"How was the magic separated?" I wondered.
"Careful y," he said. "There were a number of iterations.
Gods were divided into two halves; one moral, one immoral. Sides were taken, and angels were deemed true or fal en. Most important, some would say, evil was placed into a vessel that would contain it. It was parceled out only to a few who would seek to wield it."
"What was the vessel?"
"It's cal ed the Maleficium."
"So what does this have to do with the city? I've been told we're seeing effects in the lake and sky because the four elements - earth, air, fire, and water - are unbalanced."
"Like I mentioned, that's a typical human instinct - to create categories to explain the world and blame the unfamiliar on a disruption in the categories. But categories don't explain things; they describe them. You've heard the myth of the four Keys?"
"The four divisions of magic? Yeah, but I've never heard them referred to as a 'myth.' "
Tate rol ed his eyes. "That's because sorcerers aren't honest with themselves. Every categorization of magic - by Keys, by elements, by astrological signs, whatever - is just a way of ordering the universe for purposes of their practice. Each sect creates its own divisions and distributes magical properties into those divisions. But the divisions don't matter."
I found that revelation to be surprisingly disappointing -
that the philosophy of magic Catcher had imparted to me those months ago wasn't quite accurate, or at least it was only one of many half-accurate ideas.
"The point, Merit, is not that the magical systems are incorrect - but that they simply aren't important."
"Then what is?"
"The distinction between dark and light." He placed a hand flat on the table. "Assume this hand is the entire world of magic." He spread his fingers. "Cal each finger a Key, an element, a drawer, what have you. The name doesn't matter. The point is, however you describe the categories, the categories are al part of a single system."
"Sure," I said with a nod.
"Now, imagine the system is ripped in two by those who decided good and evil were anathema to each other." His left hand flat on the table, he placed his right hand palm down a few inches above it. "Each hand is now half of the magic in the world. The world continues to function as we know it only while those two layers remain in balance."
My thoughts stopped whirling chaotical y and fel into order. "Which is why the lake stopped moving and the sky turned red - because the natural laws are askew."
"I wouldn't say 'askew.' I would say 'undergoing reorganization.' "
"So the nymphS pes, the siren, the fairies. They truly have nothing to do with it?"
"Bit players at best."
I sighed, regrouped, and kept going. "Why would things become unbalanced?"
"Because light and dark magic are being blended together. Because the separations between them have been violated. There are a variety of reasons, I suppose, to employ dark magic. Murder. Binding someone to service.
The creation of a familiar. Prophecy, for those who don't have the gift. Conjuring demons. Communing with otherworldly creatures."
"Then who's doing it? And how do I fix it?"
"How do you fix it?" He barked out a laugh. "You don't fix it. It's not a screw that needs tightening. It simply is. Some would say it's a return to the original world. The First World.
That Which Existed and Should Exist Again."
There was a self-satisfied gleam in his eyes that suggested he was looking forward to that day. It seemed clear he thought the world was ready for change.
"Wouldn't it be a return to war?" I wondered. "To Armageddon?"
He clucked his tongue. "That's such a na?ve view. Good and evil existed together for eons before humans - or vampires, for that matter - came into being. Don't knock what you don't understand."
I ignored the sass. "And the Maleficium. Where can I find it?"
He sat back in his chair and threw an arm over the back.
"Now, now, Bal erina. I can't give away al my secrets, can I?"
"Are you using the Maleficium to make magic of your own? To bring about that new world order?"
He smiled at me through half-lidded eyes. "Would I do such a thing?"
"Yes. And you'd lie about it."
He tilted his head to the side in obvious interest. "After al I've just given you, you accuse me of dishonesty?"
"You've lied your entire life. That you had the city's welfare at heart. That you were trying to help vampires. That you were human."
"Yes, wel . Amorality was easier before evil intent was ascribed to it."
I rol ed my eyes. "If you didn't have anything to do with it, why do the fairies think old magic is involved? And why did the city smel like lemon and sugar after it rained?"
"Just because I didn't make the magic doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. The Maleficium is old magic. The recombination of good and evil leaves its mark on the natural world - the water and sky. It also leaves its mark on the wind. In the latent magic in the air. I can't be faulted for wanting to sample it, can I?"
"How can you sample airborne magic from across town?"
"There is more to the universe, Horatio, than what you can see or believe to be true."
"I'm aware," I dryly said.
"The point is, magic doesn't need a freeway."
"If you don't have the Maleficium, who does?"
"The Order maintains possession of it. Guards it, if you wil ."
My stomach churned with butterflies. I was going to have to go back to to intainCatcher and accuse a sorcerer of screwing with the Maleficium . Yeah - maybe Mal ory was distorting the natural world in her fifteen minutes of free time each day.
Wel , regardless of whether I liked his answer, I couldn't fault him for not sticking to his word. I placed the medal on the table and slid it toward Tate. Without looking back, I rose from my chair and walked toward the door.
"Thank you for the prize," Tate said. "And don't be a stranger."
Frankly, I'd be fine if I never had to see him again. But I doubted I'd be that lucky.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BLACK BIRD
Catcher met me in the golf cart just outside the door. I climbed in, and he took off for the gate.
"What happened to your medal?"
"I traded it for some magic beans," I grouchily said.
He gave a low whistle. "Those better have been good beans."
"Jury's stil out. Tate agrees the sky and earth issues are caused by a magical imbalance - basical y someone mixing good and evil a little too liberal y. He's not convinced the change wouldn't be a good idea. He mentioned the Maleficium. Do you know anything about it? Is there any chance he could have gotten it?"