Creation Mage 6 by Dante King (detective books to read txt) 📕

I nodded. “Well, good luck finding manners there, my friend.”

The two of us lapsed into silence and settled back on the bench. I pricked my ears up and looked out into the swirling snow, scanning for the approach of Leah Chaosbane, who was supposed to be picking me and Igor up.

I was heading with Leah, Igor, and, I assumed, Reginald and Mortimer to the Chaosbane family ranch for the Yuletide break. I had been invited by Leah, and thought that it would be remiss of me to turn her down. The Chaosbanes were about as big a bunch of fruit loops as had ever breathed air. I imagined that a family gathering of them could be nothing short of spectacular. Surely, I would regret it if I didn’t go. Now that the time was drawing nearer to actually take the plunge though, I couldn’t help wondering if I was ready for this.

Off to our right, by the mound of snow that hid the flattened remains of an old sofa that Nigel had memorably landed on after crashing out of his bedroom window during a party, Ar-undead was chasing robins. The zombie was attempting to snatch the fluttering birds from the air, but was nowhere near fast enough. His odd growling laughter came muffled through the close air.

“Ar-undead is going away too?” Nigel asked me, following my gaze.

“Yeah,” I said, “Madame Xel and Odette are going to take him to some occult meeting or other. I’m not precisely sure why. Speak of the devils though, here they come. You can ask them yourself.”

Odette Scaleblade, wrapped in her usual collection of gypsy shawls and scarves, appeared out of the festive murk. She moved lightly through the snow, her head shrouded in a wrap that doubled as a hood against the fat flakes of snow. Behind her, wearing more clothes than I had ever seen her wear, was Madame Xel, the Succubus.

I say that Madame Xel was attired in more clothing than I had ever seen her in, but seeing as the beautiful mauve-haired woman usually opted for the kind of skirts that might more accurately be classified as belts, that was not really saying much. The only precaution she had taken against the slightly chillier weather was to wear a pair of luminous yellow tights under her miniskirt and a purple feather boa that almost exactly matched the shade of her hair.

“Ladies,” I said in greeting, “it’s lovely to see you. I was thinking that I might miss you, but, predictably, the Chaosbanes are running a little late.”

“You would ‘ave been fortunate indeed if they got the time right,” Odette said in her husky, exotic voice.

“Or the day, for that matter,” added Madame Xel.

“Mr. Windmaker, ‘ow are things with you? I ‘ear that you are going to Earth?” Odette said, turning to Nigel.

Nigel was getting more and more comfortable coming under the scrutiny of beautiful women these days. Only the traffic light red of his blushing ears suggested his pulse was racing at the mere sight of our two Academy teachers.

“That’s r-r-right,” he stammered.

Madame Xel made an envious little noise in her throat.  “Ah, Earth,” she said. “A world in which it is said that temptation and vice were invented. Remember, Mr. Windmaker,” she said, shaking snow off her bat-like wings and winking one bright purple eye at Nigel, “if you are faced with the choice between two sins, always choose the one that you have never sampled before.”

The blush spread from Nigel’s ears to envelop his whole head.

Odette slapped Madame Xel playfully on the arm with the back of her hand. “You are supposed to be a professional educator, Xel, don’t corrupt the young mage!”

“Oh come on, Odette, it’s the holidays, isn’t it?” Xel retorted, grinning.

Odette Scaleblade waved a hand and turned to look at me. “Justin, we cannot stay long—”

“Unfortunately,” Madame Xel interjected, her grin morphing into a lascivious smile.

“—as we ‘ave to get moving before the weather sets in and the roads are blocked,” Odette said.

“You’re here for Ar-undead?” I asked.

“Correct,” Odette replied.

“Where are you taking him exactly?” Nigel asked with interest.

“There is a special gathering of Academics taking place a few days journey from ‘ere,” Odette said. “As a zombie that ‘as been somewhat tamed—for lack of a better word—Xel believes someone like Ar-undead could prove invaluable in this gathering’s occult research and theorizing.”

“What research w-w-would that be?” Nigel asked.

“There are rumors, postulations, and hypotheses floating about. Speculations concerning the ability to restore someone from undead to life,” Xel said succinctly. “There are arcane scientists who would very much like a test subject. One like Ar-undead on whom they could perform cutting-edge spells. It is always preferable if test subjects are less likely to tear your head off and scoop out your brains, after all.”

Nigel nodded.

“Is there a chance that what happened to Ar-undead can be reversed?” I asked.

Madame Xel waggled her hand. “Perhaps,” she said. “Perhaps not. There is no harm in trying though, is there? An eagle cannot reach new horizons until it builds up the courage to lose sight of its eyrie.”

I couldn’t argue with that. Any chance that Ar-undead had of becoming one of us mortals once more was worth taking. He may have spent most of the time I’d known him being an award-winning shitcake, but I had caught a glimpse of the guy that he might’ve been just before he had been zombified. He deserved another chance at life.

Odette motoned to her companion, and the two women made to leave.

“Hey, wait a sec,” I said, getting to my feet. I stepped down into the falling snow and kissed both women. “Merry Yuletide,” I said.

Odette and Xel grinned at one another.

“See you when we get back, Mr. Mauler,” Madame Xel said, in her most officious voice. “We both