Long Island, New York. Piccorey Villa.
The study door flew open. Anxiety was written all over Carmen Piccocori's face, and the newspaper in his hand was crumpled from his grip.
"Mother, something terrible has happened!" Carmen hurried to Seraphina's desk and slapped the paper down. "Speaker Johnson suddenly... exploded during a congressional session this morning!"
"Exploded?" Seraphina frowned. She set down her Quill and picked up the paper. The enormous headline leaped out at her: Horror in Congress! Speaker Explodes Mid-Speech, Dies at the Scene!
In the newspaper photograph, Speaker Johnson was curled up at the podium, clutching his head in agony. The congressmen around him panicked. Those who tried to approach were hurled back by an invisible force. A moment later, Johnson's head burst like a bomb. Blood and brain matter splattered across the podium, while the congressmen nearby were blasted into a gruesome mess.
Seraphina took a deep breath, fighting to contain her shock. Her voice remained steady. "What do the Aurors say? Have they found the cause?"
"Congress says it was a Magical Outburst." Carmen's voice trembled slightly. "But Mother, Speaker Johnson was even older than you, wasn't he? How could an outburst of his own magic kill him?"
"Who can say for certain when it comes to magic?" Seraphina tossed the paper back onto the desk and tapped her fingers against its surface. "They still haven't figured out what caused the worldwide Magical Outburst over a year ago, have they?"
"But... why was he the only one this time? And why did it happen during a congressional session?" Seraphina looked up, her gaze sharp. "Carmen, where is Jerry Green? Has he left the United States?"
"He left yesterday on a cruise ship. He should be in international waters by now," Carmen replied. "Mother, does this have