Page 375 of Castings & Curses

AURELIA

There werepolice cars parked outside Misha's home and studio. A forensics team stood outside with their gear, waiting to access the crime scene. Misha's body had been found by the cleaning staff, and the police had launched a criminal investigation.

Raphael and I interviewed the cleaners in the guise of detectives. We also spoke to Misha's neighbors. It was a semi-commercial area, and there was a mixture of houses, apartments and several small shops. We didn't have any trouble convincing the police that we were detectives, but that was mainly down to Raphael's influence. He was skilled at convincing others that we were meant to be there.

It wasn't long after that Misha's girlfriend, Lucia, turned up on the scene. She mustn't have been notified of his death, as she appeared to find out in person outside his studio. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so devastated before. As her tears fell, I knew it wasn't the time to talk with her.

This case had been confronting in ways I hadn't expected. Maybe I'd been away from the mortal world for too long. There was a lot more to deal with than in heaven, and the emotional weight of the crime and its impact on others shocked me to the core. I did my best to remain professional, outwardly unemotional and on task, but it was challenging.

I was impressed with Raphael's cool resolve, and the way he approached the investigation with compassion and a logical mind. It made him an asset, as I felt like I wasn't qualified enough to have the investigative insights he did. Maybe I was wrong about that, but I was normally a teacher and guide in heaven. It wasn't often I was called on for a duty like this one.

With the day winding down, Raphael suggested we find a place to rest and review what we'd learned. I pulled out the card I'd been given, with an address where I could stay. Then it hit me, the perfect spot — Enchant, a bar I knew of that specialized in catering to supernatural beings. I felt like unwinding in a social atmosphere would serve us better than speaking alone.

There were beings with different abilities present in the kind of establishment Enchant provided, so there was always the possibility of encountering someone who might be able to help us with the case. I hadn't been told to keep the investigation fully secret, so I reserved the right to discuss the case with others to a limited extent if it served our interests.

Raphael nodded in agreement as I suggested Enchant for our evening plans.

"Let's head over," he said, guiding me toward a nearby alley.

Once there, we changed form and rendered ourselves invisible. The flight to Enchant only took a matter of minutes. It would've been quicker if I hadn't forgotten the way.

It looked just as I remembered it — a two-story building with several trees out front, which offered a measure of privacy.

When we made our way inside, the smell of drink was strong. The walls were painted black with purple accents, and there were runic symbols etched into the fixtures. They were different from those we'd found in Misha's home, and yet there were similarities in how they'd been used. The bar area glowed with an eerie blue light, and somehow seemed inviting despite its darkness.

I glanced Raphael's way — his angelic aura was much more subdued now than when I’d first met him. "I've heard there's an enchantment around the building that makes non-magical humans avoid the place. It seems to be working."

Candles cast a gentle glow over tables filled with guests from many supernatural walks of life, whereas some were human magic users. I could feel the energy radiating from them that set them apart from non-magic users. The bar itself was well-stocked with drinks both magical and mundane; it seemed like they had a choice for every taste here.

We each ordered drinks and found ourselves two seats at an empty table in the corner, away from prying eyes. There, Raphael could easily blend into the shadows while we kept watch over everyone around us.

"Have you been here before?" I asked him.

He nodded. "I've known the bar owner for years. Jacob and I go back a long way, and I drop in sometimes. It was a good thought, coming here. I'll keep an eye out for anyone I know who might be able to help us."

I was sure he meant from a magical standpoint, but the means didn't really matter so much as the goal.

I sipped my drink as I soaked up the atmosphere and listened to the music, which played over speakers in the bar. It was a heavy kind of rock, blended with metal, and differed wildly from the music I most often heard in heaven. It was closer to the music I'd listened to as a human.

As I was contemplating the music, I noticed a man in the corner who seemed to be watching us. When he spotted me looking at him, he averted his gaze and moved further away from our table.

"Someone's taken an interest in us," I told Raphael as I glanced in the stranger’s direction.

"That's Kallen. He's a telepath, and I'm sure he had an interesting time trying and failing to read our minds," Raphael said. "Stay here. I'll have a word with him."

As Raphael left the table and guided Kallen outside to talk, I tried not to look awkward on my own.

The shifters over by the bar glanced my way, but I pretended I didn't notice. I paid attention to the bartender, who Raphael said he knew. That was if it was the same bartender. The man had a head of wild silver hair and a care-worn face; his eyes glinted with an inner knowledge that only those who've seen too much can have. After what I'd seen today, I could identify.

He looked up from polishing a glass and gave me a nod before turning his attention back to his task. I watched him for a few moments longer, my mind slowly piecing together snatches of conversation from all around me — stories of lost loves, forgotten places, and grand adventures.

This was what it meant to be alive in the mortal world — to be surrounded by beauty and mystery, both real and imagined, mixed inexorably with the mundane. It was intoxicating to me, even without the drinks that flowed freely here at Enchant.

Raphael returned to the table a few minutes later with Kallen in tow. Kallen was a tall, slender man with spiky white hair and striking silver eyes. He wore a dark-colored cloak that matched his somber expression.

"Kallen," I said, my gaze flicking between him and Raphael.

Raphael nodded. "He knew Misha."

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