by Sarah Noffke
“She died with that sword, didn’t she?” Sophia asked.
Liv thought for a moment. “Supposedly. I wouldn’t think she’d have left it behind.”
Thinking about her mother and her sword, made everything Akio had been trying to convey to her about a Warrior’s weapon sink in.
“I bet you’re the Warrior who is supposed to rock the foundation of the House of Seven,” Sophia said as they rounded the corner to Rory’s house.
“I believe Haro said this person would shatter the foundation, not just rock it,” Liv corrected.
“Wow, you’re going to be a legendary Warrior,” Sophia said with a gasp. “Like, they’ll write tons of history books about you.”
Liv shook her head. “No, there is no history of Warriors, or really anyone in the House of Seven, remember? I’ve been searching, and it all has disappeared, or was never written, or fell into the same hole as the prophecies Haro’s grandmother foretold.”
“Well, but then you come along and change everything, and after that, there is a history,” Sophia said, her blue eyes twinkling with excitement.
“Actually, I’m not sure why Haro would tell me this,” Liv said, finally having had a chance to mull over her conversation with the magician. “Someone who shatters the foundation of the House of Seven sounds like an enemy. That person sounds lethal.”
“Then why would Haro tell you about it and also encourage you to continue to do things your way?” Sophia questioned.
“I don’t know,” Liv said, shaking her head as they climbed the porch to Rory’s front door. “I’m not entirely sure he can be trusted.”
The door to Rory’s house peeled back as they approached, just like it always did. For that reason, Liv usually reasoned that the giant knew they were there and that was his way of welcoming them. However, that didn’t explain why he was wearing tights and doing yoga in the middle of his living room.
As Liv often found herself doing when visiting, she halted and looked at the giant in disbelief. “Ummm, what are you doing?”
Sophia giggled, covering her mouth as Junebug darted out from behind the sofa and sprinted under Rory, who was in downward facing dog.
“I’m trying to remember if there are any instructions I need to relay to you before you set off,” he said, his voice gruff from being upside down.
Liv glanced down at Sophia, enjoying the smile on the little girl’s face as Junebug, made an attempt to play with Rory’s dangling curls.
“Ummm…no, I think we’re wondering why you’re doing yoga in the middle of your living room,” Liv stated.
“I’m stretching my calves,” Rory said, widening out his stand and pedaling out his feet.
“He’s always doing something unexpected,” Liv told Sophia.
The young magician dropped the bag she was carrying and joined Rory, stretching into downward facing dog. “I think this is a great idea. Liv, you should join us.”
“I would, but I left my yoga pants at the store, along with Rory’s giant card,” Liv stated, crossing her arms over her chest.
Rory walked his hands up and stood, his face red. “Yoga is an ancient practice that connects the breath to the body, creating space.”
Sophia popped up beside him, her blonde curls falling into her face. “And I don’t think that Rory doing yoga makes him any less of a giant.”
“It does,” Rory stated before Liv could. “Giants are very closed-minded about these kinds of things. My mum raised me very differently than most, offering me an education that was quite unique.”
Liv elbowed Sophia in the side. “He went to finishing school.”
Rory rolled his eyes at her. “Mum just didn’t think I needed to act like a barbarian. She was tired of the stereotypes, and wanted to give me different opportunities.”
“And in doing so, she created a giant who doesn’t fit in with his own kind,” Liv observed.
“I don’t want to fit in,” he argued.
“Ditto,” Liv said with a wink.
“So we should be grateful for parents who gave us more holistic educations,” Sophia added.
Rory gave her a look of disbelief.
Liv laughed. “I know. I’m pretty sure she’s an imposter, pretending to be an eight-year-old. She sure doesn’t speak like one.”
“Speaking of imposters,” Rory began, “were you able to complete the spell to disguise Liv?”
Sophia nodded, retrieving her bag. “Yes, but first I have a question. Have any other Warriors had a giant-made sword?”
Rory combed his hand through his hair. “I don’t know how that would be possible. Giants don’t interact with magicians—”
“Except for you,” Liv cut in.
“Well, and as we discussed, I’m different,” Rory said.
“And he used to really dislike me,” Liv told Sophia with a wink.
“What do you mean, ‘used to?’” Rory asked, mock-seriously.
“You totally love me, and you know it,” Liv stated.
“I tolerate you better than I used to,” he amended before glancing at Sophia. “And to further answer your question, giant-forged swords aren’t just floating around for any magician to get hold of. They are guarded, and there aren’t many out there since the art form is dying out. With no recent wars, there hasn’t been any need to craft swords. My grandfather was the last famous swordsmith.”
“But he taught you how to make swords and imbue giant magic into them,” Liv stated.
“Yes, but no one knows that,” Rory said. “Not even Mum.”
“Then there you go,” Sophia said, starting to pull objects out of her bag. “The prophecy is about you.”
“Prophecy?” Rory asked, looking at Liv with worry.
She explained what Haro had told her. The worry on his face deepened as she told him the story.
“Another missing piece of history,” he said almost to himself. “This can’t be good.”
“But don’t you think this oracle was referring to Liv?” Sophia asked.
“Oh, most definitely,” Rory said with a visible shiver. “I only worry about the aftermath to the magical population after she’s done shattering the House of Seven.”
Liv sighed loudly. “Come on, guys. This is ridiculous. I’m not shattering anything except for fashion rules.”
“You defeated Sabatore,” Sophia argued.
Liv shook her head. “That was Stefan.”
“And she found the hidden room with the magical canisters,” Rory said to Sophia, nodding.
“Not to mention that bit you guys learned about the missing history of the war between mortals and magicians,” Sophia added.
Liv wanted to scream or stomp her feet, or maybe both. “Seriously, you all have listening problems. I’m a dumb Warrior who is simply a placeholder until Sophia the Great takes over for me.”
“That’s in twelve years,” Sophia argued.
“Eleven years and four months, actually,” Liv corrected.
Rory drummed his fingers on his lips, thinking. “I suspected this might be coming, but with everything that’s happened, I fear the revolution will start before we’re prepared.”
“What do you have to do?” Liv asked. “Make pies?”
Rory huffed. “Whatever disrupts the House of Seven will have far-reaching effects on the other magical creatures. We’ll have to be prepared for that.”
“Well, I’m the one holding the sledgehammer, according to you two,” Liv said with a laugh. “So what am I supposed to do?”
“Let us know before you swing it,” Rory stated with a rare smile.
“Are you ready to become a grumpy old man?” Sophia said, holding up a potion bottle and eyeing the contents.
“When you put it that way, no, absolutely not,” Liv said.
A map appeared in Rory’s hand. “You’ll need this to find the giants.”
“I thought they were located on the Isle of Man,” Liv said, taking the map. “I thought that was a well-documented area.”<
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“It is, but the area where the giants are is protected by the same magic as my house,” Rory explained.
“So someone has to have the exact location, written down specifically for their eyes for you to find,” Liv guessed.
“Yes, which is why Decar would make the most sense for going on this mission,” Rory stated.
“Then how does the council expect me to find the place?” Liv asked.
Rory gave her an annoyed expression. “I think at this point, they suspect you’ll figure it out.”
“And they probably know you have a giant friend,” Sophia said. “You two are always together.”
Liv pursed her lips. “He doesn’t think of me as a friend, and they wouldn’t see us together because Rory always glamours himself when we’re in public together. Maybe it’s because his hair is atrocious.”
“It’s because I’m embarrassed to be seen with you,” Rory countered.
“Because I’m dressed like a homeless person?”
“Exactly,” Rory stated.
“Okay, so I have the map that will get me on the island and to where the crazed giants are roasting tourists over a fire,” Liv said. “Then what?”
“Then you have to treat them like Decar would,” Rory stated.
“Like I’m awesome and they are second-class citizens,” Liv supplied.
“Exactly,” Rory affirmed. “Decar would only ever talk to the chief, who is the meanest giant I’ve ever met.”
“I’m supposed to tell this guy off?” Liv questioned.
“Yes, exerting your superiority over him as his legion of giants watch,” Rory said.
“Why exactly did I sign on for this?” Liv asked.
“Because you’re dumb?” Rory offered.
“Because you wanted to protect Turbinger,” Sophia countered.
“Well, you told your mother that I’m coming, right?” Liv asked Rory. “Bermuda will help me if things go wrong, won’t she?”
“Mrs. Laurens,” he corrected. “And no. I figured it would be better if she didn’t know. She’s not that enamored of you, and would probably urge them to flay you if the opportunity presented itself.”
Liv made a great show of bowing to the giant. “I’m ever so grateful to be risking my life for your people.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said dismissively, giving his attention to Sophia. “The disguise: how long will it last?”
“Depending on Liv’s stress level, anywhere from one to three hours,” Sophia answered.
“Wait, what?” Liv asked.
“The spell is dependent on your mood,” Sophia explained. “The more stressed you are, the less effective it is. So you have to remain calm, or it won’t last long.”
Liv closed her eyes and clenched her fists. “Okay, do it to me. I’m ready to become a grumpy old albino.”
“I need you to drink this potion first,” Sophia explained, shoving a vial into Liv’s hand.
“What is this?” she asked, opening her eyes again.
“It’s a blanking potion.”
“That’s very smart, Sophia,” Rory complimented the girl.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I thought the disguising spell would have a better chance of working if we first blanked Liv’s appearance.”
“What are you two loons talking about?” Liv asked, eyeing the purple sludge in the vial.
“The potion erases…well, you, which will make it easier for me to imprint Decar’s appearance onto yours,” Sophia said.
“Oh, erasing me,” Liv said, downing the potion. “So no big deal then.”
“Well, there’s a chance that what makes you you could be gone forever,” Sophia warned.
Liv nearly choked on the awful-tasting substance.
“But I’m sure that won’t happen,” Sophia assured Liv in a rush. “It’s just an extra precaution.”
Liv expected to disappear as she had when Sophia had made her invisible. Instead, she turned opaque, like she’d stepped into a cloud. “Okay, this is weird.”
“It’s about to get weirder,” Sophia warned, pointing her finger at her sister as she squeezed her eyes shut. “Here goes nothing.”
“You mean, ‘everything,’” Liv corrected, feeling her form change. Her eyes rose up in the air, and she felt completely different all over, exactly as if she’d stepped into a new body.
Liv looked down at the black robes and long fingers on her hands, flexing them. “Oh, gross. I’m an uptight jerk who doesn’t shower often enough.”
Sophia smiled broadly at her sister. “Yep, you look perfect. Just like Decar.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Liv stepped through the portal, nearly losing her footing on the loose rocks in the cave on the shore of the Isle of Man. She wasn’t used to being so tall or lanky and didn’t like being so far from the ground.
“You need to walk with a certain confidence,” Plato offered, eyeing her with amusement from his perch atop a large rock.
“When I’m traversing mossy rock?” she questioned.
“Always,” Plato offered. “Right now, you’re walking like this isn’t your body and you’re not used to it.”
“I’m not,” Liv agreed.
“But Decar is, and the giants will notice if he doesn’t seem at ease.”
Liv knew he was right. “I just don’t know what to do with all these arms and legs. This guy takes up entirely too much room.”
“And he’s not that nice to look at,” Plato said, turning his attention to the ocean beating against the nearby shore.
“You’re so superficial,” Liv remarked. “So you wouldn’t be Decar’s friend because he’s homely?”
“And he’s an uptight magician,” Plato added.
“And why again did you randomly befriend me all those years ago after I left the House of Seven?”
“I’d love to answer that question, but I’ve got to be going.” Plato disappeared.
Liv shook her head and Decar’s long white hair swayed against her back. “You’re never going to answer that question,” Liv said, knowing that Plato was probably still there, just invisible. Anyway, that’s what she suspected, although she had little idea how his magic worked. She wasn’t holding out hope that he’d one day tell her, or even divulge why he had attached himself to her. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to push him away with too many serious questions. Or what if the reason was something that spoiled it for her? What if he was her friend because she was a Royal of the House of Seven? What if it had nothing to do with who she was independent of her heritage?
When she started out of the cave, Liv saw what had made Plato leave suddenly, besides avoidance of her questions. There was a tortoiseshell cat strolling down the beach. Unlike Plato, this feline didn’t have a tail, and the cat’s back legs were longer than her front, making her resemble a rabbit. Liv had heard of this breed of cat, which was called “Manx.” They had evolved on the Isle of Man, developing a genetic modification as many breeds do when they are confined to a specific place. They’d lost the tail, not needing it, and gained superior jumping skills.
“Why in the world Plato dislikes cats, I’ll never know,” Liv said aloud, smiling at the cat, who looked up as she strode by. Rory had said it was because they were in their pure form and that intimidated Plato, but there had to be more to it.
Pulling out the map Rory had given her, she made her way toward the green hills inland. Climbing through the rocks and sand wasn’t an easy feat since Decar didn’t enjoy the excellent physical health she did. Sophia had stated that although she was still in her body, the disguising spell made it so she shared some of his physical makeup. That was why she was impacted by his health and smelled the weird sour milk scent that wafted off his hair and skin. The dude could also use a good exfoliation. Maybe she’d get him a basket of bath supplies for Christmas.
She laughed to herself, thinking how weird it would be to exchange presents with Decar. He’d probably get her something disgusting l
ike a pair of used socks.
Decar’s laugh sounded fake, like it was a sound he wasn’t used to making. She climbed through the tall grass on the hillside, enjoying the salt-laced wind. On arrival, Liv had felt the magic on this island. Rory had mentioned that he could feel magic when it was around him. That was how he’d known that her magic had been unlocked. Apparently, giants were more attuned to these things, but all magical creatures could sense it if they tried.
For this reason, the giants would know that Decar was on the island. There was no escaping that. Well, unless she possessed a certain type of stone that hid the presence of magic, but Rory had said they were rare and not worth the effort of having to deal with the elves to get, who he said were too loud and flamboyant.
The map showed that Liv was on the right path, although she didn’t see anything up ahead—only seemingly endless rolling hills. When she came to the top of a steep hill, Liv expected to see the village belonging to the giants at its base, but it just slid down into what appeared to be a rock quarry. The main village full of mortals was to the north. Apparently, they had no idea they shared their island with the majestic giants.
Early on, the House of Seven had tried to require that giants register their magic. Some elfin tribes had willingly done that, and even gnomes weren’t that opposed to the requirement in exchange for certain benefits given by the House. Neither magical race was required to do it, as magicians were, but many did, having been pressured or persuaded by the House. However, the giants had declined, confining themselves to the Isle of Man and stating that there they’d go unnoticed by any, so they didn’t need to form any alliances with anyone else. According to Rory, the wars that had raged before this separation halted, even though the divide between magicians and giants was still palpable.
Yes, it was good that they weren’t fighting, trying to share resources, or conforming to the House’s rules. The elves agreed to glamour themselves when they were around mortals. Many magical creatures confined themselves to bubbles within the population, where they went unnoticed by mortals. And on the rare occasion a gnome or fae was seen by a mortal, they usually explained away the incident in some reasonable fashion. Or they ended up being considered “that crazy lady with too many cats.”