by Martha Carr
“The stone is missing.” Correk turned the bracelet over, looking at the empty setting. “How important is that piece?”
“Vital,” said Turner. “Without it, this is a useless half measure. And it’s not just any stone. It must be one that has more than the usual power to fuel the bracelet. One that has the same mixture of elements but in higher doses. They exist but…”
“We’re looking for a stone among a billion stones on two planets.” Leira looked out toward the lake, watching a pair of ducks swim around each other. In the distance a kayaker forged a path resolutely across the water.
“How would we recognize the stone?” Correk stood back, his hands on his hips.
“That part is actually relatively simple. Few would be able to handle it, even among the magical community and even among humans. It would spark or burn their hands. To someone who can channel more energy, more efficiently it would give off a strong hum or vibration. Might even make someone feel lightheaded or stoned.” Turner tapped his cane against the ground and let out a deep sigh. “This is our next quest.”
Jackson sat forward and thumped Louie on his good leg. “You think you can do this?”
“Time is of the essence.” Correk turned to Leira. “Your ability to channel energy only grows stronger and you won’t always be able to find someone to help you tamp it down.” He brushed a hand against her back, putting it back down by his side but not before Jackson noticed.
Louie was ignoring all of them, staring at the bracelet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his lucky stones, rolling them through his hands. Zaps most, burns a few. Sounds familiar. He looked at the size of the setting and down at his hand. Only one of the stones from the estate sale managed to give a few customers at the Dark Market a jolt. The large, blood red stone with a thin sliver of gold running through it. Contact high first time I squeezed it in my hand. My luckiest stone. First the sword, now this. Okay, I can do this. Without saying a word, Louie leaned forward and took the bracelet, turning the stone around and around till it dropped neatly into place not quite meeting the sides. The stone rattled in the setting, melting into a liquid and spreading out till it filled the edges. Light glowed from every side as it bubbled, slowly hardening until it fit the setting exactly. Louie looked up to see everyone standing closer to him, their eyes wide. He held up the bracelet to Leira, a crooked smile on his face. “Something like this, right?”
“Absolute miracle. Exactly as it was described.” Turner urged Leira. “Go on, take it. Put it on.”
Leira put out her hand and was surprised to see her fingers shaking. She picked it up and barely felt the hum as she slid it onto her wrist.
Correk took her hands and looked her in the eyes. “Okay, this is where you take it for a test drive. Danger is minimum. We’re all standing here, ready to ground you if things don’t go as planned. Think of a task for the magic and let the energy lead the way.”
Leira looked up into his eyes. “I trust you.” She squeezed his hands and let go, pulling in energy from the ground as the symbols burned brightly on her arms, spreading up her neck. She relaxed into it, focusing on a task. Show me the sanctuary. Keep it safe.
She gasped and arched her back as the energy rushed through her in a gust, billowing out in a widening stream of light as she watched the images emerge in front of her. The energy sought out first the sanctuary in Texas, circling around the grounds and running over the mossy areas, sensing all was well. With another surge, Leira relaxed her shoulders and felt it cross the veil into Oriceran without using a portal. She let herself be swept up into it, all worries falling away as the light sought out the Dark Forest.
Correk’s muscles tensed as he watched her eyes glow like embers, her mind somewhere else. I trust you, too. He waited, encircling her with his own energy, sensing if she was going too far over the edge.
The symbols along her arms flipped over faster and faster as Turner did his best to keep up, reading them as they sought out their target.
Leira felt the energy rushing through the dense trees into the darkness under the thick canopy. It had found its task. Leaves rustled and animals lifted their heads and turned to run as they sensed the magic flowing rapidly through the woods. Just at the far edge near the Land of Terran Leira could see smugglers moving elephants into large pens to transport across the nearby ocean. The magic burst forth, splitting the pens in two as the elephants reared up, curling their trunks and trumpeting an alarm. The Elves and Wizards tried to calm the elephants, spinning the same magical spell to soothe them that had worked just moments ago but were horrified to see it had no effect.
Leira opened her hands wider, taking long, deep even breaths as the energy swirled around them, sucking the air out of them and throwing the thieves to the ground. The elephants trumpeted their distress again, running toward the deeper parts of the forest as the men did their best to stand or crawl toward their carts. “Get out of here! The Gardener will be here soon!” yelled a Wizard.
Spalding stood on the edge of the swirl of magic and watched, his muscles straining to hold him up as he scowled even as he marveled at the magic blowing around him, his tunic clinging to his frame. Charlie Monaghan will not be happy about this turn of events. Someone with more power than he has is playing with us now.
Leira felt the magic pull back on its own, her left arm where the bracelet sat, shaking visibly. Jackson reached out to touch her but Turner gave a sharp, “No!” and knocked his hand away with the top of his cane.
“It’s working,” said Correk relieved. He could feel the magic subsiding inside of her, draining back into the earth. Leira curled her fingers into fists and let out her breath in a gasp as she fell forward into Correk’s arms.
“It worked,” she said, smiling as the symbols finally faded. She pushed herself off Correk and found her footing. Correk managed a smile as Jackson watched the two of them together. Turner leaned closer to Jackson and whispered, “You’ve missed far too many years to make a comment. Focus on the win here.”
Leira looked down at the bracelet. A thin wisp of smoke was coming from it. “Thank you, Louie. I owe you big for this. I owe all of you.”
“Don’t say it.” Jackson put his hand on Louie’s shoulder. “This one was gratis.”
“Leira, it’s only a temporary fix. This doesn’t solve the issue long-term. It only buys us time.”
“Just like you, Turner to bring the party down at your first opportunity,” Jackson scowled. “How about we take the win?”
Leira was still smiling, relieved and still feeling the remains of the bliss from the magic. “This is enough for today. I can take this for now. I’ll dig in for a longer solution, but for now, I’m grateful.”
FINIS
Author Notes - Martha Carr
Written January 28, 2018
The start of the New Year opened with a bang for me. I ended the year wondering if I should go back to Chicago (the place I consider my hometown) or move into Austin, closer to the Offspring, Louie and the Wonderful Katie. Eeny, meeny, miney, mo. So, I took off for my old hometown to get a little Chicago Christmas under my belt and be surrounded by old friends. Maybe it would help me decide.
It was a wonderful time that showed me how connected I am to people in the world. My family is mostly made up of people I’m not blood related to – some of you can probably relate. But I also saw that my life had moved on and somewhere in there I became a Texan. Plus, navigating icy wooden stairs is tricky and walking the playful Lois Lane on ice seemed like a no go.
So back in Texas and on a whim my realtor friend, Sheila and I took off to look at a subdivision in Southeast Austin one Sunday afternoon two weeks ago. Didn’t really see anything… the best offering would have meant I’d spend most of my day in a dark room. Sheila looked at me and said, “It’s like a cubicle.” On another whim with only a half hour to go I said, “Let’s go across the main street and look at the fancy houses in that other subdivision.”
You can probably see
where this is going, but hang on… It gets better. We went in the model home and noticed that the garage was already converted. BIG CLUE. They were almost sold out. The ceilings were super high and the finishes were fancier than I’m used to and we walked around with our mouths open, laughing and touching everything. Okay, 3rd whim… I asked the realtor who had an Eastern European accent so thick we had to lean in and listen carefully – was there anything left? Yes, one rancher…
Then she listed everything about the house and I could see good ol’ Sheila glancing at me sideways because the woman was listing everything I hoped for… including a bay window in the bedroom. Long and short, Sheila talked them down by A LOT over the next few days, figuring they were done and wanted out. And… I bought a house! (It’s being built and pictures will keep coming on my FB page and in the Martha Carr Fan Group) It’s a better house than I have ever lived in as a child or an adult. I keep taking deep breaths and telling myself, all is well, you pre-qualified. It’s okay.
BIG TRUTH is I am able to do all of this because of all of you – and Magic Mike. This past year has changed my life inside and out, and now it’s going to help change my address. I’m a kid who grew up in a kind of public housing (rectory, campus housing) and then lived in a variety of apartments… and this wonderful house. But as Sheila’s husband said… this house is a whole other level. One dream after another keeps coming true as if magic were real. And like I’ve said before… we’re just getting started.
There’s the Open House for Austin-area Veterans the day before this book comes out with a Kindle raffle, giving away some stickers and books and food and of course cake. There has to be cake. If all goes well that will become a model for a strange US book tour that will wind through where you guys, THE FANS said you’re mostly located. One fan made a great suggestion to do a signing in a bar that resembles Estelle’s. We’re looking into adding that…
In the meantime, Magic Mike is hard at work on The Amazing Mr. Brownstone series in the Oriceran Universe. I’m really looking forward to that one… and we have a few other ideas up our sleeve. Thanks for making ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE!
More adventures to follow.
Martha
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Written January 29, 2018
First, thank you for not only reading this story, but reading the author notes here at the back as well!
I’ve said this before (probably in previous author notes in this series) but it pleases the ever-loving-fuck out of me to have played a part in Martha’s success.
Why you ask?
Because I am a firm believer that leaving behind those older in our society is a stupid-assed, short-sighted strategy.
Granted, some of those older people are pains-in-the-asses (but so are some of the younger people in our world.) There is no minimum or maximum age limit for someone to say, “I know what the hell I’m doing, and I don’t care what you tell me.”
Sixteen or sixty-five, the same attitude can be found in both.
However, rant aside, Martha is a talented author who had toed the line for the traditional model for so many years and did it ‘their way.’
Until she tossed off the shackles of the system, gave them a “Heigh-ho, fuck you Joe, I’m off to write about…” A female Austin, Tx detective that swears like a sailor and a troll named Yumfuck
Yeah, cause THAT would have made the agents and editors / publishers at the big houses stand on their chairs, screaming that they wanted to publish this series!
(Yes, I know, we are both shaking our heads at that actually playing out.)
However, we did it. She and I worked out the story, the world (Universe) and she believed enough in me to take some of it on faith.
And some of it by hard-headedness.
Either way, Martha is just about seven (7) months into her Oriceran Universe effort and together, she and I can smile, wave our middle-fingers to those who didn’t believe in her and enjoy the fact that we DID create a fan favorite swearing detective with a troll who has a penchant for causing mischief.
And it has been a best-selling series, with over 15,000 books sold and 8,000,000 pages read in Kindle Unlimited.
In just half a year.
More is coming from this dynamo, so thank you for cheering her on in her ‘old age’ and please, try to keep her attention with you on Facebook. Because if you don’t, she will turn that attention back to me and I’ve had enough little arrows stuck in me when she’s bored.
Thank-you-very-much.
Now, before you start harassing me about calling her old, SHE is the one who likes to point out that she is often the oldest in the group (I’m 50 – but she calls me just a child.)
It’s when Stephen Campbell (Zen Master Walking ™) is around that she keeps her mouth shut about age.
Ok, I’m off to continue falling asleep. Except, this time I’m going to fall asleep in my bed, instead of using my laptop as a pillow.
Love you guys and gals!
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael
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The email list will be a way to share upcoming news and let you know about giveaways and other fun stuff. The Facebook group is a way for us to connect faster – in other words, a chat, plus a way to share new spy tools, ways to keep your information safe, and other cool information and stories. Plus, from time to time I’ll share other great indie authors’ upcoming worlds of magic and adventure. Signing up for the email list is an easy way to ensure you receive all of the big news and make sure you don’t miss any major releases or updates.
Enjoy the new adventure!
Martha Carr and Michael Anderle 2017
Martha Carr Social
Website: http://oriceran.com/
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Michael Anderle Social
Website: http://kurtherianbooks.com/
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Books by Martha Carr
The Revelations of Oriceran
The Leira Chronicles
* with Michael Anderle *
Waking Magic (1)
Release of Magic (2)
Protection of Magic (3)
Rule of Magic (4)
Dealing in Magic (5)
Theft of Magic (6)
The Kacy Chronicles
* with A.L. Knorr *
Descendant (1)
Ascendant (2)
Combatant (3)
The Soul Stone Mage Series
* with Sarah Noffke *
House of Enchanted (1)
The Dark Forest (2)
Mountain of Truth (3)
Land of Terran (4)
New Egypt (5)
The Midwest Magic Chronicles
* with Flint Maxwell *
The Midwest Witch (1)
The Midwest Wanderer (2)
The Midwest Whisperer (3)
The Midwest War (4)
The Fairhaven Chronicles
* with S.M. Boyce *
Glow (1)
Shimmer (2)
Ember (3)
Nightfall (4)
Books by Michael Anderle
For a complete list of Kurtherian Gambit Universe
books please click this link.
Kurtherian Gambit Series Titles Include:
First Arc
Death Becomes Her (01) - Queen Bitch (02) - Love Lost (03) - Bite This (04)
Never Forsaken (05) - Under My Heel (06) - Kneel Or Die (07)
Second Arc
We Will Build (08) - It’s Hell To Choose (09) - Release The Dogs of War (10)
<
br /> Sued For Peace (11) - We Have Contact (12) - My Ride is a Bitch (13)
Don’t Cross This Line (14)
Third Arc (2017)
Never Submit (15) - Never Surrender (16) - Forever Defend (17)
Might Makes Right (18) - Ahead Full (19) - Capture Death (20)
Life Goes On (21)
The Second Dark Ages
The Dark Messiah (01)
The Darkest Night (02)
Darkest Before The Dawn (03)
*with Ell Leigh Clarke*
The Boris Chronicles
* With Paul C. Middleton *
Evacuation (01)
Retaliation (02)
Revelations (03)
Redemption (04)
Reclaiming Honor
* With JUSTIN SLOAN *
Justice Is Calling (01)
Claimed By Honor (02)
Judgement Has Fallen (03)
Angel of Reckoning (04)
Born Into Flames (05)
Defending The Lost (06)
Saved By Valor (07)
Return of Victory (08)