Shifters And Glyphs

by Bauer, Christina;

  “Well, Az doesn’t know Ty the way I do,” snarls Knox.

  The very core of my soul aches to admit this, but there’s no avoiding it. “The reason you’re in pain is because you’re with me.”

  Knox’s mouth thins to a determined line. “I don’t believe that.” His ice-blue gaze locks on me. “No, we’re just missing something. The curse of the Void is over now. I can remember everything you tell me. So let’s start at the beginning.”

  Knox’s intensity gives me hope. Closing my eyes, I picture my trip back in time with Scar. “The Shadowvin and the Void were out of control. The First Wardens created a device to destroy both magic and the Void. They failed. This was thousands of years ago. Ever since then, magic has been slowly fading from our world. The Void has been MIA.”

  “That should be a good thing,” says Knox.

  “For a while, it was great. But both magic and the Void were only injured, not destroyed. Since that day, they’ve both slowly gained strength. Now, magic is returning, so the Void has come back as well.”

  “I still don’t believe the Codex Mechanica can only destroy both magic and the Void,” says Knox. “Can’t we monkey with this device? Make it focus on just the Void?”

  “Not according to what I’ve learned.” I shake my head. “With Scar’s help, I traveled back in time and saw the whole thing. The First Wardens wanted to destroy the Void, but there’s only one way to kill it.”

  “Destroy all magic,” says Ty with a smile.

  “Come on.” Knox shakes his head. “I was talking to my mate.” He focuses on me. “Is that what you’ve learned, too? We have to kill all magic to get rid of the Void?”

  “Yes, unfortunately,” I reply. “The First Wardens built the Codex Mechanica to do two things.” I raise two fingers. “First, the device finds the fountain. Second, it destroys all the magic inside.”

  Ty sneers. “And I hope the damned thing works, too. The Codex Mechanica somehow interacts with the pyramids of Egypt, right? You take the device there, and—BAM—no more magic.”

  My jaw falls open with shock. “Whoa, there. The plan is just to find the fountain with this device. No one is going to Egypt and destroying anything.” At least, not if I can’t find any other way out of this mess with the Void. I’ll never say never at this point … not that I’m sharing that insight with Ty around.

  Ty sniffs. “If you knew magic the way I do, you’d know the truth. Magic isn’t good; it’s evil. The First Wardens were right. Magic deserves to go buh-bye.”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You can’t mean that.”

  “Think about it,” continues Ty. “If you want to be with Knox, you have to kill magic before it kills him. If that’s not evil, I don’t know what is. And suppose you do find a way to destroy magic. You’ll be killing Knox’s animal to be with him. Do you think he’ll ever forgive you? Do you think you can forgive yourself for murdering your own wolf, even for a good reason? Face it. The two of you are doomed.”

  I open my mouth for a quick retort. Nothing comes to mind. Knox sits beside me, quietly glaring at Ty. This was supposed to be the triumphant moment we got the Codex Mechanica. Instead, it’s turning into a relationship meltdown for me and Knox.

  “Don’t shoot the messenger.” Ty holds up her hands with her palms facing us. “I didn’t create this situation. I’m just trying to make the best of it. Have you seen what happens to shifters who lose their animals? They become a shell of who they once were—quiet, listless, and staring off into space. When you turn Knox into that, who will take care of him? Not you. You’ll be just as useless as he is.”

  Knox grips the free armrest so hard, the wood creaks. “Watch it, Ty.”

  “I’m trying to be the good guy here.” Ty focuses on Knox, and for the first time, there’s actual sincerity in her face. “You’re going to end up with me. Once your animal is gone, I’m the only one who’ll take care of you.”

  “Thanks,” snarls Knox. “You’re a real romantic.”

  Ty’s eyes glisten with held-in tears. “All my life, I’ve only wanted what’s best for you.”

  At this moment, I come to a big realization. Much as I want to, I can’t totally hate Knox’s ex. We share something in common. We both care about Knox.

  “Now, here’s my third question.” Ty focuses on Knox. “Be honest, now. Wouldn’t you be better off with me?”

  Knox rises. “Absolutely not. We’ve been over this.”

  The sincere version of Ty evaporates into the hard-boiled witch with a B. Ty stands as well, steps over to Knox, and starts poking him in the chest. “Don’t you see where this all leads? Where it’s always led?” She points in my direction. “This one is going to break your heart and destroy your wolf. I can erase all memories of her right now. You can have a fresh start. You and me. We’re supposed to be together.”

  All that poking and demanding sends anger spinning up my spine. My wolf may still be in an enchanted time out, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to bite Ty anyway.

  I rise as well. “So, Knox is supposed to be with you.”

  “Duh.” Ty rolls her eyes “Knox is a Beast. I’m obviously his Beauty.”

  “Really?” I ask. “Because the last time I checked, Beauty wasn’t a sorceress who specialized in water magic.”

  Knox hitches his thumb in my direction. “My mate makes a good point.”

  “That is so not true,” says Ty. “The story doesn’t say she’s without magic, only that she doesn’t cast any spells.”

  “Ah, no.” I raise my pointer finger. “I’m pretty sure Beauty is non-magical, or she would’ve water magicked herself out of that castle because, you know, she really was trapped. You’re something else.” I snap my fingers. “The right fairy-tale template for you is almost at the tip of my tongue.”

  “Stop changing the subject,” says Ty. “You’re totally bad for him.” She turns to Knox. “Answer my third question. Do you choose me or not?”

  Knox replies without hesitation. “What part of no was unclear to you before?”

  “Fine,” snaps Ty. “When you’re ready, I’m here.”

  Ty reaches into the pocket of her yellow dress and pulls out a handful of rubies. Gripping them tightly, Ty whispers a few words of a spell. Red light streams from between her fingertips. The electric sense of magic fills the air. A moment later, Ty’s body fades until she looks like a ghost made from red mist. The transparent version of Ty glares at Knox for a few long seconds.

  After that, Knox’s ex disappears.

  On the floor where Ty just stood, there sits a small wooden box with slots in the top. The Codex Mechanica. This is definitely the device I saw when I went back in time with Scar. The First Wardens had placed the three discs inside this very box. We actually did it.

  The Codex Mechanica is ours at last.

  Chapter 24

  My hands tremble as I pick up the Codex Mechanica. Memories from my journey through time with Scar appear in my mind. Back then, the First Wardens had placed three discs on spindles and set them inside the box. Once you closed the lid, the slits in the box’s top showed the edges of the discs, which were all covered in glyphs. In turn, the discs spun and stopped, showing different glyphs through the holes in the box’s lid.

  Basically, the Codex Mechanica is an ancient slot machine on steroids.

  I gingerly set the device on the table. The wooden case is warped and cracked. The colorful paints that once decorated the exterior are now faded beyond recognition. Two bronze clasps still hold the lid in place. I carefully undo the fasteners and open the box’s lid. With each passing second, my heart thuds harder against my ribcage.

  This moment is really here.

  We’ve found the Codex Mechanica.

  Now we’ll find the fountain as well.

  It doesn’t seem real.

  Inside the box, I find the discs, each one about the size of my palm. The first one is made from gold, the second is made from a single ruby, and … that’s i
t.

  The silver disc is missing.

  I carefully lay everything out onto the tabletop. Maybe I missed something. Nope. The silver disc is definitely missing. I stifle a groan. I’d be angry, but this is Ty, after all. I’m amazed she actually handed over anything at all.

  Knox has been watching my actions. “Something wrong?” he asks.

  “There should be three discs.” I keep counting the items, like the third disc will appear if I just review the numbers enough times. A chill creeps up my back.

  Tell me I didn’t get this far only to find a busted device.

  Knox brushes his fingers over the pieces. “It’s amazing that the thing has lasted thousands of years and is still in such good shape.” He picks up the golden disc. “I bet it’s like any machine. Assemble it with most of its parts, and it will mostly work.”

  Now, I know for a fact that Knox can put together a carburetor at a rate to boggle the mind. He basically built his own Harley from scratch. If anyone can figure out how to make this device function, it’s my mate.

  I step back. “Want to give it a try?”

  Knox doesn’t reply. He just starts putting things together. The expression on his face is the definition of ease and confidence.

  I wish I could be so calm, but nothing about finding this fountain has been easy. First, I spent years trying to decipher the papyri. Second, there was no small amount of drama to find the Codex Mechanica. And third, now that the device is in our hands, it might even be busted.

  “I got the two discs in place.” Knox carefully closes the box’s lid and reseals the hook and eye clasps.

  “Nice work.” The interior is a mess of brass brackets. It would’ve taken me hours to figure out.

  “Thanks.” Knox taps the top with his pointer finger. “Now, let’s see what you can do.”

  Immediately, the two working discs spin. After that, they pause. Through the slots in the box’s top, a pair of glyphs appears. Along with Alec, Knox spent years trying to translate papyri, so it’s no problem for my mate to read what the box says.

  “Seek the lost disc,” reads Knox.

  The discs rotate once more before pausing. Knox translates again. “It’s in the geyser.” He frowns. “Geyser?”

  “When I went to the past, there was definitely a geyser. There was no question that it was the fountain.” I bob my head. “Well, not to me anyway.”

  “But Scar didn’t agree.”

  “The geyser was covered in streaks of gold, silver, and red. It had to be the remnants of magic. And the glyph for fountain can also mean geyser.”

  “It’s a tricky symbol,” says Knox. “It can also mean form or something, right?”

  “True.”

  “So it might not be the fountain.”

  “I suppose.”

  That’s what I say, but I still think the geyser is the fountain.

  The discs spin once more. “Location,” reads Knox. The tiny wheels spin again. More glyphs appear. “Caesar’s villa.” The discs shift until there are no more glyphs visible through the box’s top. The device stops moving.

  “Guess that’s the end of the message,” I say.

  “Julius Caesar’s villa,” Knox murmurs. “I visited that place when I was hunting for Denarii.”

  Now, I know Knox spent years hunting down evil Denarii in general and Jules in particular. Somehow, it’s different knowing that my mate was roaming around Jules’ house. My voice lowers to a hush. “What was it like?”

  Knox tilts his head. “The villa?”

  “Yes.” I’m still whispering for some reason. “Was it filled with zombie brains or secret plans to take over the world?”

  “Nah,” says Knox. “It was just a bunch of old, run-down buildings. There was a ruined Roman temple and some modern houses, but those looked abandoned years ago. There were no people or interesting-looking stuff, either. That said, I was looking for Denarii, not fountains. What did you say it would look like, again?”

  “Based on my trip back in time, the fountain of magic should look like the chopped-off top of a geyser. Are you sure you didn’t see anything like that?”

  “Unless it was undead, I didn’t notice anything in those days.”

  “Okay.” Taking in a deep breath, I resolve to start the next phase of our adventure. “Next stop, Italy.”

  “Not just yet. We need to chat first.”

  Maybe it’s because we’re mates, but I instantly know what Knox is talking about. “About Elle and Alec.”

  Knox holds up his phone. “I turned it off after the fight at Boucle-Roux. No one’s been able to call, thanks to the new spell Alec put on my phone. You know Elle and Alec must be losing their minds now. We can’t expect them to hold off searching for us forever. In fact, I’m surprised Alec hasn’t already used a tracker spell to starting yelling nastygrams at me through space. It’s not like the guy is Mister Patient.”

  A pouf of red smoke hovers before us: warlock magic. Within a few seconds, the haze takes the shape of a transparent version of Alec’s head. Only, it’s about four feet tall. In fact, if the wizard’s head from Oz were transparent, red, and a surfer guy? That’s what’s in the room right now.

  “Did someone mention my name?” asks Head Alec. “I may have sent a spell out to detect if a certain person starts to think about other people beside himself.”

  “Yeah,” says Knox. “I did mention you, and surprise, surprise. … Your spell worked.”

  “Good. That means you’re done hiding under whatever rock you’ve crawled under. Now turn on your damn phone, Claw Boy.”

  I stare at Alec’s floating head. This is so strange. I go on tiptoe to whisper in Knox’s ear. “Can he hear me?”

  “Nah,” answers Knox. “Only me. We have an agreement that we don’t bug each other when our cell phones are off.” Knox says that last part extra loud. “That’s bro code and a total douchebag move to cast a spell and track me anyway.”

  “What?” asks Head Alec.

  “Two words,” says Knox. “Bro. Code.”

  “That, it is,” replies Floating Head Alec. “Unless you have a douchebag bro and an awesome bro. In such cases, the douchebag bro disappears, which then freaks out the awesome bro. After which point, the code clearly allows the amazing good bro to track the douchebag bro just in case he starts talking about someone other than himself. After that, the awesome bro can send a magical version of his floating head to chat with the douchebag bro.”

  Knox chuckles. “Oh, I didn’t know about that part of the code.”

  “Well.” Alec gives another from his collection of eye rolls. “Now you know.”

  “Give me a sec with Bry,” says Knox. Turning away from Head Alec, Knox focuses his attention on me. “What’s wrong? I can scent the worry.”

  Head Alec’s eyes get large. “What’s up with Bry? Should I transport over?”

  “I asked for a minute,” says Knox. “And some privacy.”

  “Fine. Sixty seconds.” After closing his eyes, Head Alec covers his ears with his palms.

  “Guess he’s not really going anywhere,” I say.

  “Don’t mind him.” Knox rubs his palms up and down my arms. “What’s wrong?”

  “Look,” I begin. “I still feel the same way I did back at Boucle-Roux. There’s no reason to get Alec in on this. Elle, either. It’s too dangerous.”

  Knox tilts his head. “You really think we can keep them out?”

  “Time’s up.” Head Alec lowers his hands, opens his eyes, and pretends to look around the room. “What shall I do when I’m being ignored and using up incredible amounts of magic to try to communicate?” He makes an exaggerated a-ha face. “I’ve got it. How about I count down until you decide to acknowledge me? Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah …”

  Yes, Floating Head Alec is now singing the Jeopardy theme song. My life is beyond bizarre.

  “Nah nah nah nah NAH nanananana. Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah. NAH nah nah nah. Nah. Nah. Nah. Boom, boom. I can do this a
ll day, and I know you find it totally annoying.” He clears his throat. “Second verse, same as the first. Nah nah nah nah …”

  While Alec sings, Knox pulls his phone from his jacket pocket. The device is glowing red with magic. Holding it between his thumb and forefinger, my mate jiggles his cell from side to side. The question is there but unspoken: Should I turn it on?

  “Do it,” I sigh. When Alec sets his mind on something, there really is no way to stop him. Plus, he has a terrible singing voice.

  Knox turns on his phone, and the floating Alec head disappears. Within seconds, the cell blares “Darth Vader’s March,” which is Alec’s special ringtone. Knox takes the call. “Hey.”

  Through the tinny speaker, Alec complains in rapid-fire style. Knox’s best friend talks so quickly, it’s hard to make out what he says, but I do catch a few choice words, like dickhead and stubborn.

  Knox raises his voice. “You want to come here?”

  This time, I can hear Alec’s voice clearly. “What do you think, Fur Bunny?”

  “Then stop your bellyaching and transport over already. We both know you have enough of my personal crap that you can find me any time.”

  Alec’s tinny voice sounds again. “I was trying to be sensitive. We have a deal about this stuff. And you went out of town to find Bry. I knew you’d track her down. There was no way I’d just transport over and interrupt. You and Bry could’ve been having a moment.”

  “You guessed it, genius,” says Knox. “We were having a BIG moment. And with that little song of yours, you just interrupted us.”

  “Like romaaaaantic?” Head Alec makes kissy faces.

  Knox shakes his head. “Oh, grow up.”

  My face blazes red. Earth, please open up, because I need somewhere to hide.

  When I speak again, my voice comes out as a chirp. “There was no moment.” I know Knox is just busting on Alec, but it still feels important to clarify the moment thing. It’s not like we were getting naked in Knox’s fancy dining room.

  In his castle.

  Which his ex-girlfriend just decorated in red slime that looks a lot like blood.