The Leira Chronicles- The Complete Austin Series

by Martha Carr

  “How is that even possible?” squawked Lois, her hands clamped over her ears. “The damn thing is magical!” She aimed her wand at the board, waving it in every direction but nothing changed.

  “You’ve already tried that several times. It’s not going to work!” Patsy’s mouth was so full of candy she sounded like she was talking through marbles.

  “Slow down on that stuff, girl. You’re going to make yourself sick and then you won’t be any use at all just when we need you the most. We’re about to earn our keep, and then some!”

  “I’m just so damned on edge and this noise is not helping,” Patsy shouted.

  Lois held up her wand again and aimed the tip straight at the board as she focused all her energy, shooting out a blast of light that pulsed into the board, vibrating it till the symbols scattered everywhere, disappearing into shimmering beads of light. Silence fell over the room as the board stopped working.

  “Well at least the racket died down. Don’t worry, I’ll figure out how to fix it later. It was no damned good the way it was going on, anyway. Couldn’t think either!” Lois pushed her glasses up her nose and put her hands on her hips, her wand still clasped in her hand. “This is not good. Those damned prophets showing up like that. You’d think they’d give somebody a heads up or something. I mean, it’s great what they did, saving that celebrity and everything.”

  “I love Penny Ryan. Have you seen her videos on YouTube? I’ve tried a few of those makeup tips. They really work.”

  Lois thought about zinging Patsy back onto the subject with a little fireball but she was finally slowing down on the candy. She settled for a scowl and sat down at her desk. “Somebody needs to figure out a way to make this all into a big hoax. A mass hallucination or a giant marketing something or other.”

  “The general said we are not to do a thing without his express instructions. He showed up here in person and said each word slowly like he was biting them off.” Patsy shook her head. “Amazing how frightening that little man can be, and without magic!”

  “You know how I hate to sit on the sidelines at times like this.” Patsy scowled.

  “You love sitting on the sidelines! We both do, well, normally. We like watching everybody else scurry around like rats and reading off the information. Of course that parts gone kablooey.” She glanced over at the sizzling screen. A triangle symbol fell off a corner and went skidding across the floor burning out in a bzzzzt and breaking apart.

  “There’s my damn phone. Buried in my purse again. It’s been blowing up with relatives from every corner. A lot of them I never even knew I had. Suddenly, everybody knows I work for the government and they want to know if something bad is going to happen. Another incident like what happened in Area 42 a while back. You remember when they conducted those so called paranormal tests. Thank goodness we all had the good sense to throw them off the scent by failing every one of them.” Lois finally found the phone. “Oh, wait, it’s Lacey. She never calls me during working hours. Things really are loosie goosie. Lacey, what are you doing? No one’s supposed to know we still talk! I know, I know, we saw! Boy, did we see! Rescue who? You’re kidding!”

  Lois held the phone to her chest to muffle the sound. “You’ll never guess in the lifetime of a Witch who they want us to rescue. Hannah Beecham!”

  “No! Rescue her from what? She’s a traitor to her kind. Isn’t she parked right where she wants to be in the first place?”

  Lois put the phone back to her ear. “Huh, really? Well, you don’t say. You still got it, Lacey. Even I didn’t see that one coming. Uh huh, uh huh, well when you put it that way how can we say no? She’s a regular hero! Send me the details, what you have. Sure, I still remember the old spell. I’ll retrieve the information from the Silver Griffins channel. I kept my old password just in case. Well, that is one helluva tale, Lacey Trader. You and I will have to catch up soon. Sure, I don’t suppose that’ll be anytime soon. World’s being exposed and all. Okay, better go and get started. Right-o.”

  “What did she say?” Patsy blurted. She held it in for as long as she could.

  “That Hannah Beecham is a hero! She was undercover looking for the mastermind of all this trouble.”

  “No! Isn’t she a little young to be out in the field like that? Do her parents know?”

  Lois shook her head in amazement. “No one knew but Lacey. Boy, that’s gonna cause a tickle or two.” Lois got up, gathering her sweater and purse. “Come on, you and I have to go get her out of that mess she’s in. She sent up a flare for help and no one else can answer it. It’s up to you and me, it seems.”

  Patsy got up, pulling what was left of the bag out of the drawer and stuffing it in her purse. “Might as well. Nothing left to do here. The general can reach us no matter where we go. Where are we going?”

  “Just across the river. Hannah is in D.C.!”

  “You think the necklace is with her?”

  “That would really be something, wouldn’t it? If we were the ones who finally got it back! Come on Patsy, times a wastin! I feel the old juices flowing. Let’s go show them how it’s done and rescue that young witch.”

  Patsy was already halfway down the hall as Lois got the lights, jogging to catch up to her. “What are you going to tell Earl about all this?”

  “Oh, everything! I always do! Hell, we may even need him before this is all over. You drove today, right? Let’s take your car. I’m low on gas. Tell me you brought more than that candy. Road trip!”

  “Do it because we’re paying you.” Lacey Trader gave Katie a cold stare. They were meeting at a diner on the corner of Western Avenue in Lincoln Square just by Welles park that served a better cup of coffee than expected given its shabby interior. Lacey took a sip of the hot coffee, her mind wandering to one of an increasing number of magical problems. This one is worse.

  Another report of a missing teenage Witch came in just before Katie arrived. Lacey was well aware of the family’s long history of dabbling in dark magic but it didn’t matter to her. The Silver Griffins were sworn to protect all magical beings even if some of them were part of a larger problem most days. She was tired and her muscles ached from a day of tamping down magic and she had no patience left for the Atlantean. “Bring Hannah Beecham back safely or consider your services no longer needed.”

  “I do like a clear message, I have to admit.”

  “You’re doing this one without your sidekick.” Lacey watched the awareness come over Katie’s face. “That’s right, May was talking to us without telling you. Apparently, trust doesn’t run deep in your relationship. I’ve sent two other witches to help get Hannah out with as little fuss as possible. I don’t need any more public shows of magic… None,” she said, icily. No trace of any of the missing teenagers, anywhere. Not even a residue of a magic trail.

  Katie held up her hands in mock protest. “I have no intention of alerting the media. I’ve managed to keep under the radar so far, shouldn’t be a problem?”

  Lacey held up her wand, the tip glowing and she tapped Katie’s phone. “Those are the coordinates Hannah was able to send to us.”

  “I would have rescued her off that damn Camelback Mountain if you’d trusted me with this information earlier. Just saying…”

  “Don’t try what little patience I have left, Katie. You let the necklace slip through your fingers there, too. Go be of some help and earn your keep. Be a team player this time.”

  “Not my strong suit but I’ll do my best? At the least, I’ll get your little Witch home safe and sound.”

  “Do a better job than you’ve managed with the necklace.”

  “Ouch, no need to turn bitchy.” Katie tilted her head to the side, her magical silky tresses cascading off her shoulder. She lifted her chin, irritated. “That necklace is more popular than the last condom on the last night of an Amish rumspringa. Dark forces are moving it around from place to place. Doesn’t help that the good guys can’t all work together. I’ve run into Leira Berens more than once. Not us
eful.”

  “That many justifications usually means someone is beginning to recognize they can’t do the job. Do you want to just part ways tonight? I’m not risking Hannah’s life if you’re unsure about your abilities.”

  A cold smile came across Katie’s face. “No need? You’re right. All of this talk is a distraction. I have my marching orders and a road map to D.C.. Enough said?”

  Lacey gave her a cold stare as she waved to the waitress for the check. “I’ll take care of this. You have a flight to catch.”

  Katie Toler stood at the main entrance to the Virginia Seminary in Alexandria lit only by the two tall street lights. She gently pulled out a tentacle and ran a finger along it, whispering to it before she put it on the ground. She watched the long black tentacle slither to the grass and quickly head west down Deanery Drive toward the small post office carved out of the campus hundreds of years ago. Deanery Drive ran parallel to the main public road, Seminary Road and curved by the small white two-room post office built in the late 1700’s. The Seminary was conceived a generation later by a group looking to forge a place of peace in the middle of growing unrest.

  Every dean since its inception was informed of the Seminary’s other function as an ally to magic.

  Katie was familiar with the old post office and remembered stories from her childhood. All of the magical community in the area was protective of the site. It was used as an outpost by Witches and Wizards to safely get messages back and forth during the last big scare about magic. The Seminary had long been a refuge for all kinds of creatures and was surrounded by a light spell performed by the Silver Griffins well over a hundred years ago.

  The tentacle turned suddenly by the refectory as Katie jogged easily in her leather boots to keep up. Her camel-haired coat cinched around her waist, the bottom flapping in the wind.

  The tentacles still on her head were keeping watch in every direction as she ran by Johns Hall dorm. The campus was tucked in for the night and only a couple of lights shone behind windows.

  The coordinates from Lacey Trader included a residue of Hannah’s magic giving Katie a way to more quickly track her. Katie had already crossed out of Georgetown over Key Bridge and through Arlington tracking Hannah, finally coming to a stop on the campus in Alexandria. Her trail was a bright mix of yellow and green, mixing in with several others. Her trail was even showing signs of darkness just around the edges.

  “It’s definitely time for you to come home, dearie. This would be a lot more fun if the necklace were with you.” The artifact’s powerful trail was nowhere to be seen. Katie came around the dorm, still following the tentacle and ran up to the aging red brick gym built like a solid square. “Unimaginative but useful.” She could hear the sound of rummaging inside the building and tried the door. Locked. She tapped it with her finger letting out a small burst of magic, moving the tumblers and pulled open the door.

  Inside in the darkness, there were several young Witches and Wizards digging holes in the gym floor.

  “It’s here and we need to find it tonight.” A silver-haired Wizard in a long black coat was barking orders, distracted as he felt about with magic for an artifact. “We don’t leave till it’s in our possession.”

  My advantage so far. Katie saw Hannah on the far side of the room digging in a hole with another Witch, not looking up at anyone. Katie sensed the Wizard’s strong magic and kept the door to her back, just in case. She created a fireball behind her back and sent out the first volley, slamming the Wizard back hard against the wall and knocking the wind out of him. He quickly righted himself, angry he missed her entrance.

  Hannah clambered out of the hole along with the other Witch who took her hand and pulled Hannah close to the wall. “Let the grownups fight this one out,” the young Witch whispered.

  The Wizard pulled out a retractable wand, snapping it easily into place.

  “Unusual for you tall, handsome and very dark types to not go for whatever’s old. Family heirlooms and all.” Katie snapped her fingers, easily sending two young Wizards into the nearest hole. She formed another fireball, ducking as the Wizard sent out a pulse of energy. “Not so fast, grandpa.” She returned fire, sending out another volley that exploded at mid-point over the floor of the gym, lighting everything as it met with the Wizard’s energy. Katie startled, surprised at the Wizard’s power but quickly recovered.

  The Wizard kept up the steady wide stream of pulsing energy as Katie ducked, sending out fireballs to ward it off, as the Wizard mumbled a spell too low for anyone to hear, and in the darkness not possible for Katie to see.

  She was working on a spell of her own as a crushing weight suddenly pushed against her chest, drawing the breath out of her. She choked for air, managing to form two more fireballs before she became too lightheaded to think clearly. The pulse of energy finally threw her hard enough against the glass doors behind her to shatter them, leaving her lying in the broken glass, gasping for small bits of air. The Wizard advanced on her, still pushing the energy toward her, his wand raised, ready to do away with the intruder, unconcerned about the wreckage. “This place has been a thorn in dark magic’s side long enough, anyway,” he yelled quickly crossing over the gym.

  As he got closer to the alcove that separated the gym from the front doors he felt his feet growing heavier, and it was taking more effort to lift each foot. He looked down and saw hundreds of small silver spiders quickly weaving a web of iron ore, shining black in the glow from the shimmering black stream of magic. He twisted around to see who was behind him.

  “Well, will you look at that Patsy. The dumbass finally noticed we were here. Told you I remembered that cloaking spell. Like the back of my hand.” Lois nodded to Patsy who moved to the far side of the gym, her wand raised. Lois lifted her new government-issued wand and made ever-larger circles as the spiders climbed up the Wizard’s legs, still weaving, crossing over each other.

  The weight was started to compress on his bones and he cried out in pain, refocusing his magic as he lessened the pulse of energy aimed at Katie. He pulled back his head and roared, waving his wand over his head straining as he slowly turned the webbing to thick black ooze, running off him and down into the floor.

  “Well, dammit, that’s not good,” said Patsy. “Time for Plan B. Not to worry, mister. Our plans run all the way through Z.” Patsy pulled back her wand as a long gold line of light whipped out the back with small green thorns lining it. She whipped her wand forward just as Lois pulsed energy at him. “Yep, I know that spell too. Oldie but a goodie,” said Lois.

  Patsy’s gold vine caught him in the face tearing open his cheek and drawing blood. It wrapped around his arm, the thorns digging into his cashmere coat and tearing the fabric as it went deeper, ripping his shirt and scraping at his skin. His wand wobbled in his hand sending the pulse out in a wavy, uncontrolled flight, crashing around the room. The young Wizards and Witches all ducked, falling to the floor except for a Witch across the gym who raised her wand, pointing it at Lois.

  Hannah saw what the Witch was doing and turned to the girl next to her. “If you ever change your mind…,” she said, a puzzled look on the witch’s face.

  “No, don’t. You’ll get hurt,” the girl said.

  “A Silver Griffin never backs down from a fight.” Hannah stood up straight and pulled out her wand, aiming it at the witch across the gym, spinning the girl like a top till she fell over, pinning her arms and legs to the floor.

  “Wooohoooo! That’s my girl! Keep an eye on the junior hoodlums and we’ll take care of the big bad wolf.” Lois held up her wand to her mouth, blowing in one end. A small twister appeared out the other, growing in size as it sped across the gym, ripping up the floor sending pieces of debris flying through the air.

  The twister picked up the Wizard, spinning him around, lifting him off the floor and whipping his wand out of his hand. The anger grew inside of him and he shut his eyes, giving into the howling wind, concentrating on speaking the words to an ancient family spell ev
en as pieces of sharp wood slammed against his body. The wind slowly died down, resting him on the gym floor and he held up his hand, the wand quickly flying to his open palm.

  Katie stirred trying to sit upright amid the glass but she was still finding it hard to take a breath and there was a gash in her forehead bleeding into her eye, staining the pale tan of her coat.

  The Wizard sent out a series of rapid fireballs at Lois who dodged each one, hitting some of them back with the energy from her wand. Several of them turned, seeking out Patsy who stood her ground, casting a spell to turn them into one large fireball that roared at the Wizard. He opened his mouth yelling, “Freesia,” just in time but not before the tips of his eyelashes were singed and his wand was left smoking. He dropped the useless wand to the floor and pulled out another.

  “Dang! A backup wand. Normally I really appreciate a thoughtful man.” Patsy sent out a stream of light-filled chiggers that crawled up the pant leg of the Wizard, the small bugs wailing in a high-pitched siren. The Wizard cried out in agony and ran from the large room and out the alcove, raising his wand at Katie who covered her head with her arms.

  “I will take some revenge!” he growled.

  “Not today.” Hannah Beecham ran between Katie and the Wizard and held out her wand shaking with nerves as she shouted, “Capreasious formus.” She held steady as best she could, focusing the magic.

  Her magic didn’t hold in the face of the Wizard’s experience and strength.

  The Wizard sent out a blue flame from his wand that encircled his body ending the wailing and dissolving the chiggers. The anger was getting the better of him. He wasn’t used to being bested by anyone, especially two aging witches and a young girl. He raised his arms as the ground trembled, ready to bring down the building and bury them all in rubble.

  “This isn’t good Lois!” Patsy and Lois did their best to hold the structure together as the young Witches and Wizards ran for the door at the back of the gym and out into the night.