I was pulled back into the present by the sounds of car doors closing and the crunch crunch of the gravel near the front door. As the front door slammed closed and voices emerged, Jasper tightened his hold on me and spoke in a sleepy voice.
'Max and Elliot are back.'
'Mmm.' I eased out of the embrace and stretched before heading through the patio doors into the kitchen, confronted with Max's back side hanging out of the fridge.
'Where have you been on a Sunday?' I slipped into a barstool as he turned and removed a wedge of uncut bread from his mouth, dumping the majority of the fridge's contents on the counter for a mammoth sandwich. Its moments like this I realise how much Max and I actually look alike. He has the same dark hair and green eyes but something playful is always lurking under the surface, Max's passivity and easy going nature always make me smile. He rubbed a good three days stubble growth on his chin as he debated his selection of knives in the block on the counter.
'Max?' I took a slice of ham from the pack and nibbled, determined to keep his attention before he got too distracted by food.
'Dad got a phone call last night from an irate Uncle John.'
Uncle John aka John Harrington was our father's oldest friend and so to us had always been uncle John. He'd known my father since his wizard schooling days and always had a story to tell. Much like my father he could command people with a look or glare, for him to be irate about anything was indeed a big deal. As wizardry hierarchy, each over see an area. John currently oversaw area 3. As I finished chewing, I felt Jasper slide into the sit beside me and instantly joined the conversation.
'Spill it Max'
Max continued constructing his masterpiece of a sandwich as he spoke, 'A girl went missing from area 3 on Wednesday evening. So John followed protocol, informed the authorities and blah blah...' He stopped to take a bite and chew. I drew a calming breathe, trying to come between Max and food wasn't exactly the easiest way to get information.
'So the girl's family started a search party last night, dividing up the local woodlands and countryside. Dad has already offered our services but apparently this girl was known to take a little wander now and then.'
'So what's different this time?' Jasper rose crossing over to the coffee machine and filling two cups.
'Well that's the thing' Max mumbled between bites, 'They couldn't locate her with the usual magical methods and she normally comes home within 24 hours, not this time'
'Did they find anything? Jasper handed me a cup.
Max frowned and put down the sandwich. 'They found the girl, it wasn't pretty.'
My father choose that moment to enter the kitchen. I heard his dress shoes clink on the tiles. Jasper smiled, 'busted' he whispered into his cup.
'Indeed' My father retaliated. Max and I exchanged a guilty look. What is it about parents that no matter the age can make us refer back to a child like state?
I watched my father fill a coffee mug, adding milk and sugar with such slow emphasis I was on the edge of my seat, impatient for answers.
'As Max mentioned the details aren't pretty and the situation shook up John a little.' My father sighed, 'They found the young girl tied to tree in the local woods, after that area had been previously searched, the specifics of which I cannot divulge, but in the surrounding areas there where several pieces of evidence found relating to tribal, sacrificial practice. In particular a makeshift alter.'
'Have you informed the rest of the council members?' Jasper asked.
'Yes, I did first thing this morning, hence my sending Max and Elliott to record all information and make a report for the council, Elliott is writing it up as we speak. I've invited the council members for lunch tomorrow to consul the situation.' He took a sip of coffee.
Jasper nodded as I inwardly cringed, most of the elders still believed in treating women like china dolls, too feminine or delicate to partake in...well, anything. It was far to say that over the last few years I had had a couple of heated debates and disagreements with a few of the older council members. One in particular...
'Yes Eva, Damien Greene will be in attendance.' My father smirked as he answered what I didn't want to ask.
Damien Greene and I had a rather colourful past verbally speaking. Firstly, Damien believed women of the wizardry world were inferior than the male of the species, which he barely tolerated. He often criticised my father on his decision to train me for council business for the ESNC, not that I'm the first female trained, just the first female wizard. Long story short, me and my brothers had got steaming drunk with a few of his bodyguards one night and joked about his sexuality only to find him standing at the door listening. He was not impressed and his plum like colouring really showed that. Also he had a dislike for Jasper, double whammy.
'Why would that bother me?' I asked innocently, clearing away coffee mugs as Jasper scoffed.
