Chapter 1-35: The Past (1/2)

He looked at me. I sighed and just nodded.

He opened the advisory file with the gnome attached to it.

“Wow, Fred, you meet the most curious people. I thought she was a celebrity, but I had no idea...”

Well, doesn’t that sound ominous. I rolled my eyes and continued listening.

“First of all, her online presence was scrubbed. I mean, professionally. Someone went in and cleaned up any hint of her online. There’s nothing about her on any form of social media or news, and that’s after I really went looking for her after I found out who she was.”

My brow furrowed.

“This isn’t a recent thing. Someone has been keeping her out of the spotlight and her existence hidden basically since she was born.

“She wasn’t born in America, but in France. The Sylunar over there were actually the most helpful in identifying her, as the silver eyes were pretty distinctive. I actually got in touch with the priestess who Moonblessed her and Assayed her for the goddess and her mother.”

The gnome’s high voice paused a bit reluctantly, and continued, “She was assessed as having no magical ability whatsoever in the tests of the Sylunar. According to the Moonsister, her mother was livid at the news, and actually stormed out of the temple without her.

“A halvyr without magic is a very rare thing indeed, and would usually indicate some sort of major mental deficiencies in all categories. The girl was eventually sent to live with a hired maid, and had virtually no contact with her family.

“From what I can determine of her life from her family records, she had a pretty nasty childhood. No magic for a halvyr made her vulnerable in the eyes of people who resent the Powered, and she suffered for it. All her school scores indicated she was sharp and clever, certainly didn’t have any brain damage or illness, but she couldn’t generate the slightest Cantrip.

“She started falling in with a bad crowd, and eventually ran away from her foster home, and must have come to the States by some alternate method.

“She has some sort of trust fund providing for her once she turned sixteen, so she dropped out of school, and has been living out of a condo in Baltimore for the past year or so. What exactly she’s been doing, I don’t know.”

My lips twitched. This girl had AMAZING magical talent... it just destroyed itself. Two powerful Bloodlines, canceling one another out...

“The files are all the documentation I could find and dig up. Here’s the original birth record from Le Stellae Dame.”

A file opened up and displayed a copy of a birth certificate.

Elrii Morningdark, Halvyri.

No name for the father.

Mother, Jalaez Morningfire, Halvyri.

Fred blinked in recognition. I just lifted an eyebrow.

“Everything I can tell is that this girl has been written out of the family entirely. There’s no record of her ever meeting her mother or sisters. I can imagine how cruel that would be once she found out whose family she was part of.

“It looks like she did finally get some magic after all, and isn’t too bitter about it. I hope all the best for her. She certainly earned a shot at things.”

His voice cut off, leaving the files floating there in the holo.

“Why do I have the feeling that the mother’s name is very important?” I asked, feeling another headache coming on.

He sent the file off to the side, clicked around on the keypad, and brought up another picture.

Well, he definitely got the search results fast. And with a lot of pictures, too.

It turned out that Jalaez Morningfire was an extremely famous halvyri sorceress with the Phoenix Bloodline, an internationally known socialite and beauty who, if her looks were any indication, was probably recognized by most every red-blooded male the world over.

Fred clicked on the Lexipedia article, and it washed into place, giving way to a publicity photo that complimented her very well: the fires dancing around the edge of her hair, golden eyes, perfect complexion, and seductive smile, along with marvelous figure and taste in expensive clothing and jewelry.

---

Relatives: Essander Highmoon, Elven, Father (deceased); Colleen Morningsun, Human, Mother (deceased); Sean Highsun, Halvyr, brother; Brigette Morningflame, Halvyri, Daughter; Sinead Morninglight, Halvyri, Daughter; Azaia Morningwind, Halvyri, Daughter

---

Well, that pretty much said it all, didn’t it? She wasn’t allowed to use the family name, for fear her no-magic self might be linked back to the family.

“I am getting the distinct impression that this is a very famous magical family,” I sighed.

THEY MIGHT BE THE MOST FAMOUS MAGICAL FAMILY IN THE WORLD. His hand hovered over the Vaccine. DO YOU WANT TO READ ABOUT EACH OF THEM?

I sighed. “Just tell me quickly for now...”

ESSANDER WAS SYLUNE’S MOST FAMOUS MYSTIC THEURGE.

COLLEEN WAS THE MOST FAMOUS FIRE SORCERESS IN THE WORLD FOR HER BLOODLINE.

SEAN HIGHSUN IS THE MOST WELL-KNOWN CORONAL KNIGHT OF ARU IN THE WORLD.