They'd tagged her. Shit, I couldn't take her in without jeopardizing my own wards. I grabbed my phone and called Cary. "I need to bring Molly over to your office. I can't take her into my house without destroying the wards I've built there. She's been tagged with more energy than I can remove alone."

"No, not the office," he said. "Bring her to Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. I'll ask Mr. Stages to have the coven meet you there."

"Thanks, Cary, we'll head there now."

I had no choice but to leave Molly standing outside the gate, but I surrounded her with enough magic to kill anything living that might try to take her. I rushed in, got the car from the garage, and called Orville while backing out .

He showed up and looked perplexed. "It worked. I have Molly, but we have to remove the poison in her system. Do you have spirits still spying on the vipers?" I asked, and he nodded. "Good, I'll need a full report when I get back. I'll go get Owen."

He patted my back and disappeared as I pulled out of the property. Molly was still standing where I'd left her, so I jumped out, put her into the back seat, and rushed to the ancient cemetery to meet the witches and, hopefully, save my friend's life.