A Company of Monsters (The Sorcerers of Verdun Book 2) Read online

  “We have counter gas,” Geist said. “We could send teams to search for an enemy gas factory. If we can stop their production, we’ll interrupt their plans.”

  Major Reese nodded along with her words. After a moment of silence, he exhaled. “This isn’t the first instance of a sorcerer family going dark.”

  “What do you mean, sir?”

  “House Markle. House Livingstone. House Farah. They were all sending aid to the Ethereal Squadron, but one by one, we lost contact.”

  Geist mulled over the facts. There were thousands of sorcerer houses, and most kept their bloodline secure to keep their magics to themselves. Although Geist didn’t know the magics of House Farah or Livingstone, she did recognize House Markle and remembered they had a strange magic over insects. Were the Germans and Austro-Hungarians after bizarre and rare sorceries?

  Then again, House Markle was small, just like House Watson. Was the goal to target minor allied houses? Or perhaps it was to start small and work their way up to something larger.

  “No matter what we decide to do about this,” Major Reese intoned, “we’ll need to warn our allied sorcerer houses of the danger.”

  Geist remained silent. If the minor houses thought they were in danger, they could withdraw from the war altogether. Was that our enemy’s goal? To scare the sorcerers sending us aid, so they would back away? It was a clever plan, Geist concluded, but what could they do to prevent their allies from abandoning them?

  Major Reese exhaled. His pale features matched the haze of smoke above them—an unnatural color. Geist stepped closer to his desk.

  “Sir? Are you all right?”

  “Geist, my boy, troubling times are ahead of us.”

  The way he said it, without looking up or adding a hint of emotion, put Geist on edge. “Has something happened?”

  “Although Austria-Hungary has functioned with a dual monarchy since 1867, the Austrian Emperor has recently claimed full control of the nation. A true autocrat, that man. And to make matters worse, I’ve received information that Austria-Hungary has been in contact with the President of the United States. If they form an alliance—”

  “They would never,” Geist interjected.

  “Everyone knows the United States’ wartime motto: war is good for business. The Americas were on the brink of devastation until the war broke out in Europe. Now they make massive profits on steel and sell to every nation here.” Major Reese slammed his hand on the desk. “If helping Austria-Hungary would keep the war running, you better bet the United States has an interest in seeing that happen.”

  Geist gritted her teeth. She didn’t know the politics of the non-sorcerers in the United States, but she did know plenty of sorcerer families who had ties to powerful congressmen. They had never expressed interest in war for war’s sake. Then again, she hadn’t returned home in three years. Had the United States changed so much? Would they side with Austria-Hungary simply to continue supplying war machines to the European nations cannibalizing each other?

  “We need to act carefully,” Major Reese said as he paced the room. “We can’t afford to lose any more sorcerers, especially if we’re about to have a new nation of enemies.”

  “I agree,” she said. “But no matter what the United States decides, the sorcerers of the Americas will stay with the Ethereal Squadron.”

  “We don’t know that. For now, you’ll stay in the fort for the night. Tomorrow, after I speak with the generals, I’ll have an assignment for you and your team. Be prepared, understand?”

  “I understand, sir.”

  “You’re dismissed.”

  Geist turned on her heel and headed for the door.

  “Wait, Charles.”

  She stopped.

  “You did good work.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  With no other words between them, she exited the room. The drafty halls of Fort Belleville reflected the chill in Geist’s thoughts. In her mind, the war in Europe stayed limited to Europe. The United States would stay out of the conflict, and the heart of victory would come from the Russian Empire. But if the United States joined with the sorcerers using monstrous gas and magical-technology, the Allies would surely lose.

  Without glancing up, Geist made her way down the southern hall. She knew the fort intimately, from the mail rooms to the recovery ward to the barracks for the French soldiers. When she nearly collided with a fellow soldier, Geist jumped back, her heart beating fast.

  Then she got a good look at the man standing in her way.

  “Victory,” Geist said. “I was just about to look for you.”

  “I know,” he said with a smile. “And I knew you’d be walking down this hall.”

  “You and your damn future vision.” She punched him on the arm and then motioned for him to follow her through the hall. “Do you always use your magic for such mundane purposes?”

  “I would win every game of chance with my brothers when we were younger. I was simultaneously the least popular and the most dependable of all my mother’s children.”

  “Is that right? If you all had the same bloodline, why couldn’t they learn destiny sorcery?”

  Victory shrugged. “It’s difficult to understand and use. I just had a knack for it, and my brothers tended toward other abilities.”

  Victory and Battery both belonged to House Hamilton—one of the most powerful magic families living in Great Britain. Everyone knew they married to diversify their sorceries, and over the centuries, they had amassed hundreds of magics into their bloodline. Geist knew her family had three: specter, apex, and corpus sorcery. Specter to become invisible and incorporeal. Apex to increase strength and agility beyond human limits. And corpus sorcery, to manipulate flesh, either for healing or destructive purposes.

  Her house—House Cavell—was a family of assassins known for regicide. That was why those magics had been bred into them.

  But House Hamilton acted more like a museum for sorcery. They married sorcerers without houses—individuals who had lost everything or who had nowhere left to go. Their endangered sorceries were added into the Hamilton family with each child, until they had amassed a collection unlike any other sorcerer house.

  “Do you know about the missing sorcerer houses?” Geist whispered as they walked. While the occasional nurse and soldier walked by, each had an exhausted expression and were likely far too worn to worry about the random mutterings of fellow soldiers.

  “I’ve heard of them,” Victory said.

  “We have reason to believe the Abomination Soldiers are targeting sorcerers for their blood.” She glanced up to gauge his reaction, but he had none. A perfect poker face. “If we’re sent to deal with this problem, I would… worry about you and your brothers. I mean, Blick can be reckless, and Battery only studied the one sorcery. They’d make for perfect targets.”

  “I doubt the enemy would know who we are,” Victory said, nodding along to her words. “That’s why we use codenames, after all.”

  “Still.” Geist turned away. “If the enemy ever found out…”

  “I’ll keep my third eye open to any attacks.”

  “Thank you.”

  Having a safeguard against the worst possible outcome gave Geist a tiny bit of relief. Although she had traveled for days, at no point had she truly rested. Content she had done everything in her power, she patted Victory on the arm and allowed her shoulders to droop.

  “You need some rest,” he said.

  “You’re right.”

  “If you sleep in the second examination room, no one will disturb you.”

  “More of your destiny sorcery?” Geist asked with a laugh.

  Victory flashed a perfect smile. “I love using extraordinary abilities for mundane tasks.”

  “What would happen if I slept in the first examination room? Or the barracks?”

  “Tinker would barge in and disturb you. Twice. Then two nurses would rush in and demand the bed for a wounded soldier. The barracks won’t be much better.”<
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  The part about Tinker amused her, but the harsh reality of war never stayed hidden long. Of course there would be emergencies, especially since the enemy trenches weren’t far from Fort Belleville.

  “Joking aside,” Victory said, his smile gone. “If you stayed in the first examination room, Tinker would discover more about you than he previously knew before.”

  He drew out each word but said nothing else.

  Geist mulled over the comment, fully aware he was referring to her status as a woman. While everyone in her team knew—Battery, Vergess, Blick, Dreamer, Victory, as well as Cross and Heinrich—the rest of the Ethereal Squadron still hadn’t discovered her secret. While female sorcerers often aided the squadron, they weren’t given positions in the fighting ranks.

  Major Reese would remove me from the front lines in a heartbeat.

  “I’ll stay clear of the room,” Geist said.

  Victory nodded. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow for the briefing.”

  Three

  Urgent Operation

  Geist awoke in a pool of sweat.

  She sat up on her cot, her mind spinning. The darkness offered a comforting atmosphere—she was alone, far from the monsters that plagued her dreams. But she knew that wouldn’t last long. Soon she would be out on the battlefield once again, facing down twisted creatures created by the GH Gas.

  Geist took a deep breath and then exhaled, allowing her breath to take her anxiety with it.

  Now isn’t the time to fret.

  After another round of breathing, she hopped off the cot and dressed. Although the thin coat of sweat demanded she take a shower, Geist only had an hour or so before she would need to meet with Major Reese.

  She buckled her belt, unlocked the door, and stepped out into the hall of Fort Belleville. Vergess stood by the door, his arms crossed, his expression set in a glower. When he turned to Geist, however, he softened.

  “You’re finally awake.”

  She glanced around. “You were waiting for me?”

  “Tinker was walking around, and I feared he might bother you.”

  Geist smiled. “Don’t worry. Victory told me how to best avoid him.”

  As if speaking his name summoned the man, Tinker rounded the corner with a bloated satchel held in his arms. He smiled wide as he walked with long strides. “Well, well, well. Two out of three of my favorite people. Where’s the other tiny one? Battery is always with you.”

  He spoke with a lively energy, his voice echoing down the stone hallway.

  “What’re you up to, Tinker?” Geist asked as she eyed his satchel.

  Tinker came to a stop and held the bag close. “Exciting news.”

  He stood even taller than Vergess, and he had a gaunt frame ill-suited for the British uniform. That didn’t stop him from showing off, however. He set the satchel down at his feet and ran a hand through his styled blond hair.

  While some sorcerers were suited for combat, Tinker stayed within the confines of the fort, far from conflict. It allowed him the luxury of slicking his hair back with pomade for the perfect wavy hairdo.

  Tinker held his head high. “I’m being transferred to London.”

  “Why?” Vergess asked.

  “All sorcerers with an affinity for magic crafting are being summoned to work on magi-tech prototypes. I was near the top of the bloody list thanks to all my work here. I’ll be working on top secret projects from here on out. I may even be promoted into the officer ranks.”

  Geist nodded along with his words. He had helped create a vast store of anti-gas. “You better help with the war efforts. No messing around. You’re a real dingbat sometimes.”

  Tinker dramatically grabbed at his tunic. “I’m wounded, Geist. How many times have I made you custom explosives? And here you’re implying I won’t be of any use. That’s a blow to my honor, I’ll have you know.” He withdrew a black glove from his trouser pocket and waved it through the air. “You’re lucky this isn’t twenty years ago. I’d have to duel you to the death.”

  “This is what I’m talking about,” Geist said with a roll of her eyes.

  Tinker used his glove to slap her on the shoulder and then offered a smile. “I know you’re just jealous. I’m going home to see my girl and you’re stuck here on the front lines without the warm comfort of another. Who wouldn’t be envious?”

  Geist gave Vergess a quick sidelong glance before shaking her head. “That’s not it.”

  “I’ll send you parcels from London,” Tinker said as he pocketed his glove and snatched up his satchel. “I’ll even forget your little insult and get a local girl to write you from time to time.” He elbowed Geist as he walked by. “You can thank me once this is all over.”

  How generous, she thought as Tinker continued on his way.

  Vergess rubbed at his chin, half concealing a smirk. “Sometimes I wonder what the man would say if he knew the truth about you.”

  “I suppose he would get a handsome young man to write me,” Geist said.

  All mirth disappeared from Vergess’s expression. “Feh. Not if he wants to live to see the end of the war.”

  They both chuckled, but it didn’t last long. Geist dwelled on the information, her gaze becoming unfocused. The enemy had started their magi-tech arsenal years ahead of Britain, France, and the Russian Empire. They had the advantage, and with the situation looking so dire, the Ethereal Squadron was finally pooling their resources. What would they create to fight Germany and Austria-Hungary?

  Vergess placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go see the commander.”

  “Vergess.”

  “Hm?”

  “You think we’ll win this war.” She turned to face him. “Don’t you?”

  He met her gaze with a cold expression. In the long moment between them, Geist understood—he wasn’t certain.

  “We’ll win,” he finally said. “We won’t allow Germany and Austria-Hungary to rule over all of Europe. Not after everything their royal families have done.”

  Geist stared at her feet. “Yeah. You’re right.”

  Only Geist’s team had been summoned to speak with Major Reese.

  Each of them offered a unique role to the group. Victory could see snippets of the future, perfect for risk-free reconnaissance. Dreamer had his illusions for infiltration purposes. On the other hand, Blick could see through the enemy’s illusions, as well as pierce through invisibility. Vergess—his full codename Vergessenheit, German for oblivion—acted as the team’s destructive force. Battery could empower other sorceries, giving them a temporary boost to any power they would need to overcome the enemy.

  And Geist considered herself a jack-of-all-trades. She functioned as the leader and participated in almost every aspect of the plan, whenever she was needed most. She’d never had any squad as cohesive as the one she ran, and she suspected whatever Major Reese asked of them, they would be able to succeed.

  I hate it when he gets this look on his face, though, she thought, her teeth gritted.

  “We have trouble,” Major Reese said as he paced behind his desk.

  The others said nothing.

  He continued, “After analyzing Geist’s report, and taking into account intel given to me this morning, I’ve come to conclusion that our allies are in danger. Small sorcerer houses are being targeted for their sorceries. It’s clear the enemy has dispatched small teams of operatives to collect blood for their GH Gas experiments.”

  Dreamer lifted both eyebrows. “I take it our enemies have forsaken the ways of God.”

  “So far they’ve limited their targets to sorcerer houses who aid the military, but given Germany’s attack on civilian vessels, I suspect they’ll target any sorcerer they feel will add to their strength.”

  “I know the tactics of cowards well. Civilians make for easy targets.”

  Dreamer spoke with a proper English accent, his words regal and fully articulated. Even the way he held himself—he never did anything in haste. It was one of the traits Geis
t admired about him.

  “What’s the Ethereal Squadron doing about this?” Blick asked. He rotated his shoulders and leaned against the fort’s stone wall. “If we know what our enemies are plotting, we should stop them. Beat them to the punch. Something.”

  Major Reese stopped and shook his head. “Communication has been difficult with some of our smaller allies, especially those located on islands or within the Russian Empire.”

  “What about radio communication?” Battery asked.

  “Ha! Those newfangled radios aren’t reliable. Their range is too short, and there’s always interference. Telephones and telegraphs have been the military’s go-to solution, but even that isn’t foolproof. The few sorcerers we have who can speak long distances are currently in key operations in the Middle Eastern theatre.”

  Blick pushed off the wall and wheeled to face his older brother, Victory. “What’s the solution, then? What’re we gonna do about it? What can we do?”

  “Calm down,” Victory stated. “Major Reese was about to send us to check in on our allies and bring them back to Verdun.”

  Everyone turned to face the commander. Major Reese offered a slow nod and then returned to his pacing. Geist didn’t like the idea of collecting everyone in a single spot—wouldn’t it invite the enemy to strike them all at once?—but they had already defended Paris from the worst attack in history. The enemy had been pushed back, and there would be no safer place in Europe than the Ethereal Squadron base of operations.

  In theory.

  “Geist,” Major Reese said, his tone filled with a heavy gravity. “I need you and your team to bring back the sorcerers of four Russian houses.”

  “Sir?” she asked. “Wouldn’t they be safe in the capital city of Petrograd? Surely the Royal House Romanov would send soldiers to protect their sorcerers. And moving four entire houses to France seems like a difficult undertaking.”