“Mrs. Tisdale,” said Call. “It’s me, Callum Hunt. I’m looking for my dad. Is he here?”
The door opened wider. Mrs. Tisdale was wearing a checked dress, old boots, and a gray shawl. “Why would he be here?” she demanded. “Think I decided to sell him for parts?”
As soon as she came into view, Havoc began to bark like mad. He barked like he wanted to rip Mrs. Tisdale’s arm right off.
“He hasn’t been home in days,” Call said, catching hold of Havoc’s collar and trying to pretend the wolf wasn’t slavering a little. “I thought maybe …”
“And the mages haven’t been able to find him,” said Tamara. “They’ve been looking.”
They all turned to her in shock. “Tamara!” Aaron said.
Tamara shrugged. “What? She’s a magician. You can see it on her! You can smell the magic in this house.”
“She’s right,” said Jasper.
“Quit sucking up, Jasper,” warned Call.
“I’m not sucking up; you’re just stupid,” Jasper replied. “And that pet of yours is a monster.”
Mrs. Tisdale looked from Havoc to Tamara to Call. “I suppose you all better come inside — all but the wolf.”
Call turned toward Havoc. “What’s wrong with you?”
The wolf whimpered but then caught sight of Mrs. Tisdale and began growling again.
“Okay,” Call said finally, pointing to a spot on the lawn. “Stay here and wait for us.”
Havoc sat grudgingly, still growling.
They shuffled into the house, which smelled like dust and cat, but not unpleasantly to Call. As much as it pained him that Jasper might have a point, it was good to be warm. She led them into the kitchen, where she put a kettle on the stove. “Now tell me why I shouldn’t contact the Magisterium and tell them to come pick up some truant students.”
Call wasn’t sure what to say. “Uh, because my dad wouldn’t want you to?”
“And because we’re on a mission,” Tamara said, although this time it didn’t sound as convincing.
“A mission? To find Alastair?” Mrs. Tisdale took out five mugs from her cupboard.
“He’s in danger,” Aaron said.
“You left the mages, didn’t you?” Jasper asked. “Like Call’s dad.”
“None of that matters.” Mrs. Tisdale turned to Call. “Your father’s in some kind of trouble?”
Call nodded vehemently. “We really need to find him. If there’s anything you know …”
He could see the moment she relented. “He came by last week. Stayed a few days out in the barn. Paid up a couple of months in advance, too, which isn’t like him. But I really don’t know where he is now. And I don’t like the idea of you four kids being out here by yourselves.” She gave Jasper a sharp look. “I might have left the mages, but that doesn’t mean I’m too proud to call the Magisterium.”
“How about we stay over in the barn and we promise we’ll go right back in the morning?” Call proposed.
Mrs. Tisdale sighed, clearly giving up. “If you promised not to cause any trouble …”
“Or the house,” Jasper said. “Maybe we could stay in the house. Where it’s warm and not creepy.”
“Come on, Jasper,” said Aaron, grabbing him by the arm. Jasper went quietly, as though he’d already decided that even Mrs. Tisdale was not on his side.
In the night air, the cars reminded Call eerily of skeletal creatures, like dinosaur bones jutting out of the earth.