Chapter 10: Evil

"Having fun?" Dave asked as he looked up from his physics work to glance at Vera. The young sorceress was seated at the opposite end of the table to him, feet propped up on the tabletop and the Encantus resting open on her legs.

"It's interesting," she replied, turning another page, "But don't tell Balthazar I said that."

"Too late," Balthazar called as he jogged down the steps to the lower level of the subway turnaround.

"Ugh," Vera groaned as she went to close the thick tome, "you have the worst timing."

"Only for you," Balthazar replied, "and don't close that, flip to the latest page for me."

"What's going on?" Dave asked as Balthazar took off his coat and tossed it over the back of an unoccupied chair. The older man may have still puzzled Dave on most occasions but he'd been around long enough to know when something was troubling Balthazar.

Before Balthazar could give him an answer though, they were interrupted by Vera's quiet, "Oh..."

The Prime Merlinian and master sorcerer locked eyes and, as if they had silently agreed on it, made their way to Vera's side. The sorceress's quiet exclamation was Dave's first clue that whatever it was that Balthazar wanted to look at was something big; Vera was never the quiet sort.

Sure enough what had once been a blank page in a book that constantly updated itself was quickly filling with color and a short paragraph of elaborately penned words. It was the picture that really caught Dave's attention though; he'd recognize that cane and bowler hat anywhere.

"I guess it was too good to be true to believe we'd seen the last of Horvath," Dave said, running a hand though his hair. This could only mean trouble.

"He got himself a new hat."

Dave turned to Balthazar, a look of clear disbelief on his face. "The man who orchestrated a plot to bring back Morgana and nearly killed you and me, on numerous occasions might I add, is back and you're worried about his headwear?"

"I'm just surprised he didn't try to get his old one back. He's definitely the type." Balthazar's tone was light but there was no mistaking the look on his face as far as Dave was concerned. Behind the smart quips cogs were turning in the older sorcerers head, trying to piece together motives Dave probably couldn't even guess at.

"Who is that?" Vera asked, pointing to a second figure in the picture that stood, shrouded in shadows, at Horvath's side. Dave hadn't even noticed the other figure at first, so focused on Horvath that he hadn't taken any more than the grinning Morganian in.

"I'd heard whispers," Balthazar said, eyes fixed on the shadowy silhouette, "I'd hoped they weren't true."

"The Morganians gain a new solider for their cause. Horvath's apprentice beings his training," Vera read the short passage beneath the picture out loud.

After a long stretch of silence Dave finally asked, "He's going to try something, isn't he?"

"Not yet," Balthazar replied slowly, "at least, I don't believe he would. It takes time for an apprentice to hone their skills, Horvath won't be doing anything until he's well and truly ready."

"But you don't know for certain?"

"No, Dave, I don't."

What had been a rather jovial evening had quickly taken a nosedive into the serious end of the sorcerer business. It was dampener on everyone's mood but at least now they knew. It was far better than being unaware in any case.

"What does this mean for us?" Vera asked.

"It means we keep our eyes peeled and an ear to the ground," Balthazar said, taking the Encantus off Vera and placing it on the table. "I'll let Cam and Veronica know what's going on and then we continue with life as per usual. That said, I want you three looking out for each other."

"I thought you said he probably wouldn't try anything?" Dave pointed out.

"We don't know what Horvath has planned," Balthazar repeated, "and I'd hate to have to drop my plans just to rescue any of you."

AN: So, not as light hearted as the previous chapters but the humor should pick up again in the next update, I promise!

As always thanks to everyone who reads/reviews/favorites/puts this fic on alert. I love getting those notification emails from , they make me smile :D