Magic and Mayhem: A Collection of 21 Fantasy Novels

by Jasmine Walt

  His spine snaps in half, leaving the front half of his body to topple over his torso. My mouth gapes wider and wider. Then, his spine fuses back together, and his muscles vibrate, sending hunks of flesh everywhere.

  My weapon thuds to the floor. After what seems like hours, Tripp’s body stills. He huffs and stomps his foot through the earth, and a tremor reaches me.

  Then, his massive fist puts a crater-sized hole into the ground. His head rolls around on his neck, and huge black eyes stare into me. When he huffs again with nostrils big enough to drive a car through, my eyelids flutter, until he stops and I’m able to open my eyes again.

  There is a blur of movement behind him. Tripp, still staring at me, reaches an arm out and raises something into the air. Leaning over the side of the tree box, I squint at the berk he has between his thumb and index finger. He pinches, then rubs his fingers together like someone trying to get excess crumbs off their hands.

  Badass. I start to smile when something sparks to life. Sounds like an engine. I don’t think anything of it and go to pack my rifle back into its case when there is a low crash.

  My eyes dart up and to the side. Kiwi is scrambling in the tree, trying to get down as fast as she can. She almost falls three times.

  The fuck is she doing?

  I wince when she slips and crashes to the ground on her side. With a moan, she rolls over, then pushes up to her feet. Then, she zips off in Tripp’s direction. I spot Juliet coming at Tripp from the back, some kind of pole held out to him. My lips turn down into a frown. That won’t do. I close my eyes and in my mind see her stop, and then lower her weapon. I fill her with the feeling that she has no intention of hurting Tripp.

  As soon as I create the mental picture, Juliet ceases, then glances across the distance at me. I wave with a smile.

  Kiwi stops at Tripp’s toes and flaps her arms up at him for several seconds before he finally looks down. I can’t make out what they say, but he reaches for her and she hops onto his palm like they do this shit every other Saturday.

  He places her on his shoulder and they stomp around the house, shaking the branches of the tree I’m still standing in.

  Minutes later, I stumble into the house and trudge up the stairs to my room. I really need to stop doing that. Thinking of this as my room. It’s theirs. Thinking about anything as being mine can get dangerous.

  Once in their room, I remove my gear and jump into the blue coveralls that are standard issue at C6. I shuffle to the bed and rub a kink out of the side of my neck. I kind of wish Oscar was here right now. Just to shoot the shit, but I made him promise he’d be there when Sadie woke up.

  I need to make it a point for Juliet to let me see her tomorrow. Movement from downstairs climb into my thoughts, prying my attention away from Sadie. A bang, probably from something hitting the table in the kitchen, drifts up to me.

  With a yawn I stand, duck out the door, and head down the stairs. I slow down as I round the corner leading from the front hall into the kitchen. Tripp in his human form is sitting at the table with a steaming mug.

  Smells like mint tea. Kiwi is next to him, draping a blanket over his shoulders. Tripp is pale, and his skin looks like its sagging off his bones. Leaning against the doorframe, I clear my throat.

  Kiwi’s gaze snaps over to me. Tripp raises his head slowly. When he sees me, he almost manages a weak smile.

  “How you doing, big guy?” I straighten and stroll across the room. I stand beside the table, hands in my pockets. He sets down his cup and shrugs.

  “Well, I think we all failed the obstacle course,” he says in a raspy voice. “My bad.”

  I laugh and sit across from them. “You need anything, Shoestring?” I figure I owe him for the Orc weed, plus, he’s starting to grow on my ass.

  He taps a finger under his chin. “Well, I could use a cock rub.”

  I roll my eyes, and Kiwi sputters laugher. Ignoring her, I lean across the table on my elbows.

  “So, holy fucking Orc mode, right?” I raise an eyebrow. “You just rage out, or what?”

  The inch of humor he had on his face floats off.

  With a sigh, he shakes his head. “I don’t know, honestly. The adrenaline hit, and I haven’t had practice shifting in so long… I guess I just lost it.”

  I nod. “So, how does that work, then? Are you in your right mind? Or is it some Mr. Hyde shit?”

  From across the table, Kiwi snorts. “He’s not a monster.” Her words come out attached to a hiss.

  I glance at her. “Didn’t imply he was.” I look back at Tripp. “So…”

  “Maybe he doesn’t want to answer your questions, Pike.” She emphasizes my name like a fed up mother might do with her kid. Keeping it a point to ignore her, I stretch my eyes wide as I look at Tripp, and only Tripp.

  “Shoestring, did any of my questions offend you?”

  His mouth twitches, but he manages to keep a smile off his face. “You two are impossible.” He holds his fist in front of his mouth and coughs.

  I wince and lean away from the phlegm quality of it. “No, and please…” He turns to Kiwi with wide eyes. “Don’t start.”

  The two of them stare at each other for so long I feel like I’m interrupting. Finally, Kiwi gives a curt nod, then turns and flashes me the fakest smile I’ve ever seen in my life as she pats Tripp’s arm.

  “Thank you.” Tripp turns to me and grins. “No, I’m aware of everything happening.” His eyebrows crease. “Too aware for my taste. Everything is sharper, like the sky thing…” His eyebrows lift into his hairline. “I never noticed it before.”

  I grin. “Seems pretty obvious to me.” I rake my hand across my beard. “So, you haven’t shifted since you’ve been here.”

  He nods. “Almost a year.” His expression morphs into the expression of a man that’s just realized something. “Wow,” he says, lowering his gaze to his steaming cup. “Anyway, now you can see why most Orcs just stay in Orc form. Shifting is…” He shudders.

  “Yeah, shit looked painful.” I lean back in my chair. “You scared the wrinkles off my balls.”

  He laughs, and Kiwi ducks her face behind her hand. I’m guessing, or maybe hoping, it’s to hide a smile.

  “I’m glad to have some kind of effect on your balls,” Tripp says.

  I start tapping my thumb and forefinger on the table. Trying not to smile, I cast my gaze at the ceiling and assume a serious expression. “There’s a love song in there somewhere.”

  Tripp’s laughter sounds pained, but at least he’s laughing. Kiwi scrapes the floor with the legs of her chair as she stands up.

  “I’m going to bed.”

  I follow her movement with my gaze as she bends over to whisper something in Tripp’s ear. His thin lips twitch with a grin. As she pulls herself straight, he shakes his head.

  “You’re mean.”

  “Goodnight, boys.” Kiwi waves at us, then saunters out of the kitchen. Listening to her feet clomp up the stairs, I wink over at Tripp.

  “Least she didn’t hiss at me.”

  He shrugs and resumes drinking his tea. “That’s probably because you saved me from Juliet’s shock treatment earlier.” His face scrunches like he found something he wasn’t expecting in his cup. “Thanks for that.”

  I wave him off. “No need. I got your back.”

  His eyelids start to droop. They are turning a shade of plum that doesn’t look healthy. The coffee cup in his hand bangs onto the table as he lets out a yawn.

  “Ugh, I should just sleep here.” His eyes open and he laughs. “No way I’m making it upstairs tonight.”

  I yawn myself, then stand up and round the table.

  “I gotcha. Let’s go.” I lean over to reach for him, and he pulls back.

  “Let’s go what?”

  I chuckle and pull his arm around my shoulder. I lift up, pulling him with me. Once he’s all the way up, I wrap my free arm around his hip.

  We trudge down the front hall and up the stairs, Tripp laughs. �
�Maybe Kiwi was right.”

  When we reach the top landing, I glance sidelong. “’Bout what?”

  He winks at me. “Maybe you are gay.”

  We both chuckle. I glance over at his door, and he pulls away from me and limps the rest of the way. He waves over his shoulder.

  “Goodnight, Pike.”

  “Night, man.”

  As I pass Kiwi’s bedroom door, it’s open a crack. Unable to help myself, I glance over. Her bright, dark eyes stare back. It’s kind of creepy. I halt and drop my gaze. Even though the crack is only a few inches wide, I can appreciate her smooth, dark legs.

  Yeah, she can wrap them around me anytime.

  A hiss meets my ears. I glance back up, and she slams the door. With a chuckle, I head to my room and hope to crash soon.

  I don’t sleep well. Or long. Each time I touch down into unconsciousness, some worry snaps me back awake. And I got a truck ton of worries. Sadie. Berserkers. Whether or not I’m going to die. Finally, I sit rod straight in bed. Listening to the sound of Oscar chirping in his sleep, I pace the room.

  And yes, he really does chirp in his sleep. Always has. Every once in a while he’ll mutter, let the bodies hit the floor, then go back to chirping, but I’m pretty sure he’s just fucking with me.

  With a sigh, I shuffle to the dresser and open the top drawer. Scattered inside are my boxer briefs, a few head scarves, and a few other of my personal possessions.

  I pull out a black pouch, close the drawer, and then take it back to the bed where I sit down. I undo the drawstring and empty out the contents of the pouch.

  It isn’t much.

  Three guitar picks, one blessed by the gods. Or cursed, depending on your point-of-view, and two more for just playing regular stuff. I pick up a red one with my first initial on it. On the back is a trident. It’s from my mother. That was before she knew, when she thought I was a mermaid or some shit. With a smile, I palm it. Glancing at the bed, I spot an aquamarine bracelet. Nothing fancy, just shiny blue-green beads. Okay, there is a charm on it, of an ice skate.

  I always meant to give it to her.

  Sadie.

  I need to see her. Now.

  I scoop all my crap back into the pouch, pocket the bracelet and pick, then leave my body.

  Not for real, just in my head. I need to get out of there to find my little servant girl. After sweeping most of the compound, I find her alone in a bedroom with one hand rested on a handgun. No shock there.

  I roll my eyes then shout, Ay you, Juliet. Get up.Master needs a favor.

  Her eyes flutter open.

  I test her for annoyance, then anger, and find none. This isn’t as fun as I’d hoped. Convenient, though, since I don’t even have to think the words at her. She knew what I wanted the moment I felt it. And she has the pull here to do it.

  11

  Juliet and I stand beside Sadie’s bed in the infirmary and stare down. There is a bandage around her mutilated, but now reattached, arm. Through the sheet white gauze, I can make out gleaming glints of silver intertwining with her flesh.

  Axley made a little cyborg out of her.

  “Most of the tissue was damaged. We saved what we could, and Axley filled in the rest,” Juliet says.

  I nod.

  There is another bandage on the top of her left hand, holding in an IV. I sit down in the chair next to her, pull my guitar into my lap, and glance up at Juliet.

  “Her arm, will she have full use of it?”

  Juliet nods. “Yes.”

  “How is Axley?”

  Juliet nods across the room, I follow her head to a bed spaces away from Sadie’s.

  I frown. “She okay?”

  “Yes, from what I understand, building cybernetic flesh is taxing. She’ll be released as soon as she’s rested.”

  I nod again. “Okay, you can go now.”

  She flips her hair and nods, then her footsteps trail away from me. With a sigh, I shut my eyes and start to play. Just random notes. Not one song stays on my mind long enough for me to see it through.

  A tiny cough stops me. I glance toward the bed. Sadie’s eyelids flutter. She coughs again, this time louder. Standing up, I go to prop my guitar against the foot of the bed, then I lean over her.

  “Sadie?”

  With a groan, she opens her eyes and frowns.

  “Hey, shorty.” I smile.

  She scowls at me.

  “What time is it?” She struggles to sit up, and I rush to help her.

  I chuckle. “It’s eleven.”

  She pauses and stares. “Really?”

  I fluff her pillow, then sit back down. “Nah, girl. You know that time isn’t a thing anymore.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You’re a fucktard.”

  My eyes narrow. “Watch. Your. Mouth.”

  Her face wrinkles and she swallows, then coughs again.

  I stand up. “Thirsty?”

  She nods, and I tip toe to the other side of the room, grab a thermos of her rationed water, and take it back to her. She throws it back eagerly. When she’s finished, she exhales loudly, then hands me the thermos.

  “You don’t know the time, but you know why you’re here.” She sounds like her normal self, which lightens the ton of bricks weighing on my chest a little. I sit back down.

  “I wanted to see how you were doing.” I bend down and put her thermos on the floor. When our eyes meet again, she looks guarded.

  “What?”

  “Did you change your mind?” She swallows again. “About helping them?”

  I raise an eyebrow. “Sadie, you just had major…”

  “Promise you won’t go,” she whispers, eyes wide and voice trembling.

  “Hey.” I lean over and take the hand on her good arm. “Listen, I don’t want you to sweat this. I’ll be fine.”

  I leave out the stuff about the crossroads and the theory that I’m heading out to an almost certain death. This is the first time since I’ve seen her that she sounds like a kid. I want to keep her sounding that way.

  “No.” She shakes her head. “No, you won’t. When you help them, they won’t have any more use for you. They’ll probably kill you as soon as you get it. Try and say you died fighting bravely. But, they won’t…”

  “Sadie.” I make my voice firm. “I don’t want you worrying about me. I will be fine.”

  She pokes out her lower lip and jerks her head in the opposite direction.

  I sigh.

  “I brought you something.” I stand up and pull the bracelet out of my pocket.

  She doesn’t budge.

  “You can wear it when you make the Olympics.” I jingle the jewelry, hoping it will coax her into turning around.

  It doesn’t.

  “Okay, I’ll let you rest, shorty.” I put the bracelet on the table next to her bed. As I go to pick up my guitar, I glance over at her. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

  I linger for a few seconds, hoping she’ll stop throwing this grown child tantrum. She doesn’t, so I turn on my heels and head to the door.

  Something hits me in the back. I stop at the same time there is a plop against the floor. Glancing back, I see Sadie, sitting all the way up, arms crossed over her chest, glaring like she wants to set my ass on fire. My gaze darts down to the bracelet.

  I clench my jaw and lean over to pick it up.

  “If you’re doing this for me, you really are just a big idiot!” Tears stream down her face, which kills all anger I was starting to feel.

  I saunter back and sigh. “I have to—“

  “You want to save the world for me?” She barks laughter. “But without you, I don’t have anyone. You’ll be dead. My mom will be dead.”

  I wince with every word she speaks.

  “And I’ll be here, with them. In this… fucked up world. There isn’t going to be anymore skating. No more gold medals. I’ve already lost almost everything! We all have!”

  Her body convulses with sobs. I sit on the edge of her bed and try to pull her
into a hug. She throws me off and punches me in the chest with her good arm.

  “Don’t act like you care.” She glowers at me. “I still have you, and now you want to take that from me too.”

  “Hey,” I whisper, leaning as close to her as I think she’ll allow. “I’m not leaving you. I’m not going anywhere. I pro…”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” She sniffles. “Unless you promise you won’t work with them, I don’t care about what you say.”

  I hesitate. This is the first time I have no idea what to say to the kid. I knew what to say when her mom died. I knew what to say when she got the silver in some bullshit ass local tournament to a girl that delighted in beating her. I knew what to say when she asked if she could date demigods with passive powers.

  And when she asked if she could date anyone… ever.

  Fuck to the no.

  Now, my tongue is in a rattrap. All I can do is sit there.

  “Do you even know what the cure is?” she asks, finally breaking the silence.

  I shake my head.

  “You know why they need you so bad to get it?”

  I start to nod, then catch the knee jerk reaction and toss it away. I shake my head.

  She scoffs. “Do you think they deserve it? After all they did. All they’re still going to do?”

  I throw my hands in the air. “I know you deserve to skate again and to, you know, not be eaten.”

  Her lips twitch into an almost grin. She averts her eyes and starts to toy with her blanket. Her mouth opens and shuts a few times, then we go back to quiet.

  “Shorty, I know you’re pissed at me, but I need a favor.”

  She shrugs her thin shoulders.

  “I need you to lay low while I’m gone. Follow the rules. Look out for the kids younger than you.”

  Her head snaps back up. “Why can’t I just go with you?”

  I clench my jaw. “Just listen to me, okay, for once without arguing.”

  She shoves herself back into her pillow and huffs.

  “Promise me,” I say, “that you’ll stay safe until I come back.”

  She chuckles and shakes her head. “Yeah sure, I fucking pinky swear. And you can believe I’ll keep my promises as much as I can believe that you’ll keep yours.”