"I needed to thank you for setting me free that night," he said with a wide smile. "You let me walk away and though it was hard, it gave me the space I needed to let someone else in. Because of you, I'm able to love someone that loves me back."

"Oh, Bungee, I'm so happy for..."

"This is all fine and good," said Armand, his words sharp and clipped. "You know, congrats and all that, but I know you didn't ask me to put up a ward for no reason."

"I'm admittedly curious myself," added Bungee, who crossed his arms and cocked his head. "You must really have something if you came all the way here to put up a ward."

"Well," I said, pausing and taking a deep breath before continuing, "I know Graham won't like me saying this and this is the best we could come up with to escape his notice."

"Good call," said the zombie with a nod of his head. "Raid doesn't like others poking around here and he's always had a tense relationship with the Archmage."

"Doesn't he have a tense relationship with everyone," I asked without expecting an answer. Bungee simply shrugged.

"I hoped this was about that backwards old coot," said Armand with vicious delight. "Don't keep me in suspense, tell us what's up."

"Sorry, I will. First though, Bungee, are you okay with hearing this?"

"I have zero loyalty to the Archmage and complete faith in you," he answered without hesitation. "I just hope this doesn't get you wrapped up in any more trouble."

"I think it's impossible for her to not be in trouble." Irene snorted with laughter while I glared at her from the side of my eye.

"With that said," I continued, "I'll get to it. Irene, do you remember our conversation with Genevieve?"

"How could I forget? Despite Hen's warnings, I can't just glaze over something like a bone chapel."

"Yeah and her warning was that we should drop it because her father wouldn't like us talking about it. Thing is I did keep looking into it, and I found out Genevieve isn't going directly to the bone chapel for her herbs—she working with an ex-Body that is living out there."

"Come again?" Irene practically shouted the question and I gave thanks that we had Armand's ward to prevent any volume of noise from penetrating the safety of Bungee's dorm. As for the two guys, they instead listened with equally grave expressions on their faces.

"Genevieve knows she can't go out to the chapel without facing Graham's wrath, so she works with a woman named Clementine to gather plants from that location. Of course, the Archmage probably wouldn't like knowing that either since Clementine is the whole reason he doesn't want others out there. She's a Body from over a decade ago who failed to find a sponsorship, even though she knew exactly which clan she belonged to—just like you do, Irene."

This time, my friend responded with stunned silence. Her mouth hung open and she took a slight step back, her wide eyes looking between me and the men.

"Wait, did she also feel like she should be a mage?"

"Just like you, she knew she was meant to be a mage even if she didn't have any visible powers. Unfortunately, as you know all too well, the Archmage doesn't care how certain you are about your calling."

"So she failed the contract and was left to fend for herself." Irene's voice fell with her eyes, while her shoulders rose with a heavy sigh. "So they really don't kill you if you fail."

"They only care about you staying within town limits," I added. "But that doesn't mean they'll help you live."

"Well, maybe she'll accept me and we can be a pair of old mage groupies together."

"She's fun, it wouldn't be a bad life."

She looked up at me with a slight smile on her lips, though it didn't reach her eyes. Then my words dawned on her. "Wait, did you meet her?"

"Yes, last night in fact."

"I can't believe this. How did we never hear about her? How come Everett never told you before?" Irene then looked to the still silent zombie and mage. "Did either of you know?"

"Despite my thorough research into this place, I didn't know about her and I only have some vague guesses as to what the bone chapel might be."

"Graveyard from the zom..." I paused and looked over at Bungee before continuing. "It's where they buried those who died in the massacre a century ago."

"Ah yes," said Armand as he scribbled something down in his notes, "that I've heard about."

"As for me," said the zombie, "we were likely feeling the early effects of starvation then. We had too much going on to pay attention outside ourselves."

"That was the same reasoning Everett gave," I added. "That was around the time his dad left and he was thrown into the throne without warning. He had too much on his plate to notice what was happening with a mage wannabe."

"I take it," said Irene, "you asked him about the chapel and that little factoid finally slipped out?"

"Yes, and then I went out to see her. However, once there, I realized it wasn't the first time we met."

"Oh?" she asked with a raise of her brow.

"We had never met face-to-face before, but she had called out to me, and she didn't do so by simply yelling at me from behind a tree. She reached me through magic."

"What?" This time the question was a collective shout from both Armand and Irene.

"You said she didn't have any powers," continued my friend, though it sounded more like she was reminding herself rather than anyone else.

"Not visible powers, but with time and practice, she developed abilities. She said they aren't strong abilities, but it is magic nonetheless. In fact, she told me that all of us inherently begin life with magical potential. It's just that stronger mages have been gatekeeping for so long that no one questions the belief that human and mages are different."

"You're...you're telling me I might be a mage?" Irene's voice was breathy and her stance slackened. Bungee stepped over and guided her back to the edge of his bed so she could sit without fear of falling while she gazed into a future she never thought possible.

"The theory of balance." Armand rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes searching the floor.

"What's that?" asked Irene, her voice dazed and distant.

"I got some of the basics when I spoke with Clementine," I answered, "but she told me I had already taken in enough for the night."

"It's a bit of philosophy," added Armand, "maybe even a bit of theology, and as such, you can spend hours and hours discussing the implications. We don't have that kind of time, though." He glanced at the chalk wards around the room, which looked softer than they had when he first etched them onto the walls. "Basically, followers of this ideology believe that magic permeates everything in the universe. Clans are just different manifestations of that magic and are intended to balance each other out."

"Are you a believer?" I asked.

"I'm openminded," he answered with a shrug. "Given you have evidence of someone who was previously incapable of magic that can now do projection—no matter how simple the spell may be—this certainly gives me reason to look further into the theory."

"Do you think even someone like me could really be a mage?" Irene sat on the edge of the bed with her elbows resting on her knees. Her voice small and her eyes afraid to hope.

"Like I said," said Armand, his gaze locking with hers, "I'm openminded and if what Del is saying is true—and I have faith in Del's words—then I don't see why the same can't true for you."

Irene's eyes enlarged with a sheen of wetness. She took in a slow, shaky breath and then returned her attention to the floor.

"Are you going back to meet this woman again?" asked Bungee, his question focused completely on me so that it felt like nobody else was in the room.

"I plan to go again tonight."

"Delilah," he groaned, his hand raising to massage his brow. "Why do you keep placing yourself in danger?"

"I don't know if you've heard, but I'm part wolf now," I said with some of my lupine gravel rumbling in my words. "I'm not afraid of those woods."

"I'm not saying you can't handle yourself," he said without apology, "you've proven you can face almost anything. But hunters and slayers are a different beast entirely. These are humans that will torture and kill the paranormal without a hint of mercy."

"I keep hearing about these hunters, but they're starting to sound like the paranormal version of the boogeyman."

"I understand your frustration, Del," said Armand, while Irene sat just behind him with silent interest, "but these warnings aren't just Graham riling the town up. I've checked with my contacts along the east coast and I've gotten several confirmations of hunter sightings progressing in this direction. As a bounty hunter myself, I know what these slayers can be capable of and it's best to keep your distance from the borders until the threat has passed."

I pinched my lips, fighting back the challenge boiling in my stomach. However, it wasn't the wolf inside me that eventually fought against Bungee and Armand's recommendations.

"I believe in Del," said Irene as she rose up from the bed. "She's seen enough in her few months here to take on pretty much anything. That and..." She paused and an apologetic pout pulled at her lips. "I also need her to go out there again. I need to know if there is really a chance for me. I would never want you to endanger yourself just for me, Del. But, if you want to go out there, then I support you and I'll be here ready to aid you in any way I can."

We all stood in silence, our eyes moving from one to another and our jaws clenched tight against the words desperate to break free. But we kept our opinions and our fears at bay as we accepted the unsteady agreement between us.

"The wards are disappearing," muttered Armand, though we all knew there were no more words left to say on the matter.

***

Del has shared the secret of the bone chapel, but Armand and Bungee worry about her exploring further. Will Del find more than Clementine in those woods?

Sorry for the delay. I can't keep track of where I mention things and I neglected to say that I would be on a week and a half long vacation after my last chapter. I'm back and we all had a great time, but we're recovering from the trip while prepping for my son's first day back to school. My brain is frazzled and this chapter is a little rough, but I'm so darn close to having my days free to work again. As always, thank you for your patience. Here's hoping I can have productive work days again soon!