Until My Dying Day (Conjuring a Coroner Book 6) Read online

  “Miss Chase, what are you doing up?” The nurse asked, her voice a high-pitched whine. Raising both hands she attempted to shepherd Kasey back the way she had come. “You need bed rest. The Chancellor asked us to let you rest as long as you needed. He was very clear you were not to be disturbed.”

  Kasey scrunched up her face at the mention of the Chancellor. “The Chancellor is dead, my dear. An impostor has been masquerading in Arthur’s place but rest assured, neither the imposter nor Arthur himself would have cared about my well-being.”

  The nurse placed a hand on Kasey's shoulder, “I’m not talking about Arthur, dear. I’m talking about Chancellor Sanders. In the wake of what happened in the council, they have made him acting Chancellor of the Arcane Council. It was he that insisted we let you rest as long as you needed.”

  “Sanders is the Chancellor?” Kasey asked, sweeping her hair back behind her ear.

  Some good news at last.

  “Yes, dear. The surviving council members voted unanimously.”

  “Well, that should make things a little easier. Let's hope they have retained their unified front. We’re going to need it.”

  With that, Kasey ducked around the nurse and headed for the Administorum’s door.

  “Where are you going?” the nurse called after her.

  “Out. I’m off to see the Chancellor.” Kasey paused to look over her shoulder. “Where is he?”

  The nurse hesitated. “He should be in the sanctum, I would think. The Council has been holed up down there for days.”

  Kasey strode past the admissions desk, ignoring the staff member on duty there.

  If this is the last day of my life, I'm not going to spend it in a hospital.

  Kasey picked up her pace until she checked herself out. She knew from her previous visit that the Administorum was located on the tenth subbasement of the council headquarters. If she wanted Sanders he would be in the Council Chambers below.

  Reaching the bank of elevators, she found one waiting. She pressed the button and the doors parted to allow her entry. The car was empty. She dashed inside and pressed the button for the twenty-fifth floor.

  The doors closed and the elevator plunged downward. It only took a few moments to reach the twenty-fifth floor. As soon as the doors parted, she stepped out of the elevator, back in the now familiar lobby before the Arcane Council's Courtroom and Sanctum. The metal detectors were still in place, but the lobby was empty except for a cohort of six ADI agents who stood before the door.

  A rather stout agent at the head of the group called out to her, “Miss. You can't come in here. It’s an open court. The council is in session. For security reasons, we need you to step back into the elevator and be about your business.”

  Kasey continued straight toward them. “Where is Sanders? Is he in there? I need to speak with him at once.”

  “Miss, as I was saying, you can’t enter,” the agent said, bristling.

  The agent to his right laid a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

  Kasey was close enough to overhear him.

  “That's her. That's Kasey Chase,” the agent whispered excitedly.

  The stout agent looked her up and down, then his posture relaxed. “Ah, Miss Chase, my apologies. I'm sure the Chancellor would be eager to see you are back on your feet. Come on through. I’ll announce you.”

  Kasey passed through the metal detector. It was silent. She wondered where her gun had got to. She hadn’t seen it since she was arrested in Central Park.

  The stout agent gestured for her to follow him.

  She slipped between the other agents as they parted to allow her passage. The stout lead agent made his way to the heavy oak doors and pushed them open.

  The court’s gallery was empty. The council’s raised lectern was still a battered wreckage dominating one end of the chamber.

  The prosecution and the accused’s tables had been removed. In the space sat a single table with eight chairs around it, five of them occupied. Kasey noted Sanders sat at the head of the table. Along each edge of the table sat two council members she had seen previously.

  Only five of the council had survived.

  One of the councilmen, a balding man to Sander’s right, had spoken in Kasey's defense. His efforts had allowed Kasey the time she needed to agitate and reveal Akihiro as the Master of the Shinigami.

  He studied Kasey with one eye, the right side of his face hidden beneath a bandage. Kasey was relieved to see he had survived the encounter with Akihiro. She may not have known his name, but she was grateful for the role he had played, albeit unintentionally.

  Sanders rose out of his chair. “Kasey, it’s good to see you’re back on your feet. How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve felt better.” Kasey strode over to the table. “I’ve definitely felt a lot worse too, all things considered. May I sit?”

  “By all means.” Sanders pointed to the seat Kasey stood behind. “Truth be told, you couldn’t have come at a better time.”

  “You don’t know the half of it,” Kasey answered, sliding into the seat. “We’re out of time.”

  The councilwoman at Kasey’s left turned to her. “What do you mean?”

  Sanders held up his hand. “Before we get into it, I’d like to introduce you to our sitting council members. I know you have appeared before the council previously, but never like this. If we are to present a united front against Akihiro, you should get to know who is in the trench beside you. You aren’t alone in this fight anymore. There may not be many of us left, but we will see it through.”

  Kasey nodded, as she wrung her hands under the table. “Sure. I’ve got to say, it’s a lot nicer to sit at the table with you then to appear before you on the bench. Don’t expect an apology for my past, folks. I’ve been fighting for my life.”

  Sanders raised his hand to stop her. “There is no apology needed, Kasey. Like I said, I just want you to know who is with you. Akihiro may have held Arthur’s seat, but these are four of the finest witches and wizards I’ve ever met. They would lay down their lives, for you, for me, for our community.”

  “That’s no small claim, Sanders,” Kasey said with a tired smirk. “It may yet be required of each of us.”

  “Indeed, it may.” Sanders pointed to the wizard at Kasey’s left. He was middle aged, with a slender face and wrinkled brow. His gray hair had been cropped short. “This is Vincent Kane. Vincent is our Master of Medicines and Maladies. As part of his duties on the Council, he oversees the Administorum along with our research division.”

  Kasey smiled. “My thanks for your care, Vincent. Your staff have been most attentive.”

  “You are most welcome, Miss Chase. After all you’ve done, we couldn’t have you die of exhaustion and dehydration.”

  “Quite,” Sanders replied, moving on to the woman at his right. The woman was older than Kasey, perhaps in her late fifties, though her freshly dyed sandy blonde hair made it difficult to tell. Her big hairdo reminded Kasey of movies she’d seen from the eighties. The woman’s eyes locked with Kasey. Her gaze wasn’t nearly as warm as Vincent’s. “Kasey, this is Stacey Lender. Stacey serves as our Keeper of Knowledge. The archives are her domain. Few understand our history better than Stacey.”

  That explains it. We trashed her precious archives in our escape.

  “What’s left of it anyway,” Stacey replied, letting out a lingering sigh. “We lost years of priceless manuscripts during your escapades in the archives.”

  Kasey didn’t bat an eyelash. “If we’d let the ADI catch us, we’d both be dead, and an impostor would still be leading this august body. The damage done will pale compared to what Akihiro has in store.”

  “What’s done is done,” Sanders interjected. He turned his attention to the bandaged wizard at his left. “This is Michael Rosenberg. Michael is responsible for our judicial system. He oversees legislative efforts, our court procedures, and ensures balance between the heavy hand of the ADI and our penal system.”

/>   His interference in her trial now made sense. Several times, Rosenberg had silenced Akihiro to ensure Kasey could speak her peace.

  “I appreciate your attempts to moderate my trial, Mr. Rosenberg,” Kasey said. “Your interdiction allowed me the chance to unmask the pretender before he knew what was coming.”

  Michael nodded. “As overwhelming as the evidence might have been, Miss Chase, justice must be impartial. It was no more than you deserved, and far less, if half of what Sanders has told us is true.”

  Sanders gestured to the final counselor, seated at Kasey’s right. The stern woman was broad-shouldered with frizzy black hair. “This is Helena Alexopolous. Helena is our Minister for Education. She oversees the Academy of Magic and is responsible for the teaching of our rising generation. Her mastery of the arcane is the envy of our community.”

  The witch waved away the compliment. “You are too kind, Chancellor, though I fear my skills pale beside your own. Nonetheless, I will give my all to put an end to the pretender. He must pay for what he has done to our companions. Such callous violence cannot go unpunished.”

  “I agree entirely. Akihiro must be stopped. No matter the cost,” Kasey said. “Many have already paid the ultimate price. John Ainsley, his father the Chancellor—both of them are victims in this. They are not alone. Dozens of other people have found themselves in the Shinigami's crosshairs and lost their lives. Members of the magical community and normals, none are safe. My own precinct has suffered terribly for our role in wiping out his followers. I only wish we'd got to him sooner.”

  “As do I, but wishing won't make it so. We must focus on the task at hand, putting an end to his machinations once and for all,” Vincent said, leaning forward in his chair.

  “You said we are out of time, Miss Chase. What exactly did you mean?” Councilwoman Lender asked. “And how did you come to be in possession of such information? I was led to believe you've been in a coma since your appearance here in this chamber. How is it that you are privy to the Shinigami's plot?”

  Kasey grit her teeth. The Councilwoman's disdain was understandable, but it was misplaced. After everything Kasey had done, she expected more.

  “I would have thought by now I would have earned the benefit of the doubt. After all, without me, you would all still be ignoring the traitor in your midst—as you would his plot to destroy the city, which is as real as any of us sitting around this table. You can continue to second-guess me, Councilwoman, but when it comes to the Shinigami and their plot, you're all playing a game of catch up that we can scarcely afford to lose.”

  “Benefit of the doubt, yes,” the Councilwoman replied, “but this body has safely governed the affairs of the magical community in this country for centuries. You haven't maintained our world by hurtling blindly into the face of every threat that's reared its ugly head. Akihiro and his minions are a very real danger, but they are not first such, nor shall they be the last. We will all have a say in how we respond to the danger they present. I asked how you came to be in possession of this information?”

  “I heard the question,” Kasey answered, locking eyes with Lender. “You were at my hearing, right? I knew Akihiro had stepped up his plot the same way. I knew that Arthur was dead, and that Akihiro had killed Theo Getz. I saw it in a vision. I’m prescient. It’s my gift, or curse. I guess it depends how you look at it.”

  “Prescient?” Lender said with a laugh. “I knew you claimed to be prescient in court, I suppose I had thought it was merely part of your theatrics, part of your plot to uncover Akihiro.”

  “I assure you it’s very real, counselor,” Kasey said, leaning over the table as she stretched out her hand. “Take my hand, and I’ll prove it. Though I must warn you, I have little control over exactly what I see. Past, the soon to be present, or the future. It is seldom pleasant, but what do you say, counselor, would you like to know how you die?”

  Lender recoiled. “Uh, I’m…”

  Kasey smiled at the counselor’s discomfort. “As I was saying, I saw it in a vision this morning. Hence why I came here immediately. We don’t have time for pointless semantics. Akihiro is on the move. We have to stop him now, before it is too late.”

  “Easy, Kasey, we’re all on the same side here,” Sanders said. “You must understand, it’s difficult for others to understand what it must be like to have your abilities. The gift is so rare, many still think they the stuff of old wives’ tales.”

  “If only. It certainly would have made my life simpler,” Kasey said. “People seem to forget, I didn’t ask for any of this.”

  Rosenberg cleared his throat. “You may not have asked for it, but all things considered, we are fortunate that you do. Let’s not squander the opportunity it affords us. Tell us, Kasey, what did you see?”

  “I saw the attack on the city,” Kasey said. “The earth shook as the city tore itself apart. Building after building collapsed. I ran for my life as the dust clouds choked the life out of everyone who walked the streets. I made it to the bay in time to meet the tsunami that the earthquake had brought. If that attack occurs, millions will die. That is Akihiro’s plot. He would destroy the city, tear the heart out of our country, and siphon the life force from those slaughtered in the attack.”

  She paused to allow her words to sink in.

  The council sat speechless, except for Sanders who leaned back in his chair.

  “We knew that before, Kasey. What else did you see this morning?”

  Kasey sucked in a deep breath. “I saw the date. We’re out of time, Sanders. The attack is today and I have no idea how to stop it.”

  Chapter Three

  The room was silent. The counselors looked from Kasey to Sanders, and back to Kasey, but none of them seemed to be able to find their words.

  Sanders straightened in his chair. “Today, Kasey? Are you certain?”

  “Yes, the tsunami struck the city just after 5:30PM, on the 15th of December. I know I have been unconscious for some time, but unless I’m mistaken, today is the 15th. We are out of time. Akihiro will attack the city today.”

  “So soon…” Sanders replied. “I had hoped for more time.”

  “We have none. We must take them today, before it’s too late.” Kasey struck the table with her fist. “We must gather our forces and storm their headquarters before they can detonate the weapon.”

  “Their headquarters? You know where they are?” Helena asked. “Why have we waited?”

  “Yes and no,” Sanders answered. “We suspect the new construction at 432 Park Avenue to be at the heart of their plan, but we were not certain. We didn’t want to warn them that we knew of their location. If Akihiro escapes the city, who knows what destruction he will wreak. We must ensure that he meets his end here. Every step of the way he has been ahead of us, planning and plotting this massacre. More than a year of his life was dedicated to this ruse, and never once have we had the upper hand, until we revealed him before the court. We were fortunate then, but we won’t get lucky twice. If we are to stop him now, it will require us to plan our assault carefully. If we fail, all will be lost.”

  “That is true, but it’s time to act.” Kasey rose from the table. “We have only hours left, and precious few of them at that.”

  Sanders looked up at her. “I know, Kasey, but with care we can raise our chance for success. The deck may be stacked against us, but we have not been idly waiting for you to wake. We have allies who will stand with us. With your aid, we may yet have more.”

  “And we must put the evacuation protocols into place immediately,” Councilwoman Lender interjected. “The more people we can get out of the city, the better. Eight hours is less than we need but it will have to do.”

  Kasey slid back into her seat. “An evacuation won’t work. I saw the effects in my vision. If we signal an evacuation, there will be riots and looting. The bridges and tunnels will be gridlocked, and the city will panic. There will be anarchy. Moreover, we’ll be sending a signal loud and clear that we know that t
oday is the day they strike. The evacuation order might be exactly what causes Akihiro to act in the first place.”

  “Hard to say which comes first, the chicken or the egg. The evacuation order might set off the attack, but without it, if the attack occurs, millions will die. Some of whom could have been saved if we’d acted first,” Rosenberg answered.

  Kasey frowned. “If we know it won’t work, what purpose will it serve other than to warn our enemy?”

  “Understood,” Sanders replied. “We’ll hold off on the evacuation order until our assault is under way. By then, it won’t matter that he knows, and it may still save lives.”

  “I can live with that.” Kasey pushed her hair back behind her ear. “So, you mentioned an assault. That’s an idea I can get behind. What’s the plan?”

  Sanders continued, “Before we can assault anything, we will need to clear a path. New York City has not taken kindly to the discovery of witches and wizards living in their midst.”

  Oh, no. Kasey sank her head into her hands. She had forgotten the manner of Akihiro’s escape. He’d tortured his way down Broadway, butchering innocents and police in full view of a street crowded with witnesses. His disciples had been heavily armed, but he’d used his magic on purpose. He had no doubt been aware of the chaos that would ensue.

  That moment—the sight of a wizard torturing innocents with magic as he marauded through the city—had been captured by hundreds. The footage will have been played around the world. The World of Magic was no longer a secret.

  “How bad is it?” Kasey asked.

  “Worse than we expected,” Sanders said. “Our kind are in hiding. The city is paranoid and on edge. We’ve kept them at bay and above ground, but only because they don’t know what to look for. Anyone that displays arcane power above ground is getting mobbed. If we are to move out in force, we are going to need allies. We are going to need help from the police to clear a path and lock down the target site. Otherwise we’re going to get swarmed and innocents will die. They are ignorant, but they are innocent, nonetheless. Do you think you can secure help from the Ninth Precinct?”