safest bet. We could handle it with less, just my two mates and one team probably, but if I can lessen the deadly risks for my people, I always will take that safest course.”
Carmen smiled, “Not complaining, alpha.”
John cleared his throat, “I know you’re looking forward to ending him, and so am I alpha, but it might be prudent to keep him alive a little longer before we take his head off or kill him with magic.”
Ginny frowned, “Explain.”
John shrugged, “You said it yourself, alpha. He’s an old and canny rogue. I hope there are no more alphas that fell to corruption like your father did, or perhaps city leaders of the other races, but it may be of benefit to find out what he knows. At the very least, we’d be able to send the information to other cities with corrupt leadership, or even just rogues disguised as independents that he’s worked with in the past.”
Ginny closed her eyes. I could practically sense her pushing down her disappointment and making the right decision for humanity and us. If his network of rogue associates was even half the size that I suspected it must be, it’d be a coup to take down that many rogues across multiple cities. Even if there were no more of them in our city, our counterparts in the other cities would be grateful and it’d make a huge difference. That was assuming the bastard wasn’t associating with fae too.
She said, “You’re right. We’ll try to take him alive and put him in one of the cells in the basement. If we’re successful, I’ll call Stanton. A spell might not work on him, but a vampire’s compulsion will make him spill his guts, and we’ll get much more detail than playing twenty questions. He’s got a couple of alpha equivalents over there that should be strong enough to overwhelm even an alpha’s mind and will. Anyway, good call, anyone else have a thought?”
There was silence for a long moment.
She smiled, “Good, get your teams ready, we leave in just over thirty minutes.”
Tiffany grabbed my hand, “I need him for about half that.”
Ginny nodded, “Take my office.”
We got up, and then headed that way.
“What’s up?” I asked as she closed the door.
She nodded, “We usually don’t let any witches be involved with takedowns before they finish classes. But you’re ready on your shifter side so it is what it is. Still, I want to teach you a few quick spells. It may come in handy. You probably know from pop culture the opposing elements?” when I nodded, she snorted and rolled her eyes, “Forget that, it’s total crap. The inimical element to Earth is fire, water is opposed by earth, air is opposed by water, and fire is opposed by air.”
I gaped, “How does that make sense?”
She explained, “Think of the elements as the four states of matter, that should make it easier to remember. Solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma. The easiest way to block a spell of the elements is to block it with the denser state directly preceding it, transforming and stealing their attack, except for solids which are best blocked by plasma. Literally consumed. Protective spells are the first thing you’ll be taught when going through the fire, air, water, and earth weeks. They’re one-word spells extremely fast to cast, and I imagine it’ll be even faster for you.
“I don’t feel comfortable with you fighting against a witch without at least knowing those four protective spells, even if you can probably rip out his throat before he can finish casting an offensive spell. The target of the spell is his forming magic, the trick is of course in identifying the spell and reacting before it can fully form and strike you.”
I nodded, “That part should be easy. I should feel the element just by feeling his base spell form through what his aura is doing.”
She smiled, “Good, so you’ll target his magic with the defensive spell, warping it and causing it to fail. It’s easier and takes less magic to twist a spell state by one step, which is where the inimical element idea comes in. In each case the intent is simple and the same. Destroy the spell by warping it. The only difference in focus is when the enemy is making a water-based spell, you’ll focus on earth power to convert and stop it. Same for the other three. So, watch me, I’m going to cast all four.”
I focused carefully on her