Taking a knife, she opened the box her grandmother had sent. Reaching inside amidst the packing, she pulled out a mirror and her blood froze in her veins, her heart jumping wildly in her chest.
The magic mirror. The one that would reveal her mate.
Inside, she found a card from her grandmother.
Your mating season is upon you. Any man you date, hold the mirror to his face and if there is no reflection, he is not your love. But if you see his face, you must mate and make him your own. Love you, Astor
Shock roared like a lion through her body, leaving her shaken. No, it couldn't be.
"Excuse me," she said, running to the bedroom. "I have to talk to my mother."
"Your mother's here?” he said, staring at her as she ran from the room.
“No, she’s dead, but we still communicate," she said, calling to him over her shoulder.
Entering her bedroom, she put her hands to her face. She wasn't ready for this. Now was not the time for a man or warlock to come into her life. Sitting on the bed, she made herself relax and focused inward, conjuring her mother's image.
The scent of gardenias filled the room and her mother shimmered before her. "Hi, dear. Did you receive your grandmother's package?"
"Why now?" Petunia asked. "You know I'm busy training to meet Kaine."
A frown flitted across her mother's face, but her image remained strong. "Petunia, I didn't raise you to want to kill. You've always been the gentlest soul of my girls. I can't see you facing this evil warlock in a battle. And I don't want you to take the chance he will harm you."
They had talked about this since the day he killed part of her family. She had wanted blood then, but she'd been too young. Instead, she chose to wait, grow stronger, and meet him with the Federation of Witches approval. And her grandmother had helped her acquire that tiny slip of paper that said it was okay for them to fight to the death. And she intended to make certain he didn't walk away.
"You are a peace loving soul. You might feel joy at first, but killing Kaine will change you. It would cause you great pain if you killed someone."
They'd been over this before, but she was more convinced than ever that Kaine needed to die. He'd torn their family apart and he must pay.
"And I lost my mother and my sister when he cast the spell that killed you." The memory of that awful time and how her remaining sisters had all banded together for comfort. But now Daisy was married and living on Tesceanus and Zinnia in Santa Fe.
"I'm always here for you, dear, and so is Ianthe. All you have to do is call and we'll come. But your life is about to drastically change. You received the mirror. You'll soon be mated. Aren't you excited?"
"No. I'm not. Now is not the time. I'm going to send it back to Grandmother."
"What? You can't do that. This is your time."
They'd given Daisy the full twenty-five years. Why couldn't she wait another year? Right now, between teaching her children and preparing for her match, she didn't have time to find her mate.
"I have another year before I must mate. Why did it arrive early?"
"The mirror arrives when you are ready and your mate is near. Tell me, is there someone new in your life?"
A flutter in her middle, made her breathing catch. Oh nooooo. Oh, nooooo. It couldn't be.
Petunia, felt her eyes narrow as she stared at the shimmering image of her mother. "Yes."
"Tell me about him. How did you meet?"
Frowning, she wondered how much she should reveal. "There is only one new male creature in my life. He walked into my school after his space pod crash landed on earth. He's an alien from the planet Bierilla and he has every intention of returning."
Her mother smiled. "I'm going to check him out."
"It can't be him," she said determined.
"Maybe he will decide to stay. He might enjoy Magic and never want to leave."
Shocked, she stared at her mother. She was the one who wanted her to never leave Magic and yet she was condoning that her mate could be the alien that was building a tyrochromaticon on her kitchen table. Had the spirits taken part of her brain?
"Right now, he's in my kitchen rebuilding a part for his spaceship. I don't think he has plans to stay. He keeps saying he has to return."
"Things can change."
Oh, things could change in a heartbeat, Petunia thought sarcastically. The NSA could pull up and take him away. A ship could come to take him home; he could get his space pod working again. There were any number of reasons things could change, but that didn't mean he would decide to stay here in Magic.
And even if he did, her time and energy was on strengthening her magic and her fighting skills. Not on a handsome hunk of alien, even though he was kind of intriguing.
"But I wasn't ready for this just yet. My focus is on killing Kaine and avenging your death. Did no one consider my wishes or did you all assume that since I'm the peace and love witch, I'd give up without a fight?"
Her mother stared at her and let out a sigh. "I'm honored you want to avenge my death, but I'm so frightened. I hoped your mate would stop you from fighting Kaine. His magic is strong and he's evil. I guess, I hoped the federation would not let you battle him."
A tremor of unease rippled down Petunia's spine. She both feared and loathed Kaine. But regardless, she was determined to kill the damned warlock.
"Well, they didn't. They approved my request to honor your life by meeting your killer."
"Your grandmother helped you, didn't she?” Mom asked.
Without her grandmother Astor's help, Petunia would never have gotten their approval. And then she would’ve had to face their disapproval when she'd met Kaine on her own. She could still have to face the council if they didn't like her actions.
"Yes, she persuaded them that since they had not taken any actions against Kaine, I should be allowed to fight him. But I would battle him regardless of their decision."
Her mother cursed in French. "If I could talk to Mother, I would..."
"It's done."
Frowning, her mother's eyes darkened and Petunia knew she was angry. They seldom disagreed, but on this subject, there was no agreement.
"Don't send the mirror back. Your mating season is upon you. Use the mirror, Petunia, it will guide you. And check out your alien. After all, your sister's mate was from another planet. Yours could be too."
In a flash, she disappeared, leaving the room in a cold vapor with Petunia feeling more unsettled than she had before she conjured her mother's spirit. Could Jaqarg be the male who would sweep her off her feet and promise her forever? There was a spark, a fire between them she'd never felt before, but he would return to his planet and she would remain here. That was not what she was searching for in a mate.
She wanted a spouse who would remain by her side. Jaqarg would go back to his planet without her.
The females on his planet were not as emotional as the women of earth. In fact, now that he'd met Petunia, the women back home seemed quite cold. And yet, he was trying his damnedest to get back to Bierilla.
Jaqarg tried very hard not to watch Petunia walk off. The sway of her hips as she walked, the firmness of her backside, the long legs that carried her away from him. He had to clear his head of her smell, her essence, her very being. He had a job to do and there was no place for a woman in his life.
Maybe later, after he'd cleared his name, but for now, there was work to do. While his mechanical knowledge wasn't great, he thought from the manuals on his pod, he could rebuild the tyrochromaticon and be back in space soon.
The transmitter on his hip buzzed. He glanced down and saw Stryhn's face.
Flipping the switch, he turned it on. "Great to see your ugly mug, Stryhn."
"You, as well."
"Why aren't you in your pod?"
"A meteor shower took out my guidance system. I'm on earth," he said, wishing he'd made it back to Bierilla. At least there he could be helping Stryhn.
"You landed safely on earth?"
"Well, the pod is not exactly in the best of shape, but I'm working on trying to rebuild the tyrochromaticon so I can get started home again.”
Home, the quarters he was assigned to, the command center he ran and the princess...her image flashed in his brain and he felt sick.
"What is happening on Bierilla? Can I return home?" he asked Stryhn.
"No. Do not attempt to come back yet. They're searching for you."
Anger charged through Jaqarg like a fleet of tiny ships rushing to his fists. He clenched and unclenched them.
"You will be happy to hear your DNA was not found in Princess Ira. You did not mate with her."
Relief flooded Jaqarg making him feel warm. While he still felt sad, he was relieved they hadn't joined when he was drugged. It was forbidden. She was a princess and he was a warrior.
"I knew I would not have crossed that line, but how did she get in my bed? My chambers?"
"They found the drug XP in her system. I suspect you were also drugged."
It was a drug used to soothe and calm irritated and irrational Bierilla criminals. It left them drowsy, their thinking clouded, their vision blurred and their muscle coordination slow. Exactly how he'd felt when he'd awakened.
"Only someone in security could have access to the drug, unless it was her healer. But I suspect one of the warriors.”
"I do as well. I'm searching the security cameras and checking the logs to find who was on active duty that night."
Stryhn was one of his best men besides being his friend. He trusted him to find the information needed to clear his name. But still, Jaqarg should never have run.
"Bierilla is my home. If my pod hadn't blown the tyrochromaticon, I would have already returned. I should never have let you convince me to leave."
"You would be in prison where you would have to face every criminal you've convicted. You'd be dead in no time."
Sighing, he knew what Stryhn said was true, but that didn't change what he knew to be right. No warrior ran. They were taught to stand and fight.
"But being a fugitive is against everything I believe. I was born to uphold the law."
"The crime is the highest on the planet. You wouldn't have been given a chance to prove your innocence. At least there, you're safe. Stay there and I'll contact you as soon as I've learned who is behind this."
Jaqarg's heart pounded in his chest. What choice did he have? His pod was unable to fly and he had no other means of transportation.
"Hurry, Stryhn, my pride requires I come home as soon as I get the pod working again."
"Of course. I'm working on nothing else at the moment, but I must be discreet."
That was the very reason he needed to return. At least if he was on the planet, he could also be raising questions and searching who had framed him for murder. If he wasn't in prison.
"Be careful. If something happens to you, I'm lost forever."
"I've got to go, someone is coming."
The screen went black and Jaqarg was filled with a loneliness so aching, it was painful. He should be home. He should never have left. And yet here, he was stuck in Magic, New Mexico, on the planet Earth, while his name was being slandered on Bierilla, his beloved planet. And the princess’s murderer remained free.
Chapter 4
Petunia gazed at him tinkering with the part he must have retrieved from his broken space pod earlier in the day. She watched the way his hands moved over the mechanical box and wondered how his fingers felt running along her skin. Would his touch be gentle or firm and vigorous?
The mirror lay on the countertop where she'd opened the package from her grandmother. This day had loomed on the horizon her entire life, but she thought she'd have more time. During the witch trials of Salem, a curse had been placed on her family. The first time a witch mated must be with her true love or she died. The magic mirror would reveal her mate.
"You're staring at me," he said.
"Sorry, I was watching what you were doing. Seems to me the piece on the back needs that red wire to connect," she said. It had been dangling like a hanging chad and she itched to secure it to the device, not understanding the purpose of the equipment.
"I can't see back there," he said, his eyes narrowing, his hands deep inside the tyrochromaticon. "Let me try from this angle.”
"Here, I'll show you," she said.
After walking to the shelf, she picked up the seeing glass and went to his side.
This hadn't been her original plan, but the chance to test the mirror on him was too much to resist. Part of her wanted to know and part of her wanted to throw the cheval glass against the nearest wall and run screaming from her house. She didn't want to mate. Not yet.
First, she would put the magic seeing glass on the back of his tyrochromaticon, to show him where the strand went. Casually, she would bring the mirror up to his handsome mug and if his face reflected in the looking glass, he was the man tied to her until eternity.
"Can you see this connection here? Maybe the red coil hooks on here. Fasten the wire to that post and a fuse or something goes right here."
For some reason, it appeared that the red coiled wire should connect somewhere. Even though somewhat mechanically inclined, she was more into herbs and flowers than knowing the mechanics of machinery.
"I think that will fix it. I could be flying home tomorrow."
A tight squeeze in her chest hurt as she realized she didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay in Magic with her, and yet all along, he said he would return and soon.
That's why he couldn't be the man destined to be her first lover. He just couldn't be the man she gave her heart to because he wouldn't be here to claim her love.
"You can put the mirror down, we're done," he said.
Now was the time.
With shaking hands, she raised the magic looking glass in front of his face and took a long, slow breath. She closed her eyes and slowly opened them.
Her lungs froze. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears and her blood rushing through her.
Dark hair, frosty blue eyes, strong cheekbones and a stubborn chin reflected in the looking glass. Jaqarg Tannen from the planet Bierilla was her mate. Her true love. The person she was meant to join with. Panic overwhelmed her and the urge to run made her jump. She had to get out of the house now or go witch apeshit.
Jaqarg watched as the witch walked out the door. Something about the mirror upset her.
He strode over to the box where she'd tossed the glass. Just as he picked up the note, the doorbell rang.
Did she lock herself out? Hurrying to the door, he yanked the portal open and stared at the man standing in the doorway.
"Is Petunia home?"
"She just left," he told the man who wore some kind of uniform. Was he from the NSA? Had they returned?
Holding out his hand, Jaqarg didn't know what he wanted, but his teleprompter told him to shake the man's hand.
"Sheriff Theo of Magic. I'd like a moment of your time."
"Jaqarg Tennan."
Jaqarg narrowed his eyes at the officer. His eyes reminded him of his own with their iciness. What did he want with him? Stepping aside to let him enter, he noticed he wore an antique weapon at his waist. That hardly seemed adequate to handle the different species of renegades traveling this solar system.
The lawman faced him. "I know the NSA is looking for you. I wanted to come by and find out what brings you to earth. Why are you here?"
The man wanted to protect the people in his town and Jaqarg couldn't blame him. For the last five years, his job was to stand guard over the royal family and he'd failed.
Brushing the thought aside, he motioned for him to sit on Petunia's sitting apparatu
s. "I'm not here to do harm. In fact, if you look on the kitchen table, I'm rebuilding the tyrochromaticon for my pod to take me home. I was on my way to my planet when a meteor shower damaged my craft. I'm lucky I landed alive."
Sheriff Theo frowned at him. "Most space travel is done in a ship, not a pod."
The man was right. He didn't want to divulge he was suspected of murder. He knew he hadn't killed the healer. Sworn to protect her and yet somehow a murderer took her life in his chambers.
"You're right. I was on a short journey, when the tyrochromaticon broke. I tried to make it back to Bierilla, but the pod shut down and I landed here."
"Are your people coming to get you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I'm kind of a loner."
The sheriff's eyes narrowed, his head tilting to the side. "You're welcome as long as you're not evading the law and you don't cause trouble."
How could he answer the officer's question without lying? Running from his own officers on his planet, he'd been innocent, wrongfully accused of this despicable deed. He must return and clear his name.
"Sheriff, I'll be leaving your earth just as soon as I can get my space pod working again. Though I must say, your town is interesting. Back on my Bierilla, I'm in law enforcement."
The man visibly relaxed and leaned forward in acceptance. "If you decide to stay, I'm always looking for partners."
While it was kind of him to offer, Jaqarg had no intention of staying in Magic. Petunia's image floated in front of him. Not even for the witch.
"It's a different type of place, but my plan is to return to Bierilla."
The sheriff nodded and stood. "Don't want to take up any more of your time. Enjoy your stay."
"Stick around, you can help me rebuild the guidance system."
"Never been much of a mechanic," Theo said and walked to the door. As he opened it, he turned and glanced back at Jaqarg. "Petunia is a pretty special witch in town. Treat her well or you could bring yourself a whole lot of misery."
Jaqarg smiled. "Warning heeded. Goodnight, Sheriff."
"Goodnight."
Magic, New Mexico: Touch of Deceit (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Magic Mirror Book 2) Page 4