I beat Roy to the station. That was rare. He often came in early. Usually, if he was late, it had to do with me. “Is Roy at a crime scene?” I asked Thompson. He frowned. “He’s not here?” I shook my head. “We haven’t been called about any thefts yet. Maybe their mage needed a day off. Until then, talk with Sam and make sure your scenes for the vandal case are ready for court. Trial starts Friday.” I nodded and started towards my desk. “Sean, did you say your dad was a vintner?” He called after me. I turned back. “He was.” “And he made human wine too?” “Yeah.” “Are you familiar with the process?” “I am as far as how it was done six hundred years ago. I haven’t kept up with how it may have changed. Why?” “Another court case. The defense is bringing in an expert. It would be nice if we had our own.” “Sorry. I don’t think I’d qualify. I quit doing that a thousand years ago. And even then, I wasn’t very good.” “Don’t worry about it. Focus on the vandalism case.” I nodded and went to talk with Sam. Someone had broken the windows of a house still in the process of being built and shot off a bunch of fireworks. They’d almost caught the place on fire. I had made an animation based on what appeared to have happened that the DA wanted to use in court. Roy found me about a half hour later. I frowned. “Did you just get here?” “No. I didn’t want to interrupt. But there’s been another theft at Blossoms Unlimited.” “A gift shop?” Sam asked. Roy shrugged with one shoulder again. “Half the places they hit make no sense to me.” “I’ll send Rubin and Marcus,” Sam offered. “I need to get this down to the DA.” I followed Roy. In the car, I asked, “When are you going to see the doctor?” “What?” “Your arm is getting worse.” “It’s fine. The doctors can’t do anything except give me pills I don’t dare take.” When Roy returned to work after being shot, he was on medication for nerve pain. It made him grouchy to the point he attacked a suspect’s lawyer. “You’re worried about being taken out of the field if someone finds out it still bothers you so much,” I guessed. “I’m fine,” he insisted. I laid a hand on his shoulder and focused on him and his nerves. “At least take something for the swelling.” He didn’t respond. “Is this why you were late, or did you have Jacquie over?” “I couldn’t sleep. When I finally did, I didn’t hear my alarm.” “Do you want me to heal it?” I offered. That wasn’t something I normally did unless it was an emergency. “Not now. We have a crime scene.” I nodded. “I’m fine.” “How often do you doubt me even though I can’t lie?” He responded by getting out of the car. We joined Troy and Mitch talking to the store manager. “We don’t think this is the same guys,” Mitch told us. “The office computer wasn’t taken and we can’t tell if anything’s missing.” “How can you not tell?” I asked. The shop was rearranged. Everything is out of place,” the man with him explained. “I know what I had, but it will take me time to sort it all out and I need to go in.” He glared at Mitch and Troy. “Sorry. That was for me,” I explain. “This works better if there’s less disturbance.” “Do we have a time frame when they might have been here?” Roy asked. “Sometime between 10:00 last night and 3:00. A powerline went down at that time and no one could pass until 7:30.” “It took them four hours?” Mitch asked. The man shrugged. “There were complications.” “Do you want to do this inside or out?” I asked. “In,” Troy insisted. “Most of the action will be in there.” Ruban and Marcus joined us. “Sorry, a truck got stuck trying to make a turn.” “Just in time.” I didn’t get along with Ruban and Marcus but we kept it professional in public. And since Kat locked Marcus in the evidence room while she sent scandalous pictures with his phone, both have been cordial at the station too. Inside, I cast the spell for around three. They got lucky and finished just before the road got blocked. It was clear to Roy and me that it was still the same guys. They took very few things. I assumed they rearranged the store to hide what they took. I signaled to the others to note what they took in detail. Ruban gave me a look that said he knew how to do his job. I let the spell run as long as I could. We needed to see if there were any other variations in what they did. The others must have agreed with me since no one tried to get me to stop the spell. Marcus reached into my bag and pulled out my candy and drinks. I realized they were going to let me run the spell as long as I dared. We saw no new behavior. I grew lightheaded. Roy asked for a trash can in case I vomited. Ruben reminded him they hadn’t checked it for evidence. Someone suddenly left the building and returned with something. The sudden changes to the room hit the spell. I redoubled my efforts to keep it going. I went down to one knee. “Maybe he should stop,” the manager suggested. “Sean knows his limits. He’ll stop when he needs to,” Rubin assured him. “I think that’s enough too,” Roy agreed. “The more we see, the better chance we have of finding them,” Marcus reasoned. “We’ve seen enough,” Roy insisted. “Sean, that’s enough.” I kept the spell going even though I was shaking by this time. We needed to see the list of what was stolen. I couldn’t say why, only that we needed to. “Sean, I said stop.” I continued to push. “I warned you. Give me that.” He held a bucket in front of me and shoved a finger in my mouth far enough that I gagged. Roy shoved my face into the bucket. I couldn’t avoid vomiting. I was going to kill Kat for telling him to do that. Roy helped support me while I emptied my stomach. He said something, but I couldn’t understand it. Finally, my stomach stopped trying to empty itself. Roy put a bottle to my lips. I took a few swallows, but it came right back up. Someone swore. I was lifted to my feet, and my head swam. I was vaguely aware of being in a car and then my apartment. *** Roy was talking to someone who wanted to know why we were there rather than the hospital. “Every time he ends up in the hospital it reminds him of North Ridge. They don’t know how to help him anyhow. He can rest better here.” “Why did he push it so long?” The voice asked. Was that Thompson? “Ruben and Marcus goaded him into it. I had to force him to end the spell.” Thompson sighed. “You go back and keep an eye on things at Blossoms. I’ll make sure he’s okay.” I tried to vomit again. Someone shoved a bucket at me. It was only dry heaves. Then I was being hauled back to my feet and half carried someplace. There was a sense as if a restraint had been lifted. “What happened,” a man’s voice asked. “Who are you?” Thompson demanded. "Someone who might help." “He overdid a spell.” He put his hands on my shoulders. “This is bad. I think I know a better one to help.” A moment later, I heard a woman’s voice. It was familiar, as if from a half-forgotten dream. “Who are you and how did you get here?” She demanded. I tried to turn to see her but the movement made my head spin and darkness threatened to overtake me. “I’m a seeker. I found a spell. Sean, Yesanith, needs help.” “So I was told. Go back to your world so you don’t conjure something. I’ll summon you when I’m done.” “Will he be okay?” “I would smite you for that if you were an elf. I’ve patched him up before. Go. Let me work.” A moment later, a dark hand gripped my chin and yellow eyes leaned close and peered into mine. “She needs to reign you in. Loyalty and dedication are wonderful, but it won’t do if you get yourself killed.” *** I woke in my bed in my home Underhill. I could only remember bits and pieces of earlier. I checked my phone. It was still the same day. I had been asleep for several hours. Connie entered. “You need to be more careful. You know that spell is dangerous.” “We need the information. How did I get here?” “James opened a passage.” She set about mixing something in a glass. James? He didn’t know any magic or about Underhill. Then I realized she meant the chief. His first name was James also, but no one at the station called him that. “Did I dream there were people here?” Connie shook her head. “Tiphine was here checking the house. He got Reenta when he saw you." “Reenta healed me?” “Yes. And she said you need to cut back on your casting. You take too many chances. She’s going to talk to Shandalar.” “I needed to see what the thieves took.” “Why?” “I don’t know. Something seemed odd with their choices.” “Well, you’ll never find out if you kill yourself.” “I do the job that needs to get done.” “Yes, we know. Drink this.” She put the glass to my lips. I sipped warily, mindful of my stomach. After I kept down the first few sips, Connie helped me to drink more. “I’m going to give you several packets of this. Put it in your Powerade. It will work better than that candy you eat.” “The candy helps. I’ve tried other things.” “I know. Maybe some actual fruit and nuts.” “The candy works faster.” She frowned as if thinking. “Trail mix has chocolate too. But the powder in the drinks will be better. I’m not saying no candy. Mix it up.” I nodded. “I need to get back and let everyone know I’m okay.” I started to sit up. She pushed me down. “You are not okay. You need to stay in bed. James stayed until Reenta was done. He knows you’re still alive. He said you should stay here and rest. Reenta said the same thing. And no casting. Now, sleep.” And as if the command was a spell, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. *** I woke a few times to eat and drink more of the potion, only to fall asleep again. Kat showed up the next evening. “I got a message you needed help getting back to the human world. What happened?” “He cast too much,” Connie said. “I know he should get back to work but he needs to wait a few more days before casting. I’d say not until the full moon, but I know he won’t wait that long, especially if he’s on a case.” Kat frowned at me. “What did you cast?” “Just a recreation spell. I let it run too long and someone left the building and returned during it.” Kat took my chin in her hands and looked into my eyes much like Reenta had done. “I thought Seelie abhorred suicide.” “We do. Why?” “You’re killing yourself slowly with your magic. Now I understand how you beat those red caps. You’re too headstrong to consider consequences.” “I do what needs to get done.” “Yes, that’s clear. No matter the cost to you. When our people return, I’ll tell my queen we don’t need to kill you. You’ll do it on your own soon enough. We don’t have to risk the gods’ wrath.” I pulled from her grasp. “If they ever return, and if she still wants you dead,” Kat amended. “I hope she doesn’t.” She led me through the passage to Kara’s apartment. “I didn’t want to break into your place and she’s within walking distance of your apartment. You can walk that far, can’t you?” Kat grinned. “Yes.” I glared at her. Kara took my hand. “Roy told me what happened. Are you okay?” She didn’t see the look Kat gave me or the silent warning I sent back. “I’m okay,” I assured Kara. “I need to get going,” Kat said. “Take it easy.” She left. “Are you sure?” Kara asked. “I feel fine. And thanks for letting us use your door.” “I didn’t think it should be somewhere where anyone could go through.” “You’re right. I should go and make some calls and let others know I’m back.” “Take it easy. I don’t like funerals.” I wanted to say that the spell wouldn’t have killed me but I couldn’t after Reenta’s warning. “I doubt it would come to that but it would have taken me a lot longer to recover on my own.” The only call I made was to Lorraine. I’d see the others back at work.