by S. M. Boyce
“Do you still trust me?" Victoria eventually asked.
“Of course.”
“Then why are you hiding something from me?”
If Audrey had been drinking something she would've spit it out from sheer surprise. Victoria knew. Somehow, someway, Victoria knew.
“Victoria... ” Audrey didn’t know what to say. She rubbed her neck, searching for the words to make this right.
Someone banged on the front door, and Audrey couldn't help but be grateful for the interruption. At first Victoria didn't budge. She didn't even look at the door, keeping the full weight of her gaze focused on Audrey.
“I'll get it,” Audrey said. She hurried to the front door and swung it open, to find a small creature hovering in the doorway. It was no more than two inches tall, and looked like a very tiny human with long brown hair and rapidly humming wings that had faintly green coloration.
“I must speak with Victoria Brie at once,” the fairy said, her voice high-pitched.
The tap of boots in the hallway meant Victoria had heard. Seconds later, she appeared beside Audrey and shook her head. “I'm a little busy.”
“Fyrn needs to speak with you at once,” the little fairy said.
“He can wait.”
“Please, Miss Brie, I urge you to hurry. He said you will want to hear what he has to say.”
Victoria sighed, one hand on her hip as she stared into the distance, no doubt weighing the pros and cons of interrupting the conversation she had started with Audrey. “Fine. Tell him I'm coming.”
The fairy bowed and darted off. Victoria slammed the door and stared at Audrey.
To fill the silence, Audrey nodded toward the door. “Do you think he found the strength spell he was looking for?”
Victoria shrugged. “I doubt it. I don’t mean to be pessimistic, but my gut says it’s not possible.”
Audrey ran her hand through her hair, unsure what to say. “Look, I don’t... I’m not sure how to... ”
Victoria lifted a graceful hand to silence Audrey and shook her head. “You don't have to tell me anything. That's what being friends is all about—you never have to do anything. At least not with me. I’m just... Well, Audrey, I’m hurt, that's all. I'm hurt that you don't trust me enough to tell me what's going on, but maybe I deserve it for not being here for you lately. But here’s the thing: I will always be there for you: to help you, to listen, to give you whatever you need. I'm sorry if I’ve been a terrible friend.”
With that Victoria opened the door and took off into the street, leaving the door ajar so as not to slam it in Audrey's face. Styx flew after her, moving so fast he was nothing but a white and brown blur. As Audrey watched her friend head toward Fyrn's house, she wondered if she was doing the right thing by keeping her new magic a secret. Victoria probably wouldn't be jealous. She would probably celebrate with Audrey, do everything she could to help Audrey learn to control this magic she channeled through the white stones.
But that deep, dark voice in Audrey’s soul warned her to be silent. This was deadly magic, coveted magic, and all who knew of it were at risk.
Chapter 7
About twenty minutes after the fairy left Victoria's door, Victoria sat in Fyrn’s living room with a cup of tea in her hands. Apparently as confused as she, Styx sat on her shoulder and mimed drinking his own imaginary cup of tea each time she took an awkward sip.
Sitting in Fyrn’s living room was freaking weird. He usually beat her with sticks and spells, so having him hand her a cup of tea told her that something was wrong.
Either he had been possessed by very a polite demon, or he was about to give her very bad news.
Time to get on with it. “What's going on, Fyrn?”
With a deep sigh, he sank into his armchair. “Luak has been murdering Rhazdon hosts. I know of eight confirmed kills, three of whom were Rhazdon hosts, and that's just in the last two months. I don't know what he was doing before he came after your parents, but I suspect he's been at this for a while. He's taking their Rhazdon Artifacts, and I don't know what he's doing with them.”
Victoria gritted her teeth so hard pain shot up her jaw and down the back of her neck. The teacup trembled, but not from fear—she was seconds away from shattering it with her tightening grip.
Fyrn grabbed the cup, tea sloshing over the lip as he set it on the table. “Luak is not in Fairhaven. I suspect he's after yet another host. He’s collecting Rhazdon Artifacts, Victoria, and that is very bad for you.”
“Bad for me?! It's bad for the entire city. He wants Fairhaven, and if he has a lot of artifacts on his side I don't know how we’re going to stop him!”
The barest hint of a smile played on Fyrn's lips, but Victoria didn't know what was funny. “This is serious, Fyrn! Are you laughing?”
He shook his head. “Not laughing. I'm merely impressed.”
Victoria leaned back in her chair, shock overcoming her anger. “I don’t think you've ever said those words to me before.”
“Sure I have.”
“Nope.” She crossed her arms defiantly.
He shook his head. “Face it, Victoria. I just told you that your sworn enemy is amassing enough power to kill you, and the first thing you think of is protecting the city. That's not what most Rhazdon hosts would think.”
“We've established that I'm not like most Rhazdon hosts.”
“That you are not, Victoria.”
She took a deep breath to settle her nerves and leaned her elbows on her knees. “So what's his plan? Amass enough power through the Rhazdon Artifacts to take over the city by force? Do you think the attacks and murders on the streets are his doing?”
Fyrn nodded. “He wants Fairhaven, there's no doubt about that. I absolutely believe the attacks in the streets are at least in part his responsibility, but I don't think he's acting alone. I think he's doing this on someone's orders.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Before you faced the snarx, I received word that one of the Rhazdon Artifacts he took was a dragon amulet. This particular object is very obvious when it's attached to a body, but I did not see him wearing it when he tried to goad you into attacking him on the balcony after you killed the monster. This particular artifact is very powerful, and it would be very tempting for any Rhazdon host to wear.”
“What does it do?”
Fyrn gave her a stern look over the bridge of his nose, and Victoria rolled her eyes. The look answered her question…she would never know.
“Therefore, it’s safe to assume he's collecting Rhazdon Artifacts,” Fyrn continued, taking control of the conversation once more.
She bit her lip. “Even worse, if you are right, he's collecting them for someone else. Someone strong enough to control him.”
Fyrn nodded. “For the moment we need only worry about him. But in the future, I think we will face much stronger foes.”
“Wonderful,” Victoria said, slumping in her chair. With no room to sit on her shoulder anymore, Styx fluttered into the air and blew a raspberry at her.
Fyrn stroked his long white beard. “What I'm not entirely sure I understand, though, is why he's going after Fairhaven only now.”
“Why is he going after it at all?”
“Fairhaven is powerful, Victoria. The crystals surrounding the city have been thriving for tens of thousands of years without any influence from Oriceran at all. There is as much magic here as it is possible for a kemana to hold. It has massive reserves of energy, and it's only going to get stronger with time. I'm quite certain that whoever controls Fairhaven will become not just powerful, but immensely wealthy when Oriceran and Earth reconnect.”
Victoria whistled. “I had no idea.”
“When we treat a place as our home, it's easy to forget that others think of it as only a resource. People like Luak and whoever controls him don’t care about the people who live here. They may not want anyone living here at all.”
Victoria’s hands balled into fists. “When will I be read
y, Fyrn? I want this guy dead.”
Fyrn shook his head. “I don't know, Victoria. I still don’t have a solution for you. We need to make you stronger, and I'm not sure how to do that.”
Victoria stood, furious. “I need some air. Anything else you want to tell me before I head home?”
He watched her for a moment, and Victoria wondered if he indeed had something else to say. After a few seconds, though, he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “Good night, Victoria.”
Anger and frustration still burning within her, she simply nodded and stormed out the front door into the cold night.
***
It took a lot to scare Fyrn Folly, but the rage and hatred in Victoria's eyes had left him speechless.
She had taken the news better than he thought she would, but those emotions concerned him. A small part of him feared she would not stay in control of the Rhazdon Artifact in her body, that she might indeed let the dark magic in her blood take over.
He stood and started pacing his living room as he debated his options. Of all the Rhazdon hosts he had ever met in his life, Victoria stood the greatest chance of living as normal a life as a Rhazdon host could. She came the closest to controlling the dark magic in her body, but she couldn't do it alone.
He snapped his fingers, an idea coming to him.
Audrey.
He needed to involve Audrey in Victoria’s studies, use her friend to keep Victoria in line and remind Victoria of everything she was working toward. In cases like these—
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He grumbled and gestured toward the door. It opened on command, but instead of a person he saw only a letter. A fox's tail disappeared into the brush, likely one of the emergency messengers who delivered important notices that needed immediate attention.
Fyrn picked up the letter and ripped it open. It was yet another handwritten note from one of his contacts in the American government. He groaned and tossed the letter onto his couch without bothering to finish it. He had more important things to tend to than some fetch quest for the CIA.
He shut the door and leaned against it, stroking his beard as his mind wandered. For the last decade he had been slowly building a very special project of his own. It had potential, but perhaps it was time to recruit the help of someone he trusted in order to finally complete it.
Victoria.
A pang in his heart warned him against trusting anyone besides his fairies. It had been quite a few decades since he had willingly divulged secrets. It was safest to keep his circle of trust small. The more who knew about his affairs and abilities, the more enemies he accumulated. It had always been that way. After all, Victoria could still lose herself to the power of the Rhazdon Artifact in her arm, and if she knew about his secret project she could destroy it. Or worse, use it to her advantage.
His was a lonely life, and he couldn't deny the sunshine Victoria brought into it. She was brilliant, learned what he taught almost as fast as he could impart it, and impressed him daily with her abilities. Even though he was a notorious grump, she could make him laugh. And most of all, the challenge of teaching a Rhazdon host to fight with honor and compassion was one of the greatest he had ever been given.
He cared about her. He cared if she died or failed in her attempts to protect Fairhaven. He didn't know what it was like to have a daughter, but he imagined this wasn't far from it.
So even if it cost him everything, he would trust her.
He sank to the floor, pain shooting down his leg as he tried to get comfortable. He would do everything in his power to save Victoria from being corrupted, but even a wizard as powerful as he could fail.
Chapter 8
Victoria walked home from Berserk practice in silence, Audrey in step beside her while Styx flitted nearby. The unspoken tension between them said it all. They still hadn't finished the conversation during which Victoria had confronted Audrey about the secret she was keeping.
Everything was there, plain as day, yet Audrey still wouldn't tell her. It hurt Victoria more than any magical blast from Fyrn, or even a snarx bite.
A brunette fairy flitted up to them, the tiny creature hovering just in front of Victoria's face. “Fyrn would like to see you at once.”
Victoria frowned. “It would be nice for him to come see me.”
The fairy gestured to Audrey. “He would like your friend to accompany you. He has requested you both. Shall I tell him you're coming?”
Audrey quirked an eyebrow. “Why would he want to see me?”
The fairy shrugged her tiny shoulders. “He never tells me anything more than what message to deliver.”
Victoria set her hands on her hips. “Let's go see what he wants.”
As the fairy darted off, Victoria headed up the familiar trail to Fyrn's house. She kept her eyes peeled, never once allowing herself to relax in the empty streets. It was strange to see Fairhaven with barely a soul on the roads, but everyone was still terrified. Despite the year’s Berserk season only just starting with the game the snarx had interrupted, none of the players would show up to compete. Even her Berserk team had decided to cancel their matches, much to her and Audrey’s disappointment. Something silent and deadly was taking the city over, and even though she and Audrey weren't speaking much at the moment Victoria was grateful to have Audrey at her side.
When they finally reached the wizard’s house, he was standing on the front stoop. He gestured with a finger and headed for the cave he and Victoria often used to reach the tunnels beneath the city.
“What's all this about, Fyrn?" Victoria asked.
“Victoria, I have to show you something. I believe you are ready for the next level of your studies. Both of you.”
“Wait, me too?" Audrey asked.
Fyrn nodded. “I should've included you in the training from the beginning.”
A subtle smile broke across Audrey's lips.
As they entered the cave, the crystal atop Fyrn’s staff blazed to life and lit the way. Fyrn led them through the tunnels beneath Fairhaven for what felt like hours, and each cave they passed seemed darker than the one before.
“In here.” After hours of silence, Fyrn led them through a tunnel into what had to be the darkest cave Victoria had ever seen. The pitch-black consumed her, weighing on her like a heavy blanket. The gentle tap of water hitting rock echoed forever, implying great height, and the rusty smell of moss filled her nose.
Fyrn muttered under his breath and tapped his staff once on the ground. Three ribbons of green light appeared around the crystal at the tip and with a burst of energy radiated in every direction, igniting little pockets of light along the rocky walls.
It was like seeing the night sky suddenly light up with little green stars.
Victoria could now tell that the cave was both massively deep and incredibly tall. Black water covered the entire floor, except for a stone walkway through the center of the cavern. Fyrn led them toward the darkness at the end of the path.
After about ten minutes of walking, they finally reached the end of the long tunnel. There, on a pedestal against the far wall, was a crystal easily as long and thick as Victoria's torso. Its tips were as sharp as daggers. Light radiated from within, as if there were a golden fog trapped inside it. The glow pulsed and pushed against the walls, eager to get out.
“Fyrn, what is this?" Victoria asked.
“A little while ago, Victoria, I told you the difference between relics and artifacts. Do you remember?”
She nodded. “A relic is like a battery, or an energy source. An artifact has incredible power, but you can’t access that power without an energy source. The artifact is like a flashlight, and the relic would be like the battery used to power it.”
Fyrn nodded. “Right. This crystal here is a relic, one of the largest on Earth. It contains immense stores of Oriceran magic.”
“Wow,” Audrey said, her voice almost a whisper as she reached out to touch it. The light within shifted, streaming toward her finger
. It seemed to reach for her as much as she reached for it.
Before her finger touched the crystal, however, Fyrn smacked her hand with his staff.
She shook out her hand, grimacing. “Ow! What the hell?”
“You shouldn’t touch ancient stores of magic, girl. This one is powerful enough to decimate several cities. And you were going to just touch it?”
“Sorry.”
He sighed deeply. “I brought you here as a sign of faith. If I were to sell this I would become a billionaire overnight. It’s immensely valuable, and if most people here knew of it they would kill me to get it. Do you understand?”
Victoria stood a bit taller, scared at the thought that something so valuable was stored in the tunnels beneath Fairhaven. “Why do you keep it here? It hardly seems secure enough. Why not put it in a bank vault?”
Fyrn laughed. “Vaults can be broken into. The enchantments I placed across this tunnel cannot be breached. You could enter because I invited you, but if you tried to come in without me you would be lost in an endless labyrinth of darkness. You would die of starvation, alone in the shadows.”
“Fuck,” Audrey said softly, hand on her heart.
“Why do you have this?” Victoria pointed to the relic.
Fyrn rested his weight on the walking stick, studying them both with an expression Victoria couldn't quite place. It seemed to be a combination of pride and concern. “I'm building a new kind of weapon.”
“A weapon?" Victoria and Audrey asked in unison. Their voices echoed through the cave.
He nodded. “They’re not done. Not close. But when I am finished, the weapons I'm building will be the true protectors of Fairhaven. None will dare harm us again, from within or without.”
Victoria eyed the crystal hesitantly. “Fyrn, what if this falls into the wrong hands? This could be abused as easily as it can benefit us.”
Fyrn's eyes crinkled, and a warm smile spread across his face. “As long as you remember to lead with compassion like that, I won’t worry.”
She smiled, a bit of gratitude snaking through her at his trust. “Thank you for sharing this with us. How can we help?”