Shadow Oracle by Laura Greenwood

Eight

Fielding's officeis becoming a second home to me. Or it certainly feels that way. It doesn't escape my notice that Fielding has brought me coffee in the same mug she has the last few times. I wonder if it makes her feel like she's taking care of me as her witness.

"I got another letter from the Association," I say, putting it on her desk.

"What does it say?" she asks.

"Nothing really. They just want me to go to the house a week on Saturday, but it doesn't say what for, or even what time."

"Hmm. Probably a scare tactic," she says.

"It's working," I mutter.

"You have nothing to be worried about," Fielding assures me.

"With all due respect, they managed to get someone into the academy despite the guards and officers you've placed there. I have every reason to be scared."

She sits back in her seat with a thoughtful expression on her face. "I'm sorry about that. I'll see what I can do about increasing security."

"Or maybe it's someone inside the Supernatural Retrieval Agency." The words are out before I can think twice about the sense of them. I owe Fielding more than that. She's been helping me, and I know it's not out of the goodness of her heart. She wants to bring down the Shadow Association for her own reasons, even if I'm not sure what they are.

"I'll look into it," she promises. "And we'll work out a better way to protect you."

Surprise flits through me. "Thank you."

"The judge agreed to sign the order for extracting the under eighteens from the care of the Association. It only extends to the house here in Scarborough, but from our research and estimates, it should get about twenty children out of their control."

"Twenty?" My surprise is so strong that I don't even bother hiding it. "I never realised there were that many." I crossed paths with a few of them in the hallways of the house, but never that many.

"It's just an estimate. We could be completely wrong."

"What's it based on?" I know I shouldn't be asking these kinds of probing questions, but there's a part of me that just wants to know. I want to understand the Association that ruled the first part of my life with an iron fist.

"From the information you've provided, we were able to use your records, as well as those of Reed Smithers, and one other minor who she referred to us. From there, we were able to look for similarities between your files, and those of others."

I frown. "I'm not sure I understand."

"I'm sorry, I don't know much more myself or I'd explain it better. From what the team searching told me, I think it's to do with how they categorised you as on the forms. Most supernaturals don't use unlisted when filling out forms. Especially when it comes to schools and other places where the wellbeing of the child is impacted by knowing what they are."

I nod. That makes some sense. If a child suddenly starts talking to someone in the toilets, knowing if they're a reaper or not makes the difference between identifying a ghost who needs help and an invisible friend.

"And there are only twenty files with unlisted status?" I ask.

"No. There are more. But some of them are outside our jurisdiction."

A small wave of horror floods through me. "There are more houses like this one?"

She nods. "Didn't you know that?"

My eyebrows knit together. "I did, but I guess it's still a shock to learn that they have children the same way. How many do you think there are?"

Fielding flashes me a weak smile, probably sensing how little I'm going to like her answer. "No one knows. Probably hundreds."

I slump back in my chair. "Hundreds," I echo.

"What we're doing is just a drop in the bucket."

"Not for those twenty children," I whisper.

She raises an eyebrow.

"You're changing their entire world. Taking them from a home where no one shows even the slightest hint of love, and definitely doesn't tell them the truth about anything, and you're putting them somewhere they'll be treasured and respected."

"Hopefully. We haven't even managed to get them out of the Shadow Association's house yet."

Oh. Right. Somehow I forgot that part. "But you will, right?"

"We'll try."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" The question slips out before I can think about whether or not it's a good thing to ask.

"Nothing. We won't place you in danger."

"I'm already in danger," I point out. "They can get to me, that's been proved several times. The only way I'm going to be safe is if I do something to help stop them."

"Thank you, it's sweet of you to offer, but we can't let you say yes."

I try not to let my disappointment show on my face.

"You're already helping," she reminds me. "We've learned more from you than we have in five years of investigations. It's helped move us one step closer to shutting down to the Scarborough Shadow Association house."

"But not the others."

"Yes and no."

I wait for her to continue, feeling like there's more to it than she's saying.

"The chances are that by doing this and taking the children away from the Scarborough house, we'll put the Shadow Association on high alert. We're not sure how linked they are and if there's a central structure. If there is, then there's a good chance that we'll end up getting nowhere for the next few years."

"Years?" I echo, my voice cracking ever so slightly. "Will it really take that long?"

Fielding smiles sadly, genuine regret lingering in her eyes. "These kinds of investigations take a long time."

Tears threaten at the corners of my eyes, but I manage to blink them back. A naive part of me thought this would be over by now, especially when they have proof I was kidnapped by the Association.

Except they have no witnesses other than me and a ghost who has been reaped. Not that Erica could have given a testimony anyway. Ghosts aren't allowed in courtrooms. Unless they're haunting them. I guess that would be okay.

"I'm sorry, Syxe, I know it's not what you want to hear," Fielding says.

I clear my throat. "It's fine. Just not what I expected."

"It'll happen eventually," she promises. "I can't tell you when, only that it'll take a while. But one day, the Shadow Association will cease to exist."

I nod, not wanting to point out that it's existed for hundreds of years without anyone being able to bring it down. Then again, it probably wasn't always so corrupt. From what I've heard, in the beginning, it was just about giving supernaturals who didn't want to be out in the world a safe place to live. I wonder where it went wrong.

"Is there anything else?" I ask. "I have a class to get to." I don't, but I want to get out of here more than I want to stay.

Fielding shakes her head. "I'm sorry, there's nothing else I can say for now. But I'll let you know when that changes."

I flash her a weak smile. "Thank you, I appreciate you telling me what you can." I get to my feet and prepare to leave.

I half expect her to call me back and tell me something else, but she doesn't. I'm not sure why I ever thought she would. As far as I know, she's told me everything she knows already.

If I was a different person, I'd do something reckless. But I'm not. I want the threat of the Shadow Association to stop, I don't want to put myself in more danger.

I just hope I won't have to.