Harley Merlin 8: Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos

by Forrest, Bella

  I can think of a few other benefits. I stifled a smirk, nodding sympathetically. “It must be hard for him. I couldn’t imagine it, having to deal with two personalities, never knowing which one will take control. He must be exhausted.”

  “Yeah, he’s having a rough time, but hopefully they’ll have come to some arrangement by the time he gets out of his cell,” she replied.

  “I’m sure they’ll come to realize there are bigger conflicts to contend with,” I assured her. “And it shouldn’t be long before Leonidas is fully healed, which will likely ease the rift between them. I know how troubled Raffe was by what his djinn did. Perhaps Leonidas awakening will prove to be their olive branch.”

  “I hope so.” Santana sighed.

  The worst thing about being surrounded by these ingrates was seeing the colossal waste of potential. Even just in this room, we had the daughter of the famed Catemaco family, who would’ve been set to take over the legacy of that coven, if I didn’t plan to ascend and eradicate all of those dynasties. They were too dangerous to allow to remain as they were. The same went for Tatyana and her Kolduny clans.

  I wasn’t going to kill everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I couldn’t have powerful families sticking together. That was a recipe for rebellion. They’d be separated, naturally, with those who were obedient being allowed to live, and those who weren’t… well, I’d said it enough times. Death, death, and more death, executed in a thousand creative ways.

  “Sorry we don’t have better news,” Tatyana said, so wonderfully shamefaced. It was pure poetry. “I wish we could’ve had something good to tell you.”

  There she was, a fearsome Kolduny, with the clout of that ancestry behind her. She’d have made a welcome addition to my cult, but there was a stubbornness in her that made me pretty certain she would have to be put down. Such a shame. I appreciated beauty, and she was beautiful not only in her looks but in her power, too. It was going to be like slicing a big rake across a rare painting, but I didn’t mind destroying a pretty thing or two, if necessity called for it. Her death would certainly make the rest of the Kolduny listen up.

  “Hey, it’s not as if we’re doing any better,” Garrett replied.

  I often sidelined him in my mind, but Garrett had come from a good magical family, too. He’d certainly proven useful in LA, scurrying around after me like my own personal Igor, doing my bidding and asking, “How high?” whenever I said, “Jump.” Perhaps there was hope for him. I couldn’t say the same for the others.

  “Can’t you soup up Smartie?” Dylan asked. “Isn’t there some app or something you can download to let us see more?”

  Oh yeah, because it’s that easy. I struggled not to roll my eyes.

  “He’s already working overtime,” Astrid replied sadly. “He’s covering the globe right now.”

  There you go again with the “he.”

  I shuddered discreetly, turning my attention back to Dylan. He showed some promise, despite being more brawn than brain. I could certainly understand what Tatyana saw in him, especially in the eye-poppingly tight T-shirt he had on, but her parents must’ve been so disappointed. She could have had her pick of the rich, formidable oligarchs, and she’d chosen the Jock. Even Louella was a force to be reckoned with, her mind bright and her spirit strong, but she was definitely not going to see my brave new world. I needed her for a greater purpose.

  “Perhaps you could visit places where Katherine has previously been,” I suggested, flexing my power to send them on yet another wild goose chase. I never used the same place twice, and I never left evidence behind.

  “That’s not a bad idea,” Santana replied. “We haven’t been back to the docklands or anything. We might find something there that we’ve missed. I can go and get Raffe, see if he’s done fighting with Kadar, and head there now?”

  Ah, Raffe…

  He’d have made an exceptional minion, but I’d have to see how things turned out before I made a decision about him. His lineage was mighty, with all that ancient Persian goodness flowing in his veins, and I’d definitely be forcing the djinn to toe the line. So, who knew, maybe he’d survive to see what I had planned for this world.

  As for the others, the jury was still out. Some might make it, some might not. Although, I did have that promise to keep to Harley. I told her I’d make her watch as all her friends died. I told her I’d crush her under the weight of her own grief. I told her I’d destroy her by destroying them. I may have been paraphrasing, but the gist remained. And I couldn’t go back on a promise, now, could I?

  “I think that sounds like an excellent plan.” I forced enthusiasm into my voice, hiding a secret smile. There was nothing in the docklands for them to find. My cleanup team was way better than anything the SDC had to offer.

  “I’ll come with you,” Tatyana insisted.

  “Me, too.” Dylan nodded.

  Of course they were going together, the romantic little quartet. It was going to be deeply enjoyable to tear them away from one another someday soon. They’d weep and wail and put on a heartbreaking show, and I couldn’t wait. Who needed TV when you could have this kind of drama, with me pulling the strings? Dance, my little puppets, dance.

  They could all have been much greater, but they were just so limited and vain. I wanted to sigh, but that wouldn’t have been very Imogene. If they hadn’t been so caught up in family dramas and soapy romances, they might even have seen the wolf amongst them, eyeing up the tasty sheep for the end of days. Fortunately for me, they continued to allow their paltry problems to get in the way. That was the key to success—feel nothing, aim high, and never get bogged down by the silly, unimportant stuff. It’d served me well so far.

  “Should we call Harley, let her know the plan?” Astrid asked, ever the voice of logic.

  That robot was never getting her soul back, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. The whole soulless vibe meant I wouldn’t have to deal with another nauseating couple, pawing at each other. I could tell that was what Garrett wanted from her. Tough luck, bucko. With no soul, how could she love? With Davin back on the scene, I almost wished I could remove my soul for a little bit, although I was probably going to lose that at some point, anyway. Children of Chaos didn’t need souls, and they didn’t need pesky, sexy-as-hell, delicious men like Davin Doncaster, either.

  Santana shook her head. “I think she’s still busy with Finch and Wade.”

  “Oh? Perhaps I ought to pay them a visit, see how things are going. I could pass the message on, if you like,” I said, my interest piqued. They were the only folks whose mission I wasn’t clear on. I presumed they’d gone to pore over that stupid book, but maybe I was wrong.

  “It’s okay, I’ll just give them a quick call,” Tatyana cut in, a little too quickly for my tastes. Hmmm…

  “Are they studying the Grimoire?” I wasn’t about to let them hoodwink me. If they were preparing for the Hidden Things spell, I wanted to know how far along they were. I supposed I’d know soon enough, once I spoke with Davin.

  “I think so,” Garrett replied. “Harley’s been acting weird, so who knows where she is.” His words settled my creeping concerns. While the others had answered quickly, he took his time, his expression genuine. He didn’t seem to be trying to lie.

  “Can you blame her?” I replied, attempting sadness. “If it were me, I would have locked myself in my room and stayed there. To have lost so much… It breaks your heart to think of all she’s been through. And still, she continues to persevere. She’s remarkable.”

  Santana smiled. “Yeah, she is.”

  Finch could’ve been remarkable, but he’d only ended up disappointing me. He’d had all the opportunity in the world, handed to him on a silver platter, and yet he’d still become nothing but a giant failure. Yes, that silver platter had been riddled with obstacles, but that was character-building. How else was he supposed to have learned?

  It was becoming clearer that I was going to have to kill him if I had the opportunity, if only to t
ie off that loose end. Even if I forced him to join me, it would never be the same. There was too much water under the bridge, and I planned to drown him in it. Plus, that would really kick Harley where it hurt. She’d finally gotten the brother she’d always dreamed about, most likely, and I was going to take that away from her.

  But I couldn’t do it myself. He was my flesh and blood. I’d given birth to him. I’d watched him take his first breath, though he’d naturally started screaming almost immediately. I should’ve known then that he would only fail me. To be honest, I hated myself for that one weakness. My son. The only way to rid myself of that was to kill Finch, but I needed someone else to do it for me—someone who could actually get it right, unlike wormy Kenneth.

  If you want something done right, you do it yourself. The mantra circled inside my head, but it didn’t make a difference. I just couldn’t do that with Finch. I needed another way of ending him… or, maybe, I’d just strip him of all his magic when I ascended and be done with it. Exile him somewhere, where I’d never have to see his face again. Antarctica, maybe. That way, if he wanted his magic back, he’d have to surrender himself to me, forever. Otherwise, he’d just be a benign and worthless human. Or an icicle, depending on where I sent him.

  You could have been remarkable, too. It saddened me and troubled me, in equal measure. Unbeknownst to my little ray of sunshine, I’d implanted a version of the Dempsey Suppressor in him when he was a baby. There was more Chaos in him than he thought. Maybe not as much as his darling Sis, since it would’ve cracked by now if that’d been the case, but it was enough to worry me, if it was ever released. I’d always planned to help him remove it, when the time came, but he’d shown he didn’t deserve that power. It really was a shame.

  There were maybe a few days left before I ascended, depending on how fast I could get the last two rare magicals I needed. Even if Finch did find out, that didn’t leave enough time for him to do anything about it. It had taken Princess Harley long enough to break hers, and she had more Chaos in her than anyone deserved… aside from me, of course. I deserved it all, and I was going to get it, soon enough.

  “If you’re all heading out to see what you can find, I ought to make myself useful,” I said. “I’ll go to the infirmary and see how Louella is faring.” I wasn’t going to do that, of course, but I had to make it look like I was going to do something suitably mushy and Imogene-like. Dealing with waifs and strays was her hobby, and sobbing over them was her sickening MO.

  “Give her our love,” Santana replied.

  I nodded. “Of course.” Yeah, right. I was more likely to knock her out than pass on that lame message, given her determination to get Jacob out of his unconsciousness. She was a major thorn in my side, and I was readying the tweezers to rip her out. I wasn’t going to allow her to wake him up, not before I decided to let him. I had big plans for Jakey. When my new dawn rose, he was going to be my favorite pet, zipping here and there at my beck and call. Oh yes, he’d be one of the lucky ones.

  When I ascended, people would envy his position at my side. They might not like bowing and scraping, to begin with, but they’d soon see that I’d created something beyond their comprehension, something so beautiful that it would take their breath away. Their minds wouldn’t be able to envision it right now, but mine could. Mine had. In my world, there would be no war, no suffering, no hiding in the shadows. Everyone would be free to be the very thing they were born to be. The magicals who obeyed would have their Chaos returned, and they would be at liberty to do whatever they pleased, as long as they didn’t cross me. They could live in harmony and luxury, commandeering the humans who’d trodden on us for so long.

  If someone was sick, no problem—I’d have medical magicals who could heal anyone and anything. If someone wanted to travel to some far-flung, exotic land, no problem—I’d have Portal Openers on hand to take anyone anywhere, whenever they wanted. If there was a conflict, I’d nip it in the bud. If there was famine, I’d fix it. If there was a drought, I’d bring the rain. If someone wanted more power, they could have it, as long as they proved themselves.

  Once I became a Child of Chaos, all my dreams would come to fruition. I would create a world where I had all the control, where I could do anything and make anything. And they would laud me for it, cheering my name until they forgot about the way the world had once been. Once I took over, there would be no looking back.

  Twenty-One

  Harley

  With the list in my pocket, I jumped around the SDC, using the Aperi Si Ostium spell to collect what the coven already had: quicksilver, wolfsbane root, sweet clover, blue sage, ashwagandha, gotu kola, mountain juniper, Malabar nut, winter melon, Indian pennywort, pyrethrum, colocynth, cordyceps, and the seed powder from the black oil plant, whatever that was.

  I’d also managed to nick an alchemical catalyst and a Sherlock’s Eye. I’d had to call Alton to figure out what the heck I was looking for with those, but he’d told me I could get them from the alchemy lab, since there wouldn’t be anyone in there. Turns out, one was a tube of dark purple liquid, and the other was a perfect orb of smooth, solid glass, which weighed a lot more than it looked like it should’ve, given its smallish size.

  The list was huge compared to other spells I’d performed, but then, this was bigger than anything I’d done before. With only one more item on my list, I was well on my way to getting this done before I had to meet with Alton this evening. However, I would definitely need help getting this last one. I’d sent a text to the first number on the list when I’d first left Alton’s office, almost two hours ago, knowing I wouldn’t find that item anywhere in the SDC. The smuggler had just been under the heading, “Tiny.” No real name, no nothing. The other names on the list were the same, all of them nicknames to protect their true identities.

  I looked back over the message I’d sent: Alton said you could help me find some ingredients. Meet me by the manhole covers in Waterfront Park as soon as you can, with the last ingredient on the list, if you can get it. I’d taken a snapshot of the last item and attached it to the text before sending it into the ether.

  I read over their reply: I’ll look into it. I had no idea who was on the other end, but if Alton trusted them, then I had no reason not to. After all, this was black market business. Real names were dangerous commodities. Still, I was running out of time.

  I sent another text: Any news?

  A moment later, my phone pinged: Be there in fifteen. Stay put. I’ll bring a rose. A tongue-out emoji sat at the end of the message, standing out weirdly. What kind of smuggler sent an emoji? I guessed I’d find out soon enough, once I got to Waterfront Park.

  Opening another doorway in the wall of the repository, I ended up in the creepy maintenance room in the underbelly of Waterfront Park, complete with the clanging coolant pipes and six manhole covers in the grimy floor. The last time I’d come here, Wade and I were visiting Dennehy’s World of Wonders—the spiraling, upside-down shop that lay beneath one of those manhole covers. We’d needed the ingredients for a tracer spell to use on Jacob’s bracelet in order to find him. The memory made me pause, suddenly breathless. If I hadn’t done that spell, Jacob and Isadora would still have been safe. I’ve been over this. I had to do it, just like I have to do this. But that didn’t stop the sadness from edging through my veins.

  It was dark and damp, and my mind was racing with all the memories of this place. I remembered encountering Bellmore in Dennehy’s. I wondered where she was now, after her sudden departure from the SDC, due to personal problems. I wished her well, hoping for a swift resolution of whatever she was suffering through. With the whole Rita Bonnello issue, and Jacintha Parks’s death, I didn’t like having gaps in the preceptorship. The SDC was incomplete without a full deck of trustworthy people.

  Speaking of Rita, she’d stuck to her promise and was wearing the bodycam. I hadn’t seen any of the footage, but I was pretty sure that Astrid would contact me if anything fishy happened. It didn’t mean I suddenly
trusted Rita, but at least she was accounted for.

  Astrid, meanwhile, had already sent me a text to say that a group of them were heading out to investigate some of the old sites where we’d encountered Katherine before, which eased my mind slightly. That meant some of the pressure was off my shoulders, at least when it came to keeping my friends out of the way. Finch and Wade were still a problem, in the nicest way possible, but I could avoid them as long as I kept using the Aperi Si Ostium spell.

  I sat down on the floor in the driest patch I could find and went over the list of ingredients, making sure I had everything. Yep, there was only one more item, and I just hoped that “Tiny” came up with the goods, whoever they were.

  I was busy turning the Sherlock’s Eye over in my hand, trying to figure out what it actually did, when a shuffling sound on the opposite side of the room made my head snap up. A figure emerged from the gloom, head dipped, half shrouded by a black hoodie. She was definitely female. My eyes were drawn to her exposed midriff, due to the simple fact that I didn’t expect smugglers to go around wearing cropped hoodies. Above the waistline of her jeans, I noticed a tattoo that I’d seen before—a pawprint, etched into her skin.

  “Kenzie?” I gaped at her. I’d have recognized the Morph anywhere, even without seeing the glint of her bazillion piercings.

  She tugged back her hood to reveal her hazel eyes, impish face, and wry smirk. “Surprise!”

  “What are you doing here? Are you… Are you here to meet me?”

  “You asked, I brought. Looks like you found out about my side hustle.” She crossed the room, her heavy boots clomping on the floor. The last time we’d met, her mocha-brown hair had been shoved up in a bun, with an undercut over her ear. This time, she’d shaved most of it off, leaving a curly mohawk down the center that flopped over her left eye, adding to her Mad Max vibes.