“Nine AM, sharp,” Ferngold said. “Jones, if you were part of whatever hairbrained scheme Thornwood partook in, you should attend as well.”
“I’ll come too,” Xsing said. “The thaumaturgical structures involved are fascinating, and the possibility of recurrence must be considered an urgent concern.”
Ferngold’s frown deepened. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.”
“I’m Professor X—”
“He’s the Professor,” Grim broke in loudly, with a meaningful look at Xsing. “Of the Transitional Dynamics Laboratories. Currently a raccoon. Procyon lotor. His real name is obviously not one we’ll speak aloud.”
“Ah,” Xsing said. “Yes, you may call me Professor.”
“I… see.” Ferngold’s tone suggested he didn’t, but wasn’t willing to ask.
Xsing said cheerfully, “I’m used to being called Professor by my students. That’s quite appropriate.”
Ferngold looked like he’d bitten a lemon at the suggestion he resembled a student to a raccoon-familiar. Silas hadn’t thought he had laughter in him after the last few hours, but he had to hold back a snicker. Fernwood managed to spit out, “I hope someone can shed light on the gobbledygook Thornwood was spouting.”
Xsing said, “I’m not fully versed in the terminology your sorcerers use, despite collaborating with Jasper and Silas in the last few days, but I will attempt to add my knowledge to their significant talents.”
“Ah. Yes.” If Ferngold scowled any harder, his face was going to freeze that way. As he turned onto the road leading to Silas’s mansion, Ferngold added, “We were concerned at the report of damage to your house. Fortunately, Mrs. Vaughn did not seem overly worried.”
“Damage?” Darien demanded from the back. “What damage? And you spoke with Mrs. Vaughn? How is she?”
Ferngold said, “I imagine you’ll find out soon enough. She reported some kind of magical explosion, and said she was heading home to rest, but was uninjured. I had no idea she was at your home in the first place. I’ve been far too busy with council business to make any kind of inspection.”
Silas clenched his teeth to avoid asking for details Ferngold either didn’t have or didn’t want to share, and peered out the windshield into the darkness.
As they climbed the hill, the first of the ridiculous towers of his inherited home appeared against the moonlit sky. At least it’s still standing. He reached out for his house wards, but his power sputtered and he didn’t want to waste his strength. Another few moments and they crested the hill. The house looked undamaged from this vantage point, and he allowed himself a sigh.
“Can’t be too bad,” Darien said.
Ferngold pulled over at the bottom of the driveway. “I’ll expect you all to be punctual in the morning.”
Silas looked back at Magda as he opened the door. “Do you want Ferngold to take you back to Mrs. Vaughn’s?”
She yawned widely. “Not if you have a spare bed. Mrs. Vaughn’s off to sleep early these days. I don’t want to disturb her. You told Troy we all survived, so she won’t worry.”
Darien said, “There’s a decent mattress in the room next to Jasper’s. Not sure about sheets.”
“I slept rough more than once in my younger days. Give me a bed, and the rest doesn’t matter.”
Ferngold said, “That’s settled then. Everyone out.”
Grim stretched, his tail flicking Silas’s chin. “Where’s Clicks? There’s familiar business we should discuss too.”
“He doesn’t like to come out at night in the cold,” Ferngold said. “But when I send around word of the meeting, I’ll add a request for familiars to assemble as well.”
“That’ll work.” Grim leaped off Silas’s knees and dashed toward the house.
Silas climbed out, hauled his backpack out of the footwell, and held a hand to Magda, which she ignored. A few moments later, they were assembled on the driveway and Ferngold’s taillights receded into the dark.
“I’m surprised we got off that easily,” Darien said. “I expected hours of interrogation.”
“He’s not a great scholar, for all that he likes running things,” Silas pointed out. “I kept my description esoteric, and he got worried about sounding ignorant by asking the wrong questions. Hence his willingness to let it go until he has Locke and Worthington to do the thaumaturgical heavy lifting.”
“Hence, good riddance.” Darien slung his pack over one arm.
Grim reappeared, coming toward them across the lawn. “Well, there’s some damage to the house. Not critical, I think.”
“From the gate backlash? Let me see that.” Xsing tried to jump down from Jasper’s hold and landed face first, rolling on the grass.
“Oooh, that was a rough one. Are you all right?” Pip nosed at him.
Xsing batted him away with one paw. “Yes. I think so.” He got carefully to his feet and stepped with one front paw, then the other, a back paw, then the next.
“Yay, you’re walking!” Pip’s tail whipped vigorously.
Xsing repeated the movements. “How do raccoons get anywhere? This is slower than a gzint after hibernation.”
Grim said, “You have to move more than one foot at a time.”
Xsing hopped both front feet forward, then both hind ones, splayed out to catch himself. “That’s not much better.”
“I could show you,” Pip offered.
“Jasper,” Grim said. “Give him a lift or we’ll be here all night. Pip, you can demonstrate later. Follow me.”
Grim led the way around the side of the house to the back and along the unused west wing. Silas dug up enough power to make a light, which illuminated a dark gap at the bottom of the wall, almost at the end of the wing. The space was about five feet long and a couple of feet high. Above it, a crack ran through four courses of brick before petering out. “Well, that’s not good.” Silas knelt at the crumbling edge of the dirt and reached in. His wards didn’t greet him as they should, and all he felt was empty space.
“Should I go into it?” Pip asked.
Silas and Darien said, “No!” together. Silas added, “We’ll check into it in the morning. It doesn’t look like the wall’s going to collapse, so it can wait.”
“But something might’ve gotten inside.” Pip sniffed vigorously along the edge of the hole. “Although I don’t smell anything except rats.”
“Tomorrow,” Silas said firmly. As long as the place wasn’t falling down, it would keep.
“I’m planning to do a good patrol of the house tonight. On the inside.” Grim bopped Pip’s rump with one paw. “You can come with me. It’ll do you good to be useful for a change.”
“I’ve been useful.” Pip turned his eyes up on Darien’s face. “Haven’t I?”
“Very,” Darien reassured him. “You found the gate in the first place.”
Xsing added, “And saved me from the demon when you Fetched me out of harm’s way. Foolish of me to need it, but your Talent was opportune.”