Alex woke slowly. His head spun, and his vision blurred. A thick fog of morphine dulled his senses, leaving him cotton-mouthed and heavy-limbed. He recognized the feeling from his recovery after the war. He'd been given a high dose of the painkiller. He was in the infirmary at S.P.A. headquarters. His leg was in a cast. A wheelchair sat nearby. The dizziness lingered, but he had enough practice to transfer himself into the wheelchair. He used a blanket to cover his legs, but the short-sleeved hospital gown exposed the scars on his arms. He couldn’t let that stop him. He needed to find out what had happened. Ethan was in the next room. His arm was in a cast, and the side of his face was bandaged. He wasn't awake. Mark sat with him. Alex paused. “Is he okay?” Mark only grunted. There was no one at the nurse's station, but Alex could hear voices coming from a waiting room. He went there. Winters was talking with the leader of the Highcrest team, another wizard. Cassie sat nearby in a hospital gown and robe, her head bandaged. Ash was dressed and hooked up to an IV. She sat in a wheelchair, but she didn't seem injured. The glassy look in her eyes suggested she was too drugged to walk. Kellen lay on the floor with a bandaged leg. John floated near their anchors. “Where's Nick?” Alex asked. The others turned to look at him. “He went to the cafeteria,” Winters told him. “How are you feeling? “No pain, a bit dizzy.” The room tilted with each movement. “Sorry about the leg,” Andre grunted, arms crossed. “I hadn't realized it was held together with magic. I was just trying to get the magic under control.” “I hadn't either,” Alex admitted. “It wasn't,” John told them. “The surgeon used magic to hold it together until the bones healed, but never bothered to remove the magic later. I helped the surgeon do the same thing this time, but I'll remove it when you're stronger.” “Someone will,” Andre agreed. “But you won't be around.” “If you destroy our anchors before the triad is dissolved, you'll ruin Alex's magic,” John warned. “Do you think I care about a rogue wizard's magic?” Andre demanded. “Rogue?” Alex asked. Winters raised a hand. “The triad will be dissolved properly. We’ll decide what to do about the ghosts. Alex isn't a rogue.” “He was using forbidden magic,” Andre pointed out. “I wasn't casting. I'm not the one in control,” Alex shot back, gripping his chair arms. “You let a known criminal and rogue wizard control your magic?” Andre asked. “John was tried and executed for his past crimes. To punish him again would be double jeopardy,” Cassie claimed. “It wasn't in our jurisdiction,” Ash added, slurring her words. “And you’re no better, working with a Voodoo Priestess.” “We didn’t know. Unlike some people.” Andre glared at Alex. Nick came back with three cups and a tray of food, followed by a guard. He saw Alex. “How are you doing?” “I'm fine,” Alex assured him. “Burger?” Nick held out a sandwich, his eyes wild and fever-bright. “They're raw.” “Are you high?” Alex asked. Nick snorted, “I wish. The cafeteria would only give me three pints of blood. I need to get more somehow. The beef blood will help until I can go hunting.” He tore into a burger, juices slicking his chin. “We are not letting you out until you calm down,” Winters insisted. “We'll talk to the donors.” “What are you on?” Alex asked. “No idea,” Nick admitted. “It's got me starving. They're running tests.” “It was those creatures,” John claimed. “Stay out of this,” Andre insisted. “Hey, John is one of my informants,” Alex claimed. “He has centuries of valuable information. Leave him be.” “Let's settle something.” John drifted closer to Andre. “These aren't our anchors. Our anchors are inside, protected by more spells than you even realize. You could drop an atomic bomb on them, and you wouldn't destroy them. We have one goal: protecting our brother's family. We will do that by any means allowed by the S.P.A. They have never forbidden the magic we use. We have committed no crime under their jurisdiction.” “Those spells, that whole discipline was banned by the wizard's council centuries ago,” Andre pointed out. “The wizards don't dictate the S.P.A., but the other way around. It's on the wizards not to have told them,” John countered. “You were following a grandmaster who not only hid banned magic from the S.P.A., but also used it to try to take them down. He was going to summon a dragon. Do you know how many people were killed by dragons before they were banished? How many more were killed in the process of banishing them?” “Enough. Andre, you're overstepping authority. Your job is to investigate and arrest problem supernaturals. You don't give judgment,” Winters insisted. “We will deal with the Iversons later. Until then, I'd like to hear what he has to say about Nick.” “Those creatures were a combination of humans, dreams, werewolves, and a potion. It would be the potion that's affecting Nick, assuming he bit them,” John explained. Nick chuckled. “Of course I bit them. Nasty tasting,” he said as he stuffed more food in his mouth. Mark joined them. “How's Ethan?” Alex asked. “He'll pull through. He has several broken bones, but none as bad as your leg.” Mark moved to where the anchors were. “I've worked with his surgeon in the past. He's outstanding,” Nick assured him. He drained a cup and started on the next. “Maybe I should feed on Russell. You don't care if he lives, do you?” “He's still alive?” Alex's gut twisted. “All three are. You said S.P.A. wanted to question them,” John reminded him. Winters straightened. “They will be tried for several crimes. The wizards will be restructured. Alex, you will be part of the new council.” “He what?” Andre demanded. “No way.” “They won't accept me,” Alex agreed. “My dad poisoned them against me.” “Show them your scars,” Winters suggested. “Show them who he really was.” Alex frowned at him, confused. “What is he talking about?” Andre asked, eyeing Alex’s exposed arms. “Russell used his magic to abuse both his sons,” Winters explained. “And he used his money to cover it up.” “How did you know?” Alex asked “You told me, long ago,” Winters admitted. “When I tried to get you help, I was blocked. Then Russell offered me a lot of money to keep quiet. I realized I couldn’t beat him directly. I took the money, changed my name, and started a group looking into supernaturals. How do you think the S.P.A. was formed so quickly? We already existed.” Alex stared, dumbfounded. “If Russell did that, the wizards might accept Alex, but not as head,” Andre conceded. “There will be a lot of changes,” Winters agreed. “Less dictatorship, more freedom,” Nick said. “Many of us lived under human laws. We want our rights back.” He stood. “We'll see,” Winters told him. “This wouldn't have happened if we had them,” Nick claimed. He took hold of Alex's wheelchair. “These guys should get back to bed. I’ll be back for Cassie and Ash.” He started pushing Alex to his room. “And leave the anchors for Ethan.” The End