by Mel Todd
"Freshman, and no, Cori and I have never been sexual partners, but I do love her. Possibly more than I love anyone." Jo's back had gone rigid and her hands tightened into fists.
Alixant opened his mouth but Siab stepped in. "The shock is because familiars almost never interact with anyone other than their mage. Occasionally a spouse but even then, that is rare to the point there have been divorces over it. So Carelian freely working with Jo is surprising."
"Oh," I muttered, and I saw the tension go out of Jo's body.
"You saying our hair was enough to pay the price?" Niall asked, disbelief in his voice.
Jo did something that struck me as odd, her head ducking down, then she rubbed her face with her hands. I didn't know why it bugged me, but that wasn't her normal mannerism.
"Hair, nails, top layer of skin, a bit of blood. I bit my tongue for that, and a few other things. It was enough. Barely."
He leaned back, looking at the two of us, and I wanted to hide and poke Jo. I knew she was leaving something out, but what I couldn't figure out.
"I'd like you both to fill out detailed reports, for record keeping if nothing else. We got Goins’ phone from his car and it had the information we'd been searching for. He'd been passed over for a few better placements due to his ranking, and he'd lost his fiancé to an archmage not two months before the volcano incident. His ramblings all focused on how fate hated him because he'd been born as a wizard, not a merlin. It ramped up after a bad fire jump where they lost two jumpers. Odds are that was what drove his fiancé away. He talked a lot about failing and then needing power. From his notes he had an emergence at the volcano and came out with the Air skill. He thought it was the slow death and that if he made it last longer it would let him emerge again. The ritual magic stuff was a first attempt. He used it with Jane." Alixant swallowed. "It took her a full day to die, but her power wasn't enough. So he switched to a greater number of victims, and used the ritual magic again, but it didn't matter. He still couldn't emerge again."
"We verified the start of planar rips in both Savannah and Valdosta. I also found verification for what we sensed at Centennial park. There are sensors that can note rips but until now it has been a curiosity. What happened to you will change a lot of how those rips are handled," Chris said looking up from this computer.
"Great. More things to lay at my feet," I muttered, sinking down into my chair. I just asked the question. I didn't cause the issue.
Alixant looked around. "If I may continue?"
I saw Siab roll her eyes and I snickered a bit.
"Goins focused on more victims at the park but they were all hedgies. His notes said he focused on them because no one would notice their deaths, while real mages dying would create a panic. As far as his notes mention, he realized the amount of energy released was higher but not due to the symbols, just the quantity. That was when he started to figure out the numbers, that it was all about volume. He didn't seem to register that it was the power of the mage dying that was the key. Or maybe he did. The notes on his phone implied he suspected it but figured most hedgies wouldn't have the power or the training to strike back and hurt him, at least in the beginning. But"—Alixant sighed—"we'll probably never know for sure all the thoughts that went into his choices and his crazy actions."
He looked at all of us, waiting for a question.
"Did he get access to the database?" I was curious about that.
"Yes. He had access while working with the volcanologists. It was enough. He downloaded a list of all mages, and determined Atlanta had the most at the hedgemage rank, which is why he started here. Anything else?" No one said anything. "Very well, there are a few other things. We are not writing down anywhere that the slow deaths of mages releasing magical power creates rips in the planes. Large rips. While people like Indira can create them, the largest created rip has never measured more than a few feet in width. We are also not mentioning that the release of that much magic can spur multiple emergences in people. While my supervisors know, we all agree that letting the public know they can become more powerful mages, or even that a mage can emerge, given the number of people reporting in the last few days here in Atlanta, would not be good for the general public."
I hated the idea of hiding information, but letting people know that to get magical power all they had to do was kill people? I wanted to protest that people wouldn't do that, but the last month had proved all too well that people, at least some people, would do that.
"Okay. I don't like it, but I'll keep that to myself," I said, a touch reluctantly. Jo nodded her agreement.
"Excellent. Cori, there are a few things you should know." He cleared his throat, and I looked at him, brows furrowed. Was he nervous? That seemed odd. "While the players left the field, the video cameras recording the game for the teams were left running. They were turned over to the press." He almost snarled that part. "They show you and Paul and the three creatures from the planes. Because of the angle, they also show the fact that you remained standing during it, while everyone else crumpled, plus they have the last part of interaction with the snake lady-"
"Gorgon. I'm pretty sure Tirsane is a gorgon."
"Gorgon then, though I expect the details of that conversation leaked out. While I was immobilized, I didn't hear what she said. But as I was saying, from the way it was filmed and your gestures, it looks like you stood up to her and you closed the portals. The media figured out your identity, so I would expect lots of attention here shortly."
Oh shit. That's what Shay meant. Why me?
"Great, and I can't tell them what really happened?" I could see all the ways this was going to go wrong.
"No. Just smile, accept the credit and the blame. Better you than people starting to go on murder sprees to summon creatures from other realms." Alixant's voice was dry.
"You did catch that some got out, right?" I asked suddenly. Everyone's attention snapped towards me.
"They what?" I had no idea who said that, as the jumble of conversation made it hard to tell, but I just answered.
"The rips were open for so long Tiriane said many creatures had come over, and not all of them were familiar types."
"You are telling me we have monsters roaming around?"
I shrugged. "I'm telling you what she said." I thought about it. "Yes, you have monsters. Did you see that unicorn's teeth?"
Alixant sighed. "Great. Another thing to worry about. As for you." He gave me a direct look and I braced myself. He never had good news for me, and it frustrated me. "I have arranged for you to be on retainer until your classes start. I'm not expecting anything, but we will pay you a thousand a month to be ready to come assist. And I made sure all blocks on you doing fill in shifts for the local agencies are gone. Your housing is taken care of with the stipend for familiar care. That should help."
I sagged in relief. "Yes. If I can work until school starts, I should be good then with working on the weekends."
Alixant smiled. "Good. But be aware, I have a definite interest in your degree choices." There was something about his smile that made me wrinkle my nose.
I glanced at Jo and she smirked. "I still love you."
"Good. I'm starting to think I'll need it."
She laughed and wrapped an arm around me. "BFF. It's on my skin."
I'd make it. With Jo and now Carelian, I'd make it.
Appendix: Magic Symbols
Author Notes:
This is book 2 in Twisted Luck, based in the Ternion universe. I have so much more planned that I can't wait to show you.
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Mel Todd
Mel Todd
Mel Todd has over 20 stories out, her urban science fiction Kaylid Chronicles, the Blood War series, and the new Twisted Luck series. Owner of Bad Ash Publishing, she is working to create a place for excellent stories and great authors. With over a million words published, she is aiming for another million in the next two years. Bad Ash Publishing specializes in stories that will grab you and make you hunger for more. With one co-author and more books in the works, her stories can be found on Amazon and other retailers.