Chapter 2

  On the Hunt

  I woke just after midday, the sensation of falling jolting me from the depths of sleep like a shot of whiskey to the gut. I swung my feet to the floor, the chill of the room biting at my body, and rolled my neck and shoulders, shaking off the remnants of a restless night.

  The room was dim, shadows clinging to the corners like old memories, and there was Lila, lost in a new game, some space exploration venture, navigating an endless starry void. I could relate to that ship, drifting through a cosmos filled with distant, twinkling lights, each one a bright wonder on the horizon. Yet here I was, trapped in the cold and lonely expanse of my own.

  I shook off the thought, dusting myself off like a detective brushing away the grime of a long forgotten case. I began searching for my satchel, only to remember where I had left it. “Damn, can’t be helped, I guess.” I turned toward the computer, its glow casting an eerie light across the room.

  “Lila, can you take a break for a bit? I might need you and Veronica to help me track down our enamel enamoured Fae. Can you check social media for any weird, tooth related posts?”

  The game paused, and several web pages opened in quick succession, like a magician revealing his tricks. “Sure! Should I text you the info as I find it?” Lila’s voice crackled through the speakers, a ghostly echo in the dim light or the apartment. I was about to say yes when I remembered my phone was still broken, lying in pieces on my office desk after my last case.

  “You might have to hold off on that until I get a new number, Lila. The old one’s past its prime.” I watched with a mix of curiosity and suspicion as the screen flickered, selecting a click and collect option from a local retailer.

  “No problem! New phone, pay as you go, burner SIM. It even has a camera, so you can take photos for evidence, and a flashlight, because you really need to update, who even uses flip phones now.”

  I was taken aback by how quickly she had pulled that together, but my gut crawled with suspicion, bubbling up like a bad hangover. “Lila, how did you get the money for that?”

  “Hmmm?” The speakers popped, making it sound like she was startled. “Oh, um, online trading and Bitcoin.”

  A wave of suspicion washed over me, cold and unyielding. I couldn’t shake the worry that this might be a return to her old habits, but for now, I had to take Lila at her word. In this city, trust was a rare commodity, and Lila had earned it.

  The city during the day was a different beast altogether, a cacophony of bustling crowds and throngs of souls rushing to nowhere in particular. I missed that energy, the pulse of life that thrummed through the streets like a jazz tune in a smoky bar.

  I picked up my new phone, a lifeline in this digital age, and shot a quick text to Lila before heading back to the ruins of my old home. The site wrenched at my heart, a ghost of what once was, cordoned off, with the fire service starting their grim investigation.

  As I approached, my hand instinctively reached for my satchel, only to pause at the empty space where it should have been. I shook off the feeling and turned my attention to the fire chief, greeting him with a sad smile and an outstretched hand. “Detective Bartholomew, you can call me Barty. Pleasure to meet you. What can you tell me about the fire?”

  As I shook the man’s hand, I whispered a mnemonic, watching as his eyes glazed over for a moment, the flicker of recognition fading into a dull haze. “Shall we have a look around?”

  He nodded, and the fire chief began recounting his usual routine, with me trailing behind like a shadow. When we finally made our way into what remained of the basement, I was struck by how little had escaped the flames’ hungry embrace.

  As I sifted through the charred remains of my family home, I stumbled upon the Soul Cage, remarkably untouched by the fire. Its sinister smile seemed to mock me, a cruel reminder of all I had been through as I hefted it in my hands. Broken and melted glass told the tale of a fairy’s escape, a section of the floor having collapsed and shattered the jar. The steam trunk that had once been chained to the floor was gone, its chains reduced to twisted metal. I pocketed any relics I could find, salvaging what remained of my shattered past.

  “Sir this is still an active investigation area you can’t…” I smiled and touched the fire warden on the shoulder as I uttered the mnemonic once more.

  “You’re right officer but I have to secure some items, not only are they valuable, they could be potentially hazardous in the wrong hands, I will give you a full receipt of what I secure.” I released his shoulder as he nodded

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  The space where the mummified form of the witch Cordelia had once rested was an eerie sight. No rubble or debris had dared to land within the circles of salt, but each ring was blackened and pitted, the ground beneath it, scarred by the breaking wards and intense flames.

  The remnants of my life and hard work lay before me, a haunting reminder of the battles fought and the ghosts that lingered.

  I had just finished my business when a fellow firefighter, sharp eyed and suspicious, decided to poke at my actions. It was a minor hiccup, but in my line of work, even the smallest crack can let the light in.

  I had to play my cards right, so I turned to my Charm technique, weaving it through my interaction with the firefighters like smoke from a dying cigarette through a crowd. One by one, making sure I shook hands or touched shoulders as I worked my magic, careful to keep my intentions cloaked. But there’s a catch to this game; the Charm has a way of turning its victims into marionettes, their movements stiff and robotic for a few agonizing seconds, as if they were caught in a dream they couldn’t wake from.

  The aftermath was never pretty when the spell finally wore off. Those I touched with this charm often walked away with a headache that throbbed like a bad jazz tune, part hangover, part cluster headache, a reminder of the price they paid for crossing paths with me.

  In this gritty world, nothing comes without a cost, for those experienced with charms it was a clear sign someone had used a charm, or mental influence on you, the worse the headache the more powerful the spell.

  I wasn’t free from its price either a dull ache built with every charm I wove, by the time I left the dull street lights and car lights burned and made my eyes water with their halos of light.

  As I headed back to my apartment, I occupied myself with storing the few relics I had salvaged. Once I settled at my desk, my outdated computer whirred to life. While I waited for Lila to investigate reports about our Fae adversary, I decided to conduct some research of my own.

  Many might assume that a mage like myself would possess extensive tomes and archives detailing the magical creatures of the world. However, much of the relevant information can actually be found in the mundane realm. Myths, fables, and folklore often contain grains of truth from a time before the veil concealed magic from the wider world.

  Unfortunately, there is also a significant amount of misinformation propagated by various magical groups.

  What many do not realize is that there are several types of "Tooth Fairies." The most well-known is the beloved, benevolent version associated with childhood. These Fae from the Summer Court collect teeth in exchange for coins, using them in rituals to slip into dreams.

  The exact benefits they gain from this process remain unclear, but it likely involves a combination of power, sustenance, and perhaps belief, all of which help them grow and sustain their kingdom in the Fae lands.

  Another type is the Enamel Eater, a small, mouse-like creature that trades sweets for teeth, particularly cherishing children's first teeth. While not technically classified as Fae, they are more akin to cryptids and inhabit the same realms.

  Lastly, we have the tooth fairies of the Winter Court, known as the Unseelie. Unlike their summer counterparts, these Fae collect teeth for more nefarious purposes.

  They invade nightmares, potentially causing them, and steal memories, leading people to forget important items or names. This is the type I was currently dealing with; 'Grim' had been attempting to create a nightmare kingdom within the Fae realms of their own.

  What I needed to pinpoint were the shadowy haunts near my old digs where Grim might choose to roost. Places like dentists' offices, foster homes, and schools had a certain sinister charm for the creature. Dentists, with their discarded teeth, were a magnet for Grim; the first time I caught that pesky Fae, it was lurking in a dental chair, weaving its mental magic to convince the poor sap of a dentist to yank out perfectly good chompers. Sometimes, it would hitch a ride, slipping into the dreams of its unsuspecting victims like a thief in the night.

  Foster homes offered another dark avenue, allowing it to creep into the nightmares of vulnerable kids. But success was a fickle mistress; many of those homes had a genuine heart, a rare commodity in this city.

  Schools, too, were ripe for his mischief, a playground for chaos and fear. I jotted down three potential locations from each category, my mind racing as I awaited the cloak of night.

  As the sun dipped below the horizon, I stepped into the evening, a light drizzle falling like tears from the sky, muffling the city's pulse and dampening its spirit. I moved through the streets like a spectre, my recent escapades stirring a hornet's nest. The universal truth that power abhors a vacuum was proving as true here in the murky depths of the Veil.

  Various factions and gangs were scrambling to seize the reins of the underworld once held by Kane and his undead lackeys. Sam with a little help had muscled in on the import of arcane reagents and supplies that Kane had once controlled, a rare legitimate operation in a world steeped in shadows.

  Sam seemingly was cut out for this role, armed with a wealth of knowledge and a motley crew of contracted minions though "summons" would be a more fitting label for his entourage.