Arcane Entanglement (The Mage and His Brute #1)

Chapter 29

The church loomed on a low knoll between Mile End and Old Ford, a dark shape against the smog-filled sky of London's East End. Viggo studied its weathered stone walls and crumbling gargoyles from the vantage point where he lurked with Solomon and Finn, in an alley across the street.

The stench of the nearby slums hung heavily in the air, the sickening mix of human waste, unwashed bodies, and despair a stark reminder of the world they’d fought so hard to escape. Underlying the stink was the faint scent of Noctis Bloom that wafted towards Viggo on the occasional muggy breeze.

They watched as several cloaked figures slipped inside the church through a side door.

“Looks like our spy was right, boss,” Finn murmured. “That's the third lot we've seen enter in the last hour.”

Viggo frowned.

The lead on Noctis Bloom had come from one of Nightshade 's most reliable informants. Still, seeing it confirmed made his stomach sink. This church, once a sanctuary for the downtrodden, had seemingly become a den of dark magic. That they were going about their wretched business so brazenly in broad daylight told Viggo whoever was behind the scheme was either foolhardy or powerful enough to overcome his adversaries.

“Bet they’re all quaffing on purple powder in there,” Finn said with morbid glee.

“ Noctis Bloom is poisonous when absorbed in sufficient quantities,” Solomon muttered. “I strongly hope they’re not quaffing on it.”

Viggo shot a surprised look his way.

Solomon caught his stare and shrugged. “I do pay attention to what you say. Also, remind me again why we're helping the bloody Met?" His voice carried a healthy dose of scepticism. "Since when do we stick our necks out for mages?"

Viggo clocked the troubled lines etched into his friend’s face. He understood the thrall’s wariness; trust didn't come easily to any of them, especially when it came to those with magic. Doubly so if they also wore a badge.

But things had changed.

“This is not just about the Met.” Viggo’s gaze found the church once more. “It’s about Magnus and the others like him who might have fallen under those mages’ control.” He clenched his jaw. “You heard what those bastards did to him. How they made him do their bidding with that damn gem. We can’t let that stand."

Finn bobbed his head. “The boss is right, Sly. Magnus is one of us. And if someone messes with one of us, he messes with all of us.”

“That’s rich coming from the bloke who just stood there and watched me get slugged in that pub fight a month ago,” Solomon said darkly.

“A wise man knows when to choose his battles,” Finn quipped.

“It’s thanks to Evander and the Met that Magnus is alive and a free man right now.” Viggo remembered the relief he’d felt yesterday when Magnus had finally awakened, confused and shaken but himself again. “We owe them for that, at least.”

“Fair point,” Solomon admitted grudgingly. “But still, working with mages…All I’m saying is it’s a slippery slope, Viggo.”

“I know,” the Brute admitted reluctantly. “But Evander is different.”

The mage’s name felt warm on his tongue, bringing with it memories of their encounter in the townhouse in Mayfair the night before.

The aching vulnerability in the mage’s ice-blue eyes when Viggo had made him confront his own feelings. The passion in his touch and kisses when he’d finally surrendered to the desire burning between them and responded to Viggo’s lovemaking. His sincerity as he’d spoken of his dreams of a better world for thralls.

Viggo’s belly tightened as he relieved all of it for the umpteenth time.

Time and distance had not diminished his feelings for Evander. If anything, they had strengthened the attraction he felt for the mage, to the extent he was fairly certain he would embarrass himself the next time they met.

A scowl spread across Finn’s face.

“I knew it! You have a thing for the Ice Mage!” He huffed. “Who would’ve thought you’d want to play hide the ol' bag of mystery with that— ouch !”

Solomon had smacked him on the back of the head.

Finn rubbed his skull and gave Solomon a hurt look. “What was that for?”

“You’re being loud.”

Viggo swallowed a sigh. “How about we focus on the task at hand? Whatever’s happening in that church, it’s hurting our people. The magicless. That’s why we’re here.”

A low mumble left Finn.

“And because you want to have your little bit of fun with that smarmy— ouch!” He glared at Solomon. “Hey, go easy on the noggin! I can’t afford to lose my charming wit!”

Solomon ignored him and studied the building across the street with a frown.

“What’s our next move? Should we sneak in there and see what they’re up to?”

The clatter of hooves and wheels on cobblestone drew their attention before Viggo could respond. The Brute stiffened when a sturdy police wagon appeared at the end of the road. It pulled up in front of the church a moment later.

A sleek black carriage materialised behind the wagon.

Viggo’s stomach plummeted when he saw the man who stepped out of it.

“Speak of the devil,” Solomon muttered.

The sight of Evander in his formal uniform sent an illicit jolt through Viggo. He could not help but revisit the vision that had been the mage half-naked in his bathroom last night, his beautiful face flushed and his eyes a vivid indigo as he’d writhed and panted with pleasure in Viggo’s arms.

“What’s the Ice Duke doing here?” Finn grunted.

Viggo curbed his errant thoughts. “I’m not sure.”

Did the Met get a lead on Noctis Bloom too?

Evander was joined by Inspector Grayson.

A dozen constables emerged from the wagon. They were led by the gruff-looking sergeant Viggo recognised from his visit to Scotland Yard the day before. Over half of the officers fanned out, creating a perimeter around the church fence. Evander and Rufus entered the churchyard with Griffiths and the rest of the constables.

A figure wearing a cassock emerged from the building and came swiftly down the path to meet them.

Evander and Rufus stopped and exchanged words with the priest. The man nodded jerkily and gestured towards the church entrance.

They followed him inside.

“Time to move.” Viggo pushed away from the wall a couple of minutes later. “We should take a look at the back and?—”

His words were cut off by a deafening explosion that shook the very ground beneath their feet. The windows of the church exploded outward in a shower of flames and broken glass.

Horror squeezed Viggo’s heart.

“Evander!”

He sprinted towards the burning building, all semblance of stealth forgotten.

Evander frowned at the neighbourhood the carriage navigated on their approach to the church. The warren of filthy streets and their overcrowded, crumbling tenements spoke volumes about the desperate conditions in this part of London.

It was a sobering contrast to the world he and Rufus had just left.

“I wonder who sent that letter,” Rufus said distractedly opposite him.

The constable who’d taken delivery of the anonymous missive outside the entrance to Scotland Yard reported it’d been brought by a messenger boy. The chances of finding the lad amidst the hustle and bustle of London was virtually non-existent.

Though they’d left the letter with Shaw and the alchemists of the AFD in the hope they might be able to trace the item back to its source, Evander suspected they would reach a dead end.

Something about the whole affair troubled him.

The timing of the letter seemed preordained at best and dubious at worse. Still, they could hardly ignore it.

The church appeared around the corner of a slope. It straddled a low bank, its grounds sparse but for crowded gravestones and an oak tree with bare branches. The police wagon they were following stopped outside the gated fence a moment later. Sergeant Griffiths rallied the constables as Evander exited the carriage with Rufus.

He ignored the burning and, in some cases, frankly reverential glances several of the officers stole at him. Griffiths quelled the men’s gawking with a stern frown.

“Leave some of our officers out here as lookout,” Evander instructed the sergeant. “The rest can come with us.” He paused. “And Griffiths?”

“Yes, your Grace?”

“Have your truncheons at the ready.” Evander studied the building atop the rise warily. “We don’t know what we’ll find inside.”

The sergeant cut his eyes to the church. He dipped his head.

“Alright, your Grace.”

They started up the path, only to be met halfway by a small wiry man with thinning grey hair and watery blue eyes.

“Hello.” The priest’s gaze flitted curiously to the constables at the bottom of the hill before focusing on Evander and Rufus. “How may I help you, gentlemen?”

“Good morning, Father…” Rufus started.

“Smith.” The man smiled pleasantly. “It’s Father Smith.”

“We have cause to believe dark magic is being used on these premises,” Evander said. “We would like to examine the church and the outbuildings.”

The priest gasped and blinked rapidly.

“Oh! How terrible!” He pressed a hand to his chest, his voice flustered. “I have no idea where such awful rumours came from, but I can assure you that they are untrue!”

“Still, it would be in everyone’s best interests if you allowed us to take a look around the place.” Rufus’s face was a mask of professional detachment.

“Of course,” the priest mumbled, contrite. “Please, come this way.”

It took Evander a moment to fathom why something felt off about the man as they headed for the church entrance.

His eyes never quite met theirs and his smile seemed too wide and forced.

Evander wondered if Rufus had picked up on the faint, sickly sweet odour coming from the priest. He was almost certain it was the scent of Noctis Bloom he’d smelled in Brown’s lab yesterday.

The officers looked around uneasily when they entered the church, eyes darting to murky corners and hands hovering near their weapons. Even Griffiths looked nervous as he studied the layout of the building.

Evander shared their disquiet. The church’s interior was even more depressing than its exterior, the faded pews and windows covered in a layer of filth that seemed to absorb whatever light illuminated the inside.

“Evander,” Rufus said quietly, his tone laced with fresh tension.

Evander followed his gaze. His pulse quickened.

“I see them.”