By Bryan Rainey
One
BRIANNE and Lindsey Maybin walkthrough the downtown area of the small Texas town of Bramby. They are hand in hand. A chilly breeze runs through the air. Brianne releases Lindsey’s hand and rubs her bare arms. Lindsey looks over at his fairly new bride. “You cold, babe?”
“Yeah, I forgot my jacket at home.”
Lindsey removes his suit coat. He places it over her bare shoulders. Brianne is wearing a shoulderless dress that falls to the floor. It is teal in color and shimmers as she walks. “Here, I hope this helps.”
“A bit,” Brianne says. She turns her head. Her ginger curls bounce. “So, where are we headed?”
Lindsey smiles. There is a wry grin on his grizzled face. He runs a hand through his sandy blonde locks. “I booked us a reservation at Chez LeBeouf.”
“The fancy Cajun place on Boardwalk,” Brianna asks. She stops. Her high heels dig into the dirt path. “You sure we can afford it?”
“We’ll be fine, my love,” Lindsey says. “Tonight is a special night.” Lindsey snaps his head in the direction opposite he and Brianne just came from. His brow furrows. He reaches into his right sleeve with his left hand.
Brianne puts a hand on Lindsey’s bulging bicep of his right arm. She raises a brow. “Something wrong, honey?”
Lindsey glares at the trees in the park. He carefully scans the area. He sees nothing. “Hmm. Not that I can see. Thought I sensed something.”
“You are a bit jumpy, honey. Was work stressful,” Brianne wonders.
“Not really. Just the usual with local felinru gone rogue from their masters, a haunting by a ghoul...”
Brianne raises a brow. “The same ghoul from last week’s incident?”
“Unfortunately.” Lindsey rolls his eyes. “That guy has been a nuisance for years.”
“We need to wrap up this conversation before we get to Boardwalk.”
“I know. Norms cannot know. I remember the rules set forth by the Warlock Convention of 1812,” Lindsey remarks. He readjusts his wand back under his sleeve. He takes a deep breath. “We need to keep a vigilant eye. I feel that we are being followed.”
“I am. Would help if we both had wands,” Brianne remarks.
“You never know,” Lindsey whistles as they walk closer to Boardwalk.
“Something’s up with you,” Brianne mentions.
“No... Noo...” Lindsey points at himself. “I have no idea what you are talking about.” He smiles.
Brianne shakes her head and smiles. They cross the street leaving the park. Boardwalk is a brightly lit street in the center of town. Restaurants and shops as far as the eye can see for many city blocks.
Brianne takes a deep breath. A smile lights up her face. “Been a while since I have been here.”
“Really?” There is excitement in Lindsey’s voice. A wry smile comes over his face.
Brianne raises a brow. “What are you up to?”
“Me?” Lindsey points to himself. “I am not up to anything.”
“Uh huh.” Brianne chuckles. “Come on. We are almost there.” She points towards Chez LeBeouf down the street from them.
Lindsey sees the line at the door of Chez LeBeouf. He stops and leans his head back. “Aww no. I just remembered...”
“Remembered what,” Brianne asks with vigor in her voice.
A smile come over Lindsey. He winks at her. “Don’t worry, babe. We have reservations.”
“I know you, Lin. Something’s bothering you,” Brianne says as they near Chez LeBeouf. “What is it?”
Lindsey takes a deep breath and exhales. He looks around the nearby area. He still feels eyes on them. “I don’t know. I still think someone may be following us.”
“Really? Are you sure,” Brianne asks.
Lindsey nods his head. “Yeah. Unfortunately.”
“Hey, worry about it later, honey.” Brianne pats Lindsey on the back. She looks up and smiles. “I am hungry. Let’s go eat.”
“Alright,” Lindsey remarks as they reach the front door. Lindsey holds the door open. Brianne enters. Lindsey follows.
“Thank you, honey.”
“You’re welcome.”
Lindsey and Brianne walk up to the podium. A young man, in a black vest, white button down long sleeve shirt, and black tie; stand there. He looks up from the podium.
“How can I help you,” The maître d asks.
“Yes. We have a reservation for 7 pm,” Lindsey says.
“Name?”
“Maybin.”
The maître d looks on his sheet of reservations. He runs his finger along the names. “Maybin. Maybin. Maybin.”
Then, the maître d finds the name. “Ah, yes. Maybin. Party of 2.”
“That is us.”
The maître d turns and snaps his fingers. A dark-haired Latina waitress walks over to the podium.
“Yes?”
“Carla, take Mr. and Mrs. Maybin to table 21.”
“Yes, sir,” Carla says, then, turns towards Lindsey and Brianne. “Mr. and Mrs. Maybin, follow me.”
Carla leads the Maybins through the crowded restaurant. She seats them at a nearly secluded table on the back near the door to the patio. Lindsey pulls out a chair for Brianne. She sits down as Carla sets the menus on the table.
Lindsey sits down across the table from Brianne. Carla pulls out a pad and pencil from the pocket on the apron around her waist. “What would you two like to drink?”
Brianne looks at the waitress. “I’ll take a water with lemon.”
“You, sir,” Carla asks.
“I’ll have a sweet tea with lemon.”
“All right. I’ll be back soon with your drinks. Give you a few minutes to look over the menu,” Carla tells them. She turns and walks away.
Brianne looks around the room. “You sure we can afford this, Lin?”
“Bri, baby, don’t worry. It is a special occasion.”
Brianne raises a brow and scratches her head. She is unsure what he means. “Special occasion? What are you talking about? It is not our anniversary. Not even my birthday.”
“Look in the interior pocket of my jacket,” Lindsey tells her.
“Okay...,” Brianne says uneasily.
“Don’t worry. You’ll like it,” Lindsey reassures her.
Brianne raises both brows. She reaches into the interior pocket. She feels a long box within. She removes the box. She looks at the long black box with gold lettering on the top. The lettering states Johansson Jeffers. She looks over at Lindsey.
“Lin, what is this,” Brianne asks as she raises a brow. Lindsey smiles.
“Open the box.”
Brianne looks back down at the box. She removes the ribbon from around the box. The box has a hinge on it. She lifts the clasp and opens the lid.
Inside, on a dark blue velvet interior, sits a long, blonde, slightly curved shiny wooden object. There are three thick bands of wood separating the sections. The object is slightly shorter than the length of the box. Brianne’s eyes light up. She looks over at Lindsey. “You brought it here? That was highly dangerous.”
“You needed a new one. Picket it up on the way over. The core is Thunderbird.”
“Thunderbird? Awesome,” Brianne exclaims. She closes the box and sets it in her purse.
“Keep it close, Bri. I have a feeling you will need it.”
“Yours?”
Lindsey pats his sleeve. “You saw me put it back.”
“Oh, right.” She blushes.
Carla returns with their drinks and a basket of breadsticks. She sets them down on the table for both to see. She removes the pad and her pencil once again. “Have you decided what you wish to order?”
Lindsey, quickly, checks the menu. “We’ll have the parmesan crusted chicken with a salad each.”
“Okay,” Carla says as she writes it down. “what kind of dressing?”
“Bleu cheese,” Brianne says.
“I’ll have Italian,” Lindsey says.
>
“Alright. That’s the parmesan crusted chicken and two salads. One with Bleu cheese, the other with Italian. Anything else?”
“Not at the moment,” Lindsey responds.
“I’ll take this to the kitchen and get your salads to you shortly.”
“Thank you,” Brianne says.
Lindsey grabs a breadstick and begins munching on it as her hears a commotion coming from the entrance. Brianne turns to see what is going on. Two men, in gray Armani suits, reach inside their jackets. They both remove wands.
Both Brianne and Lindsey spot the wands. Brianne opens the box slightly in her purse to remove her new wand. Lindsey, meanwhile, unbuttons the cuff of his sleeve to access his wand. He removes it.
A crackle of green energy fires at Lindsey and Brianne. Both dive to Lindsey’s right. Lindsey knocks over the table.
“What’s Caldren doing here,” Brianne asks in a whisper. She hears the other patrons of the restaurant screaming and running to the doors.
“My guess...,” Lindsey says as he raises up and flicks his wand unleashing a blue bolt of energy at Caldren. He dives behind the table as Caldren dodges the blast. “...is he is trying to kill us.”
“Oh,” Brianne rises and fires a bolt of lightning. Caldren’s partner, Ragnor, is hit square in the chest. Ragnor flies backwards into the display of pastries and cakes.
The glass on the display case spiderwebs. Ragnor slides down to the ground. He shakes his head. As he stands back up, Ragnor rubs his chest. The patrons continue to scatter. “That hurt, girl!”
Caldren flicks his wand and fires two blasts at Lindsey and Brianne. They duck behind their table as the blasts zoom over them into the door of the patio.
“Lindsey, Brianne, it is time to meet your maker,” Caldren shouts.
Lindsey stands. He waves his wand and flicks his wrist. Then, he chants. “Waliau tân!”
Two large balls of fire zoom at Caldren and Ragnor. Caldren waves and flicks his wand. He shouts. “Amddiffyniad!”
An invisible force field is created. The two fireballs slam into the force field. Caldren and Ragnor are pushed backwards towards the pastry display case.
Caldren concentrates to strengthen his force field. Lindsey continues to toss fireballs at Caldren.
The front door flies open. Time seems to stop. A man with black cropped hair enters. He is wearing a long gray velvet overcoat. There is a wry grin on his face.
He turns and sees Caldren and Ragnor in a defensive position. Then, he turns the other direction. He sees Lindsey across the restaurant in an offensive position. He shakes his head.
“Lindsey. Lindsey. Lindsey,” The man mutters. He turns to the others who entered behind him. “Get Kallas and Fierstein outta here. I will have a word with Lin and Bri.”
“Yes, sir,” A slightly larger man says while nodding his head.
The man flips his wand, in hand, as he crosses the restaurant. Then, he slides his wand up his sleeve to a holster of sorts on his arm. He waves his hand.
Lindsey and Brianne unfreeze. Lindsey prepares another attack but stops mid chant. “Wal...”
He lowers his hand as he blinks his eyes. He sees the mysterious man with his arms crossed. “Hello, Jonas.”
“So, you and Brianne attacked in a restaurant full of norms, huh,” Jonas ask as he raises a brow. He taps his foot. “What the hell were you thinking by coming here? Especially after the incident in Coleson Tower only a month ago. I told you two to stay low. Now... this!” Jonas motions to the room of frozen panicked people.
“Yeah. Yeah. Had no idea Caldren was following us,” Lindsey admits. “Well, not until after the reservations were placed.”
Jonas closes his eyes and shakes his head. “A reservation? Really?” He sighs. “I didn’t think you were this stupid.”
“Stupid? You call a reservation to one of the most exclusive restaurants in town stupid,” Lindsey exclaims. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Okay. Okay. Calm down, Lin.”
“Not so easy to do,” Lindsey says as he is huffing and puffing. “Caldren was roaming free. Please explain to me why he wasn’t locked up.”
“He is now. Don’t worry,” Jonas has a wry grin on his face.
“Don’t worry? Don’t worry?!?” Lindsey is huffing and puffing even more as rage swells up within him.
“Honey...,” Brianne says as she places a hand on Lindsey’s shoulder.
Lindsey turns and roars at Brianne. “What?!?”
A look of horror crosses Brianne’s face. She, then, switches hands with her wand. She slaps Lindsey with her right hand.
Lindsey looks at Brianne with shock on his face. He rubs his left cheek. Brianne gasps. She is taken aback by what she did.
“Lin, I didn’t mean to. I-I’m sorry,” Brianne frantically apologizes.
Lindsey shakes his head.
“Too late,” He mutters. Lindsey takes a couple of steps. He chants and, then, snaps his fingers. He disappears.
Brianne stands horrified at how she hurt Lindsey. Then, she turns towards Jonas glaring at him. Fury rises in her.
She storms over to Jonas. Brianne raises her wand towards him. She points it in his face.
“This is your fault, Jonas,” She spouts.
“How so,” Jonas smugly asks. “All I saw was marital discord.”
She puts her wand onto his right cheek and presses into it. Brianne turns the wand in her hand. Jonas stands stoically. “What I know is you screwed up. Your screw up is causing problems between Lin and I.”
“Now. Now, Bri,” Jonas calmly says as he removes the wand from his cheek. “Attacking me will do you no good.”
“It would definitely make me feel much better. But I am not an idiot, either,” Brianne says. She lowers her wand. “You are an ass, Jonas. Never cross me.”
Brianne turns to walk away. She takes one step as she balls up her right hand. Then, she turns and throws a right hook across Jonas’ face. He takes two steps back as Brianne walks away.
Jonas removes his wand and points it at Brianne. “Hold it right there, Bri. You are under...”
“Can it, Carver,” An older, balding man, Captain Fairborne, shouts from behind Jonas. He smiles as he walks over to Brianne. “You okay?”
“My fist hurts as much as my heart. He deserved it,” Brianne responds.
Captain Fairborne puts a hand on Brianne’s shoulder. “Go home to your husband, Mrs. Maybin,” He tells her. “Make up with your husband.”
Brianne turns in the direction of Jonas. She glares at him. Then, she chants a few words, snaps her fingers, and disappears.
Jonas protests. “But, sir? She assaulted me!”
Captain Fairborne puts a finger in Jonas’ chest. “You failed to keep Caldren out of areas of the Norms. You screwed up, Carver,” He sternly says. “In fact, you deserved what you got. At times, you are a smug prick.”
Jonas gulps. “I don’t deserve this, Captain. I think she broke my nose.”
“Oh well,” Fairborne says. A runner comes up to him. “Thank you, Tobias.” He takes the note from Tobias. The captain chuckles.
Jonas gulps. “Sir? Captain? May I ask what is so funny?”
Captain Fairborne looks at Jonas. “I think it’s funny. More ironic than, actually, funny. You will not.”
Jonas’ heart sinks. “Give it to me straight.”
“Your badge. Hand it to me,” Captain Fairborne holds out his hand.
Jonas reluctantly removes his badge from his belt. He hands it to the Captain. “So, what now?”
“Your use of your wand will be restricted during your suspension, Detective,” Captain Fairborne says. He, then, mutters a few words and taps Jonas’ wand.
The wand seems to fall asleep a bit. It becomes unresponsive to Jonas. “Great. Now what?”
“Go home and rest. You are suspended until further notice,” Fairborne smiles.
“Wipe that smug smile from your face, Lex,” Jonas spouts.
“Relax, Jonas.
Before you know this will be all over.”
“You’ll need me. I am sure of it.”
Lex pats Jonas on the back. He wags a finger in Jonas’ face. “You did this. You screwed up royally. You have one more chance. Do not blow it.”
“Yes, sir,” Jonas responds. He mutters a short chant, snaps his fingers, and disappears himself.
Two
LINDSEY Maybin sits out back of his home drinking a beer. There is a somber look on his face. He hears a faint popping sound. He turns his head to see Brianne strolling towards him. HE takes another swig of his beer. The sliding glass door opens.
“Your back. Good,” Lindsey grumbles.
“Hello to you, too,” Brianne snarks.
Lindsey, then, chucks his half-drunken bottle across the backyard. It crashes into the fence and spills out. A look of shock is on Brianne’s face. “Honey...”
Lindsey gets up from his chair. He turns to Brianne. He wags a finger in her face. “Don’t honey me, Bri. You attacked me. ME! Your husband.”
“But, Lin, you roared at me.”
“So, what! Is that any excuse to hit me?
“If it’s any consolation, I punched Jonas, too.”
Lindsey shrugs his shoulders. “A bit. He deserved it.” He puts his hands in his pockets and heads inside. He turns his head towards Brianne. “You still should not have slapped me. Do I hit you?”
A pang of guilt flows through Brianne. She gulps. “Well, um... no.”
Lindsey opens the sliding glass door and heads inside. He stops for a moment in the doorway. “You comin’ back in?”
Brianne shakes her head. “Yeah, right behind you.”
Brianne follows Lindsey inside their home. She closes the door behind her as she enters. Then, she closes the large vertical blinds.
Both walk into their living room. There is an eerie silence between them. Lindsey motions to the couch. “Please, sit.”
“Okay,” Brianne says uneasily. She feels nervous as there is a stern look on Lindsey’s face.
“Look, I am not happy with what Jonas did. I know you ain’t either. Still, there was no reason for you to slap me for screaming at you like that. I apologize for that. But what you did hurt me deeply. I felt disrespected. Something I have never done to you.”
The Magical Book of Wands Page 41