Irregular Magic

by T J Kelly

  “I see what you mean. So there was probably somebody walking through, stopping the spells from triggering, but it didn’t break the spells. And when he got far enough away, the others were no longer protected and set them off.”

  I put a hand to my temple. My head was spinning, doubtless because I sat up too fast. “Exactly,” I said. I shifted forward and squeezed my eyes shut. Peter must have moved silently because I was surprised when when he slid his hands around my arms, bracing me. I leaned against him. He cradled me against his chest until the spinning stopped. “Wow, that was fun.”

  I scooted down again until I was on the ground. It gave me a sense of solidity, took away the weakness.

  “Are you sure you’re okay to keep going?” Peter asked. I could hear the concern in his voice. I was reminded again of our time in the infirmary. He had sounded like that when he first saw me with all my injuries.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I think the congestion is throwing off my balance. So as long as I’m lying flat, we’re good.”

  Peter laughed. He waited quietly as I regained my equilibrium. I soaked in more of the elements, trying to use the excess to somehow heal myself. It must have worked because I felt better.

  “Have you had enough?” he asked. “If there was such a thing as element gluttony, I think I’d have to accuse you of such.”

  The corner of my mouth quirked up, the way it usually did around him. “Maybe,” I said casually. I felt full inside. It made me sleepy and wired at the same time. I tilted onto my back and raised my arms above my head and stretched. My shirt tugged up, exposing my belly button. “You tell me.” I guided Peter’s hand to my stomach. As warm as my skin was, his hand was warmer.

  “You feel like you’ve had enough sunlight,” he said. “The other elements are replenished, too. You ready to leave?”

  I groaned at the sound of his voice. It was brisk, like he had decided it was time to get down to business. And honestly, it really was. I heaved a deep sigh. “Okay, okay. Let’s get Seth and Harris. Time’s wasting.”

  Peter stood up and then held out his hand. I took it and cautiously climbed to my feet so I wouldn’t get lightheaded again. Peter let go and picked up my water bottle, which had gone warm, and extinguished the fire. Fire safety was important to Peter since his parents had died in a fire of their own making while fighting my uncle. Makennas were traditionally big Fire users, but his element turned towards Light instead, which was adjacent to Fire and what most magicians considered the element of good. The only family that had ever used Light for evil works was the Taines, and that was a secret only they knew. And me.

  Thanks, Chas. I suspected he regretted telling me once he turned his back on me and ran into Clarissa’s arms. The only person outside the Taine clan to know their weakness wasn’t the love of his life. I bet that felt weird. And maybe a little scary.

  I followed Peter to the car. Harris was leaning against the trunk, looking bored. Seth was chatting up some mundane girl with what my mother always called “large assets.” I rolled my eyes so hard I wondered if he heard them ricochet against my skull because he glanced over at me sheepishly and then wrapped up the conversation. Apparently, it was a signature move of his to rest his hand briefly on a girl’s arm, because that’s what he did. She gave one of those light, lilting laughs that were so fake but guys seemed to fall for every time.

  Instead of turning towards the car, Seth headed my way.

  “You look a little better. Less death-like and more wax statue,” he said.

  “Wow,” I said, but then cracked up. “Thanks. At least that’s progress.”

  “Too right. Come on, I’ll walk with you.” Seth held his arm out with his elbow crooked, and I linked my arm with his. His Light wasn’t as strong as Peter's was, not really an element he used at all, but the connection still warmed me inside. I loved having friends and colleagues I could trust and show my affection for without restraint. My parents were so distant and formal I never got enough hugs. I had to make up for it somehow.

  It also helped me walk faster than I would have on my own although Seth slowed his pace for me. I really was dragging.

  He escorted me to the car. Peter was already inside and had put the pillow and blanket back on the seat for me. Ah, bliss.

  “Lia and I had an idea about the attack on the castle,” Peter said once the Andersson brothers were inside and we drove off. Peter explained our earlier conversation. He rested his hand on my head, making me feel safe and warm. It was pleasant enough that I dozed off again.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Craters of the Moon

  I was still tired when I woke. I couldn’t shake the feeling I had seen my mother again, but didn’t remember anything about the dream.

  “Hey there, sleepy-head,” Peter said. He was sketching in his notepad but set it aside when I sat up.

  “Where are we?” I asked. The braids in my hair probably looked like shucked corn-cobs - all wispy and messy. I loosened them and quickly ran my fingers through my hair, trying to coax it into waves instead of doing its own thing. The second I was done, I twisted it all together and looped it into a bun. Good thing the messy hair bun was in style. Or so I told myself.

  “Arco. We’re back in Idaho.” He smiled as he watched me fiddle with my hair. Peter was lucky he kept his hair so short, otherwise that slight wave that always made the longer bits stick out on the ends would be a nightmare.

  “That’s only a few hours down the way,” I said. No wonder I was still tired. I hadn’t gotten all that much sleep after all.

  “Yeah, but Ged said he can hold out a few days, and we need to stock up on mechanicals since our direct magic won't work when we get there.”

  That made sense. “But why Arco? We could have gotten a few more miles down the road before stopping again.”

  “Ah, looks like somebody doesn’t remember her foundation classes,” Peter teased.

  I stared at him blankly. Foundation classes were the first classes on magic offered in school. They told us the what, where, and why of how things worked. Even Alchemists took those classes.

  Why would I need to remember Arco? We never studied that town. In fact, the only geography we studied were national parks, monuments, and landmarks, since magicians in government moved to keep our most critical magical places safe from human progress.

  Oh. “Craters of the Moon,” I said. There was a national monument and preserve close to Arco.

  “Bingo. And you aren’t even fully awake. Good job.” Peter grinned at my sour look. “We’re going to swing by Craters of the Moon and work up some mechanicals there. Nobody can distinguish our trace where so many other magic spells have been created.”

  “Clever,” I admitted begrudgingly. Peter only laughed at my bad mood and handed me a bottle of apple juice.

  I took it, still scowling, but I was secretly pleased. How thoughtful.

  “We’re picking up a few supplies before heading out there,” Peter said, explaining why we were in a parking lot. “Seth bought the juice, by the way. They left me behind to act as lookout while you played Sleeping Beauty.”

  I snorted. Sure. I had been sleeping in the car for hours. My hair was a disaster, and I could tell from my reflection in the window that the seat had left marks on my face from where my cheek had been pressed into the grooves in the upholstery. Hardly a beauty.

  My eye caught a movement outside. Harris and Seth were back. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and wondered if I should take another dose of the cold medicine. I was feeling better and decided against it.

  “You guys ready?” Seth asked as he slid into the passenger seat. Apparently, it was Harris’s turn to drive. He glanced my way and bit back a smile.

  Great.

  “We’re good,” Peter said after I nodded.

  Harris was, fortunately, a more conscientious driver than Seth, and my head didn’t bang against the seat when he took off.

  “I need more crystal blanks,” I said. “I used the last of m
y light-crystals keeping us warm under water.” I shivered. It had been a long, cold walk while I was the only one awake. It surprised me I didn’t have nightmares about it, but then realized all of my efforts to contact Armageddon, and likely my mother playing guardian, kept me from reliving those events in my sleep.

  “No problem. There’s always a friendly stationed at national parks and preserves. They’ll have plenty of blanks on hand.”

  I sighed. I learned that in school, too. I hated how slow and stupid being sick made me feel.

  “Want something to eat?” Seth called back. “We bought one of those soup cup things.”

  “Sure,” I said. I wasn’t particularly hungry. I never was when I was ill, but I needed to keep up my strength. We had already delayed rescuing my uncle in the name of becoming stronger and more prepared, and my illness had wiped out all the benefits from that.

  “I knew you were sick, but now I think you must be dying,” Peter said as he took the soup from Seth.

  I looked down at it and wrinkled my nose. Beef stew with carrots. I hated cooked carrots.

  “It’s fine,” I murmured. “With no sense of smell, I can’t taste a thing, anyway.” I still picked out the carrots, though. Peter held out an empty grocery sack for me without comment, and I tossed them inside.

  The drive to Craters of the Moon went smoothly. I wasn’t expected to keep an eye out like the others, which was good, because I dozed off again. Peter touched my arm gently to wake me when we arrived.

  This time I had slept with my cheek against the window in hopes it would help all the lines left on my skin from the seat fade. I was about to meet the minor magician who was stationed at the preserve and was getting sick of being embarrassed because I looked like a wreck.

  The need for a quick stretch overwhelmed me as I stepped out of the car. I glanced around as I shook out my arms. The land around was stark but beautiful. The rock formations seemed like they went on forever.

  “Hello, there,” a stranger called as he walked towards us. “I’m Luč Nguyen. Welcome to Craters of the Moon.”

  I studied him, memorizing his features in case I ever ran into him again. He was one of the friendlies, magicians posted throughout the world who had a contract with my uncle to help the Irregulars when needed. He was of average height, with dark brown hair and eyes. He was nearly bursting out of his uniform shirt and khaki shorts, muscles well-defined probably because he had to hike everywhere.

  When I shook his hand, I could tell he was eighty-five percent light inside and tapped into Earth element magic, which meant he must love his job at the vast park.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said. Out of nowhere, the reason Luč had introduced himself by his real name instead of his magician name made my stomach roil violently. Lower-class magicians were considered crass and over-reaching to use their magician name as if they were at the same level as magicians such as myself and my family. How awful the elite must seem to the rest of the world. No wonder we had so many enemies.

  “I’m Lia,” I said. I couldn’t handle the thought of introducing myself by my magician name. I wasn't more important than Luč was. I didn’t mind following the rules of society when I was smack dab in the middle of it, but it was obscene to pull rank in a place where the man knew more than I did about the area in his charge. Running the park was a huge responsibility, and if things were fair, he would have as much respect as the mayor of San Francisco.

  Luč’s eyes crinkled when he smiled. There was something about him I really liked, and despite my inner turmoil, I couldn’t help smiling back.

  “Come on, I’ll show you the map we’ve got posted and tell you where the best places are,” he said. We followed him into a small building. There was a giant map on the wall, breaking down the different areas of the park.

  Peter winked at me. I could sense approval behind his eyes although I wasn’t sure what I had done. But as long as I was finally doing something right, I would take it.

  We studied the map while Luč explained the various formations and discussed the diverse types of earth and minerals in the preserve. We decided that we should go to the Monoliths because it had the best elements for our purposes.

  “I’ve got a load of blank crystals in the storage room,” Luč offered. I lit up when he unlocked the door, and I saw multiple cases in stacks containing the clear crystals I loved to use the most. The logo for Rector Enterprises was stamped on the sides of the boxes, and I filed that away in my memory. I would have to ask Iuvo, the floor manager, to send a cornucopia to Luč as a thank-you for helping us. It wasn’t required since he was a contractor for the Irregulars, but I bet he would love to have a light-weight, renewable food source while out on the trail. Giving him one in gratitude for his services seemed like the right thing to do.

  A fleeting thought about Kamini flashed through my mind. Should I have sent her something in repayment for her efforts? Peter crossed my line of sight as he moved deeper into the storage room. Nah. She was his friend. Let him take care of it.

  Seth and Harris grabbed a handful of crystals and dropped them into their pouches. Peter took a few and then held my backpack for me while I shoved two entire boxes inside. I never wanted to be without plenty of blanks again, not since I had gotten so sick because I didn’t have a sufficient number of crystals to stay warm underwater.

  “Are you sure you have enough?” Peter asked, eyes glittering with humor.

  “Har har,” I said. “I have no idea what we’ll need, but I want to be prepared. Besides, these were provided by Rector Enterprises. I can replace them.”

  “And they are covered in dust. They must have been pining away for some sweet magician to come along and make their existence have meaning.”

  Really? I wasn’t sure when Peter decided to talk like a romance novel, but it was ridiculous.

  The drive to the Monoliths was impressive, to say the least. Seth was driving again, and in addition to being stuffy and hollow from the cold, I was getting car sick. But I still caught glimpses of the austere beauty all around us.

  Definitely a great place to commune with Earth and Air. The surrounding rocks were rugged, broken, harsh. Two exceptionally large stones were beside a walking trail that stood apart as if they were the ruins of an ancient, massive gate leading into Rome. And they sort of were. Except they were a magical entry to a vast well of power.

  There wasn’t anyone there, so we hustled through the standing rocks and came out into a magic upwelling hidden from sight.

  I looked around, impressed by the sheer beauty surrounding us and the spell that protected magicians from the mundane hikers. We were still outside and the blue sky stretched on for miles. There was a wavering translucent wall on all sides that assured no mundane would ever know we were there. In fact, I was positive only a magician as strong as Armageddon could see where we were.

  “Wow,” Seth said eloquently.

  “Yeah,” his brother responded.

  I shared an amused smile with Peter while Harris checked out the view. Then we sat in the four stations of the compass to do the basic cleansing and preparedness spells. Peter was facing me. He was in the South, the station of Movement, leaving me in the position of North and Destiny, since the Rectors worked best where they could see their foes. It was the leader’s place, to sit in the north like that, but nobody seemed to mind.

  Seth was wild and did well when he sat in the East where magicians reached our Turning Point. Hopefully, he could envision a portent while there because we could use a head’s up. I was getting tired of being surprised all the time.

  Harris was in the Western quadrant of our spell compass, the area of Self. All our visions would filter to him. Magic left an impression, and something useful may pop up. He was more tranquil than his brother and was the obvious choice for calmer work.

  “Here, take these,” I said. I handed them five crystals each. “Keep the blanks you pocketed for later. We’ll use these so you can have backups.” The pressure be
hind my nose made my voice sound funny, but I pushed through my annoyance and focused on the task at hand.

  After a little discussion, we shifted our seats slightly to align with true north. We eventually settled on which spells we thought would be the most useful. Nets, Shift-sliders, Flash-bangs, and even some real bombs with explosive force. I had a short, heated conversation with Seth, the result of which had the two of us turning a few crystals into storage containers, like a small glass vial except with fractals and much sturdier, filled with pepper spray.

  Yeah, the kind police use. We were concerned that if there was nothing but magic inside, and our enemy somehow negated indirect magic, too, then we would be in a lot of trouble without something entirely non-magical on hand. I also dragged out one of my favorite books from my workshop library and flipped through its contents.

  “I think we should try to make some spells like Peter’s bracelet,” I suggested, kicking myself again for leaving mine behind. It wasn’t until I caught Peter studying me that I realized I said that without thinking about Chas at all, or how he had been the one who had them made for us as gifts.

  I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. But I decided it might be a good thing.

  And that was a kind of scary. I mean, who gets over the love of their life? Nobody. So if I got over Chas, then it might not have been the epic love I thought it was.

  Which was maybe a little sad.

  What if I was just a romantic idiot and didn’t know myself at all? Would I ever meet my one true love if I was so blind? The movement of Peter’s hand snapped me out of it. His eyes met mine, and I gave him a small smile. He really was as good looking as - if not more than - the Andersson brothers. Without the huge ego.

  “Hey, earth to Lia. You were saying?” The way Peter looked at me when he tried to get my attention was off. That’s when I realized I must have spaced out for a lot longer than I thought. Oops.

  “Oh, sorry. Yeah. We should make trinkets to see in the dark since we don’t know when we’ll arrive. And I like the idea Seth had of zapping the enemy. We can probably trap lightning or something inside a crystal. Maybe tune it so it won’t zap us but get anyone else.”