Messing Up Magic

by Winnie Winkle

  They are leaving

  Escape

  Fight now

  Theo’s container exploded into chunks. Balancing on his tail, he kicked out the glass wall in front of him with his powerful hind legs. An alien, raising a new containment chamber, shrieked as the box melted from the stream of dragon fire. Another alien picked up a chamber and dropped it as Theo turned it cherry red. Twisting, Theo swung his tail, sending the nearest aliens flying, while others dove for cover.

  Zayn’s smoke shifted out the hatch and exploded across the desert, spread wide to avoid recapture. Theo backed down the ramp, shooting fireballs into the ship to hold the aliens in place, then lifting off and blasting fire until the ramp was red-hot.

  Haseya slid off the skin of the ship and dropped into the earth. Rising next to the two Morducks lying in the sand, she crouched, exploring them with her mind as Zayn landed beside her. He knelt, placing a firm hand upon her exposed knee.

  “They live,” she said, struggling to keep her voice neutral, but Zayn’s presence filled her heart, once leaden, with a joyfulness that felt like treason.

  “I killed no one either, Haseya,” Zayn said, voice breaking with the need for her acceptance. “I wanted to, but I chose a different way to fight because your love is greater than any vengeance.”

  “Zayn, your darkness stands between us, it covers our love. I cannot unsee it. Do you think I can’t feel it? This battle rages within you, it feeds you in ways you do not reject. Knowing this, I must refuse to love you. I cannot harbor darkness; it will change me, undo the good. Go, Zayn. They will exit their ship soon.”

  Haseya dropped to the earth, her eyes taking in the broken look on Zayn’s face. I’m killing him as surely as I killed the others. I stand at a forked road, unsure of my path.

  Theo swooped down. Zayn gripped the top of his wing, leaping onto his back. Rising fast, Theo headed for the thin clouds. We need to regroup and get ready to rumble.

  18

  The Djinn was unhinged. Theo had no clue what was on his back, but by the changes in weight, claws, and roars, he was certain that the Djinn was shifting uncontrollably. It took all of Theo’s concentration to fly steadily. Man, is he dragging those big balls across my scales? I need a raise, a shower, and a vacation. A long one.

  Looking down, Theo watched the aliens break apart into smaller groups, heading around the perimeter of Magic, preparing for a push to the center. From his vantage point, each group appeared to have some soldiers and many of the three-eyed types. Shifting around, Theo looked across the desert at the third ship, the one he’d enjoyed overheating. I sense these groups aren’t together. They sure aren’t acting like they are coordinating anything.

  Behind him, Zayn howled, and the surrounding air compressed. The earth hurtled up at Theo, who beat his wings frantically to avoid slamming into the ground.

  “Did you… dammit, Zayn! Did you try to shock wave us into the ground?”

  Wheeling south and gaining altitude in case Zayn went bonkers again, Theo headed in the direction of the original ship, the one he’d investigated four days ago when his life was a hell of a lot simpler. Coming in fast, he spiraled, laying Zayn on the ship and cartwheeling away as Zayn let loose with another wave, flattening the ship’s landing gear and leaving the ship’s body sunk into the desert.

  Theo maintained his airspace, watching Zayn laying on the top of the ship. If he hadn’t almost pancaked me five minutes ago, I’d feel sorry for him. He’s a mess.

  “Zayn? Man, you kind of lost it there. You OK?”

  Zayn sat up and rubbed his head. On the other side of the spaceship, Haseya lifted from the earth. Theo flapped slow, watching. Her eyes took in Zayn’s pain as her body crumpled.

  Theo lifted higher. I do not want to be in the middle of these two. I’ll be over here, playing lookout and staying out of rage range.

  “Go away, Haseya. You are killing me. Or, maybe I am killing myself. What I know is I am dying.”

  “I do not want to harm you, Zayn. Our connection is beyond understanding, but, it is flawed. Why must one of us experience damage for this to work? That’s not how it's supposed to be.”

  “Why should I change? Who did you fall in love with, Haseya? Me. I’m still here. In fact, finding you let a part of me I didn’t believe was in there explode and take over. I have changed. Do you think you are perfect, and I am flawed? That is pride, your pride is your undoing. You have no space for anything beyond yourself!”

  “My pride? I live a life devoted to the care of others, a selfless life!”

  “You hide behind your life! You aren’t living, you are playing God with creatures and thinking you are honorable. You know what’s honorable, Haseya? Love. Love honors the soul of another, heals the thousand cuts of this life, and makes whatever we do in this world better. You heal things. It’s what you do. But, your heart is closed, so you sit in your hut and become nothing more. Your pride is throttling your heart, Haseya. It’s choking mine, too.”

  “I made a vow! Your stubbornness and insistence I forsake my promise is your darkness calling, begging to pull me into it. You manipulated me to get what you want. It’s impossible to be light when you choose this path, Zayn.”

  “You are right, Haseya. I cannot be light. You are my light, and your turning away is my desecration.”

  They glared are each other, and the ground hummed, the air above, shaking. Theo buffeted in their wind, watching as the earth cracked across the desert.

  Furious, Haseya shifted, her smoke shooting skyward then returning like a spear, headed for Zayn, who shifted, wrapping her in his smoke, and they rolled, boiling, across the sand.

  I have zero idea who is winning or even whether this is a fight or make-up sex. Theo stayed high, following the progress of the ball of tornadic dust as it rolled and zigzagged towards town. Maybe they’ll roll across the shrink line. I could get behind the idea of a mini-Djinn.

  A small drone-like object floated across town and came to a stop in front of Topper.

  “We will exchange our prisoners for yours. You have 15 minutes to comply.”

  “Or what?” Topper said in amusement, trading side eyes with the witches. She didn’t think the drone was anything other than a message delivery system and wasn’t expecting an answer.

  “We will kill the child creature,” the drone answered. “We will kill it in front of you, and we will not be merciful.”

  The drone lifted, turning back across town.

  The witches looked at one another, anger mirrored on each face. Topper snapped her fingers; her dusty jeans and denim work shirt changed into black leather pants and a slim silver tunic covered in copper-hued runes that moved, casting constant spells for self-preservation and protection. In this shirt, she was invincible. Topper’s hair flowed blood red, ending in glowing silver tips. Black over-the-knee boots crisscrossed in chains covered her feet, and copper-chain fingerless gloves covered her hands.

  “I’m about done with this," she said, watching witch after witch change into the sexy fearsome looks they favored.

  Violet, green, blue, and liquid chocolate eyes of all ages stared back at Topper, amidst a chorus of “Indeed, darling", “Word, sister", and “Let’s hit it, girl.”

  “Hurt one of our precious children? Perish the thought," said Elthera, one of the oldest witches in town, as she stepped up to Topper. Covered head to toe in black lace, she looked like a Victorian-era badass, which wasn’t far from the truth. Topper hugged her and the two exchanged a long look.

  “How few of us would it take to open and hold open the portal?” Topper asked the group.

  The witches murmured amongst themselves.

  “Six, sister. Six strong witches could do it.”

  “Alright. Here is the suggested plan. If we cast spells over the shrink line spell, we’ll either weaken or destroy it, so blasting Jonah and the others free isn’t the preferred option. They outnumber us, with so many of our people shifted to Haseya’s hideout.”

&nb
sp; “When the aliens come for the exchange, we show them the orbs,” Topper continued. “Then we open the portal to the Coalition. We tell them that goes two ways. If they threaten to hurt Jonah, we tell them we will toss orbs into it, and that we toss the soldier aliens through first. We tell the aliens holding our Magic citizens that if Coalition forces come out, they won’t be coming for us. If they return our prisoners, we’ll close the portal.”

  “I want eight witches on the portal, in case this goes sideways. We must be a show of might. Having that thing snap shut before we’re ready won’t look good.”

  Heads nodded and eight of the older witches moved to the center.

  “We’ve cast many spells together, Topper,” Elthera said. “We’ll call the portal.”

  “Perfect. The rest of you fan out and don’t get too close to the shrink line. We don’t want it to look like there’s a trap. But, be ready when they cross it to orb the prisoner. Float the orbs to this net,” Topper waved and a floating net appeared. “It will grow if we need it to and keep us from bumping into orbs if we have to fight.”

  “Places, my darlings,” Elthera called. “We have five minutes until our unwelcome guests arrive.”

  Slodoon spoke to his cloaked scientists as they huddled on the south side of the town, “We are unseen by all. The Morducks appear to be trying for a prisoner swap. We will observe this. It’s possible we will find additional creatures here, hitherto unknown, that we will want to study. Prepare to engage, but only for targeted specimens. Those are your only orders. Do nothing else.”

  To the sound of their murmured assent, Slodoon peered through his viewer, watching the center of town and the flamboyant creatures standing there.

  19

  The alien parties reached the edge of town and advanced, moving from block to block until they circled the town. The groups paused, prepared to advance. Eight Morducks, seven who carried a prisoner apiece, followed their leader towards the center of town. Each prisoner, scared and exhausted, stared at the witches.

  One troll mouthed, “it’s a trap” before being punched in the side of his head. Trolls are tough, and the punch didn’t hurt, but the message was clear to the witches.

  Jonah couldn’t help feeling small and tired. He’d struggled, with success, to not shift while captured, but exhaustion, pain, and fright were winning. Topper’s eyes narrowed. This child is beyond brave. What a fierce little cub he is! When we get him back, I will spoil him rotten.

  Topper hoped they’d walk through the shrink line and solve all her problems, but the Morducks stopped about ten feet from it, the one holding Jonah shaking him by the scruff of his neck.

  “Where are our prisoners?” the Morduck shook Jonah again, who let go a heartbreaking little yelp.

  “Here," Topper said, eyes narrowing as she pointed to the orbs holding the three-eyed aliens.

  “Fool. Where are our prisoners?”

  Haseya was right, they don’t care about the three-eyed ones. Looking uninterested, Topper picked up one of the sixteen orbs that held the Morducks.

  “What have you done? Restore and pass them to us now!”

  Topper slid a side eye to Elthera, and the older witches called the portal. A blue circle of light glowed brightly, increasing until it reached ten feet in diameter. The center of the portal swirled in silver and white streaks, rolling into infinity.

  Topper tossed the Morduck orb back on the pile and stepped forward, the silver tips of her hair glowing. “This is a portal to the Coalition. Release our prisoners and leave this area. If you don’t, we will toss your prisoners into the portal and turn them over to the Coalition. Your presence here breaks Coalition law. You will leave our people and retreat from our planet, or we rain that law back on your heads.”

  “We are far from the Coalition boundaries, fool. We can kill or enslave all of you before the Coalition can send you any help.”

  Topper, with an arched brow, inspected her fingerless gloves, unimpressed.

  “Did I forget to mention this is a two-way portal? If I toss these prisoners over, I imagine Star Rangers will head through to figure out why.”

  Topper watched the leader pause, raise his weapon and fire at her. The stream of water landed in the dust. The Morduck closest to him lifted a containment chamber and pressed the button. Topper smiled, but her eyes flashed red.

  Lifting a three-eyed orb, she tossed it into the portal.

  The Morducks watched, glowering. Topper noticed the one that held Jonah shifted his feet. Was he nervous?

  Topper selected an orb containing a Morduck. Her eyes drilled into the Morduck leader’s as her arm swung back to toss the orb into the portal.

  “Release all but the child,” the Morduck leader ordered. “Bring the child-creature here.”

  Topper watched them drop the trolls and dwarfs on the sand, who moved away from any Morducks, but stood fast. They aren’t leaving Jonah. Good.

  “You forgot one of my people," Topper said, raising a second Morduck orb and floating it over next to her. Behind her, the portal glowed, ready.

  The boiling dust ball stopped, breaking in two, then back to Zayn and Haseya, appearing as a healer and not the black witch.

  “I am sorry I attacked you, Zayn. Forgive me.”

  “Dammit, Haseya, we are both flawed, both trying, and destined to love one another! If I can release thousands of years of Djinn why can’t you release a few hundred years of Navajo?”

  “Because if I forsake my vow, I am nothing.”

  “What? No! You are everything! You heal, you teach and you love. You aren’t Navajo, you are more. Stop cramming yourself into a box not meant for your spirit. Please Haseya, I am begging you to hear me.”

  “I hear you, Zayn. But this darkness is within me, calling, waiting. I love you. But you need to forget me, Zayn. It’s the only way.”

  Zayn reached and pulled her to him, kissing her with more than his lips, letting every vulnerability surface, letting his soul cry into her skin, his heart beating towards hers in the single rhythm of love.

  Haseya melted into his kiss, meeting his message with her electric connection. Zayn saw the tracings of gold zigzag across her cheekbones, neck, shoulders, and then down her arms. He felt the tiny electric pops on the tips of her fingers as she touched his face.

  “I will dream of us, knowing it cannot be,” she whispered, her soft breath curling into his ear and lighting him from within.

  She turned black and slid into the earth.

  Haseya rose into the noise and dust of the raging battle. Turning, she took in the scene of several Morducks chased by six beat-up looking trolls and dwarfs, a huge blue circle of light, and the witches watching it from the town center. The shouting sounded like the war cries of old. Her eyes landed on the Morduck holding Jonah. Sensing Jonah’s injuries, she flew to the cub and grabbed him. The shocked Morduck held on.

  “Release him,” she intoned.

  In the struggle, Haseya gripped the Morduck briefly. It was enough. He sank to the ground, shrieking in agony, as she pulled Jonah away. Holding the cub tight, she shifted; they vanished from the mayhem. The Morduck leader, moving fast to pull Haseya into a containment chamber, erupted in frustration. His roar of anger rolled across the battlefield as apples tumbled to the ground from the opened chamber.

  “That. THAT! Did you scan that? What was it? How could it do that?” Slodoon hissed in excitement.

  “I scanned it, High Scientist. It is different, but the solid and smoke readings it registers lie within the parameters we seek.”

  “If it returns, do whatever it takes, kill whatever you have to, to secure it.”

  “Understood, High Scientist.”

  Falling back, Morducks shot useless weapons, and the troll and dwarf prisoners charged at their unarmed captors. Bellowing, they ran after several of the Morducks, turning them toward the portal. As they crossed the shrink line, witches caught them in orbs and stowed them, but the trolls and dwarfs, understanding the spell in place,
turned away. Bellowing in fury, they chased another small group of Morducks towards the shrink line.

  In the chaos, Slodoon moved his men closer to the center of town, stopping only when he saw the apples and the failed weapons. Using a skill, they’ve disarmed the Morducks. Hiding behind the bank, he had his scientists test their chambers and weapons, verifying they were still functional. With a scanner, Slodoon tried to read the revolving blue circle in the town square. I don’t understand this reading. What are they doing? I must get these specimens. Signaling silence, Slodoon gestured his men to hunker behind the bank and wait, watching.

  “Zayn? Zayn! Snap out of it!”

  The Djinn looked at Theo, blank-faced.

  “Remember what you did to make the alien’s cloaks visible?”

  Zayn nodded, not trusting his voice.

  “Think you can do that again?”

  Zayn nodded, clearing his throat. “Yeah, Theo. I can do that.”

  “Let’s do this, my friend. Mount up.”

  They came in from the west; the sun shone behind them, blinding any who looked their way. Theo watched the battle and the terrain carefully, noting the odd rippled effect which he guessed were the cloaked aliens he’d warmed up an hour ago. He dipped sharply and landed about a half-mile from the bank, on the little grocery’s roof.

  “You with me? Clear head?”

  “Yeah,” Zayn replied, his voice as heavy as his heart. “I’m here.”