by Martha Carr
“I need to know if the rumors are true. Did they find the lost artifacts?”
Harry threw up his hands and hung his head.
“Save the theatrics for the suckers, Harry. Tell it to me straight.”
“You’re kind of a bitch, Mara. Do you realize that about your personality?”
“I’ll take it as a compliment. Just means you don’t like losing an argument to a woman.” She leaned in closer and whispered, “A female Jasper Elf.”
Harry drew back, his eyes widening and his face flushing from anger. “What are you trying to do? Get us both hauled off in front of the king or the prophets? Those don’t exist anymore, remember?” He hissed the words at her, spit dribbling down his chin. “Just be glad you pass for Light Elf and no one thinks to question it. Your kind scares the shit out of everyone, even a partial one like you. Even more than that old chick, Rhazdon! Boy, now, there’s a weird and twisted tale! You have no gratitude for being able to pass, if you ask me.”
“Things change. Turns out there’s something more powerful than a Jasper Elf if you mix the DNA just right.” Mara grimaced, sending a spark through Harry’s back to get his attention. “Yes, I’m that kind of bitch, Harry.”
“You certainly are! Alright, alright. I heard that someone near and dear to you is on the trail of their old artifacts but no one takes it seriously. We’re talking thousands of years since the last Jasper Elves were seen and every relic hunter I know has been after that trophy ever since. Power beyond what any other creatures could. Hey, wait… what did you say about more powerful? Come on, Mara, don’t kid a kidder. I’ve been around for a few moons.”
“You’re right, Harry. Now, a name. What’s the rumor and who’s the hunter?”
Harry let out a snort. “Your old friend, Jackson. You remember him, don’t you? Oh wait, your daughter left him waiting at the crossroads about, what, twenty-five years ago? Story’s always been that you had a hand in that. Yeah, sure, he’ll be thrilled to hear from you.”
Mara set her jaw and took a step back, thinking over her options. This is an unexpected wrinkle. Damn. Jackson.
Harry was still prattling on. “Of course, if the rumors are true maybe he actually will see something in it, like a sign from the cosmos. Work that angle with him. Okay, get out of here, away from the table. I’m working here and if you can’t tell, you’re cramping my style!”
Mara gave him a cold, hard stare. She needed the rest of the information and was tired of playing with Harry. Leira’s powers were growing and maturing. Eventually, someone was going to wonder why she was so powerful. Mara wanted to make sure Leira was well armed before that happened. She was tired of playing nice. “I’m not leaving this time without more. Where can I find Jackson?” The symbols appeared in a thin line up her arms, flipping over faster and faster, turning an icy blue.
Harry stumbled backward, sweat appearing on his lip. “Shit! You’re taking a big risk doing that here. There’s still a few who know the legends.” He ran his hand through his hair, looking around quickly. “You have to ask his protégé. He’ll know where to find him,” he blurted out. “The Wizard just outside the tent. That loudmouth, Louie. He keeps track of him most of the time.” Harry turned to wave at a Wizard he knew. “Learned every trick he knows from Jackson. Don’t know what he sees in the kid, but to each his own.” He turned back but Mara was already gone, digging her way back to the front of the tent. The symbols long faded.
She got to the front of the tent and looked to the right. Louie’s table was empty and he was nowhere to be seen.
“He’s gone. You just missed him. Said he got a hot lead and just took off.” A tall, elegant Wood Elf wearing a long jacket with tails and brass buttons was leaning against a tent pole. All four irises were focused on Mara. “It may be days or even weeks before he pops up again. Depends on when he takes the prize. Young man doesn’t give up easily when he smells a profit.”
Mara clenched her fists, breathing deeply. So close. There may not be weeks if Leira continues to grow. Not enough time. She forced herself to smile. “Do you know where I can find Jackson? The Elf?”
“He doesn’t tend to hang around the Dark Market. Calls us all amateurs.” The Wood Elf’s lip curled as he spoke. “But I’d guess he’s with Louie. There’s a whole team of creatures that run with them. Off to some remote part of Oriceran, most likely. On a dig.”
Mara left before the Wood Elf could say anything else. She wasn’t interested in making new friends at the Dark Market. I’ll have to find another way. She hurried back toward the forest, ducking in as the floating castle began to appear over the horizon. She could see a large crowd gathered as she turned into the woods, hurrying to a spot, deep enough to hide the sparks.
“Calm down and breathe, girl. One thing worse than an Elf with too little energy is one with too much and not enough practice. Don’t need to send yourself back to the world in between.” She blew out her breath and shook out her arms, holding out her hands to form a ball of light. “Breathe.” The portal opened easily and grew steadily, showing the inside of her apartment, and this time, was floating near the floor. “That’s more like it.” Mara stepped through easily and waved her hand behind her, shutting the aperture, the sparks flashing around her. “Damn. Jackson. That’s going to be one awkward conversation.”
CHAPTER THREE
Ossonia kept her word and helped Correk gain confidence over the next few days. “The two moons will be out soon. Time for you to be going.”
Correk took each step carefully, walking around the grounds of the royal gardens. His wounds were mended and the spells finally worked, knitting together the last of the broken bones. There wasn’t even a scar. Still, he took every step cautiously, doing his best to hide it. Perrom noticed but didn’t offer to help him. He knew Correk needed to do this for himself if he was ever going to be sure he was through the worst of it.
“Are you in pain?” Ossonia smiled as she said it. Correk was pushing himself, determined to get stronger even faster than the Gnomes predicted. Ossonia walked slowly alongside him.
“No… no. The magic is working. I can feel it. I can do this.” Correk grasped his hands behind his back, determined not to put them out at his sides. He stood up straighter, shutting his eyes, pulling the magic up through his feet. The energy felt unsteady inside of him.
“Don’t fight it,” Perrom said gently. “Let the energy lead you.”
Correk opened his eyes and let out a laugh. “I have said that to Leira a hundred times. Now I’m the one trying to remember a basic rule I learned in grade school.”
Perrom looked past Correk at Ossonia as she turned away for a moment. The four pupils of his eyes shifting in both directions watching Correk and Ossonia at the same time, sliding back together to watch just Ossonia.
She wasn’t fast enough. Correk reached up and gently touched her arm. He shook his head. “I’m not trying to leave you… any of you. You are my family.” His voice caught. “But this mission, it matters. For both our worlds. I will be back someday to stay.”
Perrom gently slapped his friend on the back, laughing. “Of course, you will. And we will all be here getting on with our lives, trying to make a difference, wondering how to do any of it without you.” He teased his friend, the squares along his skin flipping over to match the blue of the sky and back again.
“Tomorrow then,” said Ossonia. “We will walk you to the forest and help you with the portal. Just in case your skills have gotten rusty.”
Perrom let out a sharp laugh as Correk rolled his eyes. “Tomorrow then.”
****
Correk woke early and was up and dressed and taking a last look around his room. His bag was already packed. This time he would take a few changes of clothes from Oriceran. He knew enough to know the leather britches and tunics would fit right in with most of Austin. “Keep Austin weird.”
“What? Are you ready?” Ossonia stood in the doorway. Her hair was in a long braid down her back with a l
ong silver ribbon.
“Ossonia. I thought I was meeting you by the edge of the forest.”
“I thought I’d walk with you a little further.”
“I will be back. I promise.”
“Of course, you will. This is your home.”
Correk picked up his bag and slung the strap over his shoulder as they left the room. “Altrea Extendia.” He felt the magic surge through him as the bronze stairs appeared, spraying sparks in the air. “It feels good to do even that small spell.” At the bottom of the long stairs King Oriceran and Queen Saria were waiting to see him off at the edge of the castle.
“Your majesties,” said Correk, bowing his head.
“We wanted to see you off and to give you this.” The queen handed over a wax bag of chewy candies. “Teach the humans a little about Oriceran and our idea of sweets.”
The king placed his hands on Correk’s shoulders. “Next time, duck faster.” The lines around his eyes deepened as the king let out a laugh. He squeezed Correk’s shoulders. “I’m proud of you. You have continued to serve us well.”
The king moved to the side and looked out over the forest. “It looks like you will have an escort every step of the way. I’m not sure I would even rate such a sendoff.”
“Thank you, your majesty. I’m honored you would…”
“Not us.” The king cut Correk off, smiling as he held out his arm. Correk looked to the left and saw all the Gnomes from the library walking toward them in the distance. The poppies on their hats were open and not one was blowing a raspberry. Behind them came the Witches and Wizards from nearby villages and the Light Elves from the castle were descending a staircase.
“You are something of a living legend,” said the king. “There’s even a particular group that wants to tell you something before you go.”
The Gnomes parted, stepping back one at a time to line both sides of the road as the prophets stepped forward. The Light Elf prophet came closer, his head down at first. He finally looked up at Correk, pain in his eyes. “We are in your debt. You helped save us all from a mistake we bear more than others. We never saw the darkness right inside our own group.”
“None of us did.” Correk shook his head. “Rhazdon has cost us all enough and for generations. Whatever needs to be forgiven, consider it done.” He held out his hand to the Light Elf. “Let us be grateful for our victory and come together for the good of everyone.”
The Light Elf looked at the king and finally took Correk’s hand, shaking it vigorously. A cheer went up from the crowd as Correk wrapped his arm around him, slapping him on the back. “We are family. It will remain ever so.”
Correk stepped back and waved to the crowd, giving them all a slight bow. “I will do my best to honor Oriceran while I’m away.”
He walked to the forest’s edge where Perrom was waiting for him.
“What, no Wood Elves?” Correk smiled as Ossonia stood next to him.
“The forest has a thousand eyes, my friend. Everyone has come to see off the legend.”
“Oof, I seem to remember hundreds of others fighting alongside me.”
“You stepped in front of a fireball to save Leira Berens. There are stories about what she was able to do with magic. The prophets are even talking about her as some kind of answer. A good omen. They won’t say any more than that. Typical cloaked meetings.”
“A detective from Austin, Texas who swears with every other breath she takes is the answer to our prophesies.” Correk arched an eyebrow and smiled.
“History has taken a curious turn,” laughed Perrom. “It will certainly not be the last.”
Correk took a few steps further into the woods but Perrom stopped him. “Just this once, we can create the portal here. I think all of Oriceran knows where you’re going this time and how you’re getting there.” He placed his hand on Correk’s shoulder sending a steady stream of energy through him. Correk cupped his hands and pulled up energy, creating a pulsing ball of light that grew deeper in color, expanding as it opened a portal.
On the other side he could see Leira’s living room just as he remembered it. He turned back and waved at the crowd.
“I’ll be back,” he said to Ossonia.
“Best to get going. Portal is ready.” Perrom took his hand off Correk’s shoulder as Correk stepped through. He turned around in time to see Ossonia wave as the portal closed, the sparks shooting out into the living room.
“Motherfucker?” The troll came bounding out of the kitchen, bouncing off the arm of the chair and flying straight at Correk, his tiny arms outstretched. He landed neatly on his shoulder, digging in lightly with his claws to anchor himself.
“The unofficial Earth greeting. Now I know I’m home.” Correk rubbed the tiny troll’s head and let out a deep breath. “Maybe we sit down on the couch to wait for Leira.”
“Call her.”
“Have you been talking up a storm while I was gone?” Correk plucked the troll off his shoulder and held him out in front of him in the palm of his hand. Yumfuck let out a soft trill.
Correk sat down and rested his head back against the couch just to close his eyes for a moment, falling asleep. His dreams were filled with memories from the battle as he saw the fireball being formed again. He mumbled the spell in his sleep, pulling the fireball toward himself, crying out in his sleep.
Yumfuck started and darted back to his shoulder, rubbing his head.
CHAPTER FOUR
Leira came in through the gate, her head down, thinking about the last case. A relic was found just outside of Killeen and it was a race to get there ahead of a contractor hired by a corporate group. Things were getting ugly out there in the race to stockpile magical energy.
She was working longer hours, getting sent out with Hagan to track down artifacts and secure them for the federal government ahead of foreign governments or corporate groups or even the Silver Griffins. Lacey Trader already beat her to the punch more than once, waving to Leira the last time with a grim salute and a nod.
Mara and Eireka were both on her about missing Sunday dinner at their place. Leira was getting called in to work early and coming home late at night sometimes. She wasn’t in a hurry to get home anyway. The guest house seemed empty since Correk was gone. She even found herself coming out to the patio and eating at the bar sometimes. Estelle usually stood on her stepstool behind the bar, smoking away while keeping her company, shooing away guys trying to buy her a drink or ask her about hotspots in Austin.
Yumfuck was better company. At least he was talking in short sentences. She was getting used to leaving out food for the troll and finding the food still sitting there and the refrigerator empty. It’s like having a teenager.
It called for more frequent trips to Costco and sneaking it back to the guest house when no one was around. The regulars at the bar would have asked what she needed with so much cereal or hotdogs. They were already taking turns every week to ask about when Correk would return. Soon. That’s all I know.
Tucked in the back of the pantry was a large bag of Cheetos waiting for Correk’s return. Even Yumfuck agreed to keep his paws off them. “He’ll be back soon.”
The troll had given her a hard nod and chirped, “Of course!”
Months have gone by. Maybe it’s time to let go and just get on with things. Soon is looking like never.
Leira got to the door of the guest house and looked back at the bar. None of the regulars were there. They were at the bowling alley getting ready for the new season to defend their championship status. “Fuck. How did I get like this? I used to look forward to putting that door between me and everyone else. Come on, Leira,” she hissed between her teeth. “Get your shit together and focus. Enough already…”
She opened her front door, resolute to get on with her life. The door swung open and she lifted her head, stopping in the doorway, frozen to the spot. She stood there motionless, watching Correk sleep. The last image she had of him was being carried away by the Gnomes, barely alive.
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br /> “You’re alright,” she whispered, letting out a gasp as she gave him a long look. “And still wearing the same suede pants.” A crooked smile came across her face as she gently dropped her purse in the red velvet chair and shut the door behind her with a soft click.
The troll stood up on Correk’s leg. “Aloha!
Correk stirred, lifting his head and slowly opening his eyes. “Hey, you’re home.” He stretched his arms over his head, feeling the soreness in his muscles.
“So are you…?”
“Back to stay? All in one piece? Wondering why the fridge is empty?”
“Okay, pick one of those first two. That last one I think you can figure out.”
Yumfuck looked up and cackled.
“I’m here to help people get used to the idea of Oriceran, whatever that means and help you with truth, justice and some kind of way. And yes, I’m in one piece.”
“Last time I saw you I wasn’t so sure. If it wasn’t for Turner Underwood…”
Correk stood up slowly, giving a grunt and a slight grimace. The troll bounced off his leg and scurried into the kitchen.
“Are you in pain?” Leira looked surprised. “I thought magic could take care of that.”
“Magic has its limits, especially when trying to fix something caused by magic. I’m fine, I promise. Too long laying in a bed. My muscles are taking a moment to get used to moving around.”
“I thought you were a fairly young Elf.”
Correk looked up, scowling. “I am quite young. Hundreds of years left before I qualify for any senior discounts.”
Leira felt the tension leaving her body. Trust that he’s okay. “That grunt you gave trying to get up says otherwise. What discounts? Oriceran has discounts? Are you attempting an Earth joke? Now, that muscle has to be really sore.”
Correk tried to hide the smile forming on his face. “I’ve missed this…”