Eyes Like Autumn (Seasons of the Magi Book 1)

by C. E. DeRosier

  “Alice, no!”

  Beyond the ringing that flooded my ears, I could hear my boys screaming for me. I tried to tell them that everything would be all right, but only small gasps left my throat.

  Johannes dropped to his knees next to me, looking miserable and frantic. “This is all my fault, my sweetheart. Can you heal? I need you to try for me.”

  I brought my hand up to my chest and tried to focus through the searing pain. Sparks of magic barely appeared between my fingers. I shook my head. I couldn't do it, and it wasn't closing on its own.

  “Where's Doctor Thompson or John? Get them here now!” Johannes shouted. “Atohi, please don't let Ben see this.” His voice broke.

  I tried my best to convince him with a smile that it was okay. We’d accomplished what we had to. Ben was safe. The others were free.

  Doctor Thompson appeared in my vision, though I could really only see the vague outline of his balding head.

  “Johannes, my son, I don't have any of my supplies. Everything was destroyed during extraction. If we can get her back to my office...”

  Johannes made a pained noise. “There's not enough time.”

  Ben broke free from Atohi and collapsed at my side before grabbing at my chest. I tried to push him away. The sight of blood, my blood, on his innocent hands was making my chest ache more than the bullet.

  Before his father or uncle could pull him away, a large yellow light surrounded Ben and me, shoving everyone else away.

  “Mama, I'm going to save you.”

  I shook my head. “Sweetheart, it's-it's okay.”

  “No, you can't leave me! You promised!” he shouted. I could see his Ghoul form trying to claw out.

  The bubble of light began to darken and crackle with the opposing energies. His hands were surrounded with the same magic as he kept them pressed against my body.

  Suddenly what little breath I had was stolen from my lungs as magic burst from my chest. It took on a vague humanoid shape before becoming clear.

  “Zella...”

  She looked at me with her ethereal smile.

  “Promise to take care of our boys.”

  “I promise,” I whispered.

  “And you've got to watch over all of them, Alice. Don't let them run wild, okay?” She winked at me when I agreed.

  “Sweet boy, let me help you.” Zella knelt behind Ben and wrapped her arms around him to cover his hands with her own.

  In a furious burst of light, Ben's Ghoul form broke away from his body in a swirling mass of black and shrieked as it flew around the dome of magic. The magic crackled as it hit. I couldn't follow it long, as my eyes rolled back and I lost consciousness.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I awoke with a start as loud beeping beside me picked up in speed. I looked down to see cords attached my chest to… oh, a heart monitor. Wait, a heart monitor?

  “What in the world?”

  “Ah, you're awake!” I turned my head to see Sue approach my side. She looked pale and tired, but she gave me a smile, sweeping some hair back from my face. “I'm so glad you didn't do the whole movie-style ripping of the IVs.”

  IVs? “Sue, where am I?”

  I looked around. It looked like a hospital room but not like the ones Grandpa stayed at in Janafield. The room seemed more... homey, instead of sterile and lonely.

  “Doctor Thompson's office. Wait here, I'll grab everyone.”

  Within moments, the room was bursting with energy and movement as people filed in and surrounded me. Doctor Thompson pushed through to the front, grumping the entire time that he needed to clear me before they all attacked me.

  I stretched my aching bones as soon as he had pulled all of the medical equipment off me. No sooner had he backed away, though, than the entire pack descended on me.

  “Guys,” I laughed. “One at a time.”

  Ben scurried up the side of the bed to lay himself against me as he threw his arms around my neck. Everything that had happened came flooding back to me. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him with every bit of strength I had in me at the moment.

  “I'm so glad you're safe.” I kissed his forehead and rocked him.

  Atohi ducked into the hallway and reappeared, wheeling my grandpa to my side. He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “No tears.” His thumb swiped at a stray tear that had slipped from my eye before I had even realized it had fallen.

  When he stepped away, my grandfather reached out to pat my arm. “Hey, kiddo. Maybe we should get you into one of these fancy chairs and get you out of here.”

  “Grandpa, you're looking awfully spry.” I smiled.

  He leaned in. “To tell you the truth, I've been able to walk just fine lately, but it's nice to just have him push me around. He's a lot stronger than you, so he's faster.”

  “I definitely heard that,” Atohi said flatly as he crossed his arms.

  Grandpa cleared his throat. “I mean, I'm just a feeble old man.”

  I laughed and grabbed his hand with the one of mine that wasn't keeping Ben tightly to my chest. He squeezed back and gave me a teary-eyed smile. “I missed ya.”

  “How long have I been out? You make it seem like—”

  “Seven days,” Johannes cut in. It was strange to see him looking so... disheveled.

  His normally slicked-back-to-perfection hair was hanging loose. His features seemed slightly more gaunt, and...

  “Are you wearing sweatpants?” I blurted without meaning to.

  Johannes immediately scowled. “You've been out for days and that's one of the first things you inquire about?”

  Ben mumbled against my chest. “Papa and Uncle 'Tohi have been sleeping here.”

  “Dang, Benji, you sold us out just like that.” Atohi laughed and rubbed the back of his head nervously.

  “They took turns sleeping in the chair...” he continued as he started to play with a piece of my hair between his fingers

  “All right, that's enough chatter about that,” Johannes muttered.

  The doctor came to his rescue. “Are you feeling anything strange, Miss Barlow?”

  I stretched a little. “I feel lethargic, but nothing hurts. Maybe a bit stiff, though.”

  “Good, good. Can you try to summon your magic to lift this pen from my hand?”

  I wanted to ask him for a wand, but an image of Cole wielding his flashed in my mind, and I refrained. I focused in on the pen and tried to imagine it levitating just above his hand.

  The pen skyrocketed out of his palm and embedded itself in the white tile of the ceiling.

  “Um... Sorry?” I replied sheepishly.

  Doctor Thompson laughed. “I'll take that as an affirmative for your magic being in good health. I do recommend some training, though.”

  I nodded in agreement. Before I could say anything else, my stomach gurgled loudly.

  Sue laughed. “Let's get you something to eat, girly.”

  “Allow me to change and make a phone call. Then we can be off.” Johannes gave me a small grin.

  ~~~

  When we passed by Johannes's house, I turned to look at him from my spot in the passenger's seat. “I thought we were going home to eat?”

  He looked at me briefly before returning his gaze to the road with a smirk now tugging at his full lips.

  “What?” I said. “What's with that look?”

  I caught Atohi's eyes in the rearview mirror, but he only shrugged in response.

  Finally, Johannes gave in and said, “You just referred to my house as home.”

  For one reason or another, a hot blush spread across my cheeks. “That's not... I mean... Shut up, Johannes.”

  He maintained his smug smile the entire rest of the drive until we pulled up to the diner Grandpa liked to frequent.

  I started to protest. “Can't we make breakfast? I don't want to face the town yet... I can't handle it. Please, Johannes.”

  Atohi leaned forward and grabbed my arm with a reassuring squeeze. “They don't remember, Alice.”r />
  “What do you mean?”

  “You know that this town is supposed to be a safe place for magical beings. With everything that happened, the people were in an uproar. A new spell was placed to return things to a sense of normalcy. No one but us remembers.”

  A weight felt like it had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt so much lighter and as if I no longer had to tiptoe around the townspeople.

  “Wait, who cast the spell?”

  “You know that disgustingly adorable old couple that always walk by the river? They are the peace-keepers in town. They founded Janafield and have a particular knack for memory magic.”

  “So, they made everyone forget what happened?”

  He nodded. “Some things had to be altered, and some people are still missing, but they no longer think you're a monstrous witch.”

  “And what about..?” I nodded back to Ben as he snored lightly in his car seat. The poor boy must've been so tired while worrying over me despite what he had been through himself.

  “Well, we discovered for sure that the dual magic inside him was what caused his Magus form to reject.” Johannes chanced a glance over to me.

  “He saved me. Does that mean he's truly a Paean? I thought they could only be female.”

  “They’ve only ever been recorded as being female. But it's possible my dear boy is the first of his kind.”

  “Wait, I saw his Ghoul form leave his body. It was trying to fly away,” I said frantically.

  Atohi rubbed a hand on my shoulder. “As soon as the bubble went down, it took off.”

  I gasped. “We need to find it, right? What if others find it?”

  “You didn't let me finish, Alice,” Johannes said. “A few days ago, it was found. The doctor has it in his lab and plans to see if anything can be done with it.”

  “So… Ben will be okay?”

  Johannes finally smiled. It was so kind and genuine. A smile that seemed so rare for him with his guarded walls up near constantly. “Benjamin will be okay.”

  I immediately buried my face in my hands and cried harder than I'd ever cried before.

  Johannes’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Alice, sweetheart, why are you crying?”

  I mumbled a muffled response into my now soggy hands.

  “I can't hear you when you speak into your fingers.”

  “I'm so happy.”

  I finally looked up and immediately regretted it when Johannes bit his lip to keep from laughing.

  “What? Why do you keep giving me weird looks?” I sniffled.

  Atohi handed me a small packet of tissues he pulled from behind one of the seats. I squealed when I realized I had snot running and immediately wiped my face.

  “I'm so embarrassed.”

  “While it's not your most... beautiful of looks—”

  I cut Johannes off with a glare. He put his arms up in surrender.

  “Anyway, I should tell you about your father, Alice.”

  With a shake of my head, I said, “Please, I just want to pretend I can stay in this happy moment for just a little longer.”

  “Of course. Shall we go in? I can still hear you stomach rumbling.”

  “How many times are you going to embarrass me today?” I asked, exasperated.

  “As many times as you'll let yourself be embarrassed.”

  When we walked into the diner, I hadn't anticipated we'd be led back to the banquet room. Nor had I been expecting so many people awaiting our arrival.

  “What is all of this?” I asked Atohi quietly after everyone cheered at my arrival.

  “A party to celebrate you.”

  “No, no, that's okay. I don't need all of this.”

  Atohi laughed and gripped my shoulders as I tried to turn to flee from the room.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “You never got a proper welcome to the town. Everyone's eager to get to know you... and our son,” Johannes added.

  I looked down at Ben as he tightly fisted a portion of my shirt between his chubby little fingers. “Our son?”

  “Yes, we had a bit more editing done. Everyone believes he came to town with you and my brother so we could be a family.”

  “Alice, don't cry again,” Atohi laughed as he pulled me into his chest.

  “I'm not crying, you're crying.” I sniffled against the leather of his jacket.

  ~~~

  After the party, the days faded into weeks, and we found ourselves together for Christmas. Chesca, John, Evangeline, my boys, Grandpa, and Sue’s family. It had been so long since any of the Magi boys had gotten to experience a large gathering for the holidays.

  I stood in the kitchen, plating the last of the cookies Ben and I had made together. Somehow his had turned out way better than mine. When had that little squirt gotten so talented at cooking?

  I tried to hold in a sigh of sadness that tingled at the back of my throat. My father and I had always baked cookies around the holidays, and afterwards we would sit watching our favorite Christmas movies while licking spoonfuls of frosting he always seemed to “accidentally” make too much of every time.

  Since the altercation at the auction, my dad had gone missing. He hadn't returned home, his phone was disconnected... He had disappeared.

  I tried not to think any more on it as Ben screamed and ran into the kitchen to cling to my legs like the little koala he could be. My heart stopped momentarily as I instantly went into protector mode until I realized it was an I’m having fun scream and not a being chased by a scary person scream. This child would likely give me a heart attack one day.

  Static bounded in after Ben, making excited yipping noises. Around his neck sat a thick collar with a Faerie crystal that allowed him to appear as a cute little corgi instead of a dragon while others were around to avoid any excess attention.

  “Save me, Mama, save me!”

  I set the cookies down and scooped Ben into my arms as he howled with laughter.

  “Your mother in shining armor is here to save you.” With my foot, I rubbed Spark's side until he flopped over for belly scratches. “I have vanquished the foe!”

  “Yay, Mommy!” Ben cheered with his arms in the air.

  “Finally, there you are. We want to rip open our presents!” Suzanne said as soon as I got back to the room everyone had gathered in.

  It was decorated in just about every piece of holiday ephemera I could get my hands on. Johannes had humored me when I told him I wanted to give Ben a magical Christmas after everything that had happened this year. Though, I did have to throw away the tinsel after an incident involving Static. Atohi and I had agreed to never bring tinsel or even Easter grass in the house ever again.

  “Johannes,” Atohi said as he grabbed the first box. “This one is yours. Should I yeet it?”

  “Atohi, I swear on the Ancients, if you say yeet one more time…”

  Soon the room was filled with the sounds of ripped paper and squeals of excitement from the children. The best, though, was when Ben opened the box from my grandpa and in it sat a box of cordial cherries and a crisp five-dollar bill. It made me feel as if everything had come full circle. We really were a family.

  At first, I’d thought Grandpa would put his foot down about the two of us moving into Johannes's home, but he seemed like he needed a fresh start just like the rest of us. I think he also liked the size of the television Johannes had placed in his room... Nothing like listening to fake courtroom drama with a surround-sound system worth more than his car.

  It was closing in on nine o'clock by the time everyone had left for their respective homes and I had gotten things cleaned up with the help of my boys. I felt utterly exhausted, but content.

  “Ali, there you are.” Grandpa walked into the living room, where I was stretched across the couch with my feet in Atohi’s lap while his fingers worked their magic. Johannes sat in the armchair, one of the books I had gotten him for Christmas in his lap. Ben and Evangeline had retired early, not used to all of the excitement.
/>   “What's that, Grandpa?”

  “Oh, John gave me this before he left. Said to give it to you after everything settled down.”

  I sat up and grabbed it from him. It was heavy in my hands.

  “What is it, Alice?” Johannes asked, his full attention now on me.

  I carefully peeled the paper away to find a tome. It was thick with names, items, dates, and dollar amounts. “What is this?”

  Grandpa handed me a card from the back pocket of his jeans. “Suppose I shoulda given this to ya first.”

  Within the red envelope was a note from John:

  This was recovered from the auction. It lists every item and person sold by The Hand of Glory since Cole took power. If you three are up for it, perhaps we could recover the stolen people. -JE

  “We can help track down the missing people!” I exclaimed happily. “But… how would we take care of Ben?”

  “We can't leave without him. He needs us,” Atohi added.

  “And it's much too dangerous to leave him on his own if we bring him...”

  “I... I can go with and watch him. Between me and Evangeline, we can keep an eye on the kiddo,” Grandpa said as he tried to stand a little straighter.

  “Grandpa...”

  He raised a hand to stop me. “I had to spend so much of my life ignoring an important part of your grandma's life. I know saving these people is so important to you. I don't want nothing to hold you back.”

  He shifted slightly before he continued, “And I want to be a part of that boy's life too. Not just once a year on holidays.”

  I stood up and approached him. “Do you really mean it?”

  As soon as he nodded I looked back to my companions. Atohi stood up and stretched, his neck and back cracking. “I was getting a bit of cabin fever. I'm all for an adventure.”

  Johannes snapped his book shut. “You three can't be serious. Can't we just continue this? We've got a nice life right now, don't we?”

  We continued to stare at him until he finally conceded.

  “Fine, fine. We'll leave this wonderful home, our jobs, and our friends. I don’t think so.”

  “This house will be fine without us for a while. You're filthy rich, you don't need your job. And be honest,” Atohi added, “we're your only friends.”