Missing Magic

by Karen Whiddon

  “Yes. Your aura now looks Fae. But remember, your being human is what’s going to help us in dealing with these people. If this machine only works on Fae, you’ll have a built in immunity.”

  She conceded the point with a dip of her chin. “Okay, so I now look Fae. I’m armed and a trained law-enforcement officer. I’m ready.”

  “You’re not ready.” He crossed his arms, knowing she wouldn’t like what he had to say.

  “What? Of course I am. I’ve even got spare bullets.”

  He sighed. “Dee, You might be armed, but you need clothes.”

  She gaped at him. “Clothes?”

  “Yes, magic garments from Rune. No self-respecting Fae woman would wear anything that wasn’t sexy, especially out to the clubs.”

  “Sexy?” She stared. “I can do sexy. Look, I love new clothes as much as the next woman, but we don’t have time. I’m sure I can find something to wear.”

  “Time? The clubs don’t open for hours.”

  She checked her watch. “Fine. Get a Fae dress from Rune.”

  “I have to be careful, using magic. Though something like this shouldn’t be a problem,” he muttered.

  “What do you mean, you have to be careful?”

  “Magical use in a non-magical world like yours can cause disturbances in the weather. Remember those tornados, and the massive brush fire down by Austin last summer? That was because of magic.” He grinned at her. “Here goes nothing.” Snapping his fingers, he muttered a couple of words, and a shimmering dress appeared, draped over his arm.

  Outside, a sudden clap of thunder could be heard.

  “Look at that dress,” she breathed, moving closer. The color of amber, the gown appeared to be made from some diaphanous material that flowed and moved as if with life of its own. It was a perfect match for her eyes.

  “Here you are.” Cenrick held it out to her.

  She recoiled. “I could have sworn the material – or whatever it is – reached for me.”

  He shrugged. “It probably did. Put it on.”

  After another small hesitation, she snatched the dress from him. “Turn your back.”

  “But I’ve seen—.”

  “Cenrick.”

  Giving up, he did as she requested.

  “Ok,” she said. “You can look now.”

  Slowly, he turned to face her. The enchanted material clung to her lovingly, each fold caressing her with every breath she took. Desire consumed him, burned through him in waves. He’d thought he’d be able to do this, to look at Dee Bishop, enhanced with Fae magic, wearing a bespelled dress.

  He’d been wrong.

  Despite the color, the diaphanous material was sheer. So sheer, she might have been wearing a veil.

  The dress was see-thru and worse, the spell which gave the material its beauty was a sexual one.

  He could no more resist the lure than he could stop his heart from beating.

  He took a step towards her. And she vanished.

  Chapter Twelve

  EVERYTHING CHANGED. One moment, she’d been standing in front of Cenrick, clad in the most sensuous dress she’d ever seen, and the next… she was formless.

  Weightless, buoyant, insubstantial, surfing invisible currents of air. Magical.

  As though she were truly Fae.

  Beside her, a shape materialized, looming over her. A huge hawk, riding the air beside her. Tinth. As Dee thought her name, the hawk screeched. In the majestic bird’s eyes she saw… recognition.

  What was happening to her? The dress, wrapped tight around her, caressed her body. Had the garment been ensorcelled?

  Dee reached out, using her hand, her mind, trying to find Cenrick. Instead, she touched … the Oracle.

  “You have come.” The hooded figure moved closer. When she did, the swirling air currents calmed.

  Dee nodded. “I was pulled, or sent.”

  “Do you know what you are?”

  Looking deep within herself, Dee saw she had not been diminished. In fact, the hardships she’d faced in her life had made her more. Despite the investigation, the loss of her job, her fiancé, and her best friend, she remained strong, aware, and ready to fight. “I don’t give up so easily,” she said. “Never have, never will.”

  At her words, the Oracle laughed. What Dee could see of the face within the shadows of the hood looked surprisingly beautiful and young.

  “You’re—.”

  “Shhh.” The Oracle held up a hand. Then, scarlet eyes glowing, she touched Dee’s face. The touch was gentle, soothing. It brought tears to Dee’s eyes.

  “You have always been worthy. But first, you must find yourself”

  Despite the new age rhetoric, tears filled Dee’s eyes, spilling out onto her cheeks. “Will you help us?”

  “You will help each other. Remember, two halves are required.” Once again, the voice sounded stern. “Remind Cenrick of this. If he tries to remember, he will understand.”

  “I—.” But no one was there. The Oracle had vanished.

  Again, the air swirled, sending her flying, the dress streaming out behind her. Tinth screeched, and also disappeared.

  With a crash, Dee felt the ground beneath her. She stood beside Cenrick once more, clad in the magical gown.

  “Dee?” He rushed to her, his dark gaze concerned. “What happened? Where did you go? Are you all right?”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the dress reacted, reached out to shimmer around Cenrick, caressing his arm.

  “What the—?”

  “The dress is enchanted,” she said, oddly breathless. “It took me to see the Oracle, in a place that wasn’t solid. Tinth was there as well.”

  Now the vibrant garment was wrapped around them both, pulling them so close she could feel the beat of his heart.

  “The Oracle?” he asked, then kissed her, a long, lingering kiss which made her knees go weak. “What did she want?”

  “I think she summoned me.” Trying to concentrate, Dee repeated the Oracle’s words. “She said you would understand.”

  “Two halves are required,” he mused, while the dress did it’s best to meld them together.

  “What does that mean? She said you would remember.”

  “Alrick and I are twins,” he told her, passion darkening his eyes to black. “Dress, cease.”

  Miraculously, the gown obeyed, becoming an ordinary dress again.

  Cenrick stepped back, his chest rising and falling as he tried to regain his equilibrium.

  Dee took a moment to do the same. More than anything, she wanted to rip off the Fae garment. She wanted her jeans and tennis shoes. She wanted to be normal again.

  “Two halves are required,” Cenrick repeated, staring off into the distance. “I think I might know. Alrick and I are twins, as you know. Growing up, it was often said we were formed from the same soul. The Oracle must want me to seek Alrick’s help.”

  He held out his hand. “I think it’s time we paid my brother a visit. Are you ready?”

  Looking down at the see-thru dress, Dee shook her head. “No way am I wearing this to meet your brother. I’m changing first. Give me a minute.”

  Dashing off into her bedroom, she grabbed her jeans and a t-shirt and headed to the bathroom to change.

  When she returned to the living room, Cenrick held out his hand. “My brother lives in the Texas Hill Country with his human wife.”

  “I remember you telling me that,” she said, sliding her fingers through his. “I love the Hill County. I’m ready to go.”

  “We’ll use magic to travel.”

  “What about the weather? You mentioned problems.”

  “That was before Mort discovered the magical currents. They even exist in your non-magical world. As long as tap into them, your world’s natural energy won’t be disturbed.” He began the spell.

  Again, energy flared around them. She knew a moment of disorientation, gray and black mingling with all the colors of the rainbow. She closed her ey
es.

  When she opened them again, they stood under the intense Texas sun, burning so bright she had to shade her eyes. Noon. The sun was directly overhead.

  The sparse landscape and stunted trees told her they were not in the Texas hill country.

  “This isn’t—,” she began.

  “No, it’s not.” Grim-faced, he shaded his eyes with his hand and scanned their surroundings. “By the Plains of Lothar, I don’t know where we are.”

  “You don’t?” She too shaded her eyes against the glare. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” He grimaced. “To ride the magical currents, I took us to Rune and back. We should have ended up near No Name Ranch. Unless we crossed the veil at a different place. Locations can be hard to pinpoint too, unless one knows the exact coordinates.”

  He sounded like a scientist or mathematician. “Magic has rules?”

  Somehow, his somber expression reassured her. “Of course. Remember when I told you how the weather used to change?”

  She nodded.

  “When my brother first came to your world, every time he used magic, some natural disaster would occur. Tornados, floods, fires. It was terrible – and limiting. When he and his wife Carly defeated an evil Warlord from the future, Mort and the Oracle worked together to find a way to fix that particular problem.”

  “And that’s when Mort discovered these magical currents?”

  “Right. Now, as long as we’re careful and don’t abuse our power, all Fae can now use magic without worry.”

  Above them, several black buzzards circled.

  She swallowed. “But you don’t know where we are? We’re lost?”

  “Lost?” He gave a swift shake of his head. “No, we’re not lost. I’m sure I can find the way to Alrick’s.”

  Apparently, even Fae men hated to ask for directions. Squinting, she wished she’d brought her Ray Bans. Wherever they’d landed, they were in a desert wilderness. The dry ground had cracks and splits, and in the distance she saw red earth cliffs which crumbling to dust. All around them were tall spiny cactus, reaching for the son with claw-like appendages. And worse, the buzzards which had been circling above them had been joined by several more, making a large flock of birds, black and ominous, their tattered silhouettes stark against the cloudless sky.

  “Look.” She pointed skyward.

  Cenrick followed the direction of her gaze. “Not good.”

  “Nope.” She kept her fingers linked with his. “What are we going to do?”

  “I’m going to try again.” With one final squeeze to her fingers, he began the spell again.

  Again, she felt that tingling down to her toes. The desert landscape vanished. The gray and black and multi-colored rainbow swirled.

  A second later they stood on the side of a winding road. A warm wind blew, sending enormous clouds scudding across a bright blue sky. Tree-covered hills surrounded them.

  “This is more like it.” The Texas Hill Country, so named because of the rolling, tree-covered hills. One of the most beautiful parts of her home state.

  Flashing a quick smile, he pointed to a large wooden sign over the metal gate. “Look. We’re there. This is where my brother and his wife live.”

  “The No Name Ranch,” she read. “Interesting name.”

  “Carly named it. She was living here alone, a widow, when Alrick met her. He’d been given the assignment of guarding her, as the child she carries is important to the future of the world.”

  Dee nodded, wondering at herself. These days, she greeted even odd statements like that with casual aplomb. Of course Cenrick’s brother knew the future. He was Fae, after all.

  Above them, a bird screeched. Close. Despite herself, Dee jumped. When she looked up, instead of the buzzard she’d expected, she saw Tinth. Again, she could have sworn she saw recognition when the hawk looked at her.

  “Tinth.” Cenrick sounded amused. “She chased the buzzards away. Mort must have sent his pet to keep an eye on us.”

  Hearing her name, the huge hawk landed on fence post, preening herself. Dee could have sworn the bird was laughing at them.

  “Tinth, go tell Alrick we’re here.”

  Immediately, the hawk flew off.

  “She’s trained?” Despite herself, Dee was impressed.

  “Not trained.” Still holding her hand, Cenrick opened the well-oiled gate. “Just extremely intelligent. She does what she wants.”

  Dee thought she probably should tug her fingers free, but she holding his hand felt right.

  As they walked up the dirt drive towards the freshly painted, one-story ranch house, Dee couldn’t help but admire the place. She’d always secretly longed for a ranch, or at least some acreage of her own. A place to raise horses and dogs and… kids someday. She felt a pang. Odd how now, when she pictured kids, they all had Cenrick’s beautiful eyes and his finely hewn features.

  What was wrong with her? Blushing, she was glad Fae powers didn’t include mind reading.

  Before they reached the porch steps, the front door opened. A broad-shouldered man with long, dark hair stepped out on to the porch. Despite knowing Cenrick had a twin brother, Dee couldn’t help but stare in awe. Realizing she had her mouth open, she closed it with a snap.

  “I know.” Seeing Dee’s expression, the pretty red-headed woman who’d emerged after Alrick laughed. “It’s unbelievable enough that there’s one of them. Two is really, really amazing.”

  Startled, Dee felt her own mouth curve in an answering smile. She stepped forward, holding out her hand. “Dee Bishop.”

  The redhead eyed her hand, and then grinned and shook her head. “We’re not so formal here.” She grabbed Dee close and hugged her. “Welcome. I’m Carly, Alrick’s wife.”

  And, judging from her the size of her rounded belly, soon to be a mother. Dee felt a pang of envy, pushing it away and smiling back at her. “Wow. Cenrick said you were pregnant, but he didn’t tell me you were so close to delivering. When’s the baby due?”

  Carly grinned. “Any day now. He’s past due, actually.” She shook her head. “I’m getting tired of all this waddling.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “I’m relieved Cenrick has found someone,” Carly continued. “I was getting worried about him. You two looked so in love, walking up here holding hands.”

  “Oh.” Dee swallowed, shooting Cenrick a glance. Talking earnestly to his brother, at least he hadn’t heard Carly’s remark. How much more awkward could things get? “We’re not, I mean—.”

  Carly blushed. “I’m sorry. I assumed and I shouldn’t have.”

  “Assumed what?” Cenrick swooped in between them, grabbing Carly up for a quick hug. “You’re looking well. Positively vibrant. Being married to my brother must agree with you.”

  “Either that or pregnancy agrees with her.” Alrick laughed. “She’s always been beautiful.” He kissed his wife on the tip of her nose, making her laugh. Turning, he came closer, studying Dee intently. When he smiled, she felt like he’d socked her in the stomach, his smile was so much like Cenrick’s.

  “You really are identical twins,” she said, knowing her comment was lame, but not caring.

  “We are.” Alrick hugged her. “You’ll be fine,” he told her, sotto voce. “He’ll take good care of you.”

  Before she could ask him what he meant, he turned back to Cenrick, grinning broadly. “Welcome, little brother.” His voice sounded so eerily similar to Cenrick’s that Dee couldn’t help but stare in disbelief.

  “Little brother?” She looked from one to the other. “I though you two were twins?”

  “We are.” Cenrick clapped Alrick’s shoulder. “But he was born first, by a matter of minutes. He never lets me forget it.”

  Dee laughed and Carly joined her. For just a moment, Dee let herself bask in the warm feeling of friendship and family. Something she’d never had and always wanted. Odd how meeting these two made her feel as if she’d known them for years.

  Taking in the
ir rumpled appearance, Alrick’s grin faded. “What brings you here? Is Father all right?”

  “He’s fine.” Cenrick clapped his shoulder. “I need your counsel.”

  Alrick cocked his shaggy head. “Did father finally give you your task?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  “Let’s go inside,” Carly interrupted. “We can talk better there.”

  Even without hearing the words, Dee caught the implication. Safer, Carly meant. As though someone might be watching them.

  She scanned to horizon, seeing horses and fence and trees, but nothing else. Still, who was she to question? After all, Cenrick had proved there were Fae and Rune. Who knew what else might exist.

  Shuddering, she realized she didn’t actually want to know.

  As they filed past into the house, Carly held the door open, smiling as Cenrick touched her swollen belly.

  Inside, a black and white puppy emerged from the kitchen. He peered at them sleepily, his fur mussed. Plumed little tail wagging, he sniffed at Dee’s feet, then Cenrick’s, before turning a circle and going to sleep.

  “Meet Jasper.” Carly smiled. “He looks just like Kayo, my other dog,” she explained for Dee’s benefit.”

  “Is he Kayo’s pup?” Cenrick rumpled the dog’s fur. The pup opened one eye, regarded him lazily, then went back to sleep.

  Alrick nodded. “Most likely. We found him on our front porch a couple of mornings ago.”

  Inside, the farmhouse felt even more homey, with a good solid feeling of permanence and family. From the homespun rugs to the lovingly polished, antique furniture, the ranch house spoke of comfort. Dee looked around with approval. She could easily imagine bringing up a child in a place like this.

  After settling them down with tall glasses of lemonade, Carly took the chair next to Dee. Cenrick told them what had happened so far, asking for his brother’s opinion of the Oracle’s words.

  A comfortable silence fell while Alrick pondered.

  Glancing across the table, Carly smiled. Dee smiled back, forcing herself to remain motionless and wait. In her years of working as a police officer, she’d learned to listen carefully. Sometimes a fresh, new outlook could pinpoint something obvious.