Mad Magic

by Nicole Conway

  “What other names?” When I asked that question, his sparkling peridot-colored eyes focused directly on me again.

  “Fir Darrig,” he replied evenly. “Not that I’ve ever been fond of that name in particular.”

  No … no!

  I couldn’t move. My heart felt like it had stopped beating.

  He didn’t force me to keep dancing. In fact, he seemed perfectly content to let me stand there, gaping at him with my mouth open. His expression never changed as he studied me, the other couples still swaying and twirling around us.

  “Were you expecting a bent old man?” He tilted his head to the side slightly. “Or perhaps a monster?”

  I swallowed. In my mind, I was screaming for Zeph to come back. I was also mentally kicking myself for even being in this position. How could I have been so stupid? This was the second time I had fallen for one of Fir Darrig’s traps.

  “I didn’t come here to kidnap you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he announced. His ancient eyes narrowed a bit through the holes in his mask, and his beautiful lips curled into a smirk. “I simply wanted to ask you something and introduce myself formally before we … inevitably find our paths intertwined again.”

  I gathered my courage and took a deep breath. “So ask, then.”

  “You don’t have to act brave. I can feel you shaking.” His smirk widened, and he pulled me closer until our noses were nearly touching. “You aren’t the first vessel I have met. Did you know vessels can only come from royal bloodlines?”

  I could feel his breath on my face and his body heat burning against me. I squirmed to try to get away from him, but he was much stronger than he looked.

  “That’s what you went to all this trouble to ask me?” I snapped in defiance.

  “No.” He shook his head, making his golden bangs swish over his brow. His expression sharpened, becoming serious. “I came to ask who you are going to choose to rule the faerie court. Have you made your selection?”

  I hesitated. What? He had me in his grasp and that was what he wanted to ask?

  As I stared into his eyes, I realized I didn’t see any of the evil I’d expected to find in his visage. I could feel the power wafting off him like rays of warm sunlight, sending chills over my body like crashing waves. But there was an unmistakable essence of gentleness ebbing off him, too. It was hard to keep in mind that he was a monster—the one who was killing the man I loved.

  “I-I …” I stammered. “I don’t know.”

  “This is a very important decision, Josie,” he spoke calmly. Little by little, he began coaxing me back into a gentle swaying dance. I saw his dazzling gaze flicker to my lips for an instant. “Are you sure you don’t have anyone in mind? You only know a few faeries well enough to call them candidates. So wouldn’t you give it to the one you love?”

  “You mean Zeph?”

  He resumed a calm, knowing smile. “You are in love with him, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. But that doesn’t mean I’ll choose him.”

  That shrewd smile vanished in an instant. Now it was his turn to stop, freezing in place as he stared down at me. “If you love him, why wouldn’t you choose him?”

  “Because one thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other. A ruler should be someone who is fair in all things, and who can make critical decisions under pressure without letting their personal feelings or vendettas get in the way. They have to be gentle and kind, merciful and understanding, but firm and unyielding to pressure when it comes to upholding laws.” I squared my shoulders and looked up at him with confidence. “Zeph is stubborn. He has a bad temper. He has horrible people skills when it comes to resolving conflict, and he likes to pick fights just for the entertainment. He can be selfish and rude, and he has basically no self-control at all. Maybe it sounds strange, but I love those things about him. They are precious to me because they’re a part of who he is—but they’re the same things that would make him a terrible king.”

  My answer obviously wasn’t the response he had anticipated.

  Fir Darrig didn’t speak for several long, awkward moments. I wondered if there was any possible way he could understand that. Could he be reasoned with? Could I change his mind somehow?

  “Have you thought about how that is going to impact him? That maybe he’s expecting you to choose him?” he asked quietly.

  Of course I hadn’t. Those words struck me. I knew my surprise was bound to be obvious as I stared up at him. Never once had it even crossed my mind that Zeph might actually want to be the faerie king.

  “Is that what happened to you?” I countered.

  He cut me a dangerous glare, and that sense of gentleness in his aura vanished.

  “No one knows your story. Or if they do, they aren’t talking. All I’ve been able to learn is that something happened with a princess. She did something to hurt you. Was that what happened? You said vessels only come from royal bloodlines. So that princess, was she a vessel, too? Did you get angry because she didn’t choose you to be the faerie king?”

  His pale green eyes narrowed dangerously. He stood straight, and took a step away from me as though I’d threatened him. “That was how it began,” he replied stiffly. “I believed as strongly—as I’m sure Zeph does—that our love was unshakeable. That she could be trusted with all the intimate secrets of our world. But human beings are all the same. You are consumed by greed. You see nothing. You feel nothing. My people are fools to continue to trust you.”

  I’d obviously struck a chord, and I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t eager to go into any further detail. His voice was shaking, and his words became sharp and furious.

  Before he could move farther away, I grabbed his hand to stop him. “You know that isn’t true. We’re not all like that! I know it must seem that way. Even Eldrick thought so, once. I know she must have done something truly horrible to make you feel like this. But it’s not true—I would never do anything to hurt Zeph.”

  “And what about me?” he snapped. “You want to kill me, don’t you?”

  I frowned. “That’s not fair. You started this. You’ve preyed upon my entire family and now you’re killing the man I love. And I’ll do whatever it takes to stop you.”

  He smirked, and for the first time, I saw malice in his eyes. I saw centuries of hatred, anger, and grief all boiling together with a thirst for revenge. He had been hurt; so he was going to make everyone else suffer with him.

  “You’re a brave girl,” he purred as he stroked my hand. “Brave, but foolish to challenge me. The life of one changeling means nothing to me. On the night of the Singing Moon, you will be mine, and only then will you choose a new King of the Faeries. You are going to choose me, or I will crush all that remains of your meaningless, brief human life. I will destroy everyone you love, starting with the one you hold most dear.”

  Narrowing my eyes back at him, I squeezed his hand back as hard as I could. I was hoping it might hurt him, even if just a little. I wanted him to know I wasn’t scared of him anymore.

  “Maybe you’ve met other vessels before, but I guarantee you’ve never met one like me. If you want my power, then you better bring more than a moldy old spriggan to do your fighting for you.”

  “Is that so?”

  I smirked. “Absolutely. And I’m going to enjoy kicking your ass.”

  We glared at one another long after the song ended and the dancing had stopped. Was I scared? Of course. But I wasn’t about to let him know that. I couldn’t back down now. I refused to show any weakness as he leered at me like he was waiting for me to flinch.

  If he’d come here to size me up, I wasn’t going to let him see any of the kinks in my armor.

  “Josie!” Someone called my name over the noise of the party.

  A cold pang of fear shot through my body, piercing me to the core. I looked back to see Zeph coming toward me, weaving through the other couples and kids who were bouncing around on the danc
e floor to an upbeat song.

  When he saw my dancing partner, Zeph stopped halfway across the gymnasium. All the color drained from his face. His lips parted and his eyes went round.

  “He really is a fool, isn’t he? His power is all but gone. He can’t even sense my presence anymore, and yet here he comes to save his damsel in distress,” Fir Darrig hissed with a wicked grin on his lips. He leaned down to put his mouth close to my ear. “But then, so are you. Do you, a pitiful human whelp, honestly think you can stand against me?”

  Chimes of magic began whispering in the air. Every hair on my body stood on end. They hummed louder and louder, and the kids around us suddenly all stood still—as though they had been frozen in time.

  As Fir Darrig backed away, he pulled the mask away from his face and tossed it aside. I sucked in a breath, bracing myself. His true form began to unfold before me like the rising of the sun. Golden light filled the air with such intensity that I had to cover my eyes.

  He was a majestic creature, half an angelically handsome man and half a golden lion, with glorious wings with feathers in every color of the rainbow. His golden hair was long and braided into long dreadlocks, interwoven with clay beads, twigs, and leaves.

  I stumbled back and almost tripped over my dress and high heels. The kids around me were staggering like zombies straight for me. Girls in prom dresses, boys in tuxedoes, and even teachers were all lumbering toward me with glazed eyes and drooling mouths.

  It was an enthrallment spell!

  The zombie crowd grabbed at me, rushing me from every side. They ripped off my jewelry and tore my dress while dragging me closer to Fir Darrig. I tried to push them away, but more of them came as fast as I could pry others off me. I screamed. I kicked and punched, holding nothing back.

  From somewhere nearby, I could hear Zeph shouting. Through the crowd, I caught a glimpse of his horrified face as he reached for me. I kicked harder and bit down hard on someone who tried putting a hand over my mouth. Zeph was so close. I stretched my arm out, desperate to reach him.

  The crowd converged, swallowing me and tearing him out of my reach. I was shoved, mauled, wrenched, and flung down to the gymnasium floor at Fir Darrig’s feet. Battered and bruised, I looked up into his sneering face.

  “Foolish little princess.” He narrowed his wild green eyes and brandished a tall staff made from three branches woven together. “You have barely sampled the true power of magic. You know nothing of my world. What’s to stop me from taking you now? Your hero can’t even save himself.”

  I took off one of my black glass shoes and hurled it at him. He grunted when the heel caught him right over the nose.

  Fir Darrig roared, raising his staff toward me threateningly. The jagged tip warped and twisted, extending into a long spear.

  “You will choose me as the faerie king, or you will die!” Fir Darrig bellowed, thrusting the point of his staff straight at my heart.

  I tensed, preparing for the worst, but I didn’t look away. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of cowering before him. I waited for it to end—to feel the pain.

  Purple light bloomed in the dark gymnasium. My vision spotted, and my brain ached at the sound of bells chiming out of tune. Zeph appeared right in front of me, holding the end of Fir Darrig’s spear at bay with his bare hands. His human disguise was gone. His wings sagged lifelessly to the floor, feathers falling and turning to smoke before they ever touched the ground. His whole body shook and he cried out, his feet sliding over the floor as Fir Darrig leaned in harder against his staff.

  It was futile. Zeph couldn’t last like this. He’d been no match for Fir Darrig even without the curse. And now …

  I clenched my teeth and reached into his pocket for the lighter he always carried. I tore off a piece of my dress and set it on fire, blowing it out as soon as there was enough to use for ash.

  “How long do you dream you can hold me back?” Fir Darrig chuckled. “I will have her. There is nothing you can do to stop it. And when I am finished with her, I’ll carve my name upon her heart. Then no one else will ever be able to touch her. She will know no other love but mine.”

  Zeph yelled, his shoulders flexing and his wings lifting to spread wide. He gave a violent shove, sending Fir Darrig rocking back in surprise.

  This was my chance.

  I used the ash to draw a quick circle and series of symbols on the floor. I snatched off my mask and put it in the center, drawing out a few specific symbols around it, and then a few more on my hands.

  “Please work,” I muttered as I pressed my hands into the circle, pouring my energy into it. The runes began to glow red, spiraling inward until the mask was engulfed in an eerie red light. It twisted and spun, before rising up into the air and sprouting fiery wings.

  The mask soared straight for Fir Darrig. All around the gym, the other masks began to glow bright red, too. One by one, they jumped from people’s faces, sprouted glowing wings, and flew straight for the enemy. They jumped off tables, and out of boxes and trashcans, buzzing through the air to attack Fir Darrig like a flock of angry birds.

  Fir Darrig roared, jerking his staff out of Zeph’s grasp. He swung at the masks and pried them off as they stuck to his body wherever they landed. Not bad for my first attempt in battling an ancient faerie lord. I kicked off my other shoe and grabbed Zeph’s arm. Together we sprinted for the exit.

  I couldn’t run very fast in my fancy dress and by the time we got to the door, Zeph was fighting for every breath. His pace had slowed to a stagger and his wings had all but dissolved till only a few clusters of feathers remained. This wasn’t going to work. We needed a different escape plan—now.

  I hit the exit door first, flinging it open and looking for the first running vehicle nearby. Car, truck, limousine—it didn’t matter which.

  A giant, mossy hand grabbed me by the legs and snatched me off the ground. Fingers like thick tree branches squeezed around my knees until I screamed. The ground fell away, and the stench of rotting wood and sulfur blasted me right in the face.

  Another spriggan.

  Zeph yelled my name, diving forward to catch my hand before I was pulled out of reach. My fingers brushed his. And then he was gone—left somewhere far below as the spriggan held me up by the legs like a mouse by the tail.

  I struggled and clawed at its big, gnarled fingers as the creature lumbered away. Oh god, where was this thing taking me? I screamed until I couldn’t breathe. Zeph—where was Zeph? We were leaving him behind. He barely had any magic left at all. He probably couldn’t even fly. He wouldn’t be able to help me now.

  Then I remembered—I still had his lighter in my hand.

  As hard as it is to work a Zippo lighter upside down, I managed to get the flame going and lit the spriggan’s hand on fire. It took a few seconds for the monster to realize it. The flames spread quickly over the moss, leaves, and sticks that made up the creature’s body.

  It let out a booming yelp of pain and dropped me, crashing around in a frantic circle, waving its arm around to try to put out the fire. From twenty-feet up, I plummeted toward the ground, smacking into tree limbs all the way down.

  Right before I hit the earth, something soft cushioned my fall. It let out a loud “Oof!” as we landed right in the middle of a patch of prickly, holly bushes in the city park.

  Beneath me, Zeph was lying on his back with his arms, legs, and flimsy wings spread wide. “Have I ever mentioned … I really hate spriggans,” he groaned.

  “Nice catch,” I gasped as I crawled off him and stumbled out of the bushes. My heart pounded and my body shook from all the adrenaline surging through my veins. “Hurry up! We have to call Eld—”

  I stopped short because there was already a car pulling up the street, screeching toward us at an alarming speed. It flashed its bright lights and honked repeatedly to get my attention. When it got closer, I got a better look. A black Cadillac.

  “Hank!” I cried in relief as I ran for t
he car, holding up the tattered ends of my dress.

  As the Caddy pulled up to the curb, the rear door opened and Eldrick stepped out. My legs almost buckled with relief. He had a no-nonsense frown on his face as he caught me in his arms and practically tossed me into the back seat. He waited for Zeph to climb in behind me before he ducked into the passenger’s seat. Talk about perfect timing. He patted the back of Hank’s headrest, and the car zoomed away from the curb.

  Behind us, the spriggan ran in circles, almost totally engulfed in flame as it knocked over trees and crashed through power lines. It shrank into the distance as Hank sped down streets toward his bar, taking turns I thought might sling the hubcaps off. I didn’t have to ask why we were going there. He’d already told me once that it was the most magically shielded place in the city. It was our only safe place now. Fir Darrig was getting bolder. Time was running out.

  “H-how did you know?” I managed to ask as I turned back around and slumped into the seat.

  “A giant burning spriggan was a pretty good beacon to follow.” Hank chuckled. “That’s usually how I find Zeph anyway. Just look for something burning and people screaming.”

  Zeph grumbled a few curses as he picked holly leaves out of his hair. “Very funny. Laugh it up.”

  “Before that we were just cruising the area, just in case. Kinda figured Fir Darrig might try something nasty. He’s in a time crunch,” Hank explained.

  “And so are we,” Eldrick agreed. “I took the liberty of packing a bag for you, Josie. I also contacted Freddy to let him know we are changing locations in light of the danger. He informed me that he and Camilla want to join us as soon as they can slip away.”

  My whole body was shaking as the adrenaline left me cold, and I noticed my shoulder hurt. There was a deep cut right across my shoulder, probably from a tree branch. It was bleeding down my chest. I put a hand over it, trying to stop the bleeding.

  “Here, hold still,” Zeph spoke quietly as he scooted closer to me. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it over the cut. I winced, and when he put pressure on it to stop the bleeding, a whimper made it past my clenched teeth.