Shadow Hunted

by L. A. Johnson

  Nineteen

  Lydia was torn. It would have been great to learn a little more magic, but if there was a chance to stop Algorath now, she had no choice but to take it. She kicked up a cloud of dirt speeding out of the parking lot, and then she was on her way to pick up Zack.

  It didn’t take long before she was screeching to a stop a few blocks from the police station, where Zack stood with a big grin on his face.

  “Sneaking around, are we? Afraid to be seen with a freaky fae?”

  “You know it,” Zack said, getting into the car.

  “You look proud of yourself,” she told him. “What did you find out?”

  “Well, first of all, I tried to call you repeatedly last night, and you didn’t pick up. What happened?”

  Lydia sighed. “That idiot Kade needed help. I had to save their lives. Again. Story of my life. And my phone doesn’t always work inside their creepy mansion. And I’d rather not talk about the whole thing. Can we move on to something else?”

  “Sorry,” Zack said, holding his hands up. “So get this. I went to the city records department first thing this morning, and the holding company that the soul sucker was targeting is buying up real estate all over downtown.”

  “What?” Lydia asked. “Why?”

  “Well, it seems like he was serious when he said he wasn’t going anywhere. Looks like he has bribed every city official in town. I’ve never seen permits and transactions go through so quickly.”

  “And it’s all tied directly to Algorath?”

  “Well, not that name as such, but yes. It looks like he’s the one behind all of it.”

  “How exactly does that help us right now?” Lydia asked. “Look, Zack, that full Wyrm Moon is coming up in a few hours. If he gets to that forest first, well then it will be game over for me.”

  “Hold your horses. I’m getting there,” Zack said. “One name keeps popping up repeatedly when it comes to the real estate transactions. And it’s odd for two reasons. One, because he’s the only one involved in those transactions that is still alive. And two, because we found him last night with the magic eight ball.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Lydia said. “It’s not that piranha Brad, is it?”

  “Nope,” Zack said. “It looks like we got played by the pencil-necked geek Ian.”

  “Ian?” Lydia didn’t see that one coming. She thought through last night’s events. She thought about how Algorath acted upset about Ian talking to the cops, like it was all a big surprise. And yet he didn’t get angry. That could only mean one thing. “Damn it! That would mean that the whole thing last night was nothing but a setup. And we fell for it.”

  “Bingo,” Zack said. “And there’s more. Ian must be doing exactly what Algorath wants because not only is he still alive, he just bought a sweet penthouse apartment downtown. He’s been in on the whole thing from the beginning. Ten bucks says he’ll know exactly where Algorath is right now. Just head east toward downtown and aim for the most expensive building you can find. That’s where he is right now. I’m guessing that if we put enough pressure on him, he’ll sing like a bird. By the way, where were you when I called just now?” Zack asked as Lydia, as usual, careened through the city streets.

  “The forest,” she said. “It’s a long story.”

  “Oh,” Zack said. “Scoping out the battleground, eh? That’s smart.”

  “Something like that.”

  “Fine, keep your secrets.”

  “You’re human,” Lydia said.

  “I wish you’d stop saying it like that,” Zack answered.

  “It’s just that I’m never sure quite how much you want to know, Zack. I’ll give you full props for bravery in the face of super weird shit. I’m sure that everybody has their limit, though. This is me trying to be sensitive.”

  That made Zack laugh out loud. “That’s you being sensitive? Well, knock it off. I’m still here, aren’t I? And as weird as the last few days have been, I’ve enjoyed the two of us being a team. Yeah, I want to solve this murder spree and get my job back, I’m not going to lie to you. But make no mistake, I’m on team Lydia. I’d like to help you keep your powers. My money is on you kicking Algorath’s ass when all is said and done. And I want to be there to see it.”

  Lydia turned and searched his face. He was on the level, there was no hint of sarcasm. It threw her off for a moment. She was not used to being able to count on anybody other than herself. It was a strange feeling.

  “Look out!” Zack yelled.

  Lydia turned her head back to the road and had to swerve to avoid a car that had slowed in front of her. Then she decided. “Alright, I’m going to level with you. Because, why not?”

  “Thank you,” Zack said. “That’s quite a vote of confidence.”

  “The night before I met you, I saved that troll by taking him to the forest’s edge and setting him free.”

  “That sounds reasonable. Like an injured squirrel. Except it was a troll. That’s a very good start to a story.”

  “Hush,” Lydia said. “We’re almost there. Do you want to hear this or not?” She turned left.

  “Go on.”

  “Well, something came out of the forest and attacked me and I was injured. Afterward, when I came to, there was a sprite. She helped to heal me.”

  “The cut on your arm, right?” Zack asked. “The one that Luca was asking about.”

  “The same,” Lydia answered. “She called the thing that attacked me a tree goblin. She hates them too. She said if we wait until night falls in that forest, there are going to be way worse things to deal with than Algorath.”

  “Why did you go back to the place where you were attacked?” Zack asked softly.

  Lydia shrugged. “To face my fears. Figure out who I am. Deal with the fact that I have dark magic. Tempt fate. Take your pick. Either way, the sprite, her name is Kaylee, offered to help me get a handle on my dark magic. I know what you’re going to say next. Why would she help me? Well, because I have a choice to make. I can become the Shadow Slayer or let Algorath take those powers away from me. If I’m the Shadow Slayer, she says I have a shot at killing those tree goblins and she gets her forest back. Simple as that.” Lydia stopped at a red light, leading to an uncomfortable silence.

  “Did she help you? Can you do it? The dark magic, I mean?”

  Lydia nodded. “A little. Enough to get by, I guess. It’s very different from what I’ve ever seen before from Kade, it’s more along the lines of what Drat uses. The point is, she didn’t judge, she didn’t make me feel bad about the dark magic, about who I could be. Or who I am.” At the subject of who she really was, she reached behind her and pulled out her sword and stared at it for a moment. It burst into flame. She turned to stare at Zack. “Hey, are you sure you’re human?”

  “The light’s green,” Zack said.

  “What?” Lydia asked.

  “The traffic light,” Zack said. “It turned green.”

  Lydia re-sheathed her sword and stepped on the gas. “The point is, I’ve always had this sword. As long as I can remember. It’s a part of who I am. Maybe I’ve been the Shadow Slayer all along. And if that’s true, then why should I feel bad about it? People like Kaylee and Drat don’t feel bad about doing the things they do. If it weren’t for Kade and the other mage leaders, I wouldn’t even have these issues.” She looked up at the buildings flying by, trying to find the one that Zack was talking about. Then she screeched to a stop and pulled into a parking spot. “We’re here.”

  “You don’t want to go into that building.” The voice came from the console, between Lydia and Zack. It was Drat. He pointed at the building where Ian had a penthouse. “That building is haunted.”

  “Hello, Drat. Where have you been?” Lydia asked.

  “Trying to keep up with all the freaky shit going on in this town.” Drat frowned. “Everything has gone all to hell since that troll showed up.”

  “Since when are you afraid of haunted buildings?” Lydia asked him. “
You love that stuff.”

  Drat wiped a grimy hand on the seat of her car, leaving a mark. “Not human haunted, haunted for us.”

  “I don’t understand,” Zack said.

  Lydia didn’t understand either. “Yeah, what are you talking about, Drat?”

  “Some jackass has moved into town. He’s trying to push out the locals, including me. And nobody’s allowed in this building, supernatural or no.”

  Drat looked worried. And that worried Lydia. He almost never looked worried. She looked at the building in question. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. “Are you sure it’s this building? Could you be mistaken?”

  Drat shook his head. “No mistake. Don’t do it, Lydia. Whatever you’re doing here, it’s a trap.”

  “I have to, Drat. If I don’t find Algorath. Oh, we found out he’s the guy causing all the problems. If we don’t find him before nightfall, he’s going to use the Wyrm Moon to take my powers away.”

  “And he’s in there?” Drat asked.

  “Well, no. But an associate of his is in there, and that’s our only lead.”

  “It’s a bad idea,” Drat said.

  “We’re running out of time, Drat. Do you have any suggestions?”

  “Wait until he comes out?”

  “Sorry, Drat, we have no choice. You say nobody goes in or out of that building?”

  Drat nodded.

  “For how long?”

  “Four or five days,” Drat answered.

  “Hey,” Zack said. “That’s exactly how long Ian’s owned his penthouse.”

  Lydia looked at Zack. “Trap or no, it’s our only shot. I’ve got an idea, but you’re not going to like it. And I won’t ask you to come in with me.” She opened the car door and got out, peering at the building. She half expected it to look haunted after the conversation they had just had, but it still just looked normal.

  “try to stop me,” Zack said, also getting out.

  Lydia peered back into the car where Drat sat with his arms crossed. “Sure, nobody ever listens to me,” he said.

  “Wanna come help us? Be a rebel, Drat. Stand up to this guy. What do you say?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, have it your way.” Lydia went around the car to stand with Zack on the sidewalk outside of the building’s revolving doors.

  “What’s this crazy plan of yours?” Zack asked.

  “Well, if Drat’s right and nobody’s getting in or out except Ian, then once we cross that magical plane,” she pointed at the stationary revolving doors, “we’ll be on our own with who knows what inside. That is, unless we invite some company in there with us.”

  “Company? What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about a crazy lady with a sword, threatening passers-by and then running into that building.”

  “Then swat will get here and go in, no doubt,” Zack said. “It’s risky. What if we don’t get the information we need from Ian before they get here?”

  “I don’t know,” Lydia said. “I’m just worried about going in there with no backup. And you probably don’t want to be standing next to me when I go all renaissance festival for the security cameras.”

  Zack whistled. “You are right about that.” Then he turned to her. “Oh crap, you mean I have to go in there first.”

  “Not necessarily,” Lydia said. “You could go across the street, then I go nuts and run in the building, then you could yell ‘police, I’m here to save the day,’ and then go into the building after me.”

  “I like that plan a lot. We’ll do that,” he said.

  The afternoon crowd was streaming past the couple, ignoring them completely as they came in and out of nearby boutique shops and restaurants and on their way. Lydia knew that was all about to change. With a nod to each other, Zack left to take up his position across the street. While he was crossing through traffic, Lydia tried to locate as many traffic and surveillance cameras as she could find to have the best chance of snagging attention from the authorities.

  A quick glance across the street confirmed that Zack was in place. Lydia waited a moment as separate groups of people were approaching her from either side of the sidewalk. When they were right next to her, she pulled out her sword. Out of curiosity, she waited a moment to see if it would burst into flame. With all the magical activity going on at the moment, nothing would surprise her. There was no flame, though. Nothing but a crazy lady holding a sword in the middle of afternoon rush hour.

  Lydia screamed and waved the sword around maniacally. It turned out it’s harder than she thought to wave a sword at a bunch of unsuspecting pedestrians and not contact anyone. One younger lady who was looking down at her phone when all the screaming began jumped to the left and then looked up. But left turned out to be the wrong direction, she dodged right into the sword, slicing her shoulder a little.

  “Oh, sorry! Sorry!” Lydia said before she could stop herself. “Oh, hell. I mean AIIIIIEIIIIAIIII!” She tried to sound as menacing as she possibly could, which was hard. She couldn’t help but notice the looks she was getting. Turning into a seemingly homicidal maniac for security cameras was harder than she thought. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to keep it up much longer. All she needed was for a few people to phone it in to police.

  “I’m going to do it! I’m going to go crazy with this sword. Don’t think I won’t.”

  The cell phones were in full buzz now, making calls and snapping pics of her. Perfect. “In fact,” she continued, using her sword to point to the haunted building she was about to enter, “whoever happens to be in this building right now will be sushi. Do you hear me?” With that, she bolted for the revolving door and gave it a good shove. Round, round, round, I go, where I stop…" Lydia didn’t get to finish the thought, though, because the moment she crossed the plane from the outside world to the building everything changed.

  Lydia’s mouth gaped open in wonder. The place was huge, far bigger than the first-floor lobby space she should have walked into off of the street. The ceilings had to be thirty feet high and the place was completely open, not a wall in sight. Instead of a lobby and a bunch of cheap, bland office equipment and discount tile floors, the place looked like a medieval era great hall, complete with tapestries.

  In fact, Lydia was still looking at the tapestries when she got bumped into from behind by a bewildered Zack.

  “What the hell?” he asked. “Are we in some other dimension or something? It looks like a dork renaissance festival in here. Where’s Ian?”

  “I don’t know,” Lydia said. “But I’m guessing he’s somewhere in this room. You know, since it’s the only room and all.”

  “Let’s find this nerd and get the hell out before the swat team gets here,” Zack said. “You laid it on pretty thick out there. I’m guessing we won’t have much time.”

  “It’s about time you guys got here.” Ian entered from the far end of the room. There must have been a hallway back there. “I don’t have all day, you know.”

  “Well, neither do we,” Lydia answered back. “And also, what are you talking about? There’s no way you knew we were coming.”

  “Algorath said you’d be here hours ago,” Ian said. “He gave you way too much credit. And he said when you showed up, that meant that you had no intention of taking him up on his offer, so I could kill you.” Ian grinned a predatory grin that gave her a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  Lydia pulled her sword out. It burst into flames.

  Zack pulled out his gun and aimed it at Ian. “Seriously? You think you’re going to kill us, Ian? I have to admit, though. You had us fooled last night, acting like the victim. It suits you.”

  Ian laughed. “That’s the funny part of all this. I told Algorath that you’d never fall for it, but what do I know?”

  “I’d love to shoot you right now,” Zack said, “but first we’d like a private conversation with your boss. Now.”

  “Partner,” Ian corrected. “We’re partners.”

  “Whe
re is he, Ian?” Lydia asked. “And I’m thinking he’s really your boss. You can’t perform the ceremony tonight by the Wyrm Moon, can you?” She gave him a moment. “No, didn’t think so. Plus, you’re living here in your magical penthouse like a kept woman. You’re a glorified personal assistant, aren’t you?”

  “Do not toy with me, woman!” Ian yelled “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

  “Sure we do,” Zack chimed in. “Algorath’s secretary. So, tell us his appointment schedule for the afternoon, if you don’t mind. I’ll bet you know exactly where he is.”

  “He knows where he is,” Lydia said. “The question is, do we have to kill him, or will he talk? I guess we could always beat Algorath to the forest instead of catching him beforehand.”

  Zack hit his forehead with his free hand. “Oh yeah. Let’s do that. Can I shoot him?”

  “There’s an unbreakable spell on this building,” Ian said. “You two will never get out.”

  “How’d we get in then?”

  “Well, it’s a trap, idiot. It’s made to let people in and then keep them here. And it’s unbreakable.”

  “Nothing’s unbreakable,” Lydia said. “Take this vase over here.” She smashed her sword down on it, sending shards everywhere.

  “Don’t do that,” Ian screamed. “That’s priceless, you stupid, modern, heathen morons.”

  “New plan,” Lydia said. “We break things until the art nerd tells us where Algorath is. And try to destroy fast, we’re in a hurry.”

  Zack and Lydia went on a thirty second art-killing spree. Ian was screaming at them the whole time, but they couldn’t hear because of the gunfire. Then they stopped for a moment. Zack calmly reloaded and Lydia turned to face Ian with her sword.

  In between screaming fits, Ian had made his way much closer to the pair.

  “Moment of truth, Ian,” Zack said, aiming his revolver at him.

  Ian laughed. The laugh started out disturbing enough, but soon the laughter took on a life of its own and echoed eerily throughout the giant room. The sound made it seem like Ian was everywhere, above and below, to the left and right. Lydia and Zack looked around trying to figure out what was going on. When they turned back to Ian, he disappeared, and a giant snake was in his place.