Page 40 of Arcane Entanglement
“Miss Shaw,” Evander said warily. “What’s wrong?”
Shaw came to a stop and bent over, hands on her knees. “Just—give me a moment!” she wheezed. “Blimey, I’m getting too old to be running around like this!”
“You’re three and twenty, Miss Shaw,” Rufus remarked. “You’re hardly past your prime.”
“Miss Shaw is a forensic mage working the case with us,” Evander explained to Viggo and Solomon while the colour in the mage’s face slowly settled.
Shaw straightened and waved her paperwork with a triumphant expression. “Mr. Brown sent a message. He believes he has identified the powder I discovered at the scene!”
Evander’s expression cleared. “He has?”
“Yes,” Shaw gushed, practically hopping from foot to foot.
Viggo furrowed his brow.Powder?
Shaw was about to say more when she belatedly registered Viggo and Solomon’s presence. She studied them with an astute look far beyond her years.
“By the way, your Grace. Who might these two gentlemen be?”
Evander reluctantly made the introductions.
“Bloody hell!” Shaw’s eyes rounded with awe. “You’re the Ironfist Brute?!”
Her squeal echoed down the corridor, drawing several disapproving frowns.
“What did I say about keeping your voice down when you’re out and about, Miss Shaw?” Rufus said glacially.
“But—” Shaw cocked a thumb at Viggo, her tone dropping to a conspiratorial hiss, “it’s theIronfist Brute, sir!Like,in the flesh!”
Rufus groaned. Solomon’s mouth pressed to a thin line, shoulders quaking with barely suppressed mirth.
“I think you have another admirer,” Evander told Viggo in a resigned voice.
“She’s not gonna want an autograph, is she?” Viggo asked uneasily.
Shaw brightened. “You’re offering autographs?”
Evander distracted the forensic mage before she could harass the Brute for his signature and allowed her to tag along as they made their way to the holding cells. Sergeant Griffiths was in charge of the lockup that morning. He observed Viggo and Solomon guardedly while Evander briefly made introductions, before guiding them to Magnus’s prison.
Relief made Viggo dizzy when he saw the Brute sitting comfortably on a bench reading a book.
“Magnus,” he breathed, his voice trembling ever so slightly at the sight of the man he thought he would never see again.
Magnus froze. His head snapped around.
“Viggo?” His face crumpled. He jumped to his feet and dropped the book as he dashed across the cell. “Viggo!”
A gentle breeze stirred Viggo’s clothes as Magnus ran into his arms crying. It caught the tome inches from the ground and silently returned it to the bench.
Evander’s finger twitched. The breeze disappeared.
The speed and control the mage demonstrated over his wind magic in that split second sent a shiver down Viggo’s spine as he hugged Magnus. He wasn’t sure whether it was fear or admiration he was experiencing in that moment. One thing he was certain of.
Evander was one of the strongest mages he’d ever crossed paths with.
It was a while before Magnus calmed down enough for Viggo to get any sense out of him. What he went on to tell them sent a chill through Viggo that had little to do with the powerful ice mage in the room and everything to do with the blood curdling tale the Brute recounted.
Chapter18
