Of Song and Shadow

by Phillip Drayer Duncan

  The Archmage grinned, perhaps knowing how hard it would be for me to say that.

  I butted in with a question of my own then. “What of Byron and the others from the Southern Circle?”

  “What about them?” the Archmage asked.

  “They worked in the Cabal’s territory without your blessing.”

  “Indeed,” the Archmage said. “Another item we don’t all agree on. However, given the situation and the fact it was a Blade Mage, we’ve decided to not make a fuss over it. We’ve already spoken to the Southern Circle and worked it out. We’re still tending to some of the injured, but a contingent from the Circle should be arriving shortly to pick up the rest.”

  “Thank you,” I said, nodding. “And Paeter and Mary Beth?”

  “Ah, yes,” the Archmage said, as though a thought had just struck him. “That brings me around to the next question I wished to ask you, Wyatt.”

  “Yes?”

  “It seems you left pertinent details out of your story.”

  “Did I?” I asked, trying to maintain a blank expression.

  “You failed to mention Mary Beth’s magic at any point,” he said, meeting my gaze. “Why would you not tell us?”

  “Is that really a question?” I asked, feeling a bit defensive.

  “It is,” he persisted.

  We stared at each other for several long seconds.

  Finally, he said, “If you don’t trust us, Wyatt, how are we to trust you?”

  Ignoring him, I said, “Release them, and let them go home. Then leave them alone.”

  “Excuse me?” Master Shamus Abigail Yazzie asked.

  “Did I fucking stutter?” I asked, noting the steel in my own voice. Some sensible part of my mind tried to warn me to stop, but I pressed on anyway. “Anyone who harasses them will face me and my blade.”

  The Archmage seemed about to speak, but instead, he sat back in his chair and simply watched. The others seemed to have a difference of opinion on my statement. I noted shock on a few faces and outrage on a few others. It was too late to back down now. Not that I would anyway.

  “We have no intention of harming them,” Master Yazzie said, eyeing me coldly. “There was no indication she used forbidden magics.”

  “If anything,” Master Arcanist Aliyah Davis said, “we would simply like to understand her magic. Our library has very little detail around centaur mages.”

  “Only if they welcome it,” I said through gritted teeth.

  Master Davis narrowed her eyes at me. “They have chosen our territory as their home. That means our Cabal has the right—”

  “To leave them the fuck alone,” I said, cutting her off.

  An awkward silence fell across the room and I knew I’d gone too far. This was it. This was going to be where they smacked me down. It was long overdue.

  Instead, the Archmage spoke up. “Perhaps we should all take a moment to consider the other’s point of view, and perhaps, be us a wise council, consider sharing our knowledge with one another, rather than squabble.”

  I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I held my tongue. So did everyone else.

  The Archmage pointed at me. “From Wyatt’s side of things, Paeter and Mary Beth were valiant friends. It only makes sense he would wish to protect them.” He turned his gaze on me. “But Wyatt, what you may not realize is that Mary Beth is considered royalty among her kind. In fact, she went into exile and chose our territory as a place to hide. We’ve known her and Paeter were living among us all along and have respected their privacy thus far. We’ve no intention to change that.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “However, Master Davis is trying to make the point that perhaps Mary Beth could provide knowledge we don’t have. I don’t think it’s asking too much to speak with her about it, is it?”

  “So long as if she says no, we leave her alone,” I replied.

  “Of course, Wyatt,” he said. “We are not the pantomime villains you’d build us up to be.”

  “And what about the Revenant?” I asked. “And Eva? And Nicolo? And the Valravn? What do we intend to do about them?”

  “It doesn’t seem they’re based in our area,” the Archmage replied. “But we’re doing what we can to track them down. The Southern Circle is as well, and we’ve offered to assist if they’ll let us. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do unless we find them.”

  “What about the other guilds?” I asked. “They could be anywhere by now.”

  “Agreed,” Marius said, jumping back in. “We’ve put a message out to all of them. So far, we’ve not heard back anything promising.”

  “How can beings this powerful simply hide under our noses?” I asked, glancing around the table. “They weren’t born yesterday. They’ve been around.”

  “Yes,” the Archmage said, nodding. “We share your concern.”

  “Then what are going to do?”

  There was silence around the table.

  Finally, the Archmage said, “Do you have a way to locate them?”

  “No,” I said, falling right into a trap again. “Of course not.”

  “Then what do you propose?”

  “I…I don’t know,” I admitted, letting my frustration get the better of me again. “It just seems like we should be doing something.”

  “We are,” the Archmage said. “We’re hunting them. We’ve documented all the details you and the others have provided. We’ve warned the other guilds to be on the lookout as well. Do you have any other ideas, Wyatt?”

  “No,” I said, biting my lip. “I guess not.”

  The Archmage’s voice softened. “You’re too hard on yourself, Blade Mage. Too hard on us as well, perhaps. We can’t get them all every time. Your father had the same frustrations, you know. He hated letting the monsters get away.”

  Marius Gunner grunted a chuckle, a rare smile threatening to part his scowl. “That’s an understatement.”

  “So what did he do?” I asked.

  “He learned to be patient,” the Archmage said, shrugging. “We all have had to learn that. In time, monsters and dark sorcerers tend to reveal themselves. When they do, we have to be ready.”

  I nodded slowly, nothing else to say. I didn’t like it, but he was right.

  A few more of the Masters had questions for me. A few others had feedback about actions I’d taken. After a time, it all just became a blur and I felt as though I was repeating myself over and over.

  “I think we’ve badgered Wyatt enough,” the Archmage said, finally stepping in. His gaze moved across the room, perhaps checking if any of the Masters or other three Guardians had any pertinent final thoughts. When they did not, he turned his gaze on me. “Wyatt, we appreciate your patience today. Have you any final thoughts you’d wish to share with us?”

  It seemed like an opportune time to point out that I thought they were all a bunch callous dicks. Or that I found them to be pretentious assholes. I thought better of it and refrained. See, I’m capable of growth. I settled for shaking my head.

  “Then as a final thought, there is one last piece we should discuss,” the Archmage said, his eyes on mine. “One more question that has yet to be answered.”

  “Okay?” I asked, not sure where he was going with this.

  “As before, we saved our discussion with you for last. Do you know why?”

  “Because you trust me the least?”

  Master Librarian Santiago Serrano bellowed a hearty laugh. “Not at all, Wyatt. Quite the opposite, in fact. We know you will be honest, maybe even to a fault. We know that any details you leave out will be by design, and with the intent to protect someone. Otherwise, we know you’ll give us a straight recount. You’re the Blade Mage, after all.”

  I stared at the jolly fellow, unsure what to say. In my head, I pictured them patiently listening to Axel retell all that happened. At that, I actually felt a smidgen of pity for them.

  Grand Curator Noah Begay broke in with his monotone voice. “What Master Serrano is trying
to iterate, is that no two people ever tell a tale the same. Have you ever watched competing news agencies? Particularly ones that are biased to two different political parties? They may provide the same facts, but they’ll spin them to their viewers in different ways. They’ll create different stories out of the same hard facts. By interviewing you last, you provide us the glue to piece together a sense of the truth of these events. You provide sustenance to the framework we’ve developed.”

  “Okay?” I repeated.

  “In this case, we’ve had two Blade Mages to interview,” Marius said, looking my way. “Meaning we’ve had two reliable sources to draw our conclusions from.” He paused for a moment, and I swear I saw something like amusement cross his features. “Oh, don’t look so surprised, Wyatt. As we already discussed, you tend to paint us as villains. And perhaps we don’t always judge you fairly, either. But the greater point here, is that as our Blade Mage, we don’t challenge your integrity. In fact, we appreciate and rely on it.”

  “Which brings me to my point,” the Archmage said, sighing. “Though it took all damned day to get here. Your take on these events matches Byron’s, and both of you have stated that you suspected an unseen force drove the two of you together.”

  I nodded. “It certainly seems that way.”

  “I agree,” the Archmage said. “Furthermore, when Eva found you, you said that she indicated she didn’t know how she found you. Nor did she know why it was you she was looking for. Nor how she was able to identify you.”

  “Right,” I said, nodding my agreement again.

  “If we follow the logic, we are left to believe that the Valravn was behind Eva’s memory loss, and blocking her strange powers. When her powers were returned, she forced the shadows away. So, we can safely assume the reason the Valravn took her powers in the first place was because she is a threat to him. For this reason, it seems his goal was to kill her before the Revenant could get to her and return her memory and abilities. Do we all agree, so far?”

  Everyone nodded, and for once, I was in agreement with the whole Council.

  “Furthermore, it seems he was intent on killing her altogether. How he was in position to take her memory and block her power, but not in position to kill her, is another mystery we have no viable solution for. But of more interest, when you got in the way, the Valravn tried to kill you. The Revenant and his brood seemed intent on getting you out of their way.”

  “Yeah, pretty much everyone wanted to kill me,” I said, following his logic. “So, the big question is, who the hell pointed Eva my way, then?”

  “Exactly,” the Archmage said, his eyes narrowing. “And it seems they ensured Byron picked up Eva’s trail as well, only giving him enough to follow her all the way here, and only allowing him to catch up to her once she was with you, thus ensuring the two Blade Mages would meet.”

  “Yeah,” I said, rubbing my chin. “I’d really like the answer to that as well. I was kind of hoping you guys might have an idea.”

  “Unfortunately, we do not,” he said. “But I don’t believe it was the Valravn or the Revenant. I believe another power was at work here, Wyatt Draven. Something, or someone, who has chosen not to reveal themselves.”

  “Are you trying to make me pee my pants, Archie?”

  The Archmage smiled. “I think that you’re right to be afraid, Wyatt. I think perhaps we all should be.”

  “Well, that’s…something,” I said.

  Chapter 28

  As promised, Paeter and Mary Beth were released shortly after my meeting. In fact, someone in the Cabal was even nice enough to secure a clean horse trailer to deliver them back to the chapel. They had to walk the rest of the way, on account of there being no road to their secluded home.

  As I thanked them again, and promised to visit for dinner, they informed me that the Cabal had also interviewed Claire. Not the Council, of course, but a couple of Shamuses led by Parker Grimm. I like to think the old woman forced them into a prayer circle.

  An entourage from the Southern Circle arrived at the Castle to pickup Byron and his lot. Not that it was necessary, since they had their own transport vehicles. I figured it was more of a political statement than anything.

  Fortunately, I got a chance to catch up with him just before they left. His wounds weren’t severe, but he did have one arm in a sling.

  “You did good, kid,” he said. “Your old man would be proud.”

  “Thanks, Byron,” I said, reaching out my hand. “I’d like to visit with you more about this whole Blade Mage thing.”

  “I’m sure you would,” he said, taking my hand in a firm grasp. “But a lot of it you can pick up on your own if you just try. Stop letting that thing collect rust, and it will teach you what you need to know.” Then he let go of my hand and reached into his pocket. He produced a sheet of paper with a phone number on it and handed it to me. “But here’s my number. The gal who answers will always know how to get ahold of me. Give me a shout soon.”

  “Thank you,” I repeated, taking the number. “Really. We would’ve been toast without you.”

  “Hell, I could say the same,” he said, pulling out his can of Copenhagen. I almost offered to help, but having an arm in a sling didn’t slow him down. When he had a fresh pinch in, he gave me a nod and said, “Take care, kid.”

  After that, Parker Grimm gave Axel and me a ride home, lecturing us the entire way about how we should’ve reached out to him. I reminded him again that I tried and that the Revenant had faked his voice. That creeped him out enough that he shut up for a minute or two.

  When we finally made it home, I just wanted to grab a beer and plop down on the couch. Except when I walked into the kitchen, I noticed that something was different. It took me a moment to finally realized what it was.

  My Boba Fett plate. The one Eva had dropped. It was no longer broken. Instead, it was sitting on the counter, and it looked brand new. Even the old chips of paint were gone. I checked the trash can but the broken pieces were no longer there.

  I glanced around. Nothing else seemed out of place.

  There was only one explanation.

  She’d come back to replace what she’d broken.

  I stared at it for a few moments before setting it back on the counter. I walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer, then made my way to the couch.

  I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe she was too. Perhaps Eva did still live in there somewhere. Only time would tell.

  The End

  Dedication

  Of Song and Shadow is dedicated to J.H. Fleming, who not only edits my work, but also stands as a constant source of encouragement for all my writing endeavors. In the storm riddled sea of my writer’s mind, she’s the lighthouse that guides my way.

  I find myself incredibly fortunate to spend the better parts of my days with someone who shares the same passion and drive for this craft.

  Although, she’s a heck of a lot more talented than me, and if you aren’t reading her books, you’re missing out.

  Blade mage chocolate chip cookies

  Blade Mage Chocolate Chip Cookies

  What you’ll need:

  2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon of baking soda

  1 teaspoon of salt

  1 brick or 2 sticks of Kerrygold Irish Butter (Don’t try to use another butter or this spell will fail)

  ¾ cup of brown Sugar (Don’t be scared to get a little extra)

  ¾ cup of white Sugar (Don’t be scared to get a little extra)

  1 – 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

  2 eggs

  A small scattering of mini-chocolate chips (1 bag will work for numerous recipes)

  Instructions:

  Preheat your oven to 375 (If you forget this step, a demon appears – Axel) (No it doesn’t. Shut up, Axel – Wyatt)

  Mix your 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a separate bowel. (Uh, I think the word you were looking for is �
��bowl.’ At least, I hope. Who mixes cookie ingredients in their bowels? – Axel)

  Soften your 1 brick or 2 sticks of Kerrygold butter. (Don’t be like Axel and melt it completely – Wyatt) (It’s fine. It just makes it mushier when you’re mixing it. Cookies will turn out the same. – Axel) (Sigh. – Wyatt)

  In a separate, larger mixing bowl, add your butter, ¾ cup of brown sugar, ¾ cup of white sugar, and 1 – 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. And mix it all together.

  Add 2 eggs and mix.

  Gradually add in the flour/baking soda/salt mix into your larger bowl, mixing as you go. (Or just dump that shit in there and get to stirring. – Axel)

  Add in a handful of the mini-chocolate chips. (Trust me, for these cookies, less is more – Wyatt) (He’s actually right this time. – Axel)

  Scoop out chunks onto your cookie sheet, in whatever size you like them. (I prefer them bigger. – Wyatt) (Yeah, he does. – Axel) (Axel, stop writing on my recipe! –Wyatt) (Never! – Axel)

  Bake. I usually pull them out right at 9 minutes. However, depending on the size of the cookies and your oven, it might be shorter or longer. (That’s what she said. – Axel)

  Axel Likes Them Fluffy

  All right, so Wyatt’s cookies are pretty amaze-balls, but, sometimes, when he’s not looking, I’ll sneak in an extra ½ to 1 cup of flour and an extra egg. It makes the cookies all big and fluffy. It’s fucking amazing.

  (So that’s why that happens! Dammit, Axel! – Wyatt)

  Phillip Drayer Duncan has written ten novels. His work has been published with Yard Dog Press, Pro Se Productions, Seventh Star Press, and Happy Omega Publishing.

  Along with reading and writing like a madman, he enjoys kayakin’, canoein’, fishin’, and pretty much anything nerd related. More than anything, he enjoys spending time with his ridiculously awesome girlfriend, friends, family, and the monstrous five-pound beast that lurks in the shadows of his home.