James and the other members for the court of owls studied the memory of Barney stealing the book. Nick frowned sitting forward on his throne. He fingers were folded together. "Stop the memory."
"Dago's Eye freeze memory." James said at his command the image froze.
Nick was quiet as he stared at the image of the memory frowning. "Okay. Axe. Max. Oh James. This is Max Walters. What are your thoughts. You've had the most contact with this person over the recent months. Why do you think wanted that book?"
Max, was a short man but had honey brown eyes and black hair got to his feet while Axe sat glaring at the image of Barney.
Max came to stand in front of the image. "Angus. You said Barney was a shit starter in your school days."
Angus nodded from his seat. "Yes. Always starting shit and he almost got me killed in a duel with other asshole on the list. How does he come off to you now?"
Max shrugged. "Jokester. He runs a shop in Dagon alley next to the Wesley's joke shop. I used him as a connect with the shadow kingdom to gain information didn't know he was into his neck into the shit. I'm still doubting though that he could be a leader in the thing." He said and looked at James. "He had a lot of words about you." Max said.
James nodded. "Tell me. When did you first meet me? Did you make the introduction or was it him." He asked and then brought up a whiteboard and wrote down the name Barney with his wand onto the whiteboard.
He turned to see Max smiling at him. "Okay. It was five years ago. You were in school at the time. I met him by chance because you were with Mara and Dago on a shopping spree. I sort of bumped into him. We talked it up and we decided to get a drink at a tavern." He said.
James nodded and wrote down a date. "Were you following me or were you there on a job?" He asked.
"A little bit of both. I was one of your watchers at the time. Your father employed us to watch out for you occasionally when he was overall busy and he of course returned the favor to us as well. Someone took over for my watch when Barney and I went to the tavern. I didn't think about it until now." Max said with a rye smile. "I was tricked." He said.
James nodded and looked at Axe. "Did you him meet him that day or was it some time afterword. Wait. Did Max introduced you to Barney?" He asked.
Axe still glaring at the image of Barney shook his head. "No. I met him one time when I was watching your mother when she was hunting an enemy of your family." He said.
James froze in his writing but then recorded it. "Did you bump into him in Diagon Alley like Max?" He said.
Axe shook his head. "Oh no. I bumped into him in New York City. He was on a holiday and business trip with his young pretty assistant. We talked it up a bit. We kept contacts and he stung me along and then told me about his contacts in the shadow kingdom." He said. Axe shook his head.
James paused in his writing. "What did this young pretty assistant look like?" He said.
Axe frowned. "Why do you ask about her?" He said.
The others looked at James but he shrugged. "Just taking down notes. Have you met his assistant again? Did you get her name?" He said.
Axe stared at her. "I only got her first name. She never told her last name. Honestly James. I can't remember her face to clearly. It was a long time ago." He said frowning.
James nodded. "You only met her once though huh? Can you remember her face? Try to remember any detail you can think of. What was the color of hair? Can you remember anything?" He asked.
"No I can't!" Axe said.
Nick straightened up. "Axe! Draw her face on the board. Don't think about what your doing just draw her face and name." He said.
Axe got up taking out his wand. James stepped aside as Axe wrote a name on the board and then began to draw a drawing of the young woman on the board. When the image was done they all looked at it.
The drawing was a picture of a young twenty-something red head woman with blue dark aqua green eyes dressed in a slim dark blue dress with a smile.
James shook his head. "You are a true artist Axe." He said.
Axe shook his head glaring at the image. "Anastasia. Who are you? Why did it take me this long to remember you?" He said.
Nick rocked in the seat of his throne back and forth. "James what is the most possible conclusion you can gather about who this woman is?" He asked.
James stared at her. "She's the fifth member of the group of dark lords. A possible back sight or strategist planner. There's also another conclusion that might be risky say. Axe did you get any feeling that Barney and Anastasia were romantically involved?" He asked.
Axe shook his head. "No. None. She was quiet, friendly sort of homely girl though she was nice to me. I didn't get any vibe of romance or anything even friendly between them. It was all business. She was a nice girl though." He said.
James smiled. "I bet she was a very nice girl. Has anyone else here seen this woman before? Wait!" He said and paused to look at Max who was staring at the image of the woman in confusion. "You've had some years of experience with Barney did you ever meet his business assistant before?" He said but paused as Max shook his head.
"What's wrong? What are you feeling right now?" James asked.
"I don't know. I knew Barney had an assistant. I've even met her occasionally when I went to his shop but I've never seen this woman in my life." He said.
James smiled looking at the image. 'Interesting. What does his assistant look like." He asked turning to Max. He looked at him staring at him and taking hold of his shoulders. The others quickly got up and moved closer.
Max frowned. "What is it?" He said.
"James what do you see?" Nick asked.
James shook his head. "Max. You said you met his assistant a few times. Yes?" He said.
Max nodded. "Yes. I have." He said.
"What does this assistant of Barney's look like? Describe her to us." He asked turning Max away from the board.
Max shook his head. "I can't!" He said.
"Can you draw her!" James asked.
"No!" Max said in a neutral voice.
"Do you remember the picture Axe just drew?"
"No!" Max said.
The others crowded in closer. Max stared blankly and then he gritted his teeth. "Damn it. Damn bitch got me." He said.
Nick nodded. "I can see it. I don't know how the hell they managed it but I see it. Can you clear his vision?" He said.
James grimaced staring at him. "No. I'm not that far along in power like you are. You'll have to do it. I don't think you've encountered her full on she wouldn't have risked it with you or my dad I think." He said.
Nick snorted. "Don't start doubting yourself now. Your a powerful young wizard." He said.
James shook his head. "No. Somethings not right. Nick. Do you remember the picture Axe just drew? Don't look at it. I need you to remember what it is? Can you do it." He asked.
Nick frowned. "Yes. Can you? James, what the hell is wrong." He asked.
James frowned. "The picture is of a pretty blond with fat cheeks dressed in a pink dress. Is that correct?" He asked.
"Shit. Sit him down. Everyone sit down. Right now. We have sort this shit out now." Nick said quickly taking Axe aside.
Angus brushed the others aside and sat him down. Angus smiled but he looked angry. "Relax. Relax. Son. I got you." He said.
James stared at nothing as understanding came to him finally. "That's why we can't find him. That's why he always seems out of our reach. We can't see him. He's blinded our damned eyes. No. She blinded our eyes. Wow." He said.
"Calm down son. Calm down. You did it. You solved the mystery. You did it. Now we have a face to go on." Angus said.
James shook his head. "How the hell are we going to fight someone this powerful. She's a pure genius. We have no idea who this woman is or what level of damage she's done to our minds. Shit. Ah man. This is going to hurt." He said.
"Relax. We'll figure it out. We always do. You gave us a start and the face behind the mystery. Just relax take a breath and look into the light." He said before lifting up a wand and shining a light in front of his eyes.
"Ah! Shit!" James cried out and tried to block out the light with his hands but the other owls grabbed his wrist holding him back as Angus held James chin and forced him to staring into the light as he screamed.
Angus and the other gritted their teeth as James continued to scream as the white light shined in his face. "Damn it. Hold on James." Angus said.
"Keep going." Nick encouraged. "You have to keep going until the light doesn't hurt him. He's got it bad." Nick said gentle.
Angus gritted his teeth as James screams only increased but kept holding onto James' chin until after several minutes his screams started to die down until James went silent and then held up his hand.
"I'm good dad." He said calmly in a weak voice.
Angus held the light toward his face for a few seconds longer then returned James wand back to him.
James' eyes were red and his cheeks wet. He wiped a hand down his face and groaned. "Damn bitch." He said.
Angus waved up to own face. "Put the light to my eyes son. Come on!" He said.
James lifted his hand shining the light into Angus's face for a few minutes. Angus didn't move or scream. He just held his stance until James arm fell down to his lap. Angus blinked and nodded.
"Is your shield for Mara and Dago still up?" Angus asked quietly.
James nodded his head tiredly but waved his hand. "Go check on them. I'm fine. I just need a minute." He said as tears came down from his eyes.
Angus gritted his teeth and nodded and disappeared. James sat half up in his seat. He glared at the floor while the others quietly left him be and worked the light on the others faces.
There were only a few grunts of pains but most of the others remained seated. James breathed heavy. Nick came over to bend down on his knees face him.
"Can you remember the girl's face?" Nick asked him quietly.
James nodded his head tiredly. "She looks about in her twenties, a red head like my mother slim dressed in a blue dress with dark aqua blue eyes. She's pretty but my mother is better looking. What do you think? Vampire or something else?" He asked.
Nick rubbed a hand through his hair roughly and sighed shaking his head. "Don't know all I know is it's got to be her." He said.
Angus came back looked stressed. "Son. Do you want Mara or Dago up here? To look at you?" He said.
James shook his head. "No. The only people allowed in this place or section of Camelot are the members in the court of owls. No one else is allowed here from now on." He said and coughed on the side of his throne. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked at Angus. "Tell Mara. I'll be down. Dago already knows I'm messed up right now. Tell him to keep working right now." He said rubbing a shaky hand through his hair.
Angus nodded his head. "Alright." He said and disappeared again.
Nick stared at him. "I could use a drink right now. What about you?" He said.
James nodded his head shakily. "Wave your hand and think of the drink. I'm out of energy right now. I'm tapped out." He said and demonstrated to Nick.
Nick frowned waved his hand a glasses of butter beer appear in his hand. He held the glass mug up to James lips and helped him drink it down.
James pulled back when he was done and sat back in his chair. "Damn bitch." He said again in frustration.
"I second that." Max said in gruff voice. His eyes were red as well but he wasn't crying. He waved his hand and a bottle of butter beer appeared in his hand. He opened the bottle with a twist and drank it down. "Damn bitch!" He said.
James looked at Nick. "How long until I can require?" He asked Nick.
Nick sighed shaking his head. "You need to sleep it off for while. I don't know how long she exposed you to that enchantment on your eyes and mind. When you get down to your house go to bed. Don't do any work or spells nothing. Don't think. Just sleep. When you wake up the researchers will be here on the job but your people will be safe by that time we should have got a plan going. Sleep!" He said and waved a hand in front of James face.
James closed his eyes slept a dreamless sleep.