Page 5 of Where Exorcists Cannot Lie

“All right, it’s good-quality stuff, but fairly timid on the whole. No hexes, no grudges.” I couldn’t decide if that made me more relieved or disappointed. My eyes flicked to Morhh’s. He appeared about ready to have a nap, the bastard, not having the good grace to appear even a little disconcerted about his situation.

I jerked my chin at the male apprentice. “Orgo, any observations?”

Orgo’s robust eyebrows knitted as he spread his digits and reached towards the box in front of him, a few purple flickers shooting from his fingertips in overexcitement. “The whole lot is infused with very strong juice, Master Bao. Yet, there’s no Guild Certificate in sight, not on any of it. I’d say the Magic potency in those trinkets is at least three times the legal norm. And some of it looks Elven.”

I cocked my head and tsk-tsked, fixing Morhh with another loaded look. “Uh-huh. Smuggled contraband on top of unlicensed goods. Very naughty.”

Morhh’s mouth twitched, and he shrugged as if to say, And what do you want me to do about it?

“Good.” I nodded at Orgo. “Go on, let’s have some specifics. It’s a perfect opportunity to test your sensing abilities.”

Orgo took a steady breath and went through the items. “We’ve got a whole pile of painkilling charms, different types. Whoa, these are strong. The tip of my tongue has gone numb, just from checking them out. And these? Err, some hallucinatory stimulants, I think?” He swayed on his feet and grabbed the edge of the table for support. His eyes rolled and his mouth curved into a dopey smile. “Gods, they’re making me feel kinda, um, floaty. In a really grand way.”

Alerted by the slight slur to his words, I hurried to say, “Excellent, you can stop now.” If a trainee in my care got intoxicated on the job and Xen got wind of that, she would have my balls. “How about you, Jiminta?”

The plump, fair-haired woman blew her curled fringe out of her face before gliding her hand over the content of the other crate. “It’s a soap and jam situation in mine, Master Bao,” she said in her nasal Nessyrian accent.

“A what?” I blinked.

Jiminta giggled. “I mean an assorted bunch of unrelated items. Just an expression we use back home.” She softened her gaze, concentrating as she went through subsequent sections of the bounty. “Hm. I’ve got a few dream guards and insomnia blockers. Oh, I know, these are burglar repellents. And those? Noise-cancelling spells, pet locators and anti-stain enchantments for clothes. This one is odd. A spell against… slack-baked bread? Oh, I’d love one of those, so clever. Protection against reading interruption. Now, these emit a strange kind of warmth. Oh, I see.” Her freckled cheeks coloured. “Lubricating spells for, well, whatever nether regions one’s into, I guess. The rest are self-pleasuring charms and climax enhancers. That’s about it.”

The re-emergence of Morhh’s asymmetric smirk didn’t escape my notice. Did the man not take anything seriously?

I steepled my fingers together. “So, there we have it. Possession of concealed, unauthorised, unlicensed and illicitly imported Magic artefacts with the intent to supply. Inuel Morhh, please stand to receive your warning.”

Despite my hunch what I found in Morhh’s room only amounted to the tip of the iceberg as far as his illegal activities went, the wares he got caught with didn’t warrant any harsher measures. In the case of a minor, Type-One offence with no priors, a simple caution sufficed.

Morhh took his sweet time getting up. He unfolded himself to his full, semi-naked height opposite me, reminding me how much I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze.

“You have been found in breach of Article Four of the Imperial Edict on Utilisation of Magic,” I recited the wording of the formal caution. “I, Tazãr Bao, an Exorcist from the Ghadarra Division acting on behalf of the Guild of Mages, will now place a statutory marker on your aura. It will remain there for the duration of your ninety-day probation period. Furthermore, you will be fined two hundred silvers and banned from the premises where you committed the offence until the caution expires. During its validity, your whereabouts, use of Magic and conduct will be restricted and monitored. You will refrain from tampering with the marker in any way. Should you fail to comply with those conditions or commit another offence while this caution is in effect, your powers will be temporarily bound, and you will face further sanctions. Do you understand?”

“I do.” The corners of Morhh’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “It’s hardly complicated.”

The juniors masked their snorts with inept throat clearing.

I pressed my lips together. “Will you accept the marker voluntarily?” I asked Morhh.

Embedding a caution on the aura of a spiritual being was an intrusive and intimate act. In the unfavourable circumstances of a struggle, it could become quite a traumatic experience for both parties. I hoped to the gods Morhh wouldn't make me fight him. I had a suspicion it could get nasty if he decided to refuse me access to his energy. Not that I hadn’t done it before, but prying another’s aura open without their consent didn’t feature high on my list of favourite things to do.

Morhh regarded me in silence for long enough to have me unsettled. He leaned towards me, invading my space. “Do your thing, Little Mage,” he said in a mellow tone.

His proximity allowed me to detect the delicate freshness of pashija oil emanating from his hair. I combated the absurd impulse of going onto my tiptoes, fastening my arms around his neck and inhaling this alluring aroma until it got imprinted into my nostrils.

“Go on,” he added in a whisper, his breath tickling my ear. “We both know you’re dying to feel it.”

Goose pimples erupted on the skin of my nape. Damn it to hell, he wasn’t wrong. I itched to connect with his demonic field. I relaxed my muscles, took a grounding inhale and let my own aura expand and meet his.

We both stumbled.

The impact of the merger overwhelmed all my senses like an assault. It did away with my footing and my bearing. It felt like soaring on someone else’s wings. Not only did Morhh allow me to enter his spiritual domain—more stupendous and powerful than I’d ever encountered—he swept me up like a true Alpha. Dragging me deeper and deeper inside the recess of his labyrinth. Carrying me towards its core, like a prize. Like prey. As if he dictated the terms.

And I loved it.

I lost sight of my purpose, my consciousness taken over by a violent urge to allow myself to be absorbed by this infinitude of marvels, become one with it and never return.

“Master Bao?”

“Are you all right? Master Bao?”

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